Chapter 24
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Anna found Joey in the break room, surrounded by what appeared to be a small mountain of perfectly folded napkins.
“Okay,” she said from the doorway, “either you’re practicing origami or you’ve achieved napkin nirvana.”
Joey looked up with his trademark grin. “Oh, hey Anna. Just getting caught up. Turns out when you can actually find the napkins, folding goes much faster.”
“I came to apologize for that whole mess.”
“No need. Crisis averted, napkins restored to their natural habitat.” Joey gestured at his pile. “Though I have to admit, Bea’s origami lesson came in handy during the Great Napkin Shortage of last week.”
Anna sat down across from him. “Bea taught you origami?”
“When we couldn’t find any napkins to fold the normal way, she showed me how to make cranes out of paper towels. Very zen. Also very ridiculous, but surprisingly calming.” Joey held up a napkin folded into what might have been a swan. “Turns out I’m not terrible at it.”
“That’s actually pretty impressive.”
“Right? Who knew stress could be educational?” Joey smiled. “Though I have to say, Florence made you very... systematic.”
“Systematic?”
“Before you left, you’d float ideas. ‘What if we tried this?’ ‘How would this work?’ You came back with fully formed reorganization plans and implementation schedules.” Joey attempted another fold. “Very professional. Also slightly overwhelming.”
Anna winced. “I was excited about applying what I’d learned.”
Joey successfully completed another swan. “But maybe next time, give us a heads up? Like a memo. ‘Attention staff: Napkin dispensers migrating to strategic locations. Do not panic.’”
“A memo,” Anna repeated, laughing.
“Very official. Maybe with a little diagram. I love diagrams.”
Anna found herself relaxing for the first time all week. “I missed working with you,” she said.
“Same. Though I have to say, you definitely came back more... decisive.”
“Is that bad?”
“Not bad! Just different. Before, you’d ask what we thought about ideas. This time you explained why the new way was better after you’d already changed everything.” Joey gestured with his napkin swan. “It felt like finding out I was doing everything wrong”
Anna felt something click into place. “You wanted to be part of figuring it out.”
“Exactly. We missed you while you were gone, so when you came back we were excited to work together again. But then it felt like you thought everything we’d been doing was wrong.”
“That’s not what I meant—”
“I know. But that’s how it felt.” Joey finished his swan and started on what looked like a more ambitious project. “Especially for Stella. She’s been working really hard to learn how everything works, and then suddenly all the systems changed.”
Anna thought about Stella—steady, observant Stella, who’d been quietly keeping things running while Anna implemented her improvements.
“I made everyone’s job harder.”
“For a little while. But it worked out okay.” Joey held up his latest creation—a peacock with an elaborate fanned tail. “Plus, I learned origami, so really, personal growth all around.”
Anna watched him work, his fingers moving with surprising dexterity. “Could you teach me? The folding, I mean.”
Joey looked surprised. “Really?”
“I’d like to help you finish this prep. And maybe learn something that doesn’t involve paint for once.”
“Sure! Fair warning though—I’m still learning myself. Bea’s the real expert.” Joey grabbed a fresh napkin and slid it across to Anna. “Let’s start with something simple. Basic crane.”
He demonstrated the first few folds slowly, his movements deliberate and clear. Anna tried to follow along, but her napkin quickly began to look more like abstract sculpture than organized folding.
“No, see, you fold it this way first,” Joey said, reaching over to adjust her technique. “The foundation fold is everything. If you get that wrong, the whole thing falls apart.”
Anna tried again, this time managing something that vaguely resembled Joey’s example. “Like this?”
“Better! Though your crane looks a little... interpretive.”
“Artistic license.”
“Very artistic. Very... structurally creative.” Joey grinned and continued with his own folding. “You know what’s funny? During the napkin crisis, Mrs. Henderson asked if we were having ‘creative difficulties’ because she found me folding paper towels into flowers at table six.”
Anna laughed. “What did you tell her?”
“That we were exploring new frontiers in table presentation. She seemed satisfied with that answer.” Joey finished another perfect napkin and added it to his growing pile. “Though I think she may have left a bigger tip out of sympathy.”
Anna attempted another crane, this one slightly more successful. “I really am sorry about disrupting everything. I got so caught up in making things better that I forgot to ask if anyone wanted them better.”
“Apology accepted. Though for the record, your salt organization system is actually brilliant. Color temperature gradient—genius.” Joey picked up Anna’s attempt and studied it seriously. “This crane has character. Very expressive wings.”
“It’s definitely something.”
“Art doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful, right? That’s what you always tell us.”
Anna felt her throat tighten slightly. Even while apologizing, Joey was being kind to her. “You’re too generous.”
“Nah, just honest. Plus, if I can learn to fold napkins into birds, you can learn to ask before you relocate entire systems.” Joey demonstrated the final steps of his peacock. “Deal?”
“Deal.” Anna managed to complete her crane—lopsided but recognizably bird-like. “Though I may need more practice.”
“That’s what tomorrow’s prep is for.”
Joey’s pile grew steadily while Anna slowly improved her technique. There was something satisfying about the repetitive motion, the focus required to get each fold right.
“Joey?” Anna said as they finished the last of the napkins.
“Yeah?”
“Next time I have an idea about improving something, I’m going to ask for your input first. Before I change anything.”
“Does this mean I get veto power?”
“You get consultation power.”
“I’ll take it.” Joey held up his latest creation—a perfectly folded napkin peacock, complete with fanned tail. “Success! Turns out crisis management is great for developing hidden talents.”
Anna gathered her own attempts—a collection of increasingly successful but still quirky birds. “Think these are good enough for customer tables?”
Joey studied them with mock seriousness. “I think customers would appreciate the... individuality. Very avant-garde.”
“Staff table napkins it is.”
As they cleaned up and headed back to the dining room, Anna felt lighter than she had in days. Maybe Florence had taught her about art, but Joey had just reminded her about something equally important—how to be part of a team instead of just leading one.
They passed Margo in the hallway, and she caught Anna’s eye with a small, knowing smile that suggested she’d heard at least part of their conversation.
“Feeling better?” Margo asked quietly.
“Getting there,” Anna said. “One apology at a time.”