Back of the room
Looking at you
Counting the steps
Between us
A hundred and five
Little blades in a line
From your skin to mine
And I feel it
-1000 times by Sara Bareilles
Gladys sat in the circular booth at the Jewel Box at an angle from Arlene as she rambled on about some story from her past. Betty listened intently beside her as the other girl expressively described her troubled lifestyle growing up in an orphanage back in the States.
"So the nuns didn't notice the car was missing for three days?" Gladys asked, unsure of the story they were being told.
Arlene's eyes flickered over to Gladys for the first time since she began the story.
"Yeah, Witham," The girl snarked. "Nuns aren't exactly known for their keen interest in their car collection like some of our parents would've been."
Gladys' brow furrowed at the slight against her and her parents, but she stayed silent as Betty urged her to continue her story. She didn't quite trust the newest member of their little click. She was always bragging about some grand scheme she had pulled off in the past that was a little too good, or bad depending on how you looked at it, to be true.
She knew Betty and Arlene had known each other from her time away from VicMu, which meant she probably met her in prison, even though neither had actually admitted it. They had formed some sort of bond during this time and now Betty seemed to be enamored with her friendship with her. Arlene had convinced Betty to skip work several days, almost causing her to loose a spot on the line. It was only Arlene's hasty dramatics that saved their jobs. She had made up some outlandish story about helping stranded soldiers in a town over and how it would be un-Canadian to can someone over helping the war effort in their own way.
It wasn't Arlene's shady past or questionable stories that made Gladys feel so unsettled around her. She didn't trust the girl simply because of the way she made Betty act so uncharacteristically. She never thought she'd see a day when Betty would miss a workday. Even the time when she was practically dying with the flu, she showed up to work early. She had even given up all her old hobbies like packing supply kits for the soldiers and sorting the scrap collection for the war's conservation drives, leaving Gladys in a lurch when she had to do them alone.
Instead, the pair before her often went off together to seedy dive bars across town, coming home early in the morning loud and still half drunk. She thought the last thing Betty needed was the whispers of the girls at the boarding house catching up with her.
Gladys also felt the newcomer didn't really like her based on the fact she didn't shy away from taking pot shots at her or her family's prosperity any chance she got. Her taunting was different than when Betty called her Princess, which felt more charming than the rude ribbing Arlene directed towards her.
Plus, she also thought the girl was stealing from her. Little things like her lipstick, brooches, and hair combs kept disappearing once Arlene entered their lives. Gladys just wished she had some silver nitrate to prove the thief was guilty, but she knew this time she wouldn't have the help of her other best friend to back her up.
Gladys looked over Arlene's shoulder at Kate as she stood by the bar where she chatted with Reggie in between waiting tables and singing on stage. She missed her sweet friend. She would give anything to go back to a time where it was just the three of them against the world.
Now that Kate was working in the lab the only time Gladys got to see her was either at a distance at the Jewel Box or on Sundays when she would take clothes to her to work on as Kate took on alteration responsibilities in the boarding house. The truth was she just wanted an excuse to see her friend, so week after week she would bring her dresses to be hemmed or slacks to be tailored. Their chats were kept formal as though they were afraid if their conversations went beyond the surface it would hurt Betty somehow. Kate always seemed to understand as she politely offered her services without ever asking Gladys for more than she could give emotionally.
Gladys thought maybe it was time to work on her friendship with the red head, since it seemed Betty was absolutely content in her friendship with Arlene that didn't include her. Just as she was about to make the first move towards fixing her relationship with her old friend, the chime of the bell on the front door rang out. Kate's mother cautiously entered looking around the packed club while two younger boys followed closely behind.
She watched as Kate turned and slowly recognized the three at the door. She greeted each with surprised hugs and disbelief. Words spilling out unevenly as she took her family in. Gladys strained to hear as Kate warmly admire how much the two younger boys had grown, calling them Seymour and Gabriel. She told Seymour he had grown a bushel and said she had barely recognized Gabriel in a voice that seemed nostalgic.
Gladys looked over at Betty to see that she too was captivated by the scene playing out before them and was no longer paying attention to Arlene's story. The other girl must have noticed the loss of captivation as her story died out and she looked back at the reunited family.
"Who's that?" Arlene asked, feeling the importance of the moment.
