Chapter 3 Rosalie
Chapter 3
Rosalie
When Rosalie’s nervous, she counts. The consistency of numbers provides structure and routine, assurances she’s lacked for most of her life. The digits slip off her tongue as she follows Jean-Paul through the doors, catching a glimpse of the cozy interior. She picked the bed-and-breakfast for a reason, and not because the website promised a mountainous escape. Well, that was part of it, but she has other news to share with her mother. Big news. And when her count reaches one hundred and twenty-seven, she exhales, assuring herself she made the right choice.
Rosalie had done her research. Lots of research. She had her pick of destinations, but Vis Ta Vie made sense. Back home, Cassidy would peer over Rosalie’s shoulder while she tapped away at her computer, tossing out baseless opinions, but Rosalie stood firm. She had thought long and hard about her decision, from the location to the activities to the master chef. Actually, Rosalie didn’t really care about the activities. That was Cassidy’s area of expertise. Zip-lining, tubing on Watauga Lake, hiking the Blue Ridge—none of it mattered. What mattered was that Rosalie would finally get to tell her what she’d done. And it didn’t hurt that the place sounded perfect: peaceful and balanced, so unlike her life in Chicago.
It would be good for them. Just like Renée said.