Two Serious Ladies is named for the 1943 short novel by Jane Bowles.
“I have my happiness, which I guard like a wolf, and I have authority now and a certain amount of daring, which, if you remember correctly, I never had before.”
I drew one up—a locket, domed and gold—by its chain and wedged my nail in its seam and split it open like a piece of fruit. Inside was a man from the neck up.