Spencer watched the crowd arrive and knew that the evening was a success before it even started. The atmosphere was electric and warm and excited.
Mike found her and asked her to come to his office. He had to tell her something important. She was waiting for him there when he walked in, looking incredibly handsome in a dark suit, a white shirt, and the Hermès tie she had given him. He put his arms around her when he walked in and kissed her, and she smiled.
“It all looks great, doesn’t it?” she said happily.
“Of course, because you did it,” he complimented her. His parents were coming later, and she couldn’t wait for them to see it.
“What did you want to tell me?” she asked, curious as to why he wanted to see her in his office, and he smiled.
“I just wanted to tell you that I love you,” he said and kissed her, “so we don’t forget what this event is about and how lucky we are.” It reminded him of the evening when he had invited her to the party at the Met, and seeing her before that, at the store, when she greeted him so politely. He had dozens of images of her in his mind now, of different places and times. They had been through some hard times together, and some terrifying moments, the nights of the fire and the shooting, and happy moments alone and with their children. The contract she had agreed to and almost signed, and the one they finally did sign, which had brought them together for this magically beautiful event. It felt almost like a wedding and was the celebration of the bond between them now, both personal and professional. When they had dined at the Met, Spencer had never expected any of this to happen, that she would be the woman in his arms one day, and the person she would share the new store and her life with, as well as her history.
What she had learned in the months of working with Mike, in the hard times and the good times, was what a remarkable person he was, and he had learned the same about her. They were a perfectly matched couple, where each moment together was a graceful dance. And they had fun together too.
He kissed her one last time in the privacy of his handsomely done wood-paneled office in the old library, and then they went back downstairs to enjoy the guests and continue to show them around for the rest of the evening.
When they went back to the party, Spencer heard a voice behind her speak above the others. “The lights are too bright, because the ceiling fixtures are too low.” She laughed the moment she heard it and turned to see her mother. She knew it had to be her. Only she could find fault in an evening like this. But Eileen seemed to be enjoying herself, speaking to an older couple who were newly arrived. They were telling her about their latest cruise. They had gone halfway around the world. Eileen’s eyes lit up when she spoke to them, and then she glanced over at her daughter with a shy smile. Spencer couldn’t imagine that it was a sign of approval, but anything was possible on a night like this.
There was a small area with a dance floor set up, and Mike danced with Spencer for a few minutes and then stopped to say good night to their guests as they left.
People stayed late that night. The last guest left just after midnight, although the invitation had said “until ten.” It was a dazzling success, and old and new customers couldn’t wait to shop there. And there was a long mention of the party on Page Six of the Post the next day.
The day after the party, the realtor called Spencer to remind her that the old store would be coming out of escrow shortly, and she wanted to give Spencer an opportunity to say goodbye to it if she wanted to. It seemed like a foolish gesture, but it meant a great deal to Spencer. So much of her life had been spent at the store in Chelsea. So many wonderful things had happened there, so many people she loved had been there before her, so many dreams had been born in that building, and so many people had been touched by what happened there. Her life and her future had taken form in that store, and even the lives of her children were touched by it.
She quietly walked through the building remembering the events that had taken place, the precious moments that had touched her life forever, the people she had loved who were the essence of it.
She thought she would be leaving them all behind when she sold it, but as she stood there, she realized that she was taking them with her. She had thought that the magic was in the structure in Chelsea, only to discover that it was within her, woven into the tapestry of her life and her being. And now new people had come into her life and were part of the magic too.
By some miracle, she and Mike had found each other, and had traveled their lifetimes to get here. Worthy opponents, beloved friends, loving partners, and together, they were taking the magic with them and adding to it with new memories and adventures.