Six Months Later
Joey stands behind the counter surveying the crowd.
Aspect Coffee is as busy as it ever was, including during Barbara’s years.
River moves behind the counter, refilling cups and chatting with Ken from the bar.
Most of the town has shut down to be here this afternoon, and though she’s sure Barbara may have had something to do with it, she’s proud of what they’ve come to witness.
Blue velvet upholstered armchairs surround antique coffee tables and rest on top of bright Persian rugs.
The exposed brick walls have been washed clean of paint.
Wildflowers adorn every surface. The vibe, as Ingrid and Jasper Hardy called it in Around Town, is “somehow bohemian and authentic at the same time.”
The espresso machine whirs as sunlight tilts into the room.
“Chin chin,” says a voice to her right. It’s Sophie.
She must have gotten a break from wrangling Leah, who has been running around, energized by all the attention while simultaneously trying to knock every coffee cup onto the floor.
Sure enough, Joey spots Talia in the corner laughing with Otto, and hears over the din, “Uh-oh, Grandpa.” Then little Leah is at Joey’s feet, asking for a towel so she can clean the spill.
She reaches for a rag, but Sophie slips it from her hands, trading her for a glass of champagne.
“Go give this to Grandpa,” she says to Leah and sends her on her way with the towel.
Then, unexpectedly, she turns to Joey for a fierce, tight hug. “I’m so proud to be your friend.”
“Oh my god, let the woman breathe,” says Elena, sliding up beside them.
She’s surveying the room too, and just for a second, Joey watches her friends next to her and slings an arm over each of them.
A little champagne drips onto Elena’s shoulder—apparently she’s a little tipsy—but no one says anything.
They all just laugh, like they belong right here together.
They watch Gael talking to Barbara and Tom Winter as he adjusts one of the frames.
A few weeks ago, Gael called Joey out of the blue and asked her if she’d be interested in featuring his photographs in the shop for her grand reopening.
She almost didn’t have the words to reply when she opened the envelopes.
Seeing them here now, lining the walls all around them, gives her chills.
Joey made him agree that these were not a donation, that she would price them out and let patrons buy them when they came into the shop.
She’d Venmo him with every sale. And so far, already today, twelve photographs have sold.
The kid is absolutely glowing. There are forty-six photos in total, and each of them is so raw, so beautiful, she can’t decide which is her favorite.
When he and Elena were here last year, he spent the whole time exploring the town and snapping pictures.
He captured several breathtaking photos of his mom, some of Sophie, including one blurred-motion one that is absolutely stunning, and a few of Joey too.
He even took a handful of candids of the three of them together, sitting on Barbara’s back porch, smiling and talking like the old friends they were.
There are images of historical buildings and of neighbors talking and of Walter’s different-colored eyes and of the school doors and a sign that says, “CONGRATS, SENIORS!” Not one, she notices now, is of the cast or crew or equipment from the movie that was shot here.
A movie that was abandoned during filming, or so Elena has reported.
Apparently, they did not get to finish the last few scenes due to Cal Pierce’s unexpected and tragic death, and most likely won’t be continuing with production because of it.
She feels a kiss at the top of her head and looks up to see River there, leaning over her.
“A good day?” he asks.
She nods and pulls Sophie and Elena close to her as the people of this town fill her coffee shop. Quinn would have loved this, she thinks. But also, and maybe more importantly, she loves this.
“A good day,” she says.