When her alarm went off at six in the morning, Jill wanted to throw her phone across the room, but that would only lead to more problems than she already had, so she resisted that urge. She rubbed at her eyes, feeling the puffiness beneath her fingertips. She’d had yesterday off, New Year’s Day, and had spent most of it moping around her condo and thinking about everything her mom had told her the night before.

It had been a surprise for her mother to speak so openly about her biological father. It pained Jill to know that her mother had lost the love of her life, and she couldn’t help but feel sorry that her mother had felt stuck with Douglas and had punished herself ever since. Jill didn’t want to be like that. She needed to learn from her mother’s mistakes as well as her own. After understanding how freeing it felt to be cared for by Reagan and to be open with her, she didn’t want to go back to her cold existence and only live for what was next at work. She wanted to live for Reagan. Live for herself.

After her third glass of wine last night, she’d decided that today would be the day she’d go all in. She’d talk to Reagan and apologize for being such a shitty person. If she didn’t take her back, then at least Jill would know she tried. She couldn’t go another day without trying.

Since Reagan had never answered her text from Christmas, Jill doubted that she’d answer any other texts or calls from her now, which meant she needed to get someone to help her. Her first thought was to ask Carly, or even Kathy, as they were the ones who never seemed to have much hesitation about her being in Reagan’s life. But that didn’t feel like the right move. If she was going to do this, she needed to convince the one person who never really warmed to her from the start. She needed to talk to Gwen.

Jill parked in front of Wren, begging the universe that Gwen would be there. She knew it would be a risk showing up here this early. If she wasn’t here, then she’d have to call her, but she’d rather talk to her in person.

She tried to open the front door but it was locked. She peeked through the windows but initially didn’t see anyone until a movement near the back caught her eye. She knocked on the window and waved.

A young guy with a charcoal gray apron opened the door. “I’m sorry, but we’re closed. We don’t open until eleven.”

“I know. I need to talk to Gwen.”

“I’m sorry, but I said we’re—”