It was a lazy Saturday afternoon in September when Dale opened the door of Gloria's house, even though no one had rung the doorbell. It was exactly two o'clock. A few moments later, Dale summoned Lois, who was idly reading a magazine in the living room. She gaped at the newcomer whom Dale had ushered into the room; but before she could say anything, Dale said:
"Come on, dear, we have some things to do."
"What things?" Lois said in a whisper.
"Never mind. Just get your shoes onâwe're getting out of here."
Lois leaped into action, slipping on a pair of sandals and bolting out the door while giving one last look of surprise and alarm at the person who stood, not very confidently, in the middle of the room.
Gloria had been doing laundry in the basement, and as she brought up a big load of laundry in a plastic basket she said, "Dale, was there someone at the door?"
When she saw who it was, she dropped the basket and stood stock-still.
"What are
you
doing here?" she said accusingly.
"Gloria, I'd like to talk to you," Harvey said mildly but firmly.
Her brain was in a whirl, but she figured out the situation fairly quickly. "This is Dale's doing, isn't it?" She knew Lois wouldn't have had the guts to bring this loathed individual back into her life.
"It is," Harvey said heavily. "I've gotten to like him."
Gloria eyed him narrowly.
Just exactly what are you two men conspiring to do?
"I hope we can talk," Harvey went on.
"We have nothing to do talk about," Gloria said shortly, turning her back to him and preparing to take up the load of laundry to an upstairs bedroom.
"I think we do," Harvey said, and he marched right up to Gloria, took her arm, and made her turn and face him.
She was dumbfounded. "Don't you touch me!" she almost screamed.
"Calm down, Gloria," Harvey said almost condescendingly. "Let's talk about this like civilized people."
"What do we have to talk about?" she said in a high, nervous voice.
"It's very simple. I want to be back in your life. I've apologized for what I didâapologized many times. I can't undo the harm I've done, but I hope to make it up to you somehowâif you'll let me."
He was standing so close to her that she was forced to look up at him. There was just the faintest trace of alarm in her expression.
"Why should I give you a second chance?" she said, still hostile.
"Because I love you," Harvey said simply. "I realize that now. I love you more than I did before. I've missed you these last few yearsâmy life's been empty. You seem to have done well for yourself, and now you have Dale. But I hope you can make room for me too."
"I think you presume too much, sir!" she said with exaggerated formality. Her face was becoming red with fury and resentment.
"Do I?" Harvey said placidly. And he calmly planted a kiss on Gloria's mouth.
She pulled away almost at once and cried, "Oh!" And she delivered a sharp slap to Harvey's cheek.
He didn't blink an eye, even though the cheek turned red where her hand had contacted it. Instead, he pulled her to him and forced her to kiss him again.
She wriggled in his arms, but he wouldn't let go. With one hand he held her in the small of her back, and with the other he held the back of her head so she couldn't pull away. She made moaning sounds of frustration and anger as their lips remained pressed together. After what seemed like minutes she broke awayâalthough she realized to her humiliation that she had done so only because he had let her.
That look of alarm came into her eyes again, even as she cried, "Get away from me!"
But it was she who tried to get away from him. And that was her mistake.
As she sought to go around him, she forgot that an ottoman was lying in its usual place next to an easy chair near where they were standing. She tripped and landed on it in an undignified position, her torso lying flat over it while her legs dangled behindâalmost like Anne Boleyn on the chopping block ready to be decapitated.