CHAPTER 25
LIFE REALIZATION #11: SERENITY CANDLES ARE LEGIT
Roughly two weeks later, fatigue gripped my shoulders, turning me into Quasimodo as I juggled my bag, a handful of papers, my house keys, and my cell phone—massage therapist Piper had told me not to carry it in my pocket. Well, she’d bent over and told my ovaries not to allow it, but they’d passed the message along.
Erin had found an all-female entrepreneurial group online that held weekly accountability meetings in Nashville. She’d approached the group and, working her marketing magic, arranged meetings for me with four of the women. They were invigorating interactions because each woman was looking to start her own business, and two of them had signed with me on the spot. But being “on” for that long had drained the life out of me, so I was hoping to sneak into the house and head up to my room.
Soft music was playing when I opened the door, and very pleasant smells swirled in the air, awakening my stomach.
“Pen, is that you?” Erin called from the kitchen.
“Yep. Headed your way.”
Living with someone had its challenges. I had to think about where I threw my clothes. I had to wash my few dishes every day instead of letting them sit and be my excuse for getting takeout. I had to find a home for all the stuff stashed in the pantry because an avalanche had almost buried Hulk. And tonight was another challenge. I’d been prepared for cereal alone in front of the TV, but I was going to have to force myself to be polite.
“Are you hungry? I made dinner,” Erin said, motioning toward the kitchen table, set with bohemian napkins reminiscent of her apartment, silverware with wooden handles, and pink short-stemmed glasses filled with iced lemon water. The flame inside an amber glass jar in the middle of the table seemed to be dancing to the instrumental jazz. Everything was lovely, except that candle, which reminded me of my dinner with Chad.
I was taken aback by the display. “This is beautiful.”
“Arugula salad with sautéed chicken, shaved parmesan, and a homemade raspberry vinaigrette. A thank-you. We should get to know each other better.” She smiled and placed the plates on opposite ends of the table. “The candle’s from Piper. I chatted with her today. It’s supposed to inspire serenity and aid in digestion.” She shrugged. “I can’t say I buy into all her practices, but I’m willing to try nearly anything. And we both deserve a good meal.” She laughed. “We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
“You’ve already done a lot of work,” I said, scooting into the chair opposite her. The atmosphere she’d created had a calming effect, and I didn’t miss my Cap’n Crunch as much as I thought I would. “Two of the ladies signed.” Hulk’s ears perked up from where he was curled on his mat in the kitchen.
She clapped. “I knew it! They were the perfect team to approach. You have two more meetings tomorrow with other ladies from the same group.”
“I don’t know how you’re able to do this so fast. I’m glad, don’t get me wrong, but it kind of makes me feel ... inadequate. I couldn’t seem to get it done.”
“Here’s how I see it,” she said, slicing into her chicken breast with a knife. “We have different talents, right? That’s why you hired me. Marketing isn’t your strong suit, but I’m pretty good at it.” She put a bite into her mouth, then started waving her fork around. “You know how to seal the deal, but I don’t know enough to do that yet. It’s the perfect partnership. We each focus on what we’re good at and create a thriving business. There’s an art to knowing what to focus on and what to leave to someone else. You’ll wear yourself out if you try to do it all alone. So you’re not inadequate, you’re a savvy businesswoman. Divide and conquer, right?”
“Well said.”
“Eh. I’ve been reading a lot of nonfiction, and it’s seeping in. I love this business, though. And seriously, you inspired me at TCF. I don’t think you quite realize how amazing you are. You outperformed all the guys, and dimwitted Houston was too egocentric to let you do your thing. TCF could’ve shined.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, my chest swelling. It felt good for someone to acknowledge my hard work, which was happening a lot lately.
This evening wasn’t going as planned, but I was thankful I hadn’t missed this conversation. I was thankful for her—just Erin and not a number, which surprised me. And this meal was fantastic. “I’m really glad this has worked out. But I have to admit: hiring you was Deanna’s idea. I was ready to give up.”
“I think the right people come into our lives at the times we need them most. I mean, think of our situations. We were both struggling, dealing with some pretty ugly stuff, but if we hadn’t been struggling, we might’ve missed this.” She waved her fork between us. “We’ve found our people.”
I chewed, taking in her words and thinking that she was too young to be enlightening. “You’re exactly right.”
“Okay, enough sappy stuff. If you thought today was busy, just wait.” Her pointer finger jabbed the table. “I want to talk about this big dinner. We’re gonna fill your book!”
She had no doubts, and I smiled, a big one.
She put her palms in the air. “Okay, I know you aren’t wild about Piper, but hear me out ...”
With elbows propped on the table, she proceeded to talk for the next twenty-five minutes, and I forgot how tired I was.