The gutter is overflowing. It's raining again. Might as well live underwater. My shoes are soaked and so are the socks underneath. Damn puddle, ambushed me. Why the hell does she insist on living in this second story walkup on this horrible street is beyond me. The rent is way too much and I could certainly afford a better place for her. Oh well, it is her decision.

I'm early, about twenty minutes. Knocking on her door I am not surprised when she opens it not ready. Just the towel on is what takes me by surprise. Ling has picked up some curves that I have never had occasion to pay attention to before, and they are certainly abundant.

"Um," I begin brilliantly, "I'm early?" Like it's a question.

She opens the door to let me and I can feel her smirk burning into the back of my skull. I lay my coat across the arm of her couch and remember my soaked shoes.

"I need to use your dryer for a bit if you don't mind. Stepped in the middle of a lake on my way up.", I already know the laughter is going to start now.

"The door in the kitchen, that's the laundry room.", her voice is surprisingly soft, and even though I can tell she is amused she seems reserved. So I go back and toss my socks in her dryer and then my shoes. What the hell, I can buy six more pairs tomorrow.

Walking back in the living room I hear her in the back humming softly to herself as she goes about the various feminine "getting ready" rituals. A large curtained bay window lines one side of her place, out of mild curiousity and boredom I draw it open.

Oh. This is why she insists on living here. Even at night the Bay is beautiful. The lights of the city and the bridge reflecting off of it in a softly undulating visual symphony of blended lights. Further out than that the darkness of the waves eclipses stars low on the horizon for a moment and then reveals them aagin, a sort of celestial peek-a-boo game with the unfortunates stuck on the surface of this mudball. Enchanted with the view I quite lose track of time...

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a smile like the sin of angels