Daring Darleen
Pausing just inside the door, "That face looks familiar," Joyce said to Romana in a whisper. She nodded at two small girls at a table in a corner out of sight of the entrance. Romana casually scanned the diner.
The girl facing the door pulled up the newspaper she was reading to hide her face when she noticed them looking her way. The other girl stiffened like she was trying really hard not to turn around and look at them.
"They appear to be hiding from someone," Romana said quietly.
"My father used to tell me stories that my grandmother told him," Joyce said, frowning as she tried to remember. "She claimed to have had exciting adventures with her best friend growing up. But she was a child actress, so he never quite believed them. Thought she must have meant the movies she was in."
"Given how humans age, it is possible for one of them to be the right age to be your grandmother," Romana said.
"If that's her, I think at least one of the stories was true," Joyce said. "And if she's family I'm almost obligated to help her out of a spot of trouble. And that waitress is giving them a suspicious look. We need to get them out of here."
"Joyce?" Romana said, clearly puzzled.
"Just follow my lead," Joyce said, heading towards the corner table the two girls were sitting at. Trying to look inconspicuous, Romana followed behind her.
"Hello, Cousin Darleen!" Joyce said, waving at the girls and stopping at their table. "You and Vicky haven't been waiting for us long have you?"
"It's Victorine," the girl with the newspaper said very softly.
"I told you it was really them," Joyce said, poking Romana. "Have you eaten yet? We were in a rush and I didn't get my morning coffee like I was promised." She pouted.
"Yes… Cousin…" the other girl, Darleen, said.
"Joyce," Joyce said in a whisper. "Just pretend you know us," she added in the same whisper. "We'll explain later."
"Joyce," Darleen said, nodding. "Yes, we just finished."
"Gosh," Joyce said, sighing loudly. "I didn't realize we were that late getting here. I guess it'll have to wait. We should get the two of you to the ferry before it leaves. Cousin Bill, your Pa, is surely already waiting for us on the other side."
"Of course," the other girl said, getting to her feet. "We can't keep him waiting, Darleen."
"They probably don't do espresso here, do they," Joyce said mournfully, nodding to the suspicious waitress.
"Grandmama used to say that the best espresso can be found in a small cafe she went to in Venice," Victorine said.
"There's a place in Cleveland that does an amazing fancy espresso," Joyce said, as they started walking down the street. "But your Grandmother is right. For a pure espresso experience, Italy is the place to go." She turned triumphantly to Romana. "See! I can admit it."
"I do not believe we are going to either Cleveland or anywhere in Italy today," Romana said.
Darleen stopped and glared at them. "Who are you really? I know all of my Darling cousins and you aren't one I recognize. And why did you rush us out of there?"
"We are related, distantly through your mother," Joyce said, "though it's a coincidence that we happened to run into you here. And the waitress was getting suspicious. Two girls dressed like that wandering around this early in the morning? Not exactly inconspicuous. Especially if the police are looking for you."
"Police?" Romana said, turning and giving the two girls a penetrating look.
"Vicky here was kidnapped, and Darleen is rescuing here, if I remember correctly," Joyce told her.
"Victorine," the other girl said, correcting her again.
"Vicky is less conspicuous," Joyce said to her. "Not as original, sure, but safer."
"How did you know?" Darleen said.
"You mean besides the newspaper mentioning a kidnapping?" Joyce said, pointing at Victorine. "I'd heard you'd gone missing at the same time, and here the two of you are together. Simple math."
"We need to hurry," Romana said abruptly. "The ferry is almost ready to leave."
"Come on girls, we can talk and walk at the same time," Joyce said. "Let's get you on your way home."
"You knew my mother?" Darleen asked.
"Not directly, though I've seen the Edison film of her dancing," Joyce said. "We're travelers. Always moving around. Every morning Romana here says 'Where do you want to go today?' and I tell her and off we go."
"Grandmama traveled," Victorine said. "She had to stop when I came to live with her but she was always telling me stories of her travels."
"If you want to travel, I'd recommend going with a friend," Joyce said. "Romana is really good at getting us out of scrapes. Almost as good as Daring Darleen."
"I'm not really that special," Darleen protested, blushing.
"You are," Victorine said. "You climbed right out of that window and over to the fire escape so we could get away from those people."
"You do all of your own stunts, don't you?" Joyce asked.
"Stunts?" Victorine said.
"All of the action for her pictures. Dangling from ropes. Climbing cliffs, that kind of thing," Joyce said.
"Of course," Darleen said. "Who else is going to do them?"
"Making all of that look real in pictures? That takes gumption," Joyce said. "Most people aren't brave enough to do that kind of thing."
"Oh," Darleen said. "That's just how we make pictures."
The ferry was boarding as they reached the dock. There was a policeman watching everyone getting on board.
"We'll distract the policeman," Joyce said, after they'd gotten their tickets. "We'll meet you at the front in a few minutes."
"Okay, Cousin," Darleen said, grabbing Victorine's hand and pulling her over to the ferry, ducking behind a car being loaded.
"Cute kids," Joyce said, watching them disappear into the crowd for a minute. "Did I mention that my sister was named after her?"
"No," Romana said. "You didn't mention it. This Darleen doesn't quite trust us."
"That's okay," Joyce said. "As long as she gets home in one piece. And maybe we can get a tour of the studio before we go back? My father had some pictures but it's not the same."
"It will depend on when Missy gets back," Romana said.
"Doesn't it always?" Joyce said. "Ready to be a distraction?"
Sighing, Romana straightened her hat, and jacket. "Ready."