Free Doreen by Ilana Manaster Page A

bust. Nicole just stood with her hand on her hip, shaking her head like what a small world.
    â€œSo, what have you been up to? You’re lookin’ good. Nice. You here, what? Traveling through or somethin’?” Nicole said.
    â€œI’m, uh, well.” It was awful. Nobody did anything. What could they possibly think? She’d blown it. Heidi had blown it for herself and Doreen. It was all so humiliating. If there was a hole she could sink into, she would. “I’m here, I’m just—”
    â€œIt’s so nice to meet you, Nicole,” Doreen said sweetly, reaching out a hand to shake. “I’m Doreen. And thank you so much for bringing the booze. These boys were getting restless. Weren’t you, boys?” Doreen swung open the door to the suite and waited for the girl to exit with her cart. Quick, confident, persuasive without being rude. The execution could not have been more perfect. Heidi shot her a look of gratitude.
    â€œOh. Oh, sure, yes. Uh, no problem.” But Nicole just stood there, looking at Heidi and then at the rest of the party.
    â€œIt’s no good when the boys get restless,” Doreen added. She looked out into the hallway. “Thank you.”
    â€œOh! Yeah, sure. So, uh, if that is all, I’ll just . . . please let us know if there is anything else you might require.”
    â€œWe won’t hesitate, will we?” said Doreen.
    â€œThank you, Nicole,” said Heidi, finally finding her voice. “It was nice seeing you.”
    â€œYeah? Well. Likewise,” she said. She wheeled her cart out of the room and Doreen closed the door behind her. There was a long silence.
    â€œI knew you looked familiar!” said Peter jovially. He poured out the scotch. “My family has been staying at the Montauk for years. Nice to make friends with the staff, I think. The doorman, Manny? He sends us a Christmas card every year!” He raised his glass. “To Manny and that nice lady and all the other people who work hard to make our lives comfortable.”
    Heidi and Doreen exchanged looks. Heidi had said it herself a million times, when you looked the part and acted like you belonged, nobody would ever question your origins.
    â€œTo Manny and Nicole!” Heidi echoed. She clinked Peter’s glass, then Coburn’s, then Doreen’s.
    â€œTo their hard work and loyalty,” Doreen added. Where in the world did she come up with that? The girl had talent.
    â€œHere, here!” said Coburn. They drank. The booze trickled hot and slippery down Heidi’s throat. Peter kissed her on the mouth and she thought, now this . This! THIS!

Autumn came. It swept the leafy hillsides of New Hampshire like a change of heart. Like falling in love , Doreen thought, and that is exactly what she did. She fell in love.
    It all began one afternoon, when Doreen emerged from her Japanese class to find Gordon Lichter waiting for her. He seemed to lurk around every corner these days—appearing after every class, hovering nearby during every meal. At first she had enjoyed his attentions. After all, a boy with Gordon’s looks and affluence would never have given the old Doreen a first glance. But it grew irksome to have him forever on her tail, seizing every opportunity to guide her to a table somewhere so he could ply her with trinkets and brag about his family’s money.
    Plus, his infatuation with Doreen had changed him. When they met that first day in the cafeteria, he’d been confident and full of fun. But now he seemed to be standing in shadow all the time, with a dark expression despite his adorable face. So he was a drag. And so ubiquitous! When Doreen saw him leaning against the languages building after her class, his hands deep in the pockets of his Barbour coat, it irritated her.
    â€œDoreen! Hey! I mean, hi. How are you? Did you, I mean, was Japanese, like, good?”
    â€œHello, Gordon,” said Doreen. She