Till Summer Do Us Part

“It would be the perfect opening scene to any New York City-based Nora Ephron romantic comedy, where love is waiting in the wings.”

This passage references Nora Ephron, known for You’ve Got Mail and When Harry Met Sally, but with a twist because Scottie isn’t seeking love; she’s looking to start her life over after her divorce. She hopes that moving to New York will mark the beginning of a transformative chapter in her life. By mentioning Ephron and using theatrical language such as “love is waiting in the wings,” the narrative borrows from rom-com conventions, yet Quinn subverts them. Scottie isn’t emotionally ready or even interested in romance; instead, she’s focused on survival, reinvention, and fitting in at work.

“And there it is, my grave, the one I’ve been digging this entire time, just waiting for me to rest in it.”

This passage uses a metaphor to express Scottie’s moment of emotional reckoning and self-awareness. The grave reference suggests that the crisis is not the result of sudden misfortune, but rather the consequence of her own choices and deceptions. Scottie’s tone is one of exhaustion and inevitability, as if she has been complicit in her own downfall. Scottie surrenders not only to the consequences of her actions but to the version of herself she has tried to sustain through performance.