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For three hours, I show Bailey all I can of the city I grew up in, including sharing a pie at Lou Malnati’s

“Did you come here a lot as a kid?” she asks as she cuts her slice with a knife and fork

I chuckle as I shake ht dead in here, butme sometier, most of the time with friends when I was back in the city”

“Back in the city?” she queries

“Ho school,” I clarify

“Oh” Her low rew up in different worlds

When we finally ive her a tour around the lobby, pointing out the artisan craftss, the custoraces the walls, even though I’et her naked

It’s only when she yawns that I gallantly offer, “Let’s get up to the suite We’ve had a long day”

Going to be an even longer night

“Thank you for showing me the city,” she says as we ride the elevator up “And the pizza was delicious”

“You’re very welcome”

We enter the suite Three feet in, Bailey stops and looks around at the opulence with her o Blackill always boast the finest of everything Silk wallpaper, i, hand-carved s, and precious artworks

Without asking her preference, I walk over to the wet bar and pour us each a slass of port Not to stall the inevitable, but to relax us into the conversation that needs to happen

She thanksuest roo in my room”

Bailey inhales sharply, taking a bit of port down the wrong pipe and i

Hacking really

I help her along with firets her breath back, she asks, “Say what?”

“Honestly, Miss Robbins… your elocution is lass before I take a drink