Betty's Choice
(A happy-ending rewrite set during Sofia's Choice and In or Out)
Heaving a sigh, Betty trudged across the restaurant, coming to a stop in front of the table where Walter was waiting for her. She flopped down in the seat with a sigh, taking the ridiculous (even for her) sombrero from her head and placing it on the table. "I'll be done in a few minutes and then we can go home," she said. "I'm going to be sending out some résumés when I get there. There has got to be another publishing job available somewhere in the city."
"But you already have a job," Walter said. "Why would you need to look for another one?"
"Walter, you know this isn't what I want to do with my life," Betty said. "I want to work in publishing, so I have to get back out there and try to find another entry level position in publishing."
"I just thought that with everything that had happened you would realize that working in the city isn't right for you," Walter said. "You just don't fit in there, Betty."
"Walter, I do fit in there. I loved my job at MODE and if I could have it back, I would take it. Can't you understand that?" Betty demanded. "I don't want to work in a job like this forever."
"Well, of course you won't be working here forever. When we get married, you'll want to quit so you can stay at home with the kids," Walter said.
"When we get married?" Betty asked. "When did I ever say I was going to marry you, Walter?"
"I just thought that we had an agreement," Walter said. "That as soon as I get my managerial job we would get married and start our family."
"Walter, I never agreed to this," Betty said. "You know that I want to work in Manhattan in publishing. It's been my dream since I was a little girl."
"I just thought that maybe this whole thing would make you realize that you had different dreams. Dreams that included settling down with me," Walter said. "I guess that was stupid."
"Walter, I'm not going to give up my dreams for you," Betty said. "I think that maybe we should break up. It's obvious that you and I don't want the same things out of life. You should find a girl who wants to settle down and be a stay at home mother. I'm sorry Walter."
With that final word, she stood from the table, taking her chip-filled sombrero. She walked to the back of the restaurant, punched out and went home.
One week later, Betty was back working at MODE as Daniel's assistant. Walter had come over the night after their talk, and they had talked again, agreeing to remain friends but not boyfriend and girlfriend. It seemed that outcome suited both of them.
Betty was sitting at the rolling cart that she had been working at. In truth, she hated the cart. She couldn't count the number of times so far that Amanda had hidden the cart, or pushed her down the hall still sitting in it. But still, it was better than wearing a sombrero full of tortilla chips.
She smiled at this thought and went back to her work. She looked up, however, when a bouquet of pink gerber daisies, her favorite flower, appeared on her desk in front of her. She found herself looking directly into the warm brown eyes of Henry. "Hi, Betty," Henry said, presenting her with the flowers. "I just came up to welcome you back. This place really wasn't the same without you."
"Thanks, Henry," she said with a shy smile. "It's really great to be back."
"So, listen, maybe I could take you out to lunch today. You know, just as a little 'Welcome back' celebration," Henry said.
"I would love to," Betty said.
So later that day, they went to lunch. After Henry explained about what happened at the Christmas party, Betty told him about breaking up with Walter. Before the day was out, they agreed to have a real date that evening: a pact that was sealed with a kiss.
