Chapter 13: Emily’s Secret Struggles
1068 Words
The morning was quiet at the Chalet Inn. Most of the guests were out enjoying Misty Hollow’s winter festivities, leaving the inn’s halls still and serene. Claire had just finished photographing a particularly charming snow covered wreath when she noticed the door to Emily’s office slightly ajar.
She hesitated for a moment, then peeked inside. The room was cluttered with papers, receipts, and an old calculator, its tape spool dangling precariously.
Curiosity got the better of her. “Em?” she called, stepping inside.
No answer.
Claire glanced at the desk. Stacks of overdue bills and final notices sat in neat but alarming piles. Her eyes widened as she picked up one of the envelopes, the red *PAST DUE* stamp glaring back at her.
She rifled through a few more papers supplier invoices, maintenance costs, and a repair estimate for the furnace that made her wince.
“Claire, what are you doing?”
Claire spun around, guilt flashing across her face. Emily stood in the doorway, her expression a mix of anger and embarrassment.
“I... I was just...” Claire stammered, holding up the envelope.
“You were snooping,” Emily snapped, striding forward and snatching the bill from Claire’s hand.
“I wasn’t snooping,” Claire said defensively. “I just ....Emily, why didn’t you tell me?”
Emily slammed the envelope down on the desk, crossing her arms. “Because it’s none of your business. ”
“None of my ...... Emily, the inn is struggling! Why didn’t you say anything?” Claire demanded.
Emily’s jaw tightened. “What would you have done? Dropped everything to come running? Oh, wait you already left, remember?”
Claire flinched, her chest tightening with guilt. “That’s not fair.”
“Isn’t it?” Emily shot back. “You went off to chase your dreams while I stayed here, keeping this place running, taking care of Dad, raising Abby. I didn’t have the luxury of leaving, Claire.”
Claire’s hands curled into fists at her sides. “You think it was easy for me? Leaving wasn’t some selfish choice I had to go. I needed to find something for myself.”
“And look where that got you,” Emily said bitterly, gesturing around the room. “Right back here.”
The words stung, but Claire held her ground. “I came back because I care, Emily. I want to help.”
Emily let out a humorless laugh. “Help? By doing what? Taking pretty pictures for a blog?”
“That’s not fair,” Claire said again, her voice trembling. “I’ve been trying to fix things— ”
“Fix things?” Emily interrupted, her voice rising. “You can’t just waltz in after all these years and think you can fix this, Claire. The inn’s problems didn’t start yesterday. This is years of work, years of sacrifice.”
Claire stared at her, the weight of her sister’s words pressing down on her.
Emily sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Do you have any idea what it’s like, Claire? Watching the bills pile up, knowing there’s no money to pay them? Praying the furnace doesn’t give out in the middle of a snowstorm? Juggling guests and vendors while trying to raise a daughter and take care of Dad? I’m drowning. ”
Her voice broke on the last word, and Claire felt her heart ache.
“I didn’t know,” Claire said softly. “You never told me.”
Emily let out a shaky breath. “Because I didn’t want to burden you. You’ve always been the dreamer, Claire. The one who wanted more. I didn’t want to drag you down with me. ”
Claire stepped closer, her voice gentle. “Emily, I’m your sister. You’re not dragging me down—you’re letting me in. I should’ve been here sooner. I should’ve seen what you were going through. ”
Emily looked away, tears glistening in her eyes.
Claire placed a hand on Emily’s arm, her voice steady. “We’ll figure this out. Together.”
Emily laughed bitterly. “Claire, you don’t understand. The repairs alone will bankrupt us. The winter bookings are good, but after Christmas? We’re barely scraping by. ”
“Then we’ll find a way to bring in more business,” Claire said firmly.
Emily raised an eyebrow. “And how do you plan to do that?”
Claire’s mind raced, her determination growing. “I can expand the blog coverage highlight the inn, the town, the festival. Show people why this place is special. It’s not much, but it’s a start. ”
Emily hesitated, the walls she’d built around herself starting to crack. “You really think that’ll help?”
“I don’t know,” Claire admitted. “But it’s better than doing nothing. ”
For the first time, Emily allowed herself a small, hopeful smile. “You always did have a knack for crazy ideas. ”
Claire grinned. “It’s a family trait. ”
That evening, Claire found herself in the cozy living room, where their father sat by the fire, a blanket draped over his lap.
“You’ve got that look on your face,” he said, glancing at her over his glasses.
“What look?” Claire asked, sitting down beside him.
“The one you get when you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders,” he said, smiling faintly.
Claire sighed, leaning back in her chair. “I didn’t realize how bad things were for Emily. She’s been carrying so much, and I’ve been... I don’t know. Blind, I guess.”
Her father nodded thoughtfully. “Emily’s strong, but even the strongest people need help sometimes. She just doesn’t know how to ask for it. ”
“I want to help,” Claire said softly. “But I don’t know if it’s enough. ”
“It’s a start,” her father said. “Sometimes, that’s all you need. ”
Later that night, Claire sat by her bedroom window, staring out at the snowy landscape. Her mind swirled with ideas ways to support the inn, plans to relieve Emily’s burden.
She pulled out her laptop, opening a new document and typing furiously.
*“Welcome to the Cozy Chalet Inn: Where Holiday Magic Lives Year Round.”*
She didn’t have all the answers, but she wasn’t going to let Emily fight this battle alone anymore.
- Writer
