The Ones that Matter (5/?) Kate x Betty, Gladys/Betty/Kate friendship,
Chapter five
True to her word, Kate Andrews arrived back in Toronto two weeks after sending the letter. Gladys came home from work to find her sitting on the floor outside her apartment door, eating an apple, and looking like all kinds of sunshine and sincerity.
“Kate Andrews, before my very eyes,” Gladys said with a smile.
“Gladys!” Kate’s reaction was much more exuberant, rushing up to the woman and throwing her arms around her. She was so relieved, both the see Gladys, and that Gladys seemed happy to see her. She was a little concerned that Gladys might be angry with her for the way she left, or have not gotten the letter at all. She supposed that last was still a possibility, and added, “I went to your house looking for you, and your parents gave me your address. Did you get my letter?”
Gladys laughed at that, though she wasn’t entirely sure why. She supposed it was because her and Betty’s last two weeks had been consumed with trying to make plans for Kate, so she could get back her life in Toronto to whatever extent she so chose.
“Yes w-I did! Come on inside and take a load off. I’m so glad you’ve decided to come back. I’ve made some arrangements for you, for work, but if you aren’t happy with them, we can put our heads together and figure out something else.” Gladys found she had to make a conscious effort to say “I” instead of “we,” given that Betty had helped her every step of the way. She wasn’t sure how Kate would feel about that though-well, she imagined she wouldn’t be happy, since she specifically told Gladys not to tell her she was coming back.
“Oh Gladys, I’m sure whatever you’ve found will be fine. Even…even if I have to go back to the factory, I’ll do it. Anything to get away.” Kate’s face fell at this, back into that far away and afraid expression Gladys had seen from her occasionally when she was last in Toronto.
“Kate, you won’t have to go back to the factory, I have something else. But first, sit down. Would you like something to drink? Tea? Liquor?” she asked, winking.
“Tea is fine, thank you,” said Kate, though she was smiling again.
“Sure thing,” Gladys paused, before adding, “I’m so sorry about your mother Kate.”
The smile disappeared, and Kate’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you. I-she’s in a better place, I know that, but I miss her terribly, and feel sorry that I missed those precious months with her last year.” Gladys just nodded, thinking that Kate had more to say, “But she wanted me to leave, and,” Kate’s voice caught, “and it was true what I said in the letter. She was so disappointed to see me back. I mean, she was happy to see me, but, she didn’t want that life for me.”
“And that’s why you decided to come back?” Gladys asked, placing the tea on the table beside her.
“Well, no, partly, but that’s not the only reason.” Kate bit her lip, and looked around the room. This time, Gladys wasn’t sure at all that she would continue, but then, “My father hadn’t changed. He wasn’t kind. He said horrible things about me, and,” she swallowed, “about Betty. He blamed us both for…everything. He said I must have led her on, I must have some sin in me too, and called her every name in the book, saying she had been trying to seduce me from the begin-oh,” Kate put her hand over her mouth, suddenly realizing how much she had given away, “Did you…did she tell you? What happened betwee-before I left?”
“Yes, she did,” Gladys was uncertain how much detail to share with Kate, about Betty, specifically about Betty falling apart for awhile there. She also found that she felt just as sad for Kate as she had for Betty. Clearly both of them had been, and maybe still were, a wreck. She wished Kate had reacted differently, without the cruel words, but also knew that it hadn’t come from malicious intent. Gladys wasn’t entirely sure that made it all okay, but if Betty could get past it without holding a grudge, she supposed she could too. Particularly as Kate was currently looking at her with an expression somewhere between terrified and about to be sick.
“Do…do you still speak?”
“Still speak?” At first Gladys didn’t understand the question, but then realized exactly what Kate was asking. She sat down next to her, covering Kate’s hands with her own, and looked her in the eye. “Kate, yes, we still speak, she’s probably my best friend. I don’t care about her preferences. I hope that you can accept my friendship with her, because I’ve missed you very much, and value your friendship too. I don’t want to choose between the two of you.”
Kate swallowed, and looked nothing if not relieved. “Of course Gladys, I can accept that. I know…I reacted in a harsh and judgmental way to her, before, and I don’t know why. Well, I know it was because I was surprised, and the Bible says…and my father always said, it was disgusting to be like that. But, the Bible also says that it’s not our place to judge, and that was what I did. I’m so sorry for it. Do you think she will speak to me so I can tell her that? I want the chance to explain everything to her so badly. But I don’t want her to misinterpret-“
“Kate, you don’t have to worry about her misinterpreting anything, if you tell her flat out what the deal is. If you just want to have this conversation and then never speak to her again, she’ll take it. If you just want to be friends, she’ll take it.” Gladys briefly considered not adding this last part, but then, who was she kidding? She didn’t keep thoughts to herself, “And if you want more than friendship-“
“I don’t!” Kate exclaimed immediately, wide-eyed, “I’m not like that Gladys! You have to believe me!”
