Everyface in the room turns to me.ApparentlytellingTarquinto shut the fuck up is way more shocking than the fact a woman in overalls and boots, with a wreath around her neck and a goat on a leash, has suddenly appeared in the executive boardroom of a billion-dollar corporation.
GoodGod.AllIwant to do is kiss her, and beg her to forgive me for being an insensitive ass.Butshe obviously has something to say, andIneed to give her the time and space to do that.
Charlottesqueezes her way back into the room against the tide of departing security guards.
“Youwouldn’t happen to be fromWarmSprings, would you?” she asksPolly.
“Yes,”Pollysays with a surprised smile.
“Andwould you happen to be extremely into community gardens and local artisan products, by any chance?”
“Er, yes.”Nowshe’s puzzled.
Charlottelooks at me with a giant smile. “Iknew it!”Shemakes a tiny silent clapping action and turns back toPolly. “Well, you’ve traveled a long way.”Shelooks down at the kid on the end of the leash. “Andwith a goat.So, you must have something important to say.”
“Yes.Or, well, at leastIdid...”Polly’seyes dart around the room, taking in everyone staring at her.Theexecutives have expressions ranging from amused to horrified to completely baffled.
Charlottelooks like she’s about to start bouncing on the spot.
“Iwasn’t expecting to say it in front of an audience, though,”Pollysays, the confidence with which she’d blustered her way through security and into the room starting to fade.Hergaze rests on the screen displayingRick’sVenndiagram slide. “Andit looks likeImight have interrupted something important.”
“Thereis absolutely nothing in the world more important than the fact you are here.”Inod at the kid. “Bothof you.Somehow.”
Shebrightens. “Oh, we came in the bus.”
“Youdrovehere?IntheVW?Wherethe hell did you park it?”Iask.
“Oh, nightmare.”Pollyflaps her non-goat-holding hand. “DrivinginManhattanis bad enough.Buttry finding a spot for my bus.”
“Oh, forGod’ssake,”Charlottesays, wringing her hands. “I’mdying here.Stopit with the parking.Youdon’t drive all the way here, with a goat, if you don’t have a speech.”
Pollynods and winces as she adjusts the wreath around her neck.Iknow from experience, that thing is sharp.
Eventhough my heart is trying to squeeze out from between my ribs and fling itself at her,Iglue myself to the spot and hope she’s about to tell me something good.
“Right.Yes.”Sheclears her throat. “You’vedone an amazing thing.Notopening the store.Iknow how hard that must have been for you.Howhard it must have been to go against all your business instincts.”
“Fuckingstupid, more like,” mumblesTarquin.
Igive him a look that seems to successfully saydon’t you fucking dare interrupt herbecause he shuts up instantly and stares at the floor.
Pollyglances at him, then gives me a coy smile.
“AndIlove how you stand up for me like that.Yoursupport means everything.Ialways thought accepting help from anyone would be a signIcouldn’t cope, couldn’t look after myself.Butnothing ever felt as good as the moments you took care of me—like when you made all the plans to race me to the hospital as fast as you could, and you wanted to be there for me andMom.”Shelooks down and shakes her head. “Iwas a dick to send you away.”
Iclench my toes in a vain effort to grip the floor and prevent myself from ignoring her instruction to stay put.But,Christ, every pore of my being is desperate to sprint around this giant fucking table, gather this amazing, beautiful, unique woman into my arms, and never let her go.
“Andno.”Sheturns toTarquin. “Thecommunity garden project isn’tfucking stupid.It’samazing.”
Hismouth silently opens and closes.Theshock of being told he’s talking shit by anyone—least of all a woman with a goat on a leash, and a bunch of badly organized twigs around her neck—preventing any words coming out.
Icould not love her more thanIdo right now.
“Andyou didn’t even do it for me,”Pollycontinues, turning to me and putting her hand on her heart, in the center of the wreath. “Youdid it because you wanted to.”
Inod. “Idid.Idid want to.”
Sheputs a finger to her lips to shush me. “Ineed to finish.BeforeIchicken out.”
