Chapter 3 - The Cost Of Perfection
1313 Words
By the time Winnie returned to Ever After Events, the decorator's revised quotation was still open on her phone.
She stared at the amount again.
It was more than she had expected.
Maya looked up from her desk.
“How did it go?”
Winnie placed the folder on the table.
“They need more money.”
Maya opened it and scanned the figure.
“For the extra decorations?”
“And the additional staff and materials.”
Maya frowned.
“Can the bride's mother cover the difference?”
“Not yet.”
“She hasn't paid the main balance.”
“I know.”
“You can't keep covering every extra expense yourself.”
Winnie looked at her.
“I know.”
“Then tell her the changes will cost more.”
Winnie hesitated.
She remembered the bride's mother's warning.
I don't want to hear about problems.
“I'll figure it out.”
Maya sighed.
“You always say that.”
Winnie closed the budget.
“This wedding is important.”
“So is your business.”
Winnie didn't answer.
Her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
The decorator.
She answered.
“Hello?”
“Miss Carter, we're just confirming when we should expect the additional payment.”
Winnie glanced at Maya.
“Give me until tomorrow.”
There was a pause.
“Tomorrow morning?”
“Yes.”
“Alright. We'll wait until then.”
The call ended.
Maya watched her carefully.
“You're going to borrow again, aren't you?”
Winnie looked down at the quotation.
“I only need a short-term loan,” she explained. “I'll repay it once the wedding payment comes in.”
The officer studied the figures.
“You already have an existing business loan.”
“I know.”
“And your current balance isn't large enough to cover this.”
Winnie swallowed.
“Is there anything you can do?”
He shook his head.
“Not without additional security.”
Winnie lowered her eyes.
She had expected it.
Still, hearing it made her chest tighten.
“What if I use my personal savings as part of the security?”
“You can, but it still may not be enough.”
Winnie thought about the wedding.
The decorators were waiting.
The venue needed confirmation.
The caterer would soon need another payment.
She couldn't afford another delay.
“I'll use my savings.”
The officer looked at her carefully.
“Are you sure?”
Winnie nodded.
“Yes.”
She signed the necessary documents.
When she stepped outside the bank, she checked her account.
The balance was painfully low.
For a moment, she simply stood there.
Then her phone buzzed.
A message from the decorator:
Payment received. Thank you. We'll begin preparations tomorrow.
Winnie stared at the message.
At least one problem was solved.
When Winnie returned to the office, Maya was waiting with another stack of papers.
“You're back.”
Winnie dropped her bag beside the desk.
“What happened?”
“The caterer sent the revised quotation.”
Winnie took the papers.
Her eyes widened.
“This is higher too.”
“How much do they need upfront?”
“Half.”
She leaned back in her chair.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Maya watched her.
“Winnie…”
“I know.”
“You just paid the decorators.”
“I know.”
“And you used your savings.”
“I know, Maya.”
Maya lowered her voice.
“You can't keep doing this.”
Winnie looked at the wedding schedule pinned to the wall.
“I'll manage the caterer.”
“With what?”
Winnie didn't answer.
She opened her laptop and started adjusting the budget.
Maybe she could reduce the photography package.
Maybe the entertainment could be negotiated.
Maybe she could delay another payment.
She moved numbers around until the spreadsheet finally balanced.
Barely.
Then she noticed something.
The remaining amount was almost nothing.
If another major expense appeared, she wouldn't be able to cover it.
Winnie stared at the screen.
Maya came around the desk.
“What is it?”
Winnie pointed at the final balance.
“This is all we have left.”
Maya's expression changed.
“That can't be right.”
“It is.”
“So what happens if something else goes wrong?”
Winnie called the remaining vendor.
This is Winnie Carter from Ever After Events. I'm calling to confirm the booking.”
There was a pause.
“Yes, we have your request.”
“Great. I just need to finalize the payment schedule.”
“We'll need the full payment before the wedding.”
Winnie frowned.
“The full amount?”
“Yes. We can't reserve the date without it.”
She glanced at the budget on her desk.
“Would a deposit be possible?”
“I'm afraid not.”
Winnie closed her eyes briefly.
“Alright. Give me until this evening.”
“We can hold the date until then.”
“Thank you.”
She ended the call.
Maya looked up.
“Another full payment?”
Winnie nodded.
“How much do we have left?”
Winnie opened the account.
The number on the screen made her stomach drop.
Almost nothing.
Maya stared at her.
“Winnie…”
“I know.”
“You can't borrow again.”
Winnie didn't respond.
She looked at the wedding schedule.
Every vendor was necessary.
Every decision she had made had been about giving the bride exactly what she promised.
But now the numbers were catching up with her.
Her phone buzzed.
A new email had arrived from the bride's mother.
Winnie opened it.
Her expression slowly changed.
Maya noticed immediately.
“What did she say?”
Winnie looked up.
“She wants another change to the wedding.”
“What kind?”
Winnie turned the phone toward her.
She wants the reception expanded again.
Winnie read the email twice.
“She wants another expansion?”
Maya took the phone from her.
“This is a lot more than the original guest count.”
“I know.”
“And she wants it done by the end of the week?”
Winnie nodded.
Maya dropped the phone onto the desk.
“Winnie, this isn't a small change anymore.”
Winnie looked at the wedding schedule.
The venue could accommodate the extra guests, but it meant more tables, more chairs, more food, more staff, and more decoration.
She opened the budget again.
There was nowhere to put the additional cost.
“We need to speak with her.”
Maya nodded.
“Today?”
“Today.”
Winnie picked up her phone and called the bride's mother.
The woman answered quickly.
“Winnie.”
“Good morning, ma'am. I received your email.”
“Good. I want everything adjusted before the next planning meeting.”
“I can make the changes, but there will be additional costs.”
Silence.
Then the woman's voice became colder.
“I thought you were handling the wedding.”
“I am. But the original contract was based on a smaller guest count.”
“I don't want excuses, Winnie.”
Winnie tightened her grip on the phone.
“I'm not making excuses. I'm explaining the costs.”
“I hired you because I believed you could handle this.”
“I can.”
“Then handle it.”
The call ended.
Winnie slowly lowered the phone.
Maya stared at her.
“What did she say?”
Winnie looked at the budget on her screen.
“She expects us to make it work.”
Maya shook her head.
“And how
are you going to do that?”
Winnie didn't answer.
Her eyes remained fixed on the numbers.
The wedding was getting bigger.
Her budget was getting smaller.
And Winnie was running out of room to make mistakes.
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