Chapter 2- The Matter of Herman Glimscher

Sally stared down speechless at her heals. They were the pretty garnet colored ones. The new ones. The kind she didn't wear often, but when she bought them, she had known it was time for something new.

She was nervous and trying not to let it show. She and Buddy were on their way to Rob and Laura's for their first dinner party as a couple. It was impromptu, having been thrown together by Laura and Millie at the very last minute and Sally wasn't really sure she was open to going but Rob and Buddy had both insisted. She took a deep breath before they went inside. She knew this would be weird for her, that maybe she'd be treated differently. Buddy kept a reassuring hand on her shoulder as they made their way up to Rob and Laura's front door.

"It's just the same Rob and Laura, promise ya Sal." Buddy squeezed her hand as they waited for someone to answer the bell.

"But Buddy, we're not the same." She reminded.

He considered this for a moment, maybe she was right. Maybe she'd been right all evening when they were getting ready to leave and she kept pleading for them to stay at her place…perhaps he should've listened. It was true, they weren't the same as they were before and he was nervous now too.

"Hey guys how are ya!" Rob greeted happily, as always.

Rob's tone would've put Buddy and Sally at ease if it weren't for Laura, Jerry and Millie who were waiting anxiously to greet them. She and Buddy exchanged surprised glances as he was escorted off to one corner by Rob and Jerry who were talking a mile a minute and, she was taken to the kitchen by Laura and Millie who were somehow conversing even faster, and all in her ear too. Sally was greatly distressed at having been swamped with female company. She was used to spending time with the guys and she liked it that way…it appeared getting married would change all that. She'd never really thought getting married would do that…she wasn't' sure she liked it.

"Oh congratulations Sally!" Laura suddenly burst, hugging her tightly.

"Oh thanks, thanks, uh…"

"Can I get you anything? Tea, crackers, pic…ah ice cream." Laura caught herself almost saying pickles…that wouldn't have been good!

"You were going to say pickles, weren't ya?" Sally smiled.

"Oh no, I…"

"Laura it's just the same old me, don't be so nervous."

"Nervous we're excited!" Millie burst. "How'd it happen?!"

"Millie!" Laura chastised she looked back at her best friend who had covered her mouth, surprised by her own question. She was such an excitable busy-body.

Sally laughed. That type of question is one of the reasons that Sally didn't spend much time with other women: they were small, petty and had no idea how to be funny…well many of them.

"Well." Sally paused, in those few moments she came up with a good answer. One that she thought Laura would understand, but that Millie wouldn't be able to reply to, because she just wasn't that deep. "The truth is…we've been falling in love for a long time. That's all." She smiled. "Hey, are you going to take this out to the fellas?" She asked of the tray of cheese and crackers Laura still had in the kitchen. "I'll do it for you Laura."

"Oh no, Sally, Sally I can do it!" Laura pled. She understood that Sally wanted away from Millie's prying questions, there would, after all, be more of them.

Both Buddy and Sally felt like the rest of the evening went a lot like that. After dinner they all sat in Rob and Laura's living room. Sally was happy to talk about work. She and Rob and Buddy were telling Laura and the Helpers about a sketch they were working on for next week. At this point; Buddy thought that they weren't going to be asked any more questions, until they finished talking about the last sketch and it started again.

"So what about your wife, and your boyfriend, what happened to them?" Jerry asked as he bit into another cracker.

Buddy and Sally fought the urge to exchange mortified glances, not realizing that Rob and Laura had done it for them.

"We were already getting divorced." Buddy offered not really thinking that anyone deserved an explanation.

"H-Herman?" Sally asked. She'd been spending so much time with Buddy as of late that she'd totally forgotten about Herman, especially after finding out she was pregnant. "We lost touch." She gave a nervous excuse.

This was not really the case and she remembered now that she was going to have to break up with him and his Mother.

"But when are you going to get married?" He asked jovially.

"We uh…" Buddy and Sally did turn to look at each other this time.

"We hadn't thought about it really." Sally remarked. Obviously they'd have to do it soon.

"Oh he's such a busy-body." Millie laughed. Buddy wanted to say 'as if you aren't' but caught himself before he opened his mouth. "Look at the time, we should go."

"Oh that's right we've got that golfing thing in the morning."

Sally barely listened as the Helpers said goodnight and went home. They were right, there was so much to think about: the divorce, breaking up with Herman…the wedding. How were they going to do it all?

"Sal are you okay?" Rob asked, watching his friend just stare off into space. "Sal?" He asked when she didn't respond.

"Oh! Oh, yeah, yeah Rob I'm fine." She giggled.

"You sure?"

"Yeah just…there's a lot to think about." She said, feeling she could talk about this with Rob and Laura around.

"I'm kind of overwhelmed too Sal, I didn't think of all that." Buddy admitted, taking her hand. "But it'll be okay. I promise."

"Well you've got time, and I'll help in anyway I can." Laura offered, pouring more coffee for herself. "I can help plan a wedding…and when that's done, like I said, I can help with the baby."

