The NoRita Negotiator

When they didn't know what to say, Norman and Rita let Renita Hayweather speak for them.

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You've read about how I thought ShOliver used NoRita to navigate and negotiate their budding relationship, but it didn't occur to me until recently that Norman and Rita have adopted a similar policy with something very close to their hearts: Renita Hayweather.

Take a look at a few times in Truth Be Told and Impossible Dream that Renita Hayweather was referenced.

Note that in each of these instances, Renita Hayweather was being used towards a particular end, or to reveal some sage piece of advice or insight that proved enlightening.

Take for instance Norman's request to finish reading Frontier Duchess. As discussed in Norman's House Rules check-in, the book became a bible of all things Rita, allowing him insight into her heart previously unavailable. He used it to begin leading their relationship, a road map to ease his anxiety about "what to do [next]," the concern Norman revealed to Oliver in Truth Be Told.

Where Norman seemed to struggle to return Rita's "I love you" in From Paris With Love as a result of that concern, his decision to submit a chapter of Frontier Duchess to Postal Living Quarterly in Impossible Dream was his way of returning the sentiment, allowing actions to speak louder than the words the previously failed him. Norman also revealed his motive for doing so when speaking to Mindy and Rita at pageant rehearsals, revealing he was attempting to "deliver inspiration," as occurred in the chapter he references, and was the theme of the pageant, despite that fact not being the immediate topic of conversation.

For Rita, the Frontier Duchess, as discussed in both House Rules and House Rules 2, has been an integral part of her growth. Rita has proven she is more than capable of writing her own future, no longer needing Renita Hayweather as a crutch, and instead using it as a tool to advance that future.

An early instance of this is when Norman asked her if Frontier Duchess had a happy ending. While she reassured Norman that it did, Rita also alluded to her intention to rewrite it to make sure she got things right. In doing this, Rita allayed some of Norman's concerns, which seemed to fall along the same lines. She used the Duchess to negotiate a space in her relationship with Norman that they hadn't quite found the courage or vocabulary to express to each other otherwise.

Frontier Duchess also acted as an "action translator" of sorts for the unexpected news that Norman had gotten part of her book published. Rita clearly didn't have time to process what had just happened when she took the stage at the pageant to stall on Mindy's behalf, but as she described the chapter she would no longer be able to share, Norman's actions suddenly became clear. Rita made the connection between Mr. D'Lorman giving Renita his favorite steed and Norman attempting to publish Rita's favorite thing.

Much like Shane and Oliver found ways to discuss and navigate their complicated relationship through Norman and Rita, Rita and Norman have followed suit, using Renita Hayweather as their negotiator until such time as they feel more comfortable addressing their relationship head on.



Cheering NoRita On,
~C