“Have you listened to this? I downloaded it the other day, it’s “Marry You” with Glee. It’s just the kind of mood I am tonight” dreamily states Harriet gently throwing herself back on her pink and yellow daisy covered bedspread stretching out her arm to hand Emma her IPOD so she can listen too.
Twisting the cap back on the sugar plum polish now that her toes nails have dried, obediently Emma places it into the stereo and hits power button as the song vibrates through the room because Harriet has left the volume all the way up from the last time she listened to her stereo. “It’s a beautiful night and we’re looking for something to do, hey baby I think that I want to marry you . . .”
As the music begins Harriet immediately jumps up and starts dancing in a somewhat goofy manner making up her own eccentric variations as Emma inspired joins Harriet with her own version of spastic moving as they watch themselves in the long mirror attached to her closet door.
As the song finishes, “I have one for Elton too!” excited states Harriet as the words blare from the radio on her nightstand with matching daisies “No matter how I try, you keep pushing me aside and I can’t break through, there’s no talking to you. It’s so sad that you’re leaving it takes time to believe it. But after all is said and done, you’re going to be the lonely one . . .”
“Isn’t this Cher?” asks Emma moving again in contorted movements with the beat as Harriet is at her side adding a few hysterical expressions of her own with creative turns and twists as her hair haphazardly corresponds flopping side to side “Do you believe in love after love? I can feel something inside me says I really don’t think you are strong enough . . .”
At the end of the song Harriet and Emma collapse on the floor laughing exhausted but thoroughly enjoying a moment of friendship.
As she catches her breath, Emma considers “Did you have someone in mind for “Marry You”?
“Yes, I did!” exclaims Harriet nodding her head at the same time barely able to find the words after from her energetic workout.
“Wait a minute! Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know. I’ll just cause more problems” confesses Emma aware of the fiasco of Harriet’s last relationship.
“No, I want to tell you” earnestly pleads Harriet “I think that you will like who I’ve chosen this time.”
“I don’t know. I think it is safer if you don’t tell me at all” confidently pronounces Emma sincerely not wanting to cause Harriet any more pain.
“How about if I don’t tell you but I allow you to guess?” suggests Harriet.
“Well, that might work I guess because you are not exactly telling me and I can’t make a mistake that way” sincerely replies Emma with a bit of faulty logic.
“Let’s play a game. You can ask five questions and I’ll try to honestly answer them” replies Harriet “and you can guess that way”.
“Does he go to Crestwood?” asks Emma wondering if it could be Robert again.
“Yes he does” states Harriet trying to hold back and not tell Emma who it is in her excitement.
Emma is relieved that it is not Robert and continues “Does he work for the Army?” thinking that Grant now works at area command with her.
“Yes he does! You’re really good at this” eagerly states Harriet wanting to confess.
“Have we gone out with him to do things?” asks Emma wondering if it could be Grant.
“Yes, we have. Lots of times!” trying to contain her desire to let his name burst from her lips?
“Did he ever rescue you?” Curiously asks Emma thinking of last night while at the canteen and wanting to confirm her guess.
“Yes he did! Wow! I think you already know who it is” in shock states Harriet wondering if Emma saw her talking at the concert and was kind enough to never mention it “He’s such a wonderful guy as you know so well!”
“Yes, I think so too” adds Emma daydreaming that Grant and Harriet will be a very happy couple together with lots of friends constantly at their house.
“Do you think he likes you too?” asks Emma remembering Grant hugging her and then walking back from the alley with his arms around Harriet’s shoulders
“Can I tell you now?” pleads Harriet “It seems like you already know.”
Emma considers for a moment but is resolved “No, I might mess things up. It’s better if you keep it to yourself and we can talk about him without mentioning his name” firmly believing she already knows who is the object of Harriet’s affections and really doesn’t need to be told at this point.
“He’s always so sweet and gentlemanly. I really think he’s my prince charming” blissfully sighs Harriet holding her heart.
Emma thinks that none of the guys she knows would exactly fit in the ‘prince’ category except perhaps Knightly – only maybe, he does have his quirks - but it is obviously not who Harriet is talking about.
“Are you going to the picnic next week-end at the Highbury Lake?” asks Harriet “What are you going to make?”
“I was thinking of making some potato salad. What are you going to make?” asks Emma looking through the stack of celebrity magazines on Harriet’s floor.
“I’m going to make tortillas to snack on with some homemade salsa with roasted peppers” responds Harriet “I think Alice is making some Waldorf salad and her famous deviled eggs. I hope Ann brings some of her homemade pies. I especially like her pecan and apple pies. She makes such flakey crusts”.
“That sounds wonderful!” honestly comments Emma having experienced Harriet’s traditional cooking and thinking of the savory blend of all the other items.
“What’s this?” asks Emma picking up a pink heart glass designed bottle filled with perfume and spraying some around her and stepping into the scent “It’s lovely” as the room fills with a floral bouquet and fruity scent “Sentiment?”
“I bought it Saturday at the mall” explains Harriet “isn’t it beautiful? I think “he” will like it. What do you think?”
