The Gilder by Kathryn Kay

took me to meet her. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him that nervous. You’d have thought he was taking me home to meet his parents.”
    “Did she approve?”
    “She was nice enough. Thomas said she thought I was ‘suitable.’ Whatever that means. But it’s clear she’s only interested in Thomas.”
    Marina raised her eyebrows. “You mean romantically?”
    “No, I don’t think so, but for a long time I did think that, and it drove me crazy. Thomas and I had big fights about it. In the end, I just let it go. It’s clear she’s in his life to stay, and she’s important. I don’t believe it’s just about his career, but I don’t know what it is. I try and ignore it.” Sarah stood up. “But I really didn’t come out here to talk about her. I just wanted to have a few minutes with you, and a break from my duties. Tell me you’ll stay and come to Anita’s for dinner with us after we’re done here.”
    Marina hesitated. She wasn’t sure if she was prepared to sit down to dinner and make intelligent conversation with the gallery owner, patrons, and other cultural glitterati.
    As if reading her mind, Sarah said, “It’ll just be Thomas and me. I know it goes against the tradition of dining with the patrons, but he’s always insisted on a quiet dinner after an opening. He can only take so much social stimulation.”
    “I don’t want to impose.”
    “No, not at all. We both want you to come.”
    Marina was flattered. “Of course, that sounds great.”
    As they stepped back into the room, Marina pointed. “Look, there’s Antonella, but I don’t see Marcello.”
    “That’s not his ...” Sarah hesitated, then smiled. “Come on, you’ll have to see for yourself.”
    Marina couldn’t see Marcello, but she followed Sarah through the crowd toward where Antonella was laughing with her friends. As they closed in on the group, the women greeted Sarah with exclamations and embraces, then Sarah turned to Marina with a grin and said, “These are Marcello’s friends, Giorgio and Paolo.”
    George? Paul? Marina looked from one to the other, speechless as she struggled to reconcile the masculine voices with the pretty faces of the women, no, men, she shook hands with. Transvestites! The makeup was a bit heavy, but the result was quite stunning. She checked the expression on her face to make sure her mouth wasn’t gaping or her eyes popping, then turned to Antonella, only to find herself staring into Marcello’s beautiful face.
    Sarah was saying, “Marcello says that he’s happy he could be of help, and that his parents are pleased to have you in the apartment.”

    “Why didn’t you tell me he was transvestite?” They had just ordered dinner at Anita’s, and Thomas and Sarah were laughing at her. Marina laughed along with them, happy to share in the joke, even if it had been at her expense.
    “What if I’d made a fool of myself or embarrassed Marcello?” Marina’s attempt at indignation dissolved in her giggles.
    “I know,” said Sarah, “but I had complete faith that you would carry it off as elegantly as you did. I meant to tell you at some point, I really did, it just never came up. Besides, Marcello likes it when people don’t know beforehand. He may be shy, but he has a flair for the dramatic.”
    “Well, that was pretty dramatic.” Marina relaxed back in her chair, savoring the word “elegant.”
    She and Sarah had slipped out of the reception when the crowd thinned, leaving Thomas to talk to the last few people. As they walked to Anita’s, Sarah explained that Florence was well known for its transvestites, that most of them took it very seriously, priding themselves on their ability to pass as women. Some were straight men, even married men, who got their kicks from dressing up, some were gay men who got a different kick, and some were men who lived as women and hoped some day to change gender. Sarah was not sure about his friends, but Marcello was bisexual, and it was anyone’s