Chapter Nine

Stillwell Center Thursday The Big Event

E llie, Luna, and Chi-Chi were accustomed to putting events together, but those were their own events, not someone else's. Still, so far, things were going along as planned. Ellie made sure via social media that people were informed the center would be closed to the public on Thursday beginning at six p.m. for a private function.

Ellie had always considered renting out the space for private occasions, but there was already enough going on all the time. Adding more tasks to the existing workload might put everyone over the top, especially her. But this was an emergency. She remembered when she was in college, many years ago, when a prom or a dance was on the calendar. You spent weeks getting ready. The dress. The shoes. The accessories. Testing various hairstyles. What kind of corsage? Did they still do that, she wondered? Corsages? Today, many went to the events solo, or with a friend. Having a date was not the norm anymore, much to the relief of many. No pressure. Just get yourself dolled up and have a good time with your friends.

Ellie was the first one at the center that morning, with Ziggy and Marley in tow. She opened the large patio doors and let them run to the doggie park. Alex would be along shortly to take care of any messes they might create.

Luna was the next to arrive with Wylie, who immediately headed for the patio to see his buddies. She fired up the coffee machine and walked to The Flakey Tart to meet up with Heidi Dugan. Heidi prepared orders of scones and croissants for The Namaste Café, and Luna sold them. Luna had a placard next to the basket stating where the baked goods came from, hoping to prompt people to buy more. It was that type of camaraderie that made the center extra special, in addition to the unique art and specialties it offered.

Luna always added four extra scones to her order, for Chi-Chi, Cullen, Ellie, and herself. It had become part of their morning ritual. The three women would meet at Luna's while Cullen was banished to his workshop. He didn't mind one bit. He'd rather be whittling at something or replacing hinges.

Ellie gave Luna a look of concern. "Are you alright, dear? You look a bit weary."

"Not enough sleep."

Chi-Chi floated in like a colorful sunrise, her hair wrapped in a matching scarf that secured the braids down her back. She pulled out a chair and plopped herself down, a very un-Chi-Chi-like move.

"Whoa. What's up?" Luna asked.

"My brother. He is coming to town this weekend."

Everyone groaned at the same time. Just the mention of his name conjured thoughts of him with Jennine May. "She is going to be all over you," Luna said.

"I know," Chi-Chi moaned. Then she sat up straight. "I have a wonderful idea. I will tell her Abeo is coming, and would she have dinner with him on Saturday."

"Well, that would get him out of your hair."

"And we have dinner plans, do we not?" Chi-Chi reminded Luna.

"True. I thought you would invite him to join us," Luna said evenly.

"Oh, please. I am certain Jennine would be a better option." Chi-Chi sipped her coffee and eyed the other women over her cup.

Luna burst out laughing. "I couldn't agree more!"

Ellie, too, was laughing. "I so much enjoy our morning gatherings."

"I cannot wait to tell her—I mean ask her," Chi-Chi proclaimed with a devilish grin.

"What do you think Abeo is going to say?" Luna asked.

"It does not matter. He will go with her. I will insist."

The three women were on the verge of hysterics when Luna noticed Jennine opening her shop. She motioned in Jennine's direction. "Get to it, girlfriend."

Chi-Chi stood and smoothed her red and gold dashiki, then adjusted her head wrap. "Excuse me," she said politely, then turned and glided across the atrium.

Ellie and Luna were giggling. Jennine was known to be a bit like Blanche from The Golden Girls . If there was a man within fifty feet, she would sniff him out. If he was single, she would attach herself to one of his appendages. She had several options depending on how brave or petrified he was.

"I wonder what Chi-Chi is going to do if Abeo and Jennine go back to her place?" Luna rested her chin on her propped fists.

"Maybe they'll go back to Jennine's," Ellie suggested.

"Well, if I know Chi-Chi, she is going to instruct her brother to figure it out." The two friends laughed as they squinted to see if they could make out what the other two women were saying.

Chi-Chi had a slight smile on her face. She placed her hand on Jennine's. Jennine's head began to bounce up and down. Chi-Chi put her hands in a prayer position, bowed, and glided back to the café. She could barely contain her jubilation.

Chi-Chi took a very deep, relaxing, cleansing breath as she entered. "As you would say, ‘mission accomplished. ' "

Luna and Ellie remained impassive. They didn't want Jennine to see them overly excited. Just another day in the center.

"Bravo," Ellie said with a straight face.

"Ditto," Luna added. She looked over at Jennine's shop. "She must have gone in the back. Spill," Luna instructed Chi-Chi.

"I told her that my brother was coming into town unexpectedly and I had plans, so would she be so kind as to entertain him for the evening?"

