Notes from the Heart Healer

Okay. We are so late, Charlie!

George is gonna kill us for sure this time.

Okay, come on, baby. Let's go, let's get out.

George, I'm so sorry, but you know Charlie's been colicky,

and he woke up at, like, 4:00 a.m. with a fever,

and, of course, I didn't have anything to give him,

and on top of that, the drug store was closed,

- so I had to drive all the way to... - Just save it, okay, Violet?

You're looking awful.

Well, I feel awful.

Okay, just listen to me...

No, no, no, don't start up with that.

There's nothing you can say that I haven't heard at least a million times before.

I've done what I can to help you out here,

you being a single mom and all, but...

I know, George, and I appreciate everything...

Just let me finish, okay?

The bottom line is...

Who's that?

Your replacement.

George, I need this job...

I need someone that I can count on

to show up, maybe even on time every once in a while.

Look, I've given you a lot of chances here, Violet.

But I got a business to run, okay?

I know you do.

But I don't have any savings,

and between formula, and diapers, and medicine, I can't...

I've already advanced you two weeks' salary.

The best I can do is just forget you even owe me.

Appreciate that.

Yeah.

Well, would it be okay, you think, if I stay in the back room?

Just till I get something else?

Back room comes with the job.

You know that, Violet.

The new girl, she...

She's got her stuff in the car,

and she wants to move in at the end of her shift, so...

Violet...

it's gas money.

Help you and Charlie get on up the road.

Have a great day.

- Hi! - Dot!

How are you?

Perfect, now that you're here.

You know, I had forgotten how pretty Constant Harbor is.

A little less so in the middle of winter.

I have to admit, I was surprised when

you decided to stay on after your mom passed away.

I mean, I thought you would have sold her little shop

and gone back to your fancy Seattle law firm.

Practicing law here's the same as in the city,

except the egos and the settlements are quite a bit smaller.

Oh, my goodness.

- We are all ready to go, aren't we? - Yup.

And I got to tell you how much I appreciate

you ending your book tour with a signing in my little shop.

Come on, now. Any excuse to come visit you.

We've hardly even spoken to each other since the wedding.

Yeah, which was...

What, a year already?

A year today.

And you're spending your first anniversary with me instead of your hubby?

Well, you are my college roommate, but I have to tell you,

if King were not stuck covering a tournament on the East Coast...

Say no more.

As long as we get to catch up.

Which will have to wait. We gotta go.

- Go? - To the radio station.

A celebrity like you comes into town, and...

Well, you've got to suffer an interview with the local literary critic.

Don't worry.

Lester is a pussycat,

and the good news is, he had to buy your book to review it.

- Come, come, come, my dear darling one. - You silly thing.

I thought I could manage, Zach.

I really did.

But now I don't know what I'm gonna do.

Need a hand moving your stuff out, Violet?

No, we're okay, George, thanks.

Okay, yeah, Charlie.

And our very special guest today is relationship columnist

and best-selling author Peyton MacGruder.

Welcome to Book Faire, Peyton.

Thank you, Lester. It's nice to be here.

You've been writing an advice column, "The Heart Healer,"

for a newspaper in North Carolina.

That's right.

And now you have edited your columns into a sort of "best of" compendium?

Inspired by my husband.

King Danville, the Pulitzer Prize-winning sports writer.

Yes, he convinced me that

people beyond my regular subscribers might find them interesting.

Well, you've been on best-seller lists all over the country,

so, I guess King was right.

Yes, I guess he was, much to my surprise.

Although, don't tell him I admitted that.

No, you don't!

No, you don't! Don't you take that child out of his car seat!

Burt's gonna be home any second now.

You know how he gets around bawling babies.

Yeah, nice to see you, too, Ma.

Night shifts and crying kids don't mix. You can understand that.

I understand all right, about Burt's moods, more than you want to know.

Don't you start, Violet.

Burt ain't much, but he's all I got.

I got nothing and I still don't envy you.

What is it you came for, Violet?

Well, I thought you might like to see your grandson, is all.

You can't con me, girl.

Don't even try.

I got fired this morning.

I'm surprised the old geezer kept you around as long as he did.

Look, I think I'm coming down with something.

Charlie's still really colicky and he won't sleep.

I got no place to live, and less than $30 to my name,

and a baby to feed.

Maybe it's time to face facts.

Give Charlie to someone who can care for him.

- Mommy, please... - I don't have any money to give.

If I did, I would, which is why you came by here in the first place,

'cause I'm a sucker.

Now, you get into that truck and you get out of here

before Burt gets back and we both end up homeless.

We only have a few minutes left, Peyton, to talk about your column on

making tough decisions under impossible circumstances.

So, let me ask you...

What was I thinking, Charlie?

Asking her for help.

Has there been a time in your own life when circumstances left you unable to cope?

Yes.

And how did you react to the situation?

I relied on the advice of a loved one.

And if you hadn't had that person's guidance?

My life would have definitely taken a different path.

But then again, we have all had doors slammed in our faces, haven't we?

Sometimes over and over again.

Amen to that!

When we meet someone who's suffering through the dark days,

the right thing to do is to make yourself available, to listen,

to counsel, to support, and maybe just hold a hand.

God knows, Charlie, we could use all of the above.

But if you would like to meet Peyton MacGruder in person,

she will be signing copies of her new book Notes From the Heart Healer,

this afternoon, at The Constant Bookworm,

in Constant Harbor, Washington. Thank you so much.

What do you think, Charlie? God trying to get our attention?

- Sorry about that. - What?

Well, I saw your face when Lester started getting personal.

And I know exactly which difficult situation you were thinking about.

Yup, I guess you do.

Anyhow, you did a nice job of avoiding the subject of your father's lousy advice.

I just adored the chapter on, "Loving the Person in the Mirror."

it made me think about myself in a whole new way.

Well then, you are the reason I wrote this book.

Thank you.

Thank you.

- Hi. - Hi!

I heard you on the radio today.

I liked what you had to say.

Thanks.

And your book sounds real good, too.

Well, thank you. So, are you from around here?

No.

Okay, what's your name?

It's Violet.

Violet.

Ls everything okay, Violet?

Did you mean it, what you said on the radio,

about helping people through rough times?

Yes.

Peyton!

Sorry to interrupt, but a fan of yours has arrived,

and he's dying to say hello.

King! Oh, my gosh.

Wait just a minute, okay?

Oh, my gosh!

What a surprise.

I thought you were on the East Coast.

I canceled.

I couldn't bear to be away from you, not today.

Thank you.

Maybe we'd better be a little more discreet. Somebody here might tell your husband.

Trust me, this smart aleck is my husband, King Danville.

And today is our first anniversary,

and his being here is a total surprise to me.

I'll bet that your co-conspirator

in keeping everything a secret is my sneaky friend... Where is she?

Happy anniversary...

Happy anniversary to you!

Congrats, guys.

- Thank you. - Thank you.

Thank you.

Yes.

Hey, let's cut that cake and get it passed out, right?

And buy the book.

That's why we're here. That's why we're here.

I can't believe you're here.

Ms. MacGruder seemed real nice, Charlie.