Page 85 of The Weekend Crashers
The New Hope Inn isn’tThe Love Boat, after all.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Maggie walks to Denim before the store opens.Lexington Avenue is bustling with the early-morning frenzy of people getting to work and school. Cars clog every side street, buses line the avenues, and everywhere people are walking dogs. A street-cleaning truck whirs noisily by just as she reaches the shop, and she ducks under the awning to avoid the dirt and dust it kicks up in its wake.
Through the glass door pane, she spots Elaine already at the counter lining the store’s branded shopping bags with colorful tissue paper. The door is locked, so she knocks. Elaine looks up, surprised.
“Welcome back,” she says, opening the door. “I wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow.”
“We left the retreat early.” Maggie bursts into tears. “I’m sorry. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
Without another word, Elaine locks up, makes sure the closed sign is outward-facing and leads Maggie to the back of the store. The stockroom is more of a large closet, shelving and racks lining the walls. Transparent, stackable bins house accessories like scarves and belts. There’s a tiny table, the surface of which is covered with spare barcode scanners. Elaine pulls out a stool tucked away in the corner and insistsMaggie sit. She herself remains standing, arms folded in front of her chest.
“Tell me everything.”
Maggie does: starting with Ethan showing up at the store as she was closing Thursday night, and their conversation about the proposal and timing, and going through the way the whole thing snowballed over the course of the weekend.
“And now she won’t even take my calls. Can you imagine? Piper won’t speak to me.”
Elaine nods sympathetically. Then she reaches out and clasps one of Maggie’s hands in both of her own and looks her in the eye.
“Maggie, I’ve known you since you were younger than Piper is now. And I can tell you, in case you’ve forgotten, that you never planned to make this store your lifelong career.”
The comment is so off-topic, she assumes Elaine is just trying to distract her.
“What’s that got to do with anything?”
“Just an observation. Would you agree?”
Sure, there’s some truth to it. Working in the clothing boutique isn’t her dream job. But most people don’t get to make their living in the way they want. Sure, some people do: like Belinda and her knitting retreats at the inn. While others, like Piper, throw a once-in-a-lifetime chance away because it’s nottheirdream. But there’s no sense thinking about that now.
“Are you trying to cheer me up or make me feel worse?”
“Neither.” Elaine toys with the spectacles on a chain around her neck. “I’m trying to convey a point: It’s important in life to take a chance sometimes. To leap before you look. And sure, you think it’s easy for me to say. But I practice what I preach. I started in finance, then I opened this place, and I’m always investing in new businesses and opportunities. The key is to keep pushing forward.”
She stands up and takes deep breaths. Talking to Elaine isn’t helping one bit.
“Maggie, come sit for a moment. Last week, after Piper had the little mishap during the fashion show, what did I tell you?”
Again, she’s not following her. But she tries to play along, tries to remember. That morning was five days ago already, and it’s a blur. She just shakes her head.
“I told you: Even things that look terrible in the moment are actually paving the way for something good to happen.”
Now she remembers. It seemed like an empty platitude then, and even more so now.
“How can something good come out of Piper not talking to me?”
“She’s taking some space. But she’s alsogivingyou some space.”
“I don’t want space!”
“Well, maybe you should reconsider that. Never underestimate the value of space,” Elaine says. “And once you don’t mind it so much, I guarantee that’s when Piper won’t need it anymore.”
The front door buzzes.
“That’s my scarf delivery,” Elaine says, reaching out and patting her knee. “Think about it.”
Maggie is disappointed that Elaine, her stalwart, confident mentor and—let’s face it—substitute mother figure has so little to offer in this moment of need. But really, what did she expect? The only thing that will alleviate her misery is Piper’s forgiveness.
