36. Zoe
THIRTY-SIX
Zoe
“ C aleb!” I call out, my voice rising above the noise as he drops to his father’s side, and my heart drops with him as I have to confess, “This is my fault. I’m so sorry!”
Caleb’s voice is strained with anxiety and confusion. “How could it be your fault?”
“I forgot he was allergic to peonies!” Tears fill my eyes. “I didn’t mean for this to happen, I swear!”
Caleb’s gaze claws toward the nearest table’s centerpiece. Then to the next. And the next. “I specifically told you no peonies! How did you let this happen?!”
I hear Nicholas say from behind me, “Caleb, focus on your father!” his tone firm but calm, attempting to redirect Caleb’s attention away from rage.
Nathan is a firefighter, trained in all manner of life-saving procedures. Fast as a superhero he’s at Mr. Astor’s side, his deep voice shouting at the hotel staff, “Get me an EpiPen! It’ll be in the hotel’s FirstAid kit!” Under his breath he mutters, “Probably have dozens,” as he races away with several staff-members through a door marked No Entry.
“Zoe!” Mom’s voice cuts through the noise, her hand on my shoulder.
Dad’s suddenly at my other side. “Is this your fault?”
I choke through my tears, “Yes!” guilt flooding my system. “I should have remembered. So much has been going on, and I…love peonies so we included them in all of the arrangements! Every single one. I can’t believe I forgot! My stupid Swiss-cheese memory!”
Mom hugs me, “Shhh. He’s going to be fine. See? Nathan is already back.”
I look over, my eyes a mix of hope and terror as I see my brother dashing back in through the crowd, everyone making a path for the hero. Nathan injects Mr. Astor as everyone waits with bated breath.
The crowd exhales relief as the afflicted gasps, opens his eyes, and coughs hard, clearing his throat heavily. Mr. Astor clasps Nathan’s hand, gratitude in his stunned stare.
“Dad?!”
Mr. Astor looks at Caleb, releases Nathan’s hand and grabs his son’s, vulnerability making his, “I’m…okay,” a whisper.
Mrs. Astor exhales, “Dear God! Thank you, God!” her diamond bracelet trembling as she touches her throat and matching necklace.
I raise my shaky voice to right the wrong. “Everyone, if you would be so kind as to help us remove the floral centerpieces from the room. Please take them outside to the corridor and they will be removed from the hotel immediately.”
As Nathan checks Mr. Astor’s heart rate, Mom, Dad, Nicholas, Wyatt and I split up, heading for the tables surrounding Mr. Astor, first. The guests fan out and everyone works together to speedily rid the entire event space of the offending allergen. I’m an absolute wreck inside, but I wipe my eyes, hold my head high, and facilitate the flora’s mass exodus until completion.
When we’re done, and the guests have gone back inside, leaving only me and my family in the now incredibly fragrant corridor, I mumble, “Oh no, I need my phone,” remembering I left it in my car since this gown does not have pockets. I thought I wouldn’t need it since my staff and I had taken pictures of the decorated event space for social media before the guests arrived. Not that I can use any of those photos now. I won’t be promoting this disaster, that’s for sure.
Wyatt grunts, “Wanna use mine?” offering it to me.
“Yes please.” I dial the one number I know by heart, save for my parents’ and my own.
“Who are you calling?”
“I need help getting these out of here.”
Wyatt interrupts me with, “We can take them down to our cars.”
Barely hearing him, I overlap his sentence. “Please pick up, Tom! I need your help!”
Wyatt clears his throat. “Tom would be a better help though. Yeah, call him.”
I frown at my brother, not understanding what he’s saying, my brain a tornado. “Tom! Oh thank goodness!”
“What’s going on?” Tom asks, worry laced in his words, “Are you okay? Where are you?!”
“I’m fine. No, I’m terrible. I…need you. Caleb’s father had an allergic reaction to the peonies! I’ve got to get all of the centerpieces out of here. Please call Amelia and Perry to help!”
Wyatt grabs my arm. “Our family can cart these out too. We’ve got four cars among us.”
“Oh!” I blink from him to Mom to Dad to Nicholas to Nathan, all with their eyes on me. “Great. Yes, we can do that! You might not have to come.”
Wyatt takes the phone from me. “Get over here, Tom.” He hangs up and shakes his head at me.
“What?”
“You need to wake up.”
I burst into tears, and shove them away. “I’m doing the best I can, Wyatt! Okay, let’s get rolling carts from the Bell Hop station! We’re going to take all of these fifty-plus arrangements to a nursing home.”
Mom beams at me. “Zoe, a nursing home is a wonderful idea. These’ll bring so much love to them.”
Nathan smirks, “Just ask if they’re allergic before you walk these vases into bedrooms.”
Wyatt smacks Nate’s chest. “Too soon, buddy. Too soon.”
Dad pulls me close. “I’m so proud of you, Zoe.”
“I messed up everything, and this is my business!”
“But look at how you’re fixing everything!” Dad kisses the top of my head and lets me go. “That’s my girl.”