“Do you mind if I borrow it from time to time until I get some of my own?” asks Emma.
“Sure!” offers Harriet “Anything for my friend.”
“Why do we go to the mall? They are having a sale at JcPenny and I think that it’s highly likely we will find something that we want” states Emma sure of her goal.
As the reach the food court for a break, Harriet surprised but delighted notices Robert in line waiting for some fried rice. As he casually walks over to the soda machine with his large cup, Robert looks up very excited to see Harriet but not so much to see Emma. He calmly walks over to where the girls are sitting, “Do you mind if I join you? I’m on my evening lunch break and thought that I would grab a bite to eat.”
“Hi! There are two extra chairs so you can have either one of them, it’s up to you” teases Harriet as a feeling of excitement rushes through her at seeing him again.
“Hi Robert, how are you?” politely asks Emma as she takes a sip of her soda.
“I’m having a very good day now that I’ve run into both of you!” cheerfully states Robert as he takes a bite of his fried rice “What are you looking for at the mall?”
“Emma wants to get some perfume” shares Harriet “and I’m think of getting a new top for the picnic this week-end. Are you going? It’s going to be a great time!”
“No, my schedule is not so good again. I’m working all three days because it is a huge sale week-end and we need as many people as possible to be here” explains Robert “my store is now seventh in the state!”
“Wow! Congratulations!” exclaims Harriet “You’ve done a great job!”
“Well, we’ve worked hard together as a team that’s for sure” explains Robert “it isn’t just one person, it takes a whole lot of us working together to make that happen.”
“Yes, but you are also a good leader. Every great team has a good leader that his team respects and follows” explains Harriet proud of Robert’s accomplishment and not letting him diminish the compliment.
“Thank you. I appreciate your kindness” sincerely remarks Robert feeling that he likes everything about Harriet.
“It is remarkable Robert. Are the other six stores in the area or spread out through the state?” replies Emma.
“There are a couple in town and the others are mostly in the southern region” explains Robert not sure why she is pointing out that the other stores are near his area.
“Do you know any of the other managers of the stores?” curiously asks Emma with a slight feeling of uneasiness in the others.
“Yes, in fact one store is run by the former manager at my store who trained me” explains Robert not sure what she is getting at.
“It always helps to have solid groundwork before moving in a place and having to take over” states Emma in a tone of authority on the subject.
“Yes, it does. He did a wonderful job at Game Point before teaching me to take over the reins” acknowledges Robert not liking Emma’s tone but not sure what she is being so snippy about either.
“It is never one person” states Emma “even though sometimes it appears that way or some like to think like that.”
“Yes, I know that is why I am so glad that I have such an effective and wonderful team to work with” remarks Robert slightly irritated at her assumption that he might be arrogant about his success.
Harriet listens to the whole conversation between Emma and Robert but doesn’t say much because she is not exactly sure what to say. She contemplates Emma’s interrogation as she bites her lips and feels concerned that Emma might be a little too critical of Robert’s efforts that have been actually quite successful.
Robert takes the last bite of his food and looks at his watch. “I’m sorry to have to leave you now, but I need to get back to work. I’ll see you later Harriet. Emma, I hope you find all that you want today” as he stands up and throws his paper plate into the garbage bin a few feet away and heads towards the escalators to return to his store.
As Robert leaves, she sees that Harriet’s eyes are cautiously following him. Irritated, Emma is slightly perturbed but is not sure exactly why. “Harriet, are you ready to go?”
“In a couple more seconds, I’m finishing the last of my fries” as Harriet throws four into her mouth at the same time giggling that she has overstuffed herself and trying hard to swallow “I love my fries with mayonnaise”.
“Really? I prefer ketchup, but I don’t necessarily like ketchup with other potato type things such as hash browns” remarks Emma picking up her purse and placing it over her shoulder as she carries her red plastic tray to the garbage bin.
Taking a sip of soda as they walk to the glass elevators, “Do you think Robert misses hanging out with us?” asks Harriet hunching her shoulders and acutely feeling how much she has missed Robert’s company the last few weeks.
“I imagine Robert is so busy that he doesn’t have time to think about anybody” snidely remarks Emma intuitively aware of Harriet’s interest in Robert at the immediate moment.
Harriet shrugs her shoulders and feels a little hurt. Her thoughts shift with Emma’s influence and she thinks that he chose to spend most of the meal talking to Emma anyway. Maybe, Emma is right that Robert doesn’t think about her when she is not around. Perhaps Robert only appears to like her when she is around and is forcing him to pay attention to her. Internally, Harriet sadly sighs as she concludes her last rationalization.
“Come on let’s find a top that will look great on you. Whoever “he” is, I’m sure will think you look fantastic!” exclaims Emma rather clueless as to Harriet’s shift in mood but making an attempt to cheer her up.
Feeling that she must leave her thoughts of Robert behind as he has already left her behind, the idea of finding something new and looking pretty in it sounds exhilarating to Harriet, “Where do you want to go next? I’m ready to shop until I drop!” as they step into the elevators to find a galaxy of sales.
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