Chapter 33
CHAPTER 33
Back at the Gazette office Lizzie quickly writes up a short story to put up on the website, and puts a link on their Facebook page, and on Instagram, along with a bunch of the photos she took.
“I cannot tell you what a difference you’ve made here already, honey,” Peter says from his side of the partner desk. “I would have struggled to get the story written and up on the website, nevermind all the new social media spots. You have no idea how much stress this has taken off of me, and it’s only been two days! And this angel investment from the Parkers and their friends? It’s going to take so much pressure off of us. I still haven’t fully absorbed that yet.”
“I know, me either. I think that’s going to take a while to sink in. To think we can maybe hire a photographer, and another reporter. I’m so glad to be here Dad, but I feel like such a jerk that I wasn’t doing more to help before this. I didn’t realize how dire things had become, and I’m so sorry.”
“You needed to do what you needed to do. I get it, you needed to get away from here, and I’m really glad you did it.”
“I know, but I should have been more help,” she shakes her head. “Anyway, I’m here now, so you can count on me.” She spins around in her chair. “After the holidays I may bring in some plants, something to brighten the place up a bit, would that be okay? I think with this new chapter in the paper’s history we need to spruce things up a bit, make it warmer.”
“You do whatever you want, Stan and I have really let the place go. We have a local team come in and clean once a week, but other than that we don’t do a thing. I’d love to bring it back to life. It’s felt pretty dead for a while now.”
“Well, we’ll change that, we need a workspace that makes us feel good, that’s cheery.”
Peter slaps his desk, and startles Lizzie. “I think since it’s Christmas Eve and we’ve already put in a few hours of work, we should close down the office and get out of here and go tell your Mom the good news. What do you say?” he says, standing up.
“I think it’s a bad idea to argue with the boss, so I say, yes, let’s call it a day.”
Before they walk out the door, Lizzie turns and hugs her dad. “Merry Christmas, Dad, thank you for being here when I needed you. You really saved me.”
He hugs her back, hard. “Nope, it’s the other way around, you saved us. Thank you! And thank Jack!”
She wipes her eyes. “Ugh, Matty is right, we really are the schmaltz family!”
He turns out the lights, “Yeah, but I think there are far worse things than being that.”
Gabby is as stunned as they were with the news about the new development, and of course, the investment in the Gazette. A great sense of relief fills the air. Those unspoken stresses weighed on everyone, even when they weren’t talking about them, especially then.
Later, after they've all calmed down from the big news, Gabby is happily putting gifts under the tree, while Christmas music fills the house, and the aromas coming from the kitchen are positively intoxicating. Lizzie feels so happy, so content. Looking at the tree, her parents, the fire in the fireplace, she feels more at peace than she has in a long time. She sits on the couch as her parents head off in different directions in the house, and curls up. Daisy comes running in, wagging her tail, jumps up, and curls right next to her.
“Hey girl, you want to have a snuggle with me?” she says, scooping the little dog up and hugging her.
“Well you sure look cozy,” her mom says, bringing them each a cup of tea. “You sure Daisy isn’t bothering you?” She sits down in a rocking chair near the fire.
“Are you kidding me? I love this.” she rubs her face into Daisy’s fur and sighs. “She is just the best. You really lucked out adopting her.”
“We sure did.”
“I am totally having a Dorothy Gale moment here,” she says to her mom.
“Dorothy as in the Wizard of Oz Dorothy?”
“Yes, a total and complete, ‘there’s no place like home’ feeling.”
“It’s really nice to hear you say that,” she says, sipping the steaming tea carefully. “I kind of thought we’d lost you for a while there.”
“I think I kind of lost myself too. After Jack and I broke up I didn’t know what to do because we’d made all these plans, and it was sort of back to the drawing board,” she says, looking at the fire. “And I guess in the midst of that I cut everyone out to a certain degree that reminded me of what I wasn’t going to have. But I’m good now, no matter what happens I’ve found my own center, and my own purpose. Regardless of romance, I’m in a really good place. I’m sorry it took me so long to get here and if I hurt you and Dad at all.”
“We weren’t hurt, we just missed you. I always believed when you sorted everything out you’d be back, maybe not back like this, but back with us. I wasn’t worried. We have a pretty strong bond.”
“Yes we do,” Lizzie says, still snuggling a now sleeping Daisy on her lap.
Gabby sits forward on her chair, and looks around to see if Peter is in earshot. “So I had an idea, but before I finalized everything I wanted to run it by you.”
Lizzie is very curious. “What kind of idea? A surprise for someone? Someone in this house?” she laughs.
“Shhhh… yes. But I need to know if you’re okay with it.”
“Are you getting another dog? If so I vote yes and will totally have your back if Dad fights you on it.”
Gabby laughs and shakes her head. “No, Miss Daisy here is plenty for me. Your dad and I haven’t taken a vacation in years, not since that trip to Paris. We could never get away because the paper was like a baby he always had to tend to. It was too much for Stan on his own. But I was thinking, now that you’re here...”
“Oh my gosh, yes! Of course! I would be thrilled to be able to run things while you go away!” Her excitement startles the dog and wakes her up. A few pats and she’s back asleep. “What are you thinking?”
“Well, I have two tickets on hold for two weeks in Ireland, is that crazy?”
“No! I think that’s fantastic! When would you go?”
“Not till spring, end of April. You’re sure you’d be fine, running the paper, taking care of the house, Daisy?”
“I would love to do it. Go and finalize those tickets, and then you and Dad can spend the winter figuring out all the places you want to go. So this is what you were so mysterious about, and the gift you were wrapping?”
“Yes, I’m still sort of old fashioned, and I went to see Marge.”
“Who used to have the travel agency on Main Street? I remember her.”
“Yes, most people do their own tickets and everything now, but she still works out of her house, so I went to see her, she just needs my okay to buy the tickets. Eek! I’ve never done anything like this! I usually give your dad a sweater, or some new slippers. This is so extravagant!”
“And so well deserved. Go, go call her and tell her yes, buy those tickets. But do yourself a favor?”
“Don’t tell Stan?”
“Exactly!”
Gabby gets up to go make the call.
“Oh, Mom? Would you be okay if we went to the story slam at Tall Tales at 4? Jack mentioned it, and he said we should go, but I understand if it interferes with dinner, or other plans.”
“It doesn’t interfere at all. Matt and family are staying home so they can get Sophie to bed early, so it’s just us three, that sounds fun.” Gabby turns around before she leaves, “So apparently he does not hate you,” she says looking at Lizzie. “Told you so. I’ll be right back.”
“Mom is always right,” she whispers to Daisy.