Harriet's Arrangement

Equilibrium: The End

Harriet was at work when her phone rang with Jennifer's number. Her heart almost stopped, and Kieran, who had been going through some arrangements with her and Johnny at the time spotted the name of the phone. "Hattie, is that –"

"His hearing was today," Harriet said, nervously, looking up at Kieran, "Can I –"

"Take it," Kieran encouraged, almost pushing the phone towards her in his eagerness to hear what Jennifer had to say. Johnny was aware of what had been happening, and looked almost as curious as Kieran.

"Thanks, Kieran," Harriet whispered, sliding the bar across on her phone to answer the call, and standing to move a little away from the table as she pressed the phone to her ear. "Jennifer?"

"Harriet... Hattie, he pleaded guilty," Jennifer's voice was thick with emotion, "He pleaded guilty, Hattie."

"Oh my God," Harriet breathed, reaching out for a chair to collapse into, but Kieran, who had stood as he'd seen the colour drain from her cheeks caught her before she fell and guided her back to a seat, "Oh Jennifer... does that mean...?"

"They gave him thirteen years, Hattie," Jennifer whispered, "Thirteen years."

Harriet couldn't speak. She didn't know what she was feeling. She became aware that Kieran and Johnny were both peering at her, clearly desperate to know what was happening.

Jennifer spoke again. "It means it's over. It's really over."

"Fuck," Harriet whispered, and on the other end of the phone, she heard Jennifer give a hysterical little giggle through her tears.

"Can you and Tom please come over later? I don't think I can be by myself tonight, and mum can't get back until tomorrow."

"Of course," Harriet said, "Fuck. Yes. Oh, Jennifer. Are you ok?"

"Yes, yes, I'm ok," Jennifer said, more hysterical bubbles of laughter breaking through her sniffs, "I don't think it's sunk in. I just know it means I can start over."

"You can," Harriet whispered, "And you can be absolutely you."

"Thank you, Hattie," Jennifer said, clearly starting to cry properly again, "I have to go, I need to call my mum... but I'll see you later?"

"See you later, Jennifer. And, honestly... congratulations."

Neither Kieran nor Johnny said anything as Harriet ended the call and put the phone down. She looked at them both, tears now starting to roll down her own cheeks. Kieran reached out and she gripped his hand. "They gave him th-thirteen years," she whispered, before properly bursting into tears.

Kieran pulled her into a hug, and Johnny swore in disbelief. "That's good, Hattie. It means he can't hurt anyone any more," Kieran said quietly.

"I know, I know," she mumbled, trying not to cry into his shirt,, "It's just..."

"Complicated," Kieran said, sitting back and letting her wipe her eyes, "I know. But you did the right thing. Absolutely no question."

"I know," she sniffed again, "It's just a total shock. I never thought it would happen this quickly."

"But that's amazing that it did," Johnny said, "Seriously. You did good."

Harriet gave him a watery smile. "Thank you both," she said, "And for all your support and..." she broke down into tears again and Kieran patted her on the arm.

"Go home, Hattie," he said softly, "Just take the rest of the day. Is Tom at home?"

She nodded, trying to control her emotional response enough to speak. "S-sorry, K-Kieran," she stammered, "I'll catch up – I'll –"

"Shush," Kieran said, rolling his eyes, "Just go home. Are you ok to get home? I can call you an Uber."

She gave herself a little shake and took a breath. "Thank you," she said, "I'll be ok, I'll call Tom, he'll meet me. Thank you."

"Seriously not at all," Kieran said, "We'll catch up on Monday, alright?"

She nodded again, and gave them both another smile as she slid her things into her bag. She felt like she was in a dream. She felt their eyes on her as she left, fumbling for her phone to call Tom, and as she relayed the news to him (and he allowed himself a brief moment to crow in triumph before dropping straight into caring, concerned mode), she felt the beginnings of a grim sense of satisfaction that this really was where it ended.

She met Tom at the closest tube station. He refused to let her travel alone in the state she was in at that moment, and he was with her within half an hour. It was a beautiful sunny day, and when he arrived, and after she'd stood and sobbed in his arms for a few minutes, they sat on a bench overlooking the Thames, Harriet on Tom's lap, her tears finally slowing and properly coming to a stop.

"Baby girl," he said, eventually, "I am so proud of you. For taking all the right steps and doing all the right things. Malcolm honestly got what he deserved, and there is no part of you that needs to feel differently. I know you'll be feeling confused and guilty and maybe still a little bit scared right now, and that is more than ok. Jennifer will be feeling all those things magnified by a million, and that's also completely fine. But just think how what you did – approaching Jennifer when you were concerned – think how that has improved not only your life and her life, but also the lives of anyone else he ever hurt, or who he might have hurt in the future. Jennifer now has the opportunity to start a brand new life – and she can bring her baby into the world without that awful fear hanging over her."

Harriet was quiet, resting her head on his shoulder, looking at the boats going past. After some time she said, "It really is all about balance, isn't it. It all comes back to things tipping right back to where they should be. Sometimes when the scales are off, things are really fucking hard. But when it shifts so they're back where they should be... it just settles. And everything starts to fall back into place."

Tom kissed her gently. "That's exactly it. Equilibrium. Balance. Stability. Life is about giving and taking in the right quantities."

Harriet smiled. "And about finding the people who offset all the bad stuff in the right way."

Tom smiled too. "Or maybe it's about letting those people find you."

"This next bit will still be hard with Jennifer, won't it," Harriet said, not really asking.

"It will, baby girl," Tom said softly, "But it's the beginning of what has to be a better chapter for her, and for you as well. And I think you have a good friend in Jennifer."

Harriet nodded. "I think so too."

They were silent again for a while, the boats chugging past in the late afternoon sunshine, passers by casually stopping to admire the view, the city humming peacefully in the hour or so before it would once again teem with commuters. And Harriet thought back to that first day at C&C Events, and how the sun had shone on that day too – and how the future had stretched out so beautifully in front of her. And now, almost exactly two years later, despite everything that had happened – how much she had changed, and grown – her future was suddenly back, unimpeded.

Equilibrium. That was what Tom had said a few moments before. And despite all that she knew still lay ahead, that's what she was feeling now, as the sun – the same sun that had shone on that first day – began to set over the city that she loved. She might have been overwhelmed by how powerful the feeling was, but instead it helped to ground her.

This was right – this was where it had all been supposed to go. She had been living on borrowed time before she'd met Jennifer – and ever since that moment, they had been hurtling to this point. And now they were here. And it was over. A blank page and a whole new life stretched out in front of all of them. The scales had been reset: balance had once again been restored.

** THE END **

[Hello readers!

Thank you so much for reading Harriet's story. I've so loved taking this journey with her, and am delighted I've had some of you along for the ride! I hope you've enjoyed it: I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Kitty xx]