"Her family," Betty said, quietly.
"Is that her brothers?" Gladys asked.
"I guess so."
Kate introduced her family to Reggie as the brother she called Gabriel crossed his arms and looked shyly at his shoes while Seymour looked around the glitzy nightclub in wonder. Kate's mother eagerly shook Reggie's extended hand and smiled warmly at her daughter's newly acquired friend. Reggie made some joke that caused Kate to laugh nervously and louder than normal. She was clearly knocked off center by the sudden re-appearance of her little family. She tentatively looked over to their table.
Gladys understood enough to know that she was looking over to find Betty in the room. To find her balance again.
The two girls eyes locked momentarily as they absorbed each other in the moment. Just as quickly as it happened though, Kate looked down, breaking the small moment and turned her attention to her youngest brother Seymour, who still seemed in awe of the crowded nightspot.
Betty looked down as well, shaking herself free from the moment as she found the ice of the drink in hand suddenly interesting.
"What a place to have a reunion." Arlene criticized.
Betty said nothing as Arlene began another one of her stories that Gladys could care less about. This time though she noticed Betty was no longer mesmerized by the other girl's lively renditions.
Gladys hid a small smile behind her hand as she pretended to listen to Arlene's story and watched as Betty's attention kept wondering back to Kate. The cautious homecoming seem to spell bound the blonde.
Gladys knew without a doubt that the more things changed, the more they stayed the same.
Next Day
Gladys looked over the produce in the small store and wondered how someone, whose family owned most of the grocery stores in the greater Toronto area, had no clue how to pick out a tomato. She often came to the small Mom and Pop stores because she didn't want any of the Witham employees to see the heiress struggle with her great mental battle on what entails the ripeness of vegetables.
"Gladys?" A familiar voice called out behind her.
Gladys froze thinking she was about to be exposed for her embarrassing lack of vegetable knowledge. She turned and found Kate's mother standing behind her with her two sons still dutifully in tow.
"Oh, Mrs. …Rowley," Gladys faltered as she reminded herself not to call her Mrs. Andrews. "Hi there!"
"It's so good to see you, dear," The older woman smiled. "This is Marion's brothers – Gabriel and Seymour."
Gladys smiled at the two younger boys. Gabriel looked to be about 15 as his cheeks reddened when he briefly met Gladys' gaze and smiled softly before looking elsewhere. Seymour bounced in place as he shook her hand eagerly with an easy smile. He looked to be about 11 or 12 and full of innocence. Both boys had blond hair that was just long enough to curl widely on its ends. She could see their resemblance to Kate in both demeanor and looks, which made her like them instantly.
"I was hoping I'd get to see you," Mrs. Rowley said, eyeing the tomatoes Gladys awkwardly held in her hands still. "Do you think you could make it to a dinner I'm putting on for Kate tonight?"
"Um… Well, I…. I…" Gladys stammered.
"We'll only be here for a day or two before we have to get back to my sister's," Mrs. Rowley continued. "And I'd love to cook for you and Betty for all you've done for my daughter. I know it's not very much, but it's the very least I could do. You two girls mean a great deal to our family."
Gladys swallowed the lump she felt rising in her throat as Kate's mother smiled lovingly at her.
"Of course," She said, nodding her head to shake away what was left of her brief thoughts of doubt. "It would be a pleasure."
"Tremendous!" She exclaimed, backing away, ready to be on her way again. "We're staying at Mrs. Cecil's boarding house near Smithfield. Dinner will be served around 6 o'clock."
Gladys wasn't sure what just happened as she stood there with the tomatoes still clumsily in hand and watched as Kate's family walked away happily. Just before out of earshot, Mrs. Rowley turned back and called out.
"Don't forget to bring Betty along!"
Gladys' mouth opened to call her back and tell her that she didn't think the other girl would be able to make it, but shut it once she saw they were already out the door. She wasn't sure what she would have said anyway. Sorry, Bet's not gonna make it for tea and crumpets, she's still dealing with the pain and misery of taking the fall for your daughter, who just happen to have accidentally killed your husband. It didn't exactly roll off the tongue in a proper way, as one would expect, coming from a Witham.
She sighed heavily as she put the vegetables back and shook her head at the absurdity of it all. Now what was she going to do?