08: Juliet x Harper
When Harper told Juliet that she knew Juliet was sleeping with Harper's husband, that evening Juliet told Goodwin what Harper had said. "In session," she added, expecting some sympathy.
She got none. "Look around you, Jules. Professionalism's a rare commodity around here."
A week later, she was still frozen with indecision, even if the choices were clear. Dump Goodwin as a lover, or dump Harper as a therapist.
Why not both? "Therapy" was just Harper's way of spying for Ben. And Goodwin would never leave his wife.
Pinball helped her think. In the empty recreation room she fired up her favorite table, and soon a grotesque Phantom of the Opera leered at her from the lit display. Under his arm he pinioned a blonde and buxom opera singer whose blue eyes opened wide with fear, just like Juliet's.
Silver balls spit onto the table like bullets, and the digit counter racked up points. Just as Juliet came to a decision, the rec room door clicked open behind her. It was Harper, carrying a brown Dharma beer bottle. From her swaying walk and fuzzy expression it wasn't her first drink of the day.
Harper positioned herself by the adjacent machine. Instead of playing, she glared at Juliet with the same looks Juliet had shot at Goodwin many times: a mix of fury, frustration, and longing.
Juliet fought to keep her voice from shaking. "You're just the person I wanted to see."
"I doubt it."
"I've been meaning to... It's just that—"
"Cut to the chase, Juliet."
So that's how Harper wanted to roll. "I'm done with therapy. It's not doing either of us any good."
Harper emptied the bottle in one swig. "That's a relief."
This caught Juliet off-guard. "It's just terribly awkward—"
"You think it isn't for me? How dense are you? Fine, you're done." No contempt came out, just frustration over something Juliet couldn't see.
Juliet felt compelled to explain. "What did you expect, Harper? Twice a week I spill my guts to you. You know more about me than my own mother, but you act like a sphinx—"
Harper whirled around, tears in her eyes and voice. "You think I warned you away from Goodwin for his sake? To hell with him. You're right, Juliet, I do know you – and that's exactly why I fell in love with you."
As Juliet stood speechless, Harper brushed the empty bottle with her elbow as she headed towards the door. The bottle crashed to the linoleum floor, leaving a pinwheel of shattered glass and the shards of Juliet's heart.