“No problem. We just didn’t–”
“Say if we were going to meet at home or here?” Larissa interjected, but ended up finishing Harlow’s sentence.
“Yeah. And I got stuck at work,” she lied. “So, I just came straight here.”
“I came from home,” Larissa shared. “Um… I guess we should get inside now.”
“Who are we talking to tonight?” Harlow asked.
“Kit, who is forty, and Matilda, who is thirty-eight,” Larissa told her. “They are the ones who met at work and were friends for about ten years before they went on their first date. They’ve been together for eight years, but they’re not married yet, or maybe they won’t ever be. I don’t know. They just put that on their questionnaire.”
“Cool,” she said and pulled open the door to the lobby. “After you.”
She motioned for Larissa to walk in before her.
“Hey. Your guests are already here,” Samantha said instantly when they walked in. “Over there.” She pointed to a long table, where Harlow noticed two women sitting across from one another at the far end of it.
“Thanks,” she replied.
“How was bowling last night?” Larissa asked, looking between the two of them. “Are you any good at bowling?” she added to Harlow.
“She bowled a one-forty, which is pretty good for someone who never bowls,” Samantha replied, covering for her. “And she bought the beer, so she came in second place because we all got too tipsy to bowl well.”
“You did well? I’ve never seen you bowl. Maybe we… should go… sometime. You could show me how. I haven’t been to bowling since a tenth birthday party for someone at school.”
“Yeah, maybe,” Harlow stated.
“I’ll go get Kit and Matilda. Be right back,” Larissa said and walked off.
“You didn’t tell her?” Samantha asked.
“She wasn’t home.”
“What?”
“When I got there, she wasn’t home. I texted, but she didn’t respond, and I’ve been at work all day since. We just bumpedinto each other outside, and it’s all awkward now. So, thanks for that.”
“Hey, they’reyourfeelings,” Samantha said.
“I meant thanks for covering for me. I didn’t expect her to ask how I bowled.”
“Well, if I were Larissa, I would be wondering why you were spending time with your ex-girlfriend after you showed uphere, where I work, to rent the space for her. Then, we’re hanging out when she walks in yesterday, and we’re bowling. She might want to know why.”
“I told her that we’re not getting back together when she asked the first time.”
“Oh, my God.” Samantha laughed. “I cannotanymore. Just talk to her. Bye.”
Samantha walked away then.
“Harlow, this is Kit and Matilda,” Larissa introduced the two women as they approached.
Harlow held out her hand for them to shake, and after the introductions, they walked into a conference room, which was a different one today because Larissa hadn’t been able to reserve their usual. This one held two small round tables, so they all sat around one, and Larissa’s phone rested in the middle, recording after she asked for the couple’s permission.
“So, I would like to start at the beginning, when you first met,” Larissa requested. “I know you were friends for a while before you started dating, so can we go back to the first meeting, and then, when you first realized that your feelings were more than friendship? I’d love to know about what was going on in your lives at each point: the obstacles, the stress, fear, happiness, excitement, all of it. Whatever you feel comfortable sharing will be incredibly helpful to me.”
“Sure. I guess I can start,” Kit said.
How was it that tonight of all nights, the two women they were interviewing happened to be friends for about the same amount of time as Harlow and Larissa before they became a couple? Harlow shook her head, and Larissa noticed, turning to her silently check if she was okay. Harlow forced a smile, and Larissa returned her attention to Kit, who had her hand in Matilda’s lap.