“All right, I believe you. Kate, like you said, we’re not to judge, and I just want you to know that I would never judge anyone for love,” Gladys could see Kate getting ready to again clarify that she wasn’t “like that” and held up her hand, “I know, you don’t want more than friendship. Or, you don’t even want friendship, and that’s fine too. I’m telling you, Kate, Betty wants nothing more than for you to be comfortable, and feel safe and happy,” Too much, Gladys, too much, why don’t you just flat out tell her Betty still loves her more than the moon and the sky, “like any friend, or decent person, would,” She concluded somewhat awkwardly.
“I do want to be friends with her again, so much. I’ve missed her. I need to explain to her what happened, and what’s happened since I left. I just don’t want to do anything to make her think…I feel anything more.”
“All you have to do is say it. Besides, she’s got her eye on a few of the girls over at Tangiers, from what she tells me,” Gladys said, smiling.
Kate looked as if she was both scandalized and intrigued, and perhaps a little something else. “O-oh, well, I don’t really need to hear about…that. I still don’t approve of…that, but I’m willing to overlook it.”
Gladys closed her eyes to avoid rolling them, and took a breath, reminding herself that Kate was still trying to understand Betty, just like Gladys was trying to understand her, and here they were.
“Just like you overlook that I’m rich?” Gladys smiled to make sure Kate knew the intention behind that comment wasn’t to hurt her, or belittle her, but to make a valid point nonetheless-Gladys had read the Bible, she knew the part about camels and eyes of needles.
“Yes. No. I mean, yes, you’re right.” Kate had immediately felt the condescension conveyed by her choice of words, and was glad Gladys had spoken up about it-one thing she could always count on with Gladys was that she would speak her mind, “Overlook wasn’t, perhaps, the right word. And you’re right about wealth too. I actually did a lot of thinking about that while I was home. The Bible is clear on that too, and yet, I never once thought of you as a sinner, nor did my father have much to say about you. It helped me to realize…maybe he has been wrong about some things.” Kate turned to look Gladys full in the eye, “Gladys, I meant it when I said I did a lot of thinking and praying while I was gone. I just need time to figure out…how to put everything I’ve concluded in the last five months together with everything I was told for twenty four years. All I can say right now is that I liked my life here, and the people I met. And it’s important to me that they all know that. I have a lot more to say, to explain, but…I feel like I need to say it to Betty first.”
“Well, all right, then, to new beginning and new conclusions,” Gladys said, smiling and putting her hand out for Kate to shake, “Do you want me to call her, or you?”
To be continued...
True to her word, Kate Andrews arrived back in Toronto two weeks after sending the letter. Gladys came home from work to find her sitting on the floor outside her apartment door, eating an apple, and looking like all kinds of sunshine and sincerity.
“Kate Andrews, before my very eyes,” Gladys said with a smile.
“Gladys!” Kate’s reaction was much more exuberant, rushing up to the woman and throwing her arms around her. She was so relieved, both the see Gladys, and that Gladys seemed happy to see her. She was a little concerned that Gladys might be angry with her for the way she left, or have not gotten the letter at all. She supposed that last was still a possibility, and added, “I went to your house looking for you, and your parents gave me your address. Did you get my letter?”
Gladys laughed at that, though she wasn’t entirely sure why. She supposed it was because her and Betty’s last two weeks had been consumed with trying to make plans for Kate, so she could get back her life in Toronto to whatever extent she so chose.
“Yes w-I did! Come on inside and take a load off. I’m so glad you’ve decided to come back. I’ve made some arrangements for you, for work, but if you aren’t happy with them, we can put our heads together and figure out something else.” Gladys found she had to make a conscious effort to say “I” instead of “we,” given that Betty had helped her every step of the way. She wasn’t sure how Kate would feel about that though-well, she imagined she wouldn’t be happy, since she specifically told Gladys not to tell her she was coming back.
“Oh Gladys, I’m sure whatever you’ve found will be fine. Even…even if I have to go back to the factory, I’ll do it. Anything to get away.” Kate’s face fell at this, back into that far away and afraid expression Gladys had seen from her occasionally when she was last in Toronto.
“Kate, you won’t have to go back to the factory, I have something else. But first, sit down. Would you like something to drink? Tea? Liquor?” she asked, winking.
“Tea is fine, thank you,” said Kate, though she was smiling again.
“Sure thing,” Gladys paused, before adding, “I’m so sorry about your mother Kate.”
The smile disappeared, and Kate’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you. I-she’s in a better place, I know that, but I miss her terribly, and feel sorry that I missed those precious months with her last year.” Gladys just nodded, thinking that Kate had more to say, “But she wanted me to leave, and,” Kate’s voice caught, “and it was true what I said in the letter. She was so disappointed to see me back. I mean, she was happy to see me, but, she didn’t want that life for me.”
“And that’s why you decided to come back?” Gladys asked, placing the tea on the table beside her.
