The Ending of Chapter Twenty-Nine:
I fell asleep quickly only to be awakened by the sensation of crashing into the basement again. It felt so real that I couldn’t fall back asleep without going to the landing and opening the door of the elevator. Everything appeared to be fine, but it did concern me that I kept having the dream. I would need to talk to Alden about it in the morning.
Day #5: Chapter Thirty
Up and dressed before Alden could wake me, I found 68 waiting at the table already giving orders as the others came from their rooms and began eating breakfast.
“I realized it might be good if the top two floors were introduced to the floor where they didn’t work yesterday.” 68 said. “It is really getting inconvenient to have all the adults on three floors, but it is what it is. So, after you eat, go to the floor you weren’t on yesterday and chat for a while. 70, you go with the second-floor group since you weren’t introduced there, and then after an hour or so, you can bring half the middle level to the top level and take half the top level down. Does that make sense?”
Everyone nodded as she continued, “And as we said last night, the lower floor group should just remain there for the morning caring for the children. Maybe one by one they should go to the upper floors and introduce themselves. Yes, that is probably what should happen.”
It was quite remarkable that 68 could think so well in the morning. Some of the others looked rather dazed at the organizational assault.
63 spoke into the silence left in the wake of so many words. “70, how were you moving from floor to floor? It was rather surprising to see you pop out from behind a bookcase. Is that a better way for us to go?”
Remembering my unsettling dream, it seemed like a plan. The less we used the elevator the better, but I didn’t want to worry the others. “You know it would be a better way. Except that the only access on this floor is through the wardrobe in my closet and that is just awkward.”
Alden, who had been clearing the dishes, laughed, “No, it isn’t the only way, the other bookcase opens up to the same passageway, it was just more fun to take you through the wardrobe.”
I rolled my eyes at him as 63 exclaimed, “Really? A wardrobe? How exciting!”
65, who was generally too busy writing to involve herself in the conversations, smiled, “Ah, how clever to have a wardrobe. Did you think you were headed to Narnia?”
I laughed, “Yes, I did. I even asked Alden if that was where we were going.”
Taking on a bit of the organizational prowess of 68, I said, “OK, the elevator can take those who are going to help with the children. I will take those helping with the middle floor there and introduce myself since I didn’t do that yesterday. Those helping on the upper floor can use the Narnia Passageway. Then come back to the top level and take a group down to the middle level.”
Everyone looked dubious. It sounded complicated. I agreed and said, “If we get confused it will all work out eventually. Let’s get going, time is wasting.”
“Wait!” I was surprised to hear the 62 stop our progress. “I don’t know why exactly, but I think we should take our clues with us.”
“You may be right,” 68 said, “You can all take yours, and I will deliver the clues to the lower level for 60 and 62 when I go down.”
With our clues in our pockets, we were now ready to proceed.
How clever that the house knew we needed pockets in our clothes.
I pulled the bookcase open, and sure enough, there was the passageway.
We were on our way.
Day #5: Chapter Thirty-One
The morning was a flurry of activity. By lunchtime, the two upper floors were well acquainted, and it was decided that everyone would come to The Flame for lunch. It was also decided that the teens would be fine on their own with the children for lunchtime and this would allow the adults to all be in the same room. Since there were so many, fifty-one to be exact, the middle floor was given the task of helping Alden bring the lunches upstairs. By using the passageway from the kitchen, the newly discovered passageway—aptly named the Narnia passageway—and the elevator, the task was quickly accomplished.
Alden had brilliantly decided boxed lunches would work best. Fifty-one women filled the room to capacity. Some sat at the table, some in the sitting area and many of the younger women found spaces on the floor. The conversations were almost overwhelming in the not-large-enough room, but no one seemed to care. It felt very good to be together.
With lunches finished and the trash removed, it seemed like a good time to consider why we were still unable to leave Hotel Candelabra. By this time, everyone was fully aware of the entire story and whether they had walked in the door (all those whose rooms were on The Flame) or arrived in baggage—everyone else.
As the conversation continued, I thought about the clues. 64 seemed to have the same idea. Tapping a random knife left on the table on a glass to get everyone’s attention, she asked, “Everyone with a clue—hold it up in the air.”
It was a good thing they were in our pockets! Getting them off the coffee table would have been impossible at this time.
64 explained the tins and clues to the group and said, “It seems important that only those who walked in the door of Hotel Candelabra were given objects as clues. The rest of the tins held the keys that helped you get out of your rooms. It just feels very important.”
A voice from the crowd of women asked, “What do the clues mean? Well obviously, we don’t know what they mean for leaving, but what do they mean to you?”
The look on 64’s face told me that she had an idea. “Wait a minute, let me have a conversation with 66. I think the problem solver and I can figure these clues out.”
Fortunately, the problem solver was also at the table. She traded seats with one of the women next to 64 and they began to talk. The room went completely silent so they could hear them. Not even a rustle could be heard.
64 began, “We were on the same floor this morning. I noticed that there were others who were also clue finders. Was that just true for me?”
“No!” 66 answered. There were also problem solvers like me. Do you think the clues are about the ways we are alike?”
“Maybe,” 64 answered. “But that still wouldn’t help us leave, would it?”
68 had been listening carefully. “You two are brilliant! Ok, everyone with a clue starting with 60 describe why the clue belongs to you and what it says about you. And then those who identify with it can go stand by the clue.”
60 began by holding up the happy-face bouncy ball, “I thought it was such a weird clue, but I know now that I developed a great sense of humor to hide the dark cloud. I don’t need to do that anymore, but I am still funny and can bring a smile to any room. It makes me happy when others laugh.”
Several laughed and stood up and began to try to navigate the room to stand beside 60.
61 was next. “My clue is this little Victorian house. It looks like the house where I began going to therapy. I was brave to do that and whenever a crazy amount of courage is necessary, I am the one who steps up.”
Again, a group stood and walked over to stand beside 61. I was amused to see that they all were standing with their hands on their hips, just like Nine.
I could not have imagined that 51 women could make it happen but as each one described what their clue meant about them, there were several who knew it described them too and they stepped carefully to stand by the one holding the clue.
Before I could explain the candelabra clue, I realized there was no one left to stand with me.
The realization that I was standing alone was the next clue.