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Trinity nodded her head and met my eyes. “The car, the one she drives today, is the car that Darren bought for her. It’s literally the last piece of him she has left.”
I nodded. “That, combined with the fact that she never had a chance to apologize, is probably consuming her.”
“No doubt,” Trinity answered. “I also think that perhaps she feels that by keeping the car, it is her way of apologizing, which may sound completely stupid, but in ways I can somehow understand that.”
I thought about it; she was right. “That makes sense. I just thought I was helping.”
“There is no way you could have possibly known. I think the wound is still deep. I know that she’s been having a hard time this year as well. Harder than the past ones. It may be because she feels it’s time to move on and let herself date again. Don’t punish yourself too much, Ethan. Peggy is a wonderful woman with a very delicate heart, and one worth getting to know. She just has a few demons that she needs to work out.”
“I know that. I can’t tell you how much I like her already, and that is just from getting to know her through her letters. I know she is a special woman. Perhaps I’ll head over there tomorrow. For now, I need to figure out how to approach her.”
Trinity smiled. “Approach her the same way you have been. If she communicates best through a letter, write her an email. She will eventually open up to you. Somewhere inside of her, even if she is fighting it, she really likes Ethan Alexander. I know my friend. It may take her time to show that to you, but she will.”
I felt better after speaking with Trinity, and once I returned to the inn, I did exactly as she had suggested. I sat down and wrote one long-ass email to Peggy. Now I just needed to wait for a reply.
* * *
Thursday, I pulled up out front of Peggy’s Petals to find the flower shop dark and the closed sign dangling in the window. I glanced at the clock; shortly after 6. I frowned. I was sure she was open until 8. It had been two days since I’d emailed her, and I still hadn’t gotten a response. I couldn’t wait any longer, so I drove down here. Climbing out of the truck, I stepped up to the window, finally seeing her posted hours there. I was right…she was supposed to close at 8.
The first thought that came into my mind was that she was sick, so I made my way over to her place. I pulled up along the opposite side of the street and looked over to her driveway. Her car was there, and I could see a light on in the front window. Perhaps I was right, and she was sick. Worried, I climbed out of the car and headed to her door.
I placed my foot on the bottom step of her small porch only to have it break under my weight. “Fuck,” I muttered to myself, as I made a mental note to come back and fix that.
I made my way to the door and took a minute, then raised my hand and knocked. A minute later, Peggy stood in front of me. I could tell by her expression that she was curious as to why I was here.
“Could I come in?” I questioned.
Her eyes wandered over me and without a word, she took a step back, giving me room to come in. She closed the door behind me then made her way toward her small kitchen.
I removed my shoes and followed her. “Peggy, I wanted to apologize,” I blurted out, not wanting another moment to go by without telling her that.
She shook her head. “Ethan, you have nothing to apologize for. It’s me who must apologize to you. I overreacted.”
I watched as she picked up a screwdriver and began removing the screws to the hinges on her kitchen cupboard doors.
“That may be, but I also need to apologize.” She looked at me. “I didn’t know.”
She nodded, then put her focus on the task at hand, turning her back to me. “I take it Trinity told you?”
“She did. Don’t be angry with her. I sent you an—”
“I got it,” Peggy grumbled as she struggled with the screwdriver. Finally, she moved from the one hinge she’d been working on to another one. I could see the frustration on her face as she struggled once again with that screw.
“Renovating?” I questioned.
“Trying.” she said, her voice shaking with frustration.
I could tell she was getting upset as she continued to work at removing the hinges that were probably so seized it would take a drill to remove them.
“Dammit,” she muttered under her breath. “They are in there so tight; this is going to be impossible.”
I walked over, stepped up behind her, and placed my hand over hers. “Let me,” I murmured.
It surprised me she didn’t fight me. Instead, she leaned her body back against mine and let go of the screwdriver. She stayed there, while I removed the first screw with what looked like ease, and that was when I felt her body begin to shake.
I put the screwdriver down on the counter and placed my hands on her shoulders. The second I touched her, she buried her face in her hands and sobbed. “Everything is just so hard,” she cried.
I didn’t know exactly what I was supposed to do. I just stood there for a moment, my hands on her shoulders, attempting to comfort her. Then I wondered if I should step away. I didn’t know. I hadn’t done this in so long, I felt like I was playing a guessing game. But she made my decision easy for me. She spun around and wrapped her arms around me, crying into my chest.
