I Hope This Finds You Well

Arriving outside the Shiraz Bakery, Jolene watches from across the street as Armin enters. A few minutes later, she follows and sees Armin sitting at a table with his parents. She makes eye contact with Armin, who looks away. When Armin’s father recognizes Jolene from a picture Armin sent him, he calls her over to the table, where she follows Armin’s lead in presenting herself as his fiancée, though she mixes up a few details compared to the fictional version of herself that Armin presented to her parents. Pretending she needs to study, Jolene leaves.

The next day at work, Armin explains to Jolene that he initially lied about being engaged to Jolene on a whim and has been maintaining the lie ever since, not wanting to disappoint his parents. He also mentions that his mother is undergoing cancer treatment. Jolene realizes that his regular appointments are hospital visits. Armin asks Jolene to meet with his parents as his fiancée one more time, and even offers to put in a good word about her to Cliff in return, but she refuses. Later, Armin messages Jolene to say that he will support her in his meeting with Cliff regardless.

Caitlin reveals that she and her boyfriend became engaged the day before. As her friends in the office congratulate her, Jolene cries. Looking at Caitlin’s files, Jolene realizes that she intends to make a presentation during the large meeting the next day; Jolene decides to prepare a presentation of her own.

The next day, the company has a large inter-departmental conference. At the end, Gregory opens the floor for a brainstorming session. After a few others share informal ideas, Caitlin shares a suggestion about inter-departmental communication and passes out a handout she prepared. Despite feeling nervous, Jolene presents an idea to reduce redundant work between departments that she developed with the help of her advanced communication access. Several others compliment her for her insightful contribution.

After lunch, Rhonda asks Jolene to help set up a surprise party to celebrate Caitlin’s engagement later that week.

The next morning, Jolene attends her next anti-harassment lesson, this one focused on communication in the workplace. When Cliff compliments Jolene on her presentation at the meeting the day before, she returns his compliment. Jolene also notices a photo of young Cliff and his sister on the set of the children’s TV show, Kidstreet, which he and his sister once appeared on. The conversation turns to their childhoods, but Jolene becomes uncomfortable as she recalls her high school days. She admits to Cliff, “I don’t really like who I was back then” (158).

Back at her desk, Jolene notices Gregory and Cliff schedule a meeting at 4:00 pm to discuss Cliff’s initial findings.

Concerned about what Cliff might tell Gregory about her, Jolene decides to hide her phone in the room to record their meeting. To create a distraction, she lures Rhonda, Caitlin, and Armin away from their desks with free scones, allowing her to hide her phone in the conference room.

After Cliff and Gregory’s meeting ends, Jolene retrieves her phone. She notices Armin watching her.

Jolene makes her way to an archives room to listen to the recording in privacy. As Cliff and Gregory discuss the possibility of firing an employee facing mental health challenges, Jolene assumes they are talking about her, until one of them mentions Larry Goodwin by name. Larry Goodwin is a longtime Supershops employee who is particularly concerned about being laid off. As the recording progresses, Cliff makes supportive comments about Jolene, Armin, and Caitlin, while Gregory adopts a more condescending viewpoint, such as blaming Caitlin’s declining performance on her engagement.

Suddenly, Caitlin enters the room, looking upset. She leaves when she notices Jolene.

On their way home, Cliff stops to pick up a woman named Grace. Jolene assumes Grace is Cliff’s girlfriend, but he introduces her as his sister. Grace invites Jolene to go bowling with them, since they are missing one teammate, and she accepts despite feeling nervous.

Arriving at the bowling alley, they are joined by Cliff’s grandmother, Lisa, who raised Cliff and Grace. As the others prepare for the match, Grace tells Jolene that Lisa underwent surgery a year and a half ago. Grace also explains that Cliff, who had a job he liked in Vancouver, only moved to Calgary to support Lisa’s recovery.

Jolene enjoys herself until the sound of a pinball machine triggers a painful memory of Ellie. She recovers quickly, however, as Cliff offers her a hot dog.

Immediately after work on Friday, Jolene helps Rhonda set up decorations for Caitlin’s surprise party at a nearby bar. Once everything is ready, Rhonda offers Jolene a drink, saying, “Cheers! You’re not half as bad as I thought” (183), even as Jolene thinks the same about Rhonda. The two open up to each other, even addressing a grudge they held against each other ever since Jolene interfered with Rhonda’s Christmas decorations a few years ago.

Jolene becomes increasingly uncomfortable as guests arrive. When Caitlin arrives, Jolene is shocked to recognize Caitlin’s fiancé, Kyle, as a bully from high school. After making eye contact with Kyle, Jolene leaves.

Kyle follows Jolene, grabs her by the shoulder, and looks her over, before saying that he should have warned Caitlin about her. Jolene runs away, her mind flashing back to the night Ellie died.

On that day, Jolene convinced Ellie to attend the senior party even though the two were not seniors. At the party, the two were taunted and given alcohol by Kyle and others. By the time Ellie decided to leave the party, she was drunk, and she wandered off into the woods, where she fell and hit her head on a rock. By the time Jolene found her a few minutes later, she was dead.

Jolene sits on the curb and begins to cry. Cliff, who is on his way to the party, appears. Seeing her distress, he offers her a ride home, and she accepts. As Cliff gently questions her, Jolene vaguely explains what happened. After parking his car outside her apartment, Cliff takes Jolene’s hand and tells her how much he appreciates her. Jolene initiates a kiss, and Cliff briefly reciprocates but stops suddenly, explaining that their actions are not appropriate, given their work relationship. Jolene returns home, feeling guilty and embarrassed.