Page 36 of Enzo

I don't like that advice either, and I have a feeling that this Kiki isn't as great a friend as Molly seems to think.

“You didn't want to?” I prompt.

“No! I didn't want to meet anyone. I just wanted to have fun. I've never been to a place like this before, a palace of all things. I've never had the chance to dress up, and wear a mask. Are you kidding me! I can’t wait to tell the children.” She pauses, looking at the feast before her. “I’ve never had such delicious food. Food I'll never see again.”

“You’re very …” It’s too late, because the words have already escaped my mouth.

“I’m very what?”

I hesitate, but she says things as they come to her, not holding back, and it’s starting to rub off on me. “Sweet. You’re very sweet.”

Her smile spreads. “Awww. Thank you. But so are you, sweet. You remind me of my children. You have the same innocence and niceness about you.” She quickly glances at the others and whispers again. “I've spoken to these dinosaurs. I don't like them much.”

I wink at her. “Me neither.”

Chapter 8

MOLLY

It’s time to dance.

“This will be fun.” I waggle my eyebrows at my new friend.

“Isn’t it too soon?” Mysterious Man looks at his watch.

The band starts playing something slow and solemn. Not exactly depressing, but not the kind of music that makes me want to get up and jump around. Which is what the kids and I did at our Christmas party.

Couples glide across the floor, arms around each other’s waists, hands clasped.

It all looks very civilized and restrained.

This isn’t what I call dancing.

“I don't like this music, do you?” I whisper into his ear.

“Not particularly.”

“I like dancing, just not to music like this. If they played something else I'd be in the middle of the floor.”

“I'm sure you would.”

“My six-year-olds and I had so much fun at the class Christmas party. We were dancing wildly, not caring who saw or heard us, but the headmistress did. She came in and stared at me like I’d lost my mind. “Molly,” she said, “we must be mindful of the health and safety rules with young children.”

“Did you stop?”

“I asked her if it would be okay if we spread out a bit.”

He laughs. I’ve noticed that he’s laughing a lot more now.

“What did she say?”

“She huffed out a loud breath and walked away. She can trust me. She knows I’d never put the children in harm’s way.”

“She seems to be fond of you.”

“She is.” I smile as I think of Miss T.

We're both standing away from the main dancing area and the orchestra. I can tell there's no way the masked man wants to be on that dance floor, even if they changed the music and played something more upbeat.