"Entertain? I guess that's a euphemism for Jennine and her man-eating tendencies." Ellie continued to keep a straight face. "No pun intended."

Luna couldn't control herself. She got up, walked behind her easel, and howled.

Chi-Chi sat primly in her chair. "Please. I still have terrible visions from their last encounter. I prefer to think of something else now."

Luna peered from behind the large sketch pad. "Okay, but you still haven't figured out how you can get the two of them to stay at Jennine's."

"Do not worry. I will tell him. He must ask if he can see her place. I will tell him to flirt with her."

"Do you think he'll be okay with that?" Luna returned to her chair.

"It doesn't matter. I am okay with that, and that is all that matters." Chi-Chi gave a sly grin. "Besides, he is a man."

As the three finished their morning ritual, then cleared their cups, Alex walked through the atrium with the three dogs following him. Ellie went to speak with him. "Good morning, Alex."

"Morning, Ellie. I'm about ready to start hanging the lights. I figured I'd get it done before the center opens. Devon is going to put up a few tinkling chimes, since I'll have the ladder out."

"Good idea. Do you have everything you need?"

"I think so. I'll give you a click when I'm done."

Suki ambled over with a huge box filled with three-inch origami cranes. "I have one hundred. Each guest can take one home."

"How lovely! Thank you, Suki. They will be thrilled. How on earth did you manage to make so many in such a short time?"

"It is my pleasure, but I am not to get all the credit. My advanced students helped. Please tell me—shall I place all of them in the trees?"

"Put a few dozen in the trees and plants, and we'll get a table and line up the rest near the door. I'll make sure there is a sign telling the students they may have one when they leave. Thank you again, Suki."

Ellie walked back to the café, carrying one of the paper cranes. "Suki made one for each attendee."

"That's so nice. Gee, I wish I had something to give them."

"How about a raffle for a reading?" Ellie suggested.

"Really? I was trying to stay on the down-low."

"Do not make me laugh," Chi-Chi replied. "You have so many clients, you can hardly keep up with them."

"True, but they are all referrals."

"The word is already out," Ellie said. "Unless you don't want to do it."

"Oh, sure! I'd be happy to. But how do we do it? Don't we need a license or something?"

"Probably, but I doubt they'll send the vice squad here." Ellie chuckled. "We can ask the kids to buy a ticket for five dollars. The money will go to the food bank."

"As long as you have bail money when the police arrive, I'm game!" Luna laughed. She knew there were still a very small handful of people who resented Ellie's success, particularly those who'd tried to stop her from building the project. "Do we have tickets?"

"No, but I'll ask Nathan to stop at the office supply store." Ellie picked up her cell phone and hit Nathan's speed-dial number. "Hi, Nathan. Need you to run an errand for me." Ellie explained what she wanted.

"No problem," said Nathan. "Gregory is coming in at four o'clock so I can go home, change, and grab dinner. I'll be back around six, and he and I will keep an eye on everyone and everything for the party." Nathan was more than happy to accommodate Ellie.

"Wonderful. Thanks. See you later." Ellie turned to Luna and Chi-Chi. "Check that off the list. I'll print out the signs for the registration book, the raffle, and the cranes. Maybe Cullen can make some quick easel frames."

"Let's go ask." Luna motioned for Ellie to follow her into Cullen's showroom.

"I must get to work. I will speak to you later." Chi-Chi floated across the atrium and into her shop.

The bell from Cullen's front door rang in the back of his workshop. "Did he begin working on your dresser?" Ellie asked.

"No, but I have. I started sifting through the contents I took home. The process began a tidal wave of emotions. It was kinda weird. When I started going through the box, it was as if I was reliving the past."

"That's why they call them mementos , dear." Ellie had no idea how real Luna's experience was, and Luna wasn't about to elaborate. No one ever had to know how foolish she had been during that particular time in her young, na?ve life.

The center was alive with excitement as the hour drew near. The awards were for outstanding service to the community, and Sabrina, one of the pages at the center, was one of the recipients. Ellie was very proud of her apprentice and her interest in the arts. With the main focus on math and science, art, music, and dance were considered less important, but Ellie was determined to encourage and endorse them. The monthly youth string quartet recitals had become more popular with parents. Ellie hoped it was because they were exposing their children to the classics, but she suspected it was because they could let their kids run wild in the gardens. No matter. The audience was growing.

Everyone who was participating in the evening activities brought a change of clothes. Thankfully, Luna had been alert enough in the morning to pack a small bag of cosmetics to cover up her lack of sleep. She ditched the idea of contact lenses and donned her biggest pair of horn-rimmed cat-eye glasses. She swapped her maxi skirt for a light beige summer dress and sandals, and pulled her long hair into a side braid and tied it with an animal-print ribbon. She peered in the mirror, double-checking she hadn't missed any clues of her sleepless and troubling night. Not a knockout, but respectable.

