Later the Flowers Bloomed, Not Waiting for You

The Portuguese egg tarts I'd stood in line forty minutes to buy. I only went to wash my hands, and by the time I came back, all four custard centers were gone. All that was left was a box of crumbling pastry shells. Charity handed a napkin to my best friend, Herbert, and explained it like it was nothing. "Herbert ate the centers. I saved the shells for you." I looked at the wreckage. "Charity, I waited in line for forty minutes."