Chapter 10: Sweet Harmonies
“Do you think anyone noticed?” Laurel asks, nervously tapping the side of her cup of water.
“Since when do you care about what other people think? And half of those bastards were relieving their own stress.” Connie says, playing with the straw of her smoothie.
“Such a cruel way to refer to your customers.” Laurel teases.
“Wanna hear a secret?” Connie asks Laurel.
Laurel leans towards Connie. “What?” She asks.
“Did you notice the two men in the back? The two older guys, with the streaks of grey in their hair.”
“Yes, I have noticed them a couple of times when I came in for a session. What about them?”
“They’re married.”
Laurel nods. “Alright, good for them?” She says.
“They both offered to have sex with me.”
Laurel gasps aloud and covers her mouth with both of her hands
Connie smirks. “Yep. See? Bastards. Don’t get me wrong, I love how they come for the meditation, exercise, or even the free cucumber-lemon water I serve after each session, but for sex?” Connie rolls her eyes and grunts. Connie fakes a horrible Victorian accent before saying, “They wound me!”
“I am glad you are not offended by this,” Laurel nudges her cup, “being the reason why I showed up today.”
Connie laughs. “No, apparently the reason why you showed up is to cry on your yoga mat—”
Laurel looks around frantically then violently shushes Connie. “Not funny!” She whines. “Joder, I knew it was noticeable.”
“And who are you looking for? We’re alone.” Connie teases Laurel further.
“This studio echoes aggressively. Every conversation can be heard from down the hall!”
“There’s no one on this floor—”
A knock on the glass door surprises Laurel and Connie. They whip their heads around towards the glass door.
Connie rolls her eyes twice. “Yes, Ian?” She says.
“I uh, left my sunglasses here.” He says.
Laurel struggles to stifle a giggle and turns to Connie. “Perhaps he is not aware of his sunglasses resting on his head? What, is his hair too curly for him to see those…” Laurel peers closely at his sunglasses. “Jimmy Choos. Nice. Going for the circular, hippy look.” Laurel took advantage of the opportunity to tease Connie back.
“You are a fucking idiot,” Connie says, standing. “You could have said your mat, which you actually did leave here, or your water bottle. You could have said anything else but your sunglasses?” Connie opens the glass door. “Seriously?”
Ian only smiles and rubs the back of his neck. “She already knew.” He admits.
Laurel shoots a look at Ian while Connie shoots a look at Laurel. Laurel then looks back at Connie while Ian smiles nervously at Laurel.
“I will be waiting downstairs. Did you refill your vending machines with those vegan protein…bars…” Laurel trails off with what she was saying when she notices Connie’s glare at her. “I will just leave you to your… sunglasses retrieval.” Laurel gets up from her mat, rolls it, stuffs it under her arm, and sashays out the glass door, past Ian.
***
Laurel hands the waiter her empty wine glass. “Can I just have water? I am done for the day, thank you.”
“I should hope so, it’s only one.” Connie comments.
“It is a crime to eat pasta without wine. The combined tastes are so exquisite. Please, try some of mine.” Laurel ravels some pasta onto her fork and offers it to Connie.
“Doesn’t that have meat sauce on it?” Connie says, inspecting the forkful.
“Por favor, we have known each other for many years. Why yes, of course, I would feed you meat, when I know you detest the stuff. Connie, take the damn fork.” Laurel rolls her eyes.
Connie smirks, she tastes the pasta that had a juicy piece of tomato in between the noodles. Connie hums.
“So… Ian.” Laurel so eloquently brings up.
“Jesus,” Connie says.
Laurel laughs. “I am just curious.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you knew?” Connie says, continuing to eat her food.
“I know you; you would have just brushed it off until you were ready to talk about it. Which I hope you are ready today because I am dying to know. Why him?”
Connie drinks her water. “He isn’t married.”
“Obviously! No one would have him! Unless…?”
“Nope, purely sex.” Connie corrects Laurel.
“I see. When did it start?”
“Girl, that’s all you’re getting. Ian isn’t important.”
Laurel pouts. “And what is?”
Connie snorts. “So apparently we’re ignoring the twin elephants in the room?”
“How creative. There is not one but two elephants? What are they?” Laurel’s tone is sarcastic.
“You’re engaged to Tony, who is, unfortunately, Ian’s friend, and you cried this morning during meditation and again during your ending stretches.” Connie looks Laurel in the eyes. “What’s up?”
“I take it you saw the press conference. I thought you were on a social media cleanse.” Laurel says.
“Not when it includes you. Why didn’t you say anything? Congratulations!”
Laurel looks around to make sure there isn’t any staff around. “Thank you.” She says.
“That’s not all. Go ahead, spill your guts.” Connie smiles reassuringly.
Laurel says, “It is quite a long story.”
“Isn’t that why you rented out Da Andrea?” Connie motions to the empty seats around them. “Spill.”
Laurel takes a deep breath. “Tony and I met at Stokely’s last Sunday, he wanted to apologize. He also proposed to me that day.”
“I told you, Tony’s not the type to screw you over like that.” Connie smiles as she sips her water.
“He also came up with a plan for me to get back PWI.” Laurel adds.
“Smart too. This union is already benefitting you, I see.”
“It is marriage. The plan is marriage.” Laurel mutters.
Connie stops drinking and stares at Laurel. “Come again?”
