Wicked Wednesday #146 — Try Something New

Polly never had close female friends. She did not have a set of girls that she confided to about everything that was going on with her, and her relationships in particular were usually very private. 

Since Alice her new assistant had seen her with Oscar, and since she was involved with so much of her life as it was, it was a new thing for her to try to confide a little bit in her. Nothing intense, but little things and that was a lot for her, because she was intensely private. Some of her colleagues had their assistants involved in all of the minutiae of their lives. First and foremost, she wanted to foster Alice’s interest in the art world. She reminded her of herself when she was young, because she was so intense and ambitious.

But when her assistant started to be distracted, and in a world of her own seemingly, she was not sure what to think. 

“Alice, can you come into my office?”

Alice walked into her office, with a suggestion of a smirk on her face, as if she could not keep from smiling.

Usually Alice put up her hair at the end of the day, but it was up already.

“Is this about Fiona?”

Polly stared at Alice, her mouth open but nothing came out.

“Polly, I know that it is a conflict of interest. But I…I am in love with Fiona. And I know that she might not really be in love with me, but right now I believe she is.”

“You are dating Fiona?”

“You did not call me in about Fiona?”

Polly shook her head. Who was she to say anything to Alice? She had fought all this time not to get involved with Oscar, and what had she done after their umpteenth trip out of the country but fall in love with him?

Alice stood up as if she wanted to leave, but then she sat back down.

“What did you call me in for? I am sorry to have had diarrhea of the mouth…”

“You’re in love with her?”

Alice’s eyes were glazed, and she nodded.

“I met her in Paris, and nothing happened but when she was in New York…we got together.”

Polly nodded. It was equally as new for her to confide, as it was for her to listen and she felt responsible for Alice.

“My mother says she did not know I was a lesbian. I did not think if Fiona was a woman or a man, I just liked her and wanted to be with her.”

“Love is never convenient, and if you try to deny it it only gets stronger.”

“I that how it was with you and Oscar?”

Poly realized that it was easier for her to listen, than it was to talk.  

“I am not going to tell you what to do with your life Alice, I was just worried because you have not been as focused as you have been.”

Alice looked horrified.

“I am so sorry Polly. I have been distracted, I guess afraid that you would call me into your office, and tell me you know about Fiona and I…”

There was a knock on Polly’s door, and she looked at the door with disdain until she realized it might be important, and Alice as not at her desk to be the go-between.

“Come in,” she beckoned the intruder.

Fiona walked in, and when Alice looked at her it was clear that they were in love.

Polly was warmed by them, wondered if people saw the same thing when she was with Oscar.

Oscar who was in Shanghai without her…

More Wicked Wednesday here:  literary love via wikimedia