Chapter 6: Nora

“Soooooo is he your boyfriend now?” asked Miranda mockingly. Mary and Marie joined in her laughter. I just shook my head. “I don’t even know his name. Now shut up and listen to the panel for Christ’s sake.” I said hotly. “Whoa, I must have hit on something closer than I thought girls. Emerald Enigma swooped Queen Kitty off her feet” said Miranda trying to mimic what a headline sounds and holding up her hands like she was a news reporter but failing horribly. I could feel myself turn red again but they couldn’t tell.

I didn’t pay that much attention to the panel. I kept getting jabbed hard in the ribs by Miranda when she saw my eyes glaze over. Every thought just came back to him. I was visualizing his lips moving up and down trying to put words in his mouth. “Nora, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever met and I am super rich so I will pay you to do your art” I made him say in my head. Not that it would matter if he were rich but that’s what all the romance novels my mom reads wish and it kind of just came back to me. I snapped back into reality as the panel was ending. I tried to keep my head down so I wouldn’t have to talk about him but Miranda knew better.

“Before you go nuts on me, I know nothing,” I said pleading with her. “You talked to him for almost two hours and you know nothing? How the hell is that possible?” she asked exasperated. “I don’t know. I think he was a vampire or magic or something! He just didn’t talk about himself. We just talked about me, mostly. I think he said he lives here in Seattle but I’m not positive. I honestly couldn’t stop staring at his mouth” I said spilling all I knew. She looked me up and down and said “I think you’re a smitten kitten.” I dropped my chin to my chest and let out a sigh. “Despite that terrible pun, I think you may be right. What the hell man? He just came out of nowhere!” I shouted at her.

“Well, he’s gone now. What’re you going to do?” she asked looking around. “Nothing. Just think of what could have been and what never will be” I said in my terrible British accent. “Shall we retreat to the drawing room and bone up on empowering women through comics?” Miranda said in what I think was supposed to be a matching accent but came out slightly Irish. We all laughed like crazy people as we walked to our next destination.

We took seats right in the front near the microphone so as to be the first to get to ask questions. As we were sitting and waiting I saw a girl in a really sweet Harley Quinn costume walk in and sit down next to us. I wanted to compliment her but Mary was asking questions about my Riddler man. I just told her the same thing I told Miranda and tried to hide my excitement at getting to talk about him again. I was just getting to the part where he told me the answer when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

“Sorry to bug you but were you just talking about a tall guy dressed as The Riddler?” the Harley Quinn girl asked me. I looked at her awkwardly and nodded. “Did he have the metal question mark cane and the green bowler?” she asked. I nodded again. “Was he really easy to talk to and had lips you wanted to tear off his face and put in your pocket?”

At this, I knew we were most certainly talking about the same guy. “Yes, actually that is a very good way to describe him,” I responded. She laughed and sat back in her seat. My friends and I just looked at her dumbfounded. “How is it that you know this man?” I asked eyeing her carefully. “He’s my boss. He has a booth here. Good guy, kind of surprised to hear he was chatting you up though.” She said casually. “Oh? Why is that?” I asked trying not to seem pushy. “He is just one of those guys that seem content to be alone. He is kind of the reserved and thoughtful type, you know?”

I thought about the guy I talked to. “I would have never have guessed that. He was pretty suave…” trailed off because my smile got too big to hide.

“Can I ask you something about him?” She turned her head to me and I all saw was pity in her eyes “Sure. Shoot.”

“What’s his name?” I kind of cut her off but I didn’t care. She giggled “Suave you say, but he didn’t tell you his name?” She paused and eyed me carefully. “His name is Harvey. Oh, and I’m Grace by the way.” She held out her hand and shook it wildly. She laughed at me as the panel started. When the panel let out I followed close behind Grace so I wouldn’t lose her in the crowd. I don’t think she saw me following her. “Can you tell him something for me?” She jumped but smiled at me. “Sure kitty cat.” She said reaching over and touching the ears on my head. “It’s Nora by the way and you know the Costume Bash they are having tonight?” she thought for a second “yeah I know of it.” “Well we are all going and I really want to see him again. Tell him that I will wait for him by the Space Invaders game.” She looked me up and down once more and nodded her head and walked away.

I stood still and watched her walk away. His name is Harvey.