2053

"So let us propose a toast", announces Francois, lifting up high his white coffee mug, "to Milly."  and we are all laughing, and Carl is laughing loudest. "Speech. speech!" I call. "Well, I certainly don't intend to be the only woman living here", camps Kenny who is now one hundred percent Harriet..  Yes, I have so missed his campy sass, and this is like pure water from a spring bubbling out of the hot desert sands.  Dad only tolerated Kenny as Harriet, and from time to time, especially in our last three years together with Kenny, would take me aside and brusquely mutter, "Please, let's not encourage any of this."  and I would meekly reply "any of what?" and Dad would just lift his hands in understated theatrical despair and murmur, "it's all in your hands, Lord."  and Kenny, fully possessed by the she imp Harriet, would come sashaying into the living room lisping something like, "Oh what two adorable handsome men you both are", and then squeal out a super girlish "Ooh!" Ethan reaches for a Peek Freen fruit creme and says, "this is going to be different."   But now, for the first time, he is smiling.  Beautifully and normally Ethan is smiling, one hundred percent random guy who rides a bike.  This is so refreshingly normal.