The Next Day
"So, I want to know exactly how you came to meet your little socialite delight," Grace said as she took a seat on Will's desk. She knew he hated it when she sat there, but she also knew he wouldn't say anything to her about it; he lived for the days where she and Jack would surprise him with lunch, and he wouldn't say anything to spark some sort of confrontation. Jack was seated on the windowsill, nodding; he was extremely interested in Will's story.
"It was nothing. Two days ago, I dropped my wallet, she picked it up, we started talking. That's it." Grace gave him a look. "What?" Will asked.
"I think the point she's trying to get across here," Jack said, rising from his seat and walking towards Will, "is that you have a better chance in hell than you do forming a relationship with Karen Walker."
"Couldn't have said it better myself," Grace agreed. "Look, Will, you two are from very different worlds. She's not going to abandon her current lifestyle just for the possibility of a long term relationship with someone who is unable to give her all the things she's used to getting."
"And it's not like she's going to do something to screw up her marriage," Jack added. "Come on, she's set for life! She's famous just because her husband is Stanley Walker. She gets everything her heart desires. What more can someone ask for?"
"Look, even if you did start a relationship with her, she seems like the kind of person who could just turn you away without mercy. And I'd hate to see someone do that to you, Will."
Will looked from Grace to Jack, not believing what he was hearing. "Thanks for the support," he said. A little sarcasm never hurt anyone. "I know that I've got everything going against me, okay? But when she looks at me…it's just the best feeling. I'm not going to give up. I need to be with her. She's everything my life is missing."
Up until this point, Grace had thought that he was joking, that he couldn't be serious about Karen. He had only seen her in pictures, he had only caught quick glimpses of her on the street, arm in arm with Stan. There was no way he could have fallen. He didn't know her personality, he just knew that she was a local celebrity. But when Grace looked into Will's eyes after everything he just said, she knew that this was no joke. She made her way to Will's side of the desk to hug him. "I had no idea," she whispered. "I'm sorry."
"If I don't try," he said, "I'm going to be spending the rest of my life wondering what would have happened if I did."
"I want this for you, you know that. Just…just don't get your hopes up, okay?"
Will looked at her. "I can't promise that." He shook his head. "Look, I don't have her number, her address, anything. I probably won't see her again, so we can just drop the whole subject."
"Somehow, I don't think we can," Grace replied.
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Will
There are so many people in New York City. They come to realize their dreams, to live their fantasies, to get away from family, to soak up the culture. They stay for days, weeks, months, years, lifetimes. Every day, you're able to meet someone new, someone you've never seen before and probably wouldn't have the chance to meet if you weren't in this city. They could be cold, heartless, bitter. Or they could be that one person who can make you feel something you've never experienced. And you never want to let that go. No matter what may come along in life to make things difficult, that grip they have on you is the one constant, that one thing you are able to take comfort in. And you would never trade that for anything.
For some reason, be it fate or some higher power at work here, Karen Walker is that one person for me.
There are so many people in New York City. So, out of all of the people I could have met that day, that could have been behind that umbrella with my wallet in her hand, why did it have to be her? I can't answer this question, and probably will never be able to, but I do know this: I will do everything in my power to make her realize that I am that one person for her.
