Before Helen could fully register Bitsy's death, it was already the beginning of December. In just a few weeks, Christmas would be here. It was hard to believe that it had already almost been a month since Bitsy had died.

Helen found herself caught between wanting to embrace the holiday spirit, getting ready for her wedding with Kayla, and feeling overwhelmed by grief. She couldn't even bring herself to revel in her newfound wealth despite that having been her endgame for years; nor did she want to use any of the money for herself. Instead, she decided that the inheritance would stay dormant while life went on. After all, what good would it do now? It would just bring up too many bad memories if she tried tapping into it.

One day, Helen decided to go down to the bar and have a talk with Lionel about everything. It hadn't been easy discussing her feelings with anyone, let alone her fiancee, but she figured it wouldn't hurt to at least try to talk to someone about it. And honestly, who better than Lionel? He'd supported her through just about everything. Surely, he could help out sort through the grief and pain that was still haunting her a month later.

"I still don't understand why I feel this way," Helen said. "I should've figured it all out by now."

"Uh huh," Lionel replied. "I understand what you're saying."

"Like why did it take Bitsy dying for me to realize how I've truly felt about her? It doesn't make any sense."

"Believe me, it can be confusing when you feel like you hate someone one day and then realize you love them the next, but there is a reason why that could happen. Sometimes, it takes a significant event or loss to make us truly see what was always there."

"I mean... I guess? But then if I was in love with Bitsy all along, why would I be plotting to kill her dog and get the inheritance? Doesn't seem like something I would do if I actually loved her."

Lionel was about to follow that up with another response when a neophyte service bartender called out to Helen and tried to get her attention.

"Uh, excuse me?" the neophyte asked, the tone in her voice somewhat stern. "Are you actually gonna buy something here or not?"

Helen sighed. "Lionel, help."

Lionel started speaking to the neophyte without diverting his attention away from the cocktail he was shaking. "Oh, that reminds me. Kaidence, that woman you just addressed is Helen. She's been running the hotel with her fiancee since Bitsy died almost a month ago."

Kaidence, feeling utterly mortified and unable to contain her embarrassment, involuntarily let out a high-pitched squeak. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I had no idea!"

"It's alright," Helen assured her. "I'm still grieving, so I haven't been able to get much done around here."

"Oh. Well, I hope you'll be okay. It's never easy when you feel enamored with someone and they just die, you know?"

Helen nodded, appreciating Kaidence's understanding. "Yeah, it's been really tough."

"Alright, well, good luck with everything. Sorry if I bothered you."

"No, you're fine. Actually, I'm glad you called out to me. I needed a good distraction."

Lionel took this as an opportunity to chime in. "Oh, by the way, I'm giving my two weeks' notice."

Helen raised an eyebrow. "Really? What for?"

Lionel leaned against the bar and sighed. "I've been doing some soul-searching, Helen. After everything that has happened with Bitsy's death and our complicated history, I think it's time for me to move on. I need a fresh start."

"Really? What do you plan to do now?"

Lionel took a moment to gather his thoughts before answering. "Well, I just rediscovered an old passion I had for photography. I think it's time for me to pursue that full-time. I want to travel the world, capture beautiful moments, and tell stories through my photographs."

"Oh... okay." Helen was a little shocked by this, as in all the years she'd known him, she'd never taken him for being a photographer. "I'm sure you'll be great at it. I want nothing but the best for you. Good luck."

"Thanks, Helen. That means so much to me."

Helen had developed a stress migraine that was so bad that she decided to turn in early. Kayla decided to climb underneath the covers with her and cuddle for a bit. As Helen lay in bed, the warmth and comfort of Kayla's presence brought her some relief from the pounding headache. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to relax and let go of the stress that had been building up. Kayla nuzzled against her, offering a sense of solace and companionship.

"You know, I honestly can't remember the last time we were intimate with each other like this," Kayla said.

"Mmm, try yesterday," Helen replied.

"Oh, right. So... how have you been holding up? Still grieving over Bitsy?"

"Yeah, it's still hard, and I'm still not over her. I don't know if I'll ever be over her, to be honest. Compared to Shampagne, though, I'm doing great."

Kayla solemnly shook her head. "Oh, that poor dog. Clearly, he's taken her death the hardest. I mean, I can't really blame him. That mutt knew her his whole life, and now all he can do is wait for her to come back every day like that dog... uh, what was his name again?"

"Hachikō."

"Hachikō... mmm." Kayla nuzzled closer. "What I wouldn't give to have a dog like that..."

"Well, we've already got Shampagne, so..."

"That's good enough for me." Pause. "Hey, listen, I wish I could do more to help you with how you're feeling; but I'm not really a therapist or a doggy therapist, and I don't want to be treated as such, okay? It's hard enough trying to process everything as is."

Helen nodded, understanding Kayla's perspective. "I appreciate that, Kayla. I know it's not your responsibility to fix everything for me. Just having you here with me is enough."

Helen and Kayla continued to snuggle in bed, finding comfort in each other's presence. The stress of the day began to fade away as they focused on their connection. Helen appreciated Kayla's understanding that she couldn't fix everything for her, but simply being there was enough. Still, what was to be done now? How could the Brandenham Hotel go on without Bitsy?