Sally hadn't thought of that either; she had no idea what to do with a baby. But unlike Laura, she was getting a nanny and continuing to work: that they already decided. Not only was her work a fundamental part of her; but Buddy had insisted, saying that he wouldn't be able to stand his job without her there. Not only were they going to be a couple, but he had suggested that they become a writing team. Their time up at the Lodge had not only proved to both of them that they were a good couple, but that they could also be very successful as business partners.

"And like I said Sally you're welcome to some of my maternity clothes too."

"Oh gee Laura I don't know…" Sally was hesitant about this; Laura's stuff was so cutesy.

"Wait honey why do you still have those?" Rob asked.

"You never know darling we might have another one some day." Laura smiled. Rob was a little shaken at this, he didn't know if he should be surprised or shocked.

"R-really honey…we'll talk about this later…How long do you think the divorce will take Buddy?" Rob asked, trying to change the subject. If he was going to talk to Laura about this, he wanted to do so alone especially since he didn't know what to say and was kind of overwhelmed now. Sally looked up when the subject of Buddy's divorce was breeched, she'd been curious about this but hadn't asked yet.

"Oh not long, we're agreeing on everything, we both just want it over as soon as possible so we can go our separate ways; certainly before Thanksgiving."

"That's soon." Laura said. No matter what, she found it sad that a marriage was just ending this simply and quickly as if it hadn't been anything at all.

"But then there's what I have to do." Sally said. She got up went over to the phone beginning to dial a number.

"What are you doing Sal?"

"Making a dinner date for us tomorrow."

"Oh?" Buddy was confused.

"Hello Herman." Buddy, Rob and Laura raised an eyebrow. "Hi…yeah, yeah I know it's been a while…why don't you come to dinner tomorrow night with some friends and me…yeah…yeah that would work….we'll see you there."

…

"Dinner?" Buddy asked as they were in a cab heading uptown.

"It's not the same as with you and Pickles, I haven't even talked to him in two months Buddy. I'm saying good-bye and I want you to help me."

"Okay, okay. I understand." He sighed. The ironic part is that he liked Herman, he was a nice guy and he understood why Sally was doing it this way.

"Now I have to figure out what I'm going to say."

"Well, I could just say, hi Herman, I'm marrying your girl and she's having my baby." Buddy laughed. Sally slapped his arm almost playfully and the cab driver raised an eyebrow, glancing at them through his rear view mirror.

"Buddy! No quips, that's mean!"

"Well it's true isn't it?"

"Yeah, it's true." Sally sighed as the cab stopped in front of the restaurant.

"Now you want my advice?" The driver, a man with a thick Brooklyn accent asked as they were about to get out of the car. "Just tell it to him straight, you fell in love…he'll understand."

Sally was put oddly at ease by the fact that the cab driver had understood just what had happened. In some way, this stranger understood it better than anyone so far, including their closest friends.

"You ready?" Buddy asked when the driver drove off.

"Yeah. I'm ready." She said. Buddy took her hand. He wasn't jealous, he understood that she didn't want to be so horribly mean to him.

"Hey what are you doing holding hands with my girl?" Herman teased when Buddy and Sally sat down at the table where he'd already been waiting. Sally laughed nervously as she listened to her fiancé and soon to be ex-boyfriend greet each other. Again she wasn't listening to what they were really talking about for those first few seconds. She wondered why she kept zoning out like that. Was it a pregnant thing? Was it some kind of coping mechanism that helped her distill stress. She certainly needed that right then.

"So Sally what have you been up to?"

"A-a lot's changed Herman." She laughed nervously.

"A lot's changed with me." He told her. "A-actually Sally I've met someone."

"Y-you have?" She was shocked.

"Yeah, her name's Jannette…in fact she should be here in a few minutes, I invited her, I hope you don't mind…you did say this was a friend's dinner." At this Buddy burst out laughing.

"Buddy what's wrong?" Herman asked.

"Herman, we have something to tell you too." Sally began.

"You do?"

"You see uh…Buddy and I."

"Herman." Buddy laughed.

"Herman." Sally continued quickly, she wanted to be the one to explain. "Buddy and I are getting married." She said quickly.

…

"Well that went well." Sally scoffed.

"You're jealous." He accused, laughing.

"I'm not jealous." She said, unlocking the door to what was now their apartment. "I-I'm just surprised."

Sally was sad about the fact that Herman had found someone. He hadn't been able, or willing, perhaps, to stand up to his mother for her like he was with this girl. He hadn't made concessions, or changed his life. Maybe she truly wasn't worth that much. If she hadn't found Buddy…or maybe if she hadn't gotten pregnant she'd be truly alone now.

"Hey you're crying." He said. She hugged him as soon as he shut the door.

"You promise you love me, baby aside?" She asked.

"I'm looking forward," He began, running his fingers through her hair and down the sides of her jaw, taking her chin in his hands and forcing her to look up at him. "To having every day be just like our weekends."

"Oh Buddy." She smiled.

"Just as long as you promise you're not jealous."

"I'm not jealous. I'm very, very happy with you!"

"And I'm happy with you."

"And Buddy, you don't have to wait; every day is here." She giggled, beginning to kiss him.