That got a reaction. Jake laughed under his breath. Ryan's face hardened. You think I'm wasting your time? Naomi folded her student card back into her wallet.
I think you came over here to tell us we don't belong somewhere we have every right to be. A young man at the next table looked down at his phone. A woman near the coffee machine stared through the glass at the court below. Nobody spoke. That silence pressed harder than Ryan's words.
Naomi had felt it before. The silence people used when they knew something was wrong, but had already decided it would cost too much to say so. Nia looked around the room, her expression changed. "Not because of Ryan, because of everyone else." "You all heard him," she said.
Several eyes dropped. Ryan gave a short laugh. "You see, this is exactly what I mean." Naomi stood. Nia looked at her in disbelief.
We're leaving. Yes. Why? Naomi put her sandwich back in its paper. Because lunch isn't worth this.
Ryan stepped aside with exaggerated courtesy. There you go. Nia's jaw tightened. Naomi picked up her coat. Come on.
As they passed him, Ryan spoke low enough that only they could hear. Smart choice. Naomi stopped. For half a second, Nia expected her to turn. She didn't.
Naomi kept walking. That bothered Ryan more. Outside, the mist had become steady rain again. The twins walked beneath the covered breezeway. Nia was silent for nearly a minute.
Then she said, "You should have let me answer him no." He basically told us we looked too poor to sit in there. I know. And everybody just watched. I know that doesn't make you mad.
Naomi stopped beneath the awning. Rain blew sideways across the plaza. She looked at her sister. Yes. Nia waited.
Naomi's voice softened. That's why I left. Nia shook her head. I don't understand you sometimes. You do?
No, I really don't. Naomi looked back through the glass. Ryan was still inside talking to Jake, smiling. My anger doesn't belong to him, she said. I'm not handing it over because he asked.
Nia exhaled. Some of the tension left her shoulders. Then they heard metal hit pavement. A sharp clatter across the breezeway. Walter Hayes was struggling beside an equipment cart.
One of the heavy cases had slipped. He bent to lift it. His left knee buckled. Naomi was moving before Nia said anything. Mr. Hayes.
Walter caught himself against the cart. I'm fine. That's what everybody says right before they fall. He gave her an annoyed look. You sound like my doctor.
Your doctor sounds smart. Nia reached the other side of the case. Together, the twins lifted it back onto the cart. Walter leaned against the handle, breathing harder than he wanted them to notice. You two didn't have to do that.