Waiting until Wednesday evening was very nearly torture for Adley. When she woke up on Wednesday morning, she knew with every fiber of her being what her answer was. But she’d promised Scottie she’d wait. And she had to admit that no matter how unlikely, it was still possible she might change her mind before the day was over.
“Fat chance,” she muttered as she took her morning walk, this time up and down and around her neighborhood. The day was a bit cooler and a little grayer than yesterday, and she zipped up her hoodie as she went. She tried to simply be in the moment, to look at the spring flowers popping up through the soil, to feel the dampness in the air, to notice birds singing. Anything to stay in the present and not get mired in the decision she was trying to make.
Unsurprisingly, it didn’t work. All she could think about was getting back to what she loved. Being creative again. Making little kids smile. Being a vital part of the community in which she lived. Her brain wouldn’t shift to anything else, and that was a pretty big clue, as far as she was concerned.
By the time she was ready to head in to work that afternoon, she couldn’t take it any longer. She typed out a quick text to Scottie.
I’m gonna take it. My mind hasn’t wavered a millimeter since we talked.She sent it and didn’t have to wait long for a response.
I just want you to be happy.And a smiling emoji and a heart followed. Scottie was worried about her, she knew, but she was also the most supportive person in Adley’s life, so getting her okay was freeing.
She got ready for work, trying to formulate exactly the right text to Sabrina. She went around and around and hit every possibility therewas. Overly grateful. Too snarky. Too distant. Vague. By the time she’d seated her fifth table that night at Chumby’s, her brain was exhausted. She returned to her hostess podium near the door, sighed as she thoughtfuck it, and took out her phone.
I’m in.
That was it. Simple. Emotionless. To the point.
She sent it.
Cassandra allowed her to have her phone up front with her but didn’t like seeing her on it, understandably. So as soon as she sent the text, she put the phone back under the podium and focused on the large party of eight that was walking through the front door.
The restaurant got extra busy after that, and by the time things were wrapping up for the night, Adley remembered the phone, the message. Interesting how, once she’d made a decision, she’d been able to set it all aside—finally!—and not have it consuming her every moment. She grabbed her phone and took a look at the text response that had just come from Sabrina.
Seriously? That’s fantastic! I’m so glad! I promise you won’t regret this. It’s going to be amazing. I’m so happy…I’m thrilled. Dancing around my living room right now. Sprinkles is also dancing. Let’s meet at the shop tomorrow and we can go over details.There was a pause and the gray dots bounced for a moment before the next words came.Thank you, Adley. I mean that.The message was followed by several celebratory emoji, including but not limited to smileys, champagne bottles, and party horns.
Adley grinned. She couldn’t help it. The image of Sabrina dancing around with her dog just made her happy, and if Scottie knew that, they’d probably have to sit and analyze it. Good thing Scottie wasn’t there.
She smiled as she drove home and felt lighter somehow. She called Scottie from the car.
“I did it. I told Sabrina I’d take the job.”
“OMG, what did she say?”
“Well, it was all through text ’cause I was working, but she seems really happy about it.”
“And you? How are you feeling?” Scottie’s voice was soft. Kind and curious.
“I feel…so much, Scottie. So much.” She took in a deep, slow breath and understood that she needed to talk all this out. “I mean, part of me still can’t believe I lost the shop. I’m so embarrassed, Scooter. So incredibly embarrassed that I couldn’t keep it afloat. I feel like I let my grandpa down in the biggest of ways. And then there’s the hostessing. I mean, is that what I want to do for the rest of my life? Lead people to their dinner table? And through all of this, I was still mourning the loss of what might have been with Sabrina.”
“That all makes perfect sense,” Scottie said, her voice soft and understanding.
“And then Sabrina shows back up with this offer.” She shook her head. “And I wanted to scream at her.You tank my business? You ruin my life? You humiliate me and now you’re back and you want to save me? Fuck no. Fuck that. No.But…” She took a moment, took a breath, let herself calm down again. “But the weird thing is, I still trust her. After all that she did, after all that happened, I still trust her.” She hadn’t actually said that out loud, and hearing the words now, actuallyhearing themfor the first time, didn’t freak her out the way she was afraid it might. “I didn’t tell her that, of course.” She gave a little chuckle. “But the reality is that it’s true. I still trust her, and I feel like a weight has lifted. Isn’t that weird?”
“I mean, does it feel weird?”
“Not even a little bit. It feels right. It feels exactly right.”
“Well, there you go then. I think the Universe is telling you that you made the right decision.”
Adley sighed and turned into her driveway, then shifted the car into park. “I think so, too.”
“And you feel okay about the rest of it? The…history?”
“I do right now. I guess we’ll have to see how it goes when we’re both there, you know?”
They signed off shortly after, and Adley went inside. As she poured herself a glass of wine, there was a part of her that wanted to call Sabrina now, talk to her, listen to her ideas, and share some of her own. But she gave herself a shake, reminded herself that’s not who they were anymore.
Sabrina was going to be her boss for the time being, and she’d do well to remember that little fact.
