“I really appreciate the help,” Gloria said, stacking glasses neatly in the cabinet next to the sink.
“I’m happy to help,” Harper said, taking another sip of champagne as she untangled cords wrapped around the DVD player. “I’m pretty sure I can figure out how to set this up so you can at least watch movies tonight.”
She scooted across the floor to sneak a peek behind the TV.
Gloria abandoned the kitchen and sat down on the couch. “So, how’s Aldo doing since he came home?” She hugged a cheery yellow pillow to her chest.
Harper’s fingers fumbled with an input. “He’s, uh, doing okay. I think the therapy is helping mentally. Physically he’s a beast.”
“He always was,” Gloria said a little sadly.
Harper stopped her fiddling. “Listen, Gloria, I don’t know exactly what his problem is, but I hope you know that that’s what it is. His problem. It has nothing to do with you.”
“I think I had got my hopes up a little too high that we could be something together. That I could be something to him.”
“Whoa! Let’s back that truck up real fast,” Harper grabbed her mug and sat down next to Gloria. “You can’t put your worth in someone else’s hands like that. Whether those hands are stroking you or hurting you. It doesn’t matter. Your value comes from inside. Whether you mean something to him or not has nothing to do with how inherently valuable you are.”
Gloria sighed and flopped back against the cushion. “I get it. And I think I’m starting to believe it. I know I’ll be okay without Aldo Moretta, but I’d still like to at least give it a shot.”
“Now you’re speaking my language.”
“Is that how you felt about Luke?”
“That’s how I still feel about Luke. I know that I’d be okay without him — after an exceptionally long mourning period, of course. But I want to be great with him.”
“So now that I can cross off ‘get apartment’ from my list, my next goal is to be great no matter who is in my life.”
“Bingo,” Harper nodded.
“Men,” Gloria said into her champagne mug.
“Tell me about it,” Harper sighed.
“Let’s order some pizza.”
“That’s the best idea you’ve ever had in this apartment.”
***
For the next three days, Harper ached and pained her way through life. A couple dozen trips up three flights of stairs carrying objects of varying weight had been an eye-opening experience.
She was woefully out of shape.
Harper groaned as she bent to grab a new ream of paper for the printer.
“You want some ibuprofen?” Beth offered.
“Ugh. No. I need to suffer the consequences of my inaction.”
“I go to the gym over on Baker Street. It’s cheap, clean, and has a ton of equipment I don’t know how to use.”
“I need to do something,” Harper sighed, shuffling across the office. “I can practically hear my arteries clogging.”
“My granny has a cane you can borrow,” Frank said, stomping into the office.
Harper rolled her eyes at Beth’s giggle. “Thanks for your concern, Frank.”
He shook his head. “Just trying to be hospitable.”
“What are you doing here?” Harper grumbled.
“I’m waiting for you to crawl back to your desk so I can go over some of the specs on the doc’s reno.”
Sinking back into her chair, she groaned and only partly in annoyance.
Frank ran the figures on Dr. Dunnigan’s addition to her practice, which included a new imaging suite and expanded kitchen and lounge.
“We went over on the tile,” he pointed at a figure on the spreadsheet. “Price jumped up a bit, but it matches what she’s already got. So I’m proposing we eat the cost instead of passing it on to her. Everything else is looking on budget or under so I think we can afford to be a little generous. Besides, she and her partner are thinking about building a house next year and guess whose name is at the top of the builder’s list?”
“Why, Garrison Construction, of course.” Harper batted her eyelashes.
Frank nodded and stuffed his hands in his pockets.
“What do you need from me?”
“Yes or no on eating the cost.”
Harper blinked. Frank was asking her permission. She cleared her throat and reached for her calculator.
“Yes,” she said, looking at the total. “It’s a good idea, Frank.”
He nodded briskly and gathered up his papers before stomping out without a word.
“What was that all about?” Harper asked, spinning in her chair so she didn’t have to turn her head to see Beth.