“Ah, I’m sorry, Dot.” Mary wasn’t entirely surprised. “He was great—for a while. Are you okay?”
“I am. I mean, I will be eventually. This morning, I had a cry and then went for a long run. I spent the afternoon just reading a novel, got my hair blown out at Drybar using a gift certificate from my parents, and came to see you. And there’s no one I’d rather be with tonight than you two.”
“Wow. I can’t believe it. I was thinking you were going to get married one day. I even imagined our bridesmaid dresses.” Harper raised her mason jar of sangria and toasted Dot. “Well, I think it was brave of you to break up with him. I mean, who knows when you’ll meet another guy.”
“Gee, thanks.” Dot felt deflated but agreed. It wasn’t like there were a lot—or any—prospects lined up.
“Harper! Have some faith!” Mary playfully admonished her. “I’m sure the app has your next special someone all lined up.”
“Oh no. I’m done with the apps for a while. I deleted my accounts,” Dot said. “I need to get through my identity crisis before I try again.” She laughed but there was a hint of truth in what she’d said. “But enough about me—Harper, you’ve had quite the week.”
“Tell me about it.” Harper rolled her eyes and looked to the ceiling. “It’s been wild.”
“Yeah, Harp, how did you handle those entitled Van Buren parents?” Mary asked.
“Well, here’s how I handled it: I quit.”
“What?” Dot and Mary couldn’t believe it.
“You quit? Wow, there you go, Harper. Good for you,” Dot said. She was surprised by her friend’s decisive action. She was usually rather hesitant to make big decisions.
“It wasn’t just that. Believe it or not, the headmaster tried to sleep with me.”
“He did not.” Dot’s hands flew to her chest.
“He propositioned me. Right there at the Oyster Bar.” She took a sip of her drink. “And he was really open about how he’d then just take the train home to his family in Westchester.”
“Holy smokes,” Mary said. “You know what he did is super illegal in New York, right? It’s not quite bribery, but it’s clearly sexual harassment. You could sue. It’s outrageous. And this guy works with children!”
“I talked to Ernest about it. He’s been letting me crash at his place since the leak at my apartment. We decided that the truth is that I didn’t really want to work there anyway. And beyond that, I don’t even know what I want to do at all, jobwise. It’s like I’m stuck between bad luck and indecision. It’s not a good look.” Harper could be open with her friends about how she was really feeling. “It’s embarrassing. I’m twenty-five years old and crashing on my older brother’s couch. I should have my act together by now.”
“Hey, you’re not the only one doing some rethinking,” Dot said. “I’ve been having second thoughts about my PR firm. It’s a grind. I’m not inspired at all, and they’re about to downsize which means more pressure, less help, and no raise.”
“Ha, you too? I was feeling the same way this week—but more about my love life, or lack thereof, than my job. The partners at my firm are great, but sometimes the job is tedious,” Mary said. “And I’d like to do something more meaningful with my law degree. Even if that’s volunteering somewhere.”
“I know what you mean,” Harper said. “It really can add up when you look at what these wealthier parents can and will do to buy their children’s way out of having to do any hard work.” She sipped her drink. “And the truth is, I really do want to write. That’s my passion. I just don’t know if I can pay therentwith my passion.”
And with that, Dot found her opening. She rapped her knuckles on the table.
“So, given that we are all close to capsizing the ‘what the hell am I doing with my life’ canoe, I want to run something by you.” Mary and Harper leaned in a bit. “Before I begin, promise me you’ll hear me out and not interrupt me until I finish?”
“Promise,” Harper said. Mary nodded.
“Okay. I called Kitty Bell about Wisconsin. I’m thinking of taking her up on her offer to volunteer for the election. Like a political gap year,” Dot said. She waited a couple of beats before adding the kicker. “And I want you two to come with me.”
Mary had anticipated where this was going. “Ha, that’s funny.”
“I’m not kidding.”
“No. No freaking way,” Mary said.
“Wait—you promised to let me finish.”
“Fine. Go on,” Mary conceded.
“Mary, your mother keeps setting you up with guys you’d never date but that she wants you to marry. That’s not going to change.”
“Can’t stop won’t stop,” Mary acknowledged.