"Should I sit by the window?" Sylvia asked. "Is there a specific chair?"

"Sit anywhere!" Lesley said from the kitchen. "I'm just happy to have you!"

"Don't be catty, Sylvia," Pamela mumbled. "We'll just drink some coffee, talk about a movie, and be on our way."

Lesley peeked her head around the corner. "I've been waiting to use this Jura J6 Coffee/Espresso Center for weeks now, and no one's been able to come over!"

"Imagine that!" said Sylvia, taking out a cigarette.

"No smoking, please, Sylvia!" said Lesley. Sylvia glared daggers at the door. "Should we talk about something fun, like The Help? Or something serious, like The Hunger Games?"

"Which did you like best?" asked Pamela helpfully. Lesley just shrugged and walked back in the kitchen.

"I haven't seen either yet. I don't really watch movies, I just want to talk about them over coffee. Would anyone like a Professional-Style Cappuccino to start us off?"

Pamela put a hand on Sylvia's shoulder.

"I swear, Sylvia. I didn't know."

"Oh, I believe you, Pamela. I just don't know how she talked you into this."

"We could just go. I could pretend to get a call and we could just go."

"Are you sure? Because I've been told someone's been planning this day for weeks now, and I wouldn't want to ruin it."

"Sylvia, I'm so, so sorry."

"I'm sorry, girls!" Pamela half-sang. "Are you talking about The Avengers? I can't hear what you're saying over my Jura J6 Coffee/Espresso Center!"

Sylvia narrowed her eyes and walked into the kitchen. Pamela followed, like a hyena waiting for the lion to strike.

"Do you want foam?" Lesley asked as she frothed the milk. Sylvia took out a cigarette and tapped it on the counter.

"Sorry, no smoking please. The barista told me it just ruins the flavor."

"I won't light it. I just think it makes me look French New Wave." Sylvia smiled, resting the cigarette in her mouth. Lesley didn't look convinced.

"I don't know what that is, Sylvia, but I guess if you don't light it… oh, but you'll have to set it down when I give you a macchiato, won't you?"

Sylvia held the cigarette again. "Gosh, Lesley, I really was hoping for an expresso. Can you make an expresso with that thing?"

Pamela put a hand to her mouth and went back into the other room to get her bag. Lesley was suddenly very happy. "Yes, Sylvia, my Jura J6 Coffee/Espresso Center can, in fact, make an espresso. It can also make many other drinks."

"But expresso is one of them, right?" Sylvia took out her lighter and tapped it on the counter.

Lesley seemed alarmed but said nothing. "Oh, certainly! I could make as many espressos as you like!"

Sylvia flicked open her lighter, then closed it. Twice. "Well, Lesley, that's wonderful, because I might just want three expressos today."

Lesley held her ground. "I could make espressos with no trouble at all, Sylvia."

From the corner, Pamela grabbed Sylvia's arm. "Sorry, Lesley, I just got a phone call. There's something wrong with my car and I need Sylvia to help me. We'll have to reschedule those expressos."

It was too much. Lesley threw her designer hand towel on the ground in rage as the two women slipped out the door.

"Espresso!" she yelled. "Espresso! Espresso, Espresso, Espresso! Don't either of you know how to talk about movies correctly?"
 

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