seven

Cheryl actually was an actress. She said her lifelong goal was to be the voice in K-mart that came over the intercom and said "seven...seven...." Her dark hair framed a churlish face with bright eyes that often hid her icy hostility. She could act.

Cheryl was best at acting unsurprised. When an elderly man became entranced with her charms, and offerred her an unspecified but generous amount of money to join him at his hotel, she waved it off the way one would a refill in a wine glass. Thanks but no thanks, would you like some coffee?

More than one waiter found himself making similar entreaties to Cheryl, except without the money. While not exceptionally attractive, she wore herself like a dress, gracefully moving between situations. Cheryl played the leading role in all her dramas, comedies and tragedies.

In the end, she broke Adam's heart. That is, assuming he had one. Both their passions combined into an overheated and toxic cauldron that could do nothing but boil over itself, extinguishing the flame that fed it. She left for California, taking the great exit to the left, the flight of angels through clouds of indifference to the promised land. I sometimes hear her voice when I'm in K-mart saying softly, slowly, " seven...seven...".