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is the first time in ten years there’s been an outside person on our meeting.”
    “That’s the way it is! Traditions change. Tell me how you’re doing? How’s Martin?” Ashley asked him.
    “I’m fine, and so is Martin. He got mad that I didn’t go to watch him during his dress rehearsal, but I had no choice. My friends are above all else. And how are you doing? How’s Briana?”
    “How do you think? Plaguing her mother all the time.” Ashley sighed and took a sip from the drink that had just been served.
    For a while, there was silence, but soon Peggy broke it.
    “Chad, do you like the theater? I’m dying for Broadway.”
    “What a coincidence! So am I. What’s your favorite musical?”
    “The last one I watched was Cinderella , but Legally Blonde remains my favorite.”
    “Martin and I last watched Kinky Boots – Billy Porter performs remarkably…” Chad had to interrupt himself to answer a phone call. “Hello, I’m listening! Will you excuse me, ladies? I need to make a personal call,” he said, moving a bit farther from his cell phone. He stood up and Peggy’s gaze followed him. She was starry-eyed.
    “He’s so cute! Is he single?”
    Ashley laughed.
    “Chad? He’s gay! Didn’t you get he was referring to his boyfriend when we were talking?”
    “Really?” Peggy was disappointed. “Too bad. He didn’t mention Martin was his boyfriend.”
    “What else could he be?” Ashley thought, but didn’t say anything. After a while Craig, who was coming straight from Cisco’s office, joined them. Once again, Peggy was disappointed to learn Craig was married. Only Wayne remained. Around nine o’clock, he finally arrived.
    “What’s up, bro?” Craig greeted him warmly.
    “The flight was delayed; the plane took off at around seven instead of at six.”
    “You should take earlier flights. Look what time it is!” Craig said, displeased.
    “Now, look at him! It takes you no more than fifteen minutes to get here, and I’m coming all the way from Los Angelеs. I wonder why we always only take Craig into account and meet in San Jose. It’s inconvenient for the others, too. Chad, Ashley, it takes you at least an hour to get here, doesn’t it?”
    “Wayne, get something to drink before you eat us alive,” Chad suggested.
    “You came here by plane?” asked Peggy, who until now had been only sitting and staring at Wayne, the way cats stare at their prey.
    “Wayne’s come from LA,” Ashley explained.
    “And who are you?” Wayne asked. Although he had seen her already, no one had introduced her to him.
    “Peggy Brazwick , a friend of Ashley.”
    “The friends of my friends are my friends.” Wayne shook her hand.
    The meeting of The Jackal’s members wasn’t any different from their previous meetings. Everyone was talking about their everyday lives. Craig said that he was responsible for Cisco’s investment business, which was worth millions of dollars, and that he was under great pressure. However, he boasted about becoming a father for a second time very soon. Wayne, for his part, told the others about the most extreme stunts he’d performed that year, about the famous actors he knew personally, as well as about some popular actresses he’d flirted with. Chad complained about how boring it was to photograph models all day long, but also proudly announced that photographs of his had been published in National Geographic . He and Martin had been to Barcelona, where Chad had taken the photographs he’d later sent to the magazine. Ashley was the only one who wasn’t involved in the conversation and who was saying nothing. Wayne, who found her behavior odd, asked her: “Ash, how about you? How’s the little girl?”
    “She’s very well; already rides a bike and draws… I… can’t complain; I’m alive and kicking.”
    “Is your daughter four years old?” Craig asked her. “Mine is turning three next October. Let’s get together some day with the kids!”
    “It’s a great