A bit about Vera

Then she started (POV Alma):

"I remember the day when I walked to Madame Dumas's shop. What would not I give to use the phone!

"Ayah! Alma Del Aqua! What a surprise! Hello," greeted Vera's mother.

"Good morning, Mrs. Dumas."

"It's good that you were out with Vera last night. It's been a long time since I've seen you stroll out together."

"Pardon?" I bit my tongue and thought: I was not out with her yesterday. "Yes, very well, even. She told you everything?"

She spoke to me and smiled, friendly. Something in my expression must have changed at the same time, because suddenly her smile has frozen. She wrung her hands nervously, while a minute before they were crossed. Her hair was stiff and cut much shorter than Vera's, and it was arranged in a complicated hairstyle.

"Yes," she said, smiling halfway now.

I smiled too, but I realized that I did it a few seconds too late. My reflexes were slow and my head was elsewhere.