Audrey Hepburn's Pearls: Part I

Chapter 53.2: 1968, Georgina

Chapter 53.2: 1968, Georgina

 

"You know what? Felix and I passed this very nice looking French place the other day. Little in the corner New York place. A hole in the wall! Why don't we go there? It feels so authentic. I wonder if its really French food? Do you think so? They say those small places are always good."

Genesis was calling to me from the living room. Of course he wanted to go to a French place. Hadn't he learned anything from Carabella's? Hadn't he liked the tortellini? 

"Oh, I don't know. I kind of wanted to go to Norman Rockwell's. Cha Cha hasn't been there yet, and its something you might like," I called back, mussing a towel in my hair. Like always, Genesis had come an hour early, never late to a party and never late to anything. He'd probably be early to his own funeral. He'd shocked the shit out of me by knocking on my door at 9am when we were supposed to be going out at 10:30. So, my mistake, he'd actually been an hour and a half early. And poor Cha Cha. He must have picked him up at 7, I had no doubt. Feeling rude, I'd made them wait while I showered since I'd been in bed.

"Norman Rockwell's?! The artis-!"

"No, no, no," I chuckled. "No relation. That's just the owner's name."

"Oh. What kind of food is it?"

"Its a del- deli." I yawned mid-word and flicked the light off in my bathroom. I crossed the living room in a towel. 

"Cold cuts, you mean? Sandwiches?" 

The way Genesis said 'sandwiches' didn't sound very promising. I didn't want to say it, but he'd sounded a little snotty. "No, its not cold cuts. You'll see what it is. You like BLT's, right? They make great ones. I personally like their prosciutto. They make really nice breakfast sandwiches, too, but it will be too late for that."

"Pro-soo-toh," Cha Cha repeated after me, a little muffled from the living room. I had to giggle. I leaned over to my bureau in my closet, looking for pants and a shirt, making sure to keep the tops of my arms pinched so my towel wouldn't fall. 

"Pro-shoo-toh!" I corrected to him.

"Pro-shoo-toh!"

I couldn't contain my merriment. Why did he have to be so darn cute? "Anyway, they have really great cheesecake, too. New York cheesecake. You gotta have that, too, right?" I located some nice khakis and a light blue shirt. I held the shirt up in the mirror, frowning, but it would have to do. My fingers began to unbutton it like a spider going down a web.

"I don't like cheesecake," Genesis said simply like an ornery old lady. I could hear him sipping his tea from here. 

"How do you not like-" I cleared my throat, changing track. This was unheard of. "You'll like Norman's. Its not like any cheesecake out there."

"Cheesecake good," I heard Cha Cha say somewhat defiantly from the living room. So he was still mad at Genesis. I wondered if he'd detected Cha Cha's tone. 

"I'm sure it is, but cheese isn't cake."

"Yeah, its pie. They have other pies, too. Banana cream, cherry, apple. Lots of things," I said, bouncing to get my pants on. I smoothed around, making sure my boxers didn't make any bumps in the material. It seemed alright. My eyes scanned my sock drawer for matching dark socks. 

"Then why call it cheese 'cake'?"

Oh, Genesis. I sighed quietly. Sometimes I didn't know how Felix put up with him. What would he say in this situation? 'Oh, you've just hit the curiosity button.'