“Well, no, partly, but that’s not the only reason.” Kate bit her lip, and looked around the room. This time, Gladys wasn’t sure at all that she would continue, but then, “My father hadn’t changed. He wasn’t kind. He said horrible things about me, and,” she swallowed, “about Betty. He blamed us both for…everything. He said I must have led her on, I must have some sin in me too, and called her every name in the book, saying she had been trying to seduce me from the begin-oh,” Kate put her hand over her mouth, suddenly realizing how much she had given away, “Did you…did she tell you? What happened betwee-before I left?”
“Yes, she did,” Gladys was uncertain how much detail to share with Kate, about Betty, specifically about Betty falling apart for awhile there. She also found that she felt just as sad for Kate as she had for Betty. Clearly both of them had been, and maybe still were, a wreck. She wished Kate had reacted differently, without the cruel words, but also knew that it hadn’t come from malicious intent. Gladys wasn’t entirely sure that made it all okay, but if Betty could get past it without holding a grudge, she supposed she could too. Particularly as Kate was currently looking at her with an expression somewhere between terrified and about to be sick.
“Do…do you still speak?”
“Still speak?” At first Gladys didn’t understand the question, but then realized exactly what Kate was asking. She sat down next to her, covering Kate’s hands with her own, and looked her in the eye. “Kate, yes, we still speak, she’s probably my best friend. I don’t care about her preferences. I hope that you can accept my friendship with her, because I’ve missed you very much, and value your friendship too. I don’t want to choose between the two of you.”
Kate swallowed, and looked nothing if not relieved. “Of course Gladys, I can accept that. I know…I reacted in a harsh and judgmental way to her, before, and I don’t know why. Well, I know it was because I was surprised, and the Bible says…and my father always said, it was disgusting to be like that. But, the Bible also says that it’s not our place to judge, and that was what I did. I’m so sorry for it. Do you think she will speak to me so I can tell her that? I want the chance to explain everything to her so badly. But I don’t want her to misinterpret-“
“Kate, you don’t have to worry about her misinterpreting anything, if you tell her flat out what the deal is. If you just want to have this conversation and then never speak to her again, she’ll take it. If you just want to be friends, she’ll take it.” Gladys briefly considered not adding this last part, but then, who was she kidding? She didn’t keep thoughts to herself, “And if you want more than friendship-“
“I don’t!” Kate exclaimed immediately, wide-eyed, “I’m not like that Gladys! You have to believe me!”
“All right, I believe you. Kate, like you said, we’re not to judge, and I just want you to know that I would never judge anyone for love,” Gladys could see Kate getting ready to again clarify that she wasn’t “like that” and held up her hand, “I know, you don’t want more than friendship. Or, you don’t even want friendship, and that’s fine too. I’m telling you, Kate, Betty wants nothing more than for you to be comfortable, and feel safe and happy,” Too much, Gladys, too much, why don’t you just flat out tell her Betty still loves her more than the moon and the sky, “like any friend, or decent person, would,” She concluded somewhat awkwardly.
“I do want to be friends with her again, so much. I’ve missed her. I need to explain to her what happened, and what’s happened since I left. I just don’t want to do anything to make her think…I feel anything more.”
“All you have to do is say it. Besides, she’s got her eye on a few of the girls over at Tangiers, from what she tells me,” Gladys said, smiling.
Kate looked as if she was both scandalized and intrigued, and perhaps a little something else. “O-oh, well, I don’t really need to hear about…that. I still don’t approve of…that, but I’m willing to overlook it.”
Gladys closed her eyes to avoid rolling them, and took a breath, reminding herself that Kate was still trying to understand Betty, just like Gladys was trying to understand her, and here they were.
“Just like you overlook that I’m rich?” Gladys smiled to make sure Kate knew the intention behind that comment wasn’t to hurt her, or belittle her, but to make a valid point nonetheless-Gladys had read the Bible, she knew the part about camels and eyes of needles.
“Yes. No. I mean, yes, you’re right.” Kate had immediately felt the condescension conveyed by her choice of words, and was glad Gladys had spoken up about it-one thing she could always count on with Gladys was that she would speak her mind, “Overlook wasn’t, perhaps, the right word. And you’re right about wealth too. I actually did a lot of thinking about that while I was home. The Bible is clear on that too, and yet, I never once thought of you as a sinner, nor did my father have much to say about you. It helped me to realize…maybe he has been wrong about some things.” Kate turned to look Gladys full in the eye, “Gladys, I meant it when I said I did a lot of thinking and praying while I was gone. I just need time to figure out…how to put everything I’ve concluded in the last five months together with everything I was told for twenty four years. All I can say right now is that I liked my life here, and the people I met. And it’s important to me that they all know that. I have a lot more to say, to explain, but…I feel like I need to say it to Betty first.”
“Well, all right, then, to new beginning and new conclusions,” Gladys said, smiling and putting her hand out for Kate to shake, “Do you want me to call her, or you?”
To be continued...