“Our Friday night ritual. One of my favorites.” M’sieur picked up his coffee and let him get the food. As soon as they were out of the shop M’sieur put an arm around his shoulders. “It’s getting chilly. How do you like winter?”
“You’d think I’d hate it, but I don’t. I love winter here. It’s so new.” And he loved the holidays in the city. Loved it.
“That’s good. The holiday season here is so much fun, I love all the ways New York manages to find light in the darkness. And I’m hopelessly romantic; I love the tree and ice skating and hot cocoa on the street, all the Christmas shows…” Isaac shrugged. “I like being festive. I hope you like a Christmas tree. I always do a big one.”
“I love decorating! Can you teach me—” He stopped. No. No, that wouldn’t be nice, to ask to learn to ice skate if Chou couldn’t. That was mean.
“Teach you what?” Isaac leaned back a little and caught his eye.
“Oh, nothing. I wasn’t thinking. Are you a fancy one-color person or an all-the-colors one?”
“The more colors the better. The more ornaments the better. And if they’re annoying and blinky? I’m even happier. We’ll decorate together, all of us.”
“Sounds like so much fun. I love all the colors. All of them.” He bumped hips with Isaac. “What about Halloween?”
“I love the kids, I love the parties, but I’m not a big decorator. But—I’m not against decorating either. I just haven’t. I bet you like Halloween.”
“La! You ever been in New Orleans for Halloween? That is a party!” He loved partying on Bourbon Street.
“I haven’t. You’ll have to take us there sometime. I’m not sure I’m ready for Halloween though.” Isaac chuckled as they got home and pulled open the heavy door to the street for him.
“Oh, it’s better than Mardi Gras, huh? That’s nuts. All boobies and beads.”
That got him a laugh so loud it echoed in the foyer. Isaac called the elevator. “Well, I haven’t much use for boobies.”
“No, but I bet you Chou would have lots of them waggled at him.” He couldn’t stop laughing.
“Can you imagine?” Isaac giggled with him, then made a goofy face. “Excuse me. Sorry. Sorry, ladies. Not interested.”
“Y’all. Now I’m taken. Real taken.” He could do a fair Chou impersonation.
They tumbled off the elevator, still giggling. “Wait, you’re really women, right?”
“He’d be offering to walk them home, all sweet and stuff.”
“You’re so right.” Isaac shook his head as he unlocked the apartment door. “Okay, no Mardi Gras either.”
“No. We’ll go down in the springtime. It’s pretty.”
“What’s pretty?” Neil asked.
“New Orleans.” Alain offered Neil a smile. “Look who I found!”
“I snuck out early and we met for coffee while you were being tortured.” Isaac closed the distance between him and Neil in a few long strides and gave Neil a kiss. “Hello.”
“Hey. I didn’t kill him. I deserve a cookie.”
He held up the cookie in question. “Ta-da!”
“Chocolate Chunk.” Isaac made a sweeping gesture with one arm. “The boy has brought his Master a gift!”
Oh, wasn’t it fun to hear Neil’s laugh, loud and real. “Well, it’s good to know y’all think about me, up here suffering.”
“Woe is you. Was Mitch particularly evil today?”
“Not really. He says I’m improving. Says to spend a couple hours a day with the cane.”
“Fantastic. So will it be the cane, the walker, or the wheels when we go out for tacos tonight?” Isaac winked at him over Neil’s shoulder.