No Consequence
By Laura Schiller
Based on: Dombey and Son
Copyright: Charles Dickens' estate
1. It's Okay
"It's okay,
I can promise you it's all right.
You ain't keeping me up all night
no more … "
- Atomic Kitten, "It's Okay"
Mr. Toots had no idea how close Florence came to accepting him.
It would be so easy. Here he is, his sweaty satin-gloved hand clinging to hers, blushing so hard you could fry eggs on his face as he stammers out his adoration. She could make him happy – when was the last time Paul Dombey Sr.'s rejected daughter made someone happy? She could leave that house, never have to watch the constant marital war between Papa and Edith, never suffer for her own inadequacy at making Papa love her …
To do what, start a war of your own?, whispers her conscience, in a voice suspiciously similar to Susan Nipper's. Pity ain't love, Miss Floy. I may pity Diogenes when he's got the worms, but that don't make me want to curl up in his basket.
Then she reproves the imaginary Susan forbeing so cruel, since Mr. Toots cannot help being what he is, and his big warm heart is really worth a dozen clever minds.
(And if she remembers a halo of curls, a uniform starched with ineffable optimism, and two warm hands sliding ragged shoes off her feet, it's of no consequence. None at all.)
"Oh, Mr. Toots, don't," she says, withdrawing her hand. "As a kindness and a favor to me … please don't."
"It's of no consequence," he replies, tipping his hat, which proves entirely inadequate to hide his tears. "Not the least consequence in the world."