Luna turned around when Chi-Chi entered the tiled bathroom. "Well, hello, gorgeous! You look magnificent!" Chi-Chi was wearing a spectacular black jumpsuit with an embroidered peach and gold cape, and a matching gele head wrap.

Chi-Chi gave her a humble bow. "Thank you. I thought it would be nice to represent my heritage in front of these young people."

"You nailed it. Not that I would know one boubou or aso ebi from another."

Chi-Chi laughed. "Someday I will teach you the fashion of Yoruba. Suki will also be wearing traditional clothing from Japan."

"Very cool. Geez, I hope Brian from The Cheese Cave doesn't show up wearing a foam rubber wedge on his head!" She giggled.

Just as Luna was putting on the last of her undereye coverup, Ellie walked in carrying shop aprons. She also gasped at Chi-Chi's appearance. "Absolutely stunning. Well, I certainly don't want you to wear one of these." She glanced at Luna, who looked like a vanilla ice-cream cone, and handed her a bright blue apron. "Sorry, dear, but that is not traditional attire."

"Ha. It is for me!" Luna chuckled, and then donned the vibrant apron. "Brilliant idea." Luna looked down at her simple dress. "At least it won't clash with what I'm wearing."

Ellie had designed the logo for the center and ordered several dozen shop aprons made in various sizes and colors. All the artists wore them when they were working on their crafts, and many patrons had asked if they were for sale, so she'd ordered more. She hadn't planned on merchandising items for the center, but they became very popular. She then had baseball caps made that also became a favorite. The proceeds went to her favorite charities. Ellie felt lucky she had the resources to provide assistance for animals, women, and the food pantry. George urged her to put herself on the payroll to keep track of her expenses, but Ellie replied, "It's my money, and I am going to spend it on whatever I want. Besides, I want to be around to see the good I've done. Like the center." There was no doubt Ellie was generous and determined.

Ellie looked at Luna. "Are you feeling alright today?"

"Yes. Why?" Luna knew she hadn't been herself lately, and with the lack of sleep, she figured she looked dreadful.

"Oh, my friend. You cannot pretend you haven't had much on your mind."

"True. It's been chaos in my head."

"How so?"

"I mentioned something wasn't sitting right with me. I thought it might be Chris. I know something is happening with him, but I don't know what it is."

"Perhaps he will discuss it with you this weekend." Chi-Chi was trying to comfort her friend.

"I think that's the plan." Luna sighed. "Oh, Chi-Chi, what if he's going to break up with me?"

Chi-Chi balked. "You cannot be serious. He adores you. What makes you say this?"

"I think I'm having PTSD from a previous relationship."

"Ah. Yes, sometimes the past haunts our present. That is not a good thing."

Luna chuckled. "I'm the one usually doling out platitudes."

"Today it is my turn. I am sure it is nothing for you to be concerned about."

"Then there's this other thing."

"What thing?"

"A friend from my past. It was fifteen years ago. I had a huge crush on him, and he fell in love with someone else."

"Do you still have feelings for him after all this time?"

"No. Not in that way."

"So what is the matter?"

"After he moved, we kept in touch on every birthday and holiday. We even had dinner after an alumni reunion. It was good to have my friend back in my life. During COVID, we were emailing each other every day, and then he suddenly stopped."

"Have you tried to get in touch with him?"

"I sent an email a couple of days ago but haven't heard back."

"I am sure he will be happy to hear from you." Chi-Chi's calm voice was soothing.

"I'm sure you are correct." Luna smiled.

"Come. As you say, let's get this party started!"

Cullen was exiting the men's room as Luna and Chi-Chi were leaving the ladies' room. Cullen stopped short and caught his breath. "Chi-Chi. You look stunning."

She smiled. "Thank you. And you look . . . hmm , you look like you need a fresh apron."

Cullen looked down at his dusty trousers. "Good idea." He nervously smoothed his hair. "See you in a few."

Luna smiled to herself. She couldn't remember when Cullen had been this awkward.

The guests began to arrive promptly at six. Gasps of delight echoed through the beautifully adorned atrium. More sounds of pleasure drifted from the patio, and moments later, the band began to play.

Everything was perfectly placed, with tables for the registration book, raffle, and the cranes and high-tops lavish with food. The party was in full swing as Ellie and her crew looked on. She looped her arms around Chi-Chi and Luna. "Bravo, ladies. But let's try not to have to do this again." The women cackled, but they knew should anyone have a party emergency, the Stillwell Center would be there to save the day.