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eyes shut and opened them again. The bathroom. The instructor who’d demonstrated the moves for the class stood at a sink and held fresh towels under the tap.
    “Let’s check the bleeding.” She tugged at Giulia’s hand. “Still flowing. Press this hard on your nose.”
    Giulia gulped another glob of blood. Larry opened the door and hovered.
    “Larry, get out of the women’s bathroom.” The instructor pushed him back and closed the door again. “Memorizes katas faster than anyone, but useless at the sight of blood.” She frowned at Giulia. “The towels aren’t quite as red now. Looks like the flash flood’s over.” She switched the damp towels for fresh and dumped the stained ones in the trash.
    Giulia’s face throbbed. The bathroom light shot through her eyes and sparked a jackhammer headache in both temples.
    The instructor stopped in front of the sink and stared at her hands. “Um... you don’t have AIDS, do you?”
    Giulia laughed and coughed and laughed again. “Ow. No.” She couldn’t think of a short answer to explain why the question was funny.
    The instructor smiled and shrugged. “Sorry, but these days you have to be careful. Let me clean your face.”
    Giulia closed her eyes while cool, damp paper caressed her nose, cheeks, and chin.
    “There. Much better. I’ll just stuff a piece of towel into your nose... there. Are you okay to wash your hands?”
    “Sure.” Giulia wobbled to her feet and flung an arm out to the sink. “You didn’t see that.”
    “Of course not.” The instructor patted Giulia on the back.
    The soap frothed red; it took two complete scrubbings to clean her hands and nails. Then she saw the bloody tie-dye on her T-shirt and sweats. “They’re ruined.”
    “Maybe not.” The instructor squatted and felt the material. “Lots of cold water and soap as soon as you get home, then club soda.”
    “Home.” Giulia blinked several times, and the blurriness finally disappeared. Now she could see her helper’s deep brown eyes and the laugh lines around her mouth. “I don’t know how to thank you.”
    “No trouble at all. I’ve got three kids. Minor catastrophes and mopping up body fluids are old news in my house.”
    “Then I thank your kids for their childhood injuries. Wait. That didn’t sound right.”
    The instructor laughed. “I know what you meant.”
    “Do you have the time?”
    The instructor stood and cracked open the door. “8:10.”
    “I have to leave. The next bus comes in seventeen minutes.” Giulia touched the bridge of her nose. It kicked back. “This is going to be purple tomorrow.”
    “It sure is. Don’t overdo the makeup for the next few days. That’ll just make it worse. I’ll get you some ice for the ride.”
    Giulia followed her to the door. Deep breath. Everyone’ll be staring at you. Suck it up.
    The self-defense students were twisting out of the instructors’ choke holds. Giulia hugged the back wall and smiled beneath the towel plug. Larry broke away from his conversation with the school’s owner and intercepted her beneath the exit sign.
    “Ma’am, I’m sorry. A black belt should know better. I have no excuse.”
    Giulia put up her hands. “It’s all right. No real harm done. I’ll be fine tomorrow.”
    “Ms. Falcone.” The owner handed Giulia her purse. “Please accept my apologies. Of course we’ll be refunding the course fee to your account.”
    The instructor who’d cleaned Giulia up walked over with an ice-filled plastic bag. “When everyone asks, remember to say, ‘You should see the other guy.’ ”
    Giulia groaned. “That hurt worse than my face does.” She held out her free hand to the owner. “Thank you.”
    Larry opened the front door for her. “Do you need an escort to your car?”
    She shook her head and pain stabbed her sinuses. “Thank you, no. I’m just going to the corner bus stop.” She looked behind her at the clock. “It’s coming in eight minutes. I should get out