“And this is why I was hesitant.”
“Laurel, please, you can tell me anything. But it is my job to be honest with you. Are you sure about this?”
Laurel nods. “I trust him and this is not a ruse. Well, the marriage is but Tony was sincere when he proposed the plan. He knows how badly I want PWI and he knows that Daddy will not give it to me willingly.”
“Have you talked to Rick yet, see where his mind’s at?” Connie asks.
Laurel shakes her head and waves her hand. “He is not what I wish to discuss.” Laurel sighs. “Tony and I went on a date to Coney Island yesterday.”
“Cute, cute,” Connie says with a smile. “But?”
“‘But’ nothing. It was spectacular! I do not regret my decision at all to marry him. What woman does not want to be married to her best friend?” Laurel taps her fingers on their table. “But he told me something that I cannot seem to get out my mind, Connie—”
“Don’t make me beg. Spill your guts!” Connie interrupts. “Sorry, go ahead.”
“He told me he used to have a crush on me,” Laurel says, blushing. “Isn’t that so sweet?”
“Used to?” Connie asks.
“Yes. He stopped about four years ago, he said.” Laurel smiles to herself. “It is flattering to be desired by someone for so long. I cannot help but feel bad for the women he dated when he had a crush on me, though.”
“Ah fuck them. One of them cheated on him anyways. BUT! His feelings for you stopped four years ago, so, when you graduated from Stanford?” Connie says.
Laurel nods, still smiling. “Yes. Can you believe while I was away at college, he still—”
“Had the hots for you? Definitely.” Connie interrupts. Laurel glares at her. “Go ahead, I’m listening!” Connie says.
“…You knew,” Laurel says, smiling and raising an eyebrow.
“Bingo! Everyone under the sun knew. Laurel, if only you noticed how that man looked at you, you would have known too.”
Laurel cringes. “All the dates I had him save me from. Of course, he stood at the ready!”
“Besides flattered, how else do you feel about it?” Connie asks.
Laurel only shrugs. “I mean, that is all I feel. Flustered and flattered. But he said his crush started from when he first met me.”
“That’s normal. He was what, fifteen? Those hormones were definitely raging.” Connie comments.
“I suppose so. It is just so weird, though. He has never made a move…”
“Maybe because you two are friends and he isn’t scum? Like I keep telling you Laurel, Tony is not like everyone else.”
“Also, at dinner,” Laurel changes the direction of conversation. “He told me I was the most important person in his life.”
“Awww…” Connie teases.
“Do not mock him, he was serious!” Laurel defends him.
“I’m not mocking him. It’s cute!”
“It makes me nervous that he regards me so highly. He could have said his mother or father, but he told me that I was the most important person in his life.”
“The highest form of flattery.”
“It truly is. But it is also reassuring that his crush is gone. That means I cannot hurt him.”
Connie nods. “What you two have is beautiful. Not more beautiful than what we have but beautiful nonetheless.” She jokes. “And above all else, it’s natural. A friendship like that should be cherished and taken care of. Tony knows that, it’s why he went to such lengths trying to apologize.”
Laurel nods in agreement.
“But, that’s a two-way street, Laurel. Be sure that you don’t become self-absorbed during this process.”
Laurel’s jaw falls to the floor. “Harsh, Connie. I would not dream of it.”
“No, you wouldn’t dream of it, but you would do it.” Connie jingles her glass, shaking the ice cubes within. “How you reacted when you found out about the CEO position did get you on the front page of nearly every blog and news site in every city of New York.”
Laurel sighs. “You may have a point.”
“I don’t blame you for that, Laurel, I know how bad you wanted it. But this time, maybe give Tony a chance to explain first, huh?”
“You are right again,” Laurel says.
“Aren’t I always.” Connie puts her cup down. “But that isn’t the reason why you cried this morning. Twice.”
“It is irritating,” Laurel says.
“What is?” Connie asks.
“How you like me like the back of your own hand.”
“A blessing,” Connie smirks.
“And a curse…” Laurel comments.
“Why did you cry?”
Laurel sighs and fiddles with the straw of her cup. “I can never win with him. With Daddy. He has not said a word to me before the press conference, and could not even be bothered to say hello when I arrived. Sidney had to tell me about a script he and Charlotte drew up. He is so…disappointed in me. But he is so blinded by disappointment that he cannot see how much he hurt me.”
Connie wanted to comment but instead bites her tongue. Instead, she asks, “Are you just going to break the ice? Talk to him first?”
Laurel didn’t want to tell Connie about her attempt to call Rick yesterday, or about the fact that her call went straight to voicemail. She continues, “Tony and I have a meeting with him next Wednesday.”
Connie shakes her head. “Are you okay with going an entire week without talking to your dad?” She asks.
Laurel shrugs and says, “He does not even want me in the building right now.”
“Well that means you have time to think things over, to take a breath, to plan the wedding, I know you’re excited about that, and Señora Dominguez. How is Joana, by the way?”
Laurel nods but doesn’t really answer. She thinks to herself for a second, then smiles mischievously. “You are right. I do have time.”
“And you also have time for more yoga sessions.” Connie wriggles her eyebrows.
“Yes, sure, whatever. What are you doing this week?” Laurel asks, still smiling.
Connie raises an eyebrow. “Why?” She asks.