Chapter Nine - Lu
Chapter Nine
Lu
H er morning started early with a cup of coffee and her showing Kenya the ropes. Her housekeeper, Marissa, was running late and hadn’t prepped one of the rooms for a guest who was arriving, so Lu pulled sheets out of the dryer. She grabbed one end of the fitted sheet and Kenya the other one, and together they pulled it onto the mattress.
“Marissa normally does this, but she’s running a bit late today and this room needs to be ready for the next guest who’s arriving this afternoon. Phoebe Cashay . . . she’s a writer and prefers this room because of the view. She comes every year at this time. She’ll stay locked in here for hours while writing her next breakout novel. She might come down for a meal or two, but not often.”
Kenya looked around. “It’s a beautiful room.”
“Yes, it is. It’s the one that everyone wants, but it’s always booked,” Lu explained.
“I can see why.”
The room, with its vintage Hollywood décor, boasted a huge black-and-white portrait of Ginger Rogers wearing a long, flowy white dress, with her porcelain skin and bright red lipstick. The black antique furniture in the room had been refinished by Lu and Kenya themselves—a project that took them most of last summer. The sheer white curtains blew with the breeze from the morning wind. The faint, fresh scent of the ocean made its way in through the window that was slightly cracked.
“Breakfast runs from six thirty to nine.” Lu gave Kenya a refresher on the run of the house. Although she’d run Lu’s Seaside Inn before, it had been a while. She said, “It smells like Max has arrived and already started cooking.”
“Oh yes, I smell it. Nothing like Applewood smoked bacon to get your morning started.”
“And his world-famous French toast. Let’s not forget that. It’s all they rave about in the reviews.” Lu laughed. “You’d think they would rave about the accommodations, all the work we’ve put into this inn, but no, the French toast.”
After making the bed, Lu led the way downstairs. “I’ll show you the computer system. I know you’ve done this before, so I’ll just give you a quick refresher.”
“It shouldn’t be too difficult.”
“I don’t know if I told you how much I appreciate this, Kenya, but I really do.”
“It goes without saying. I’m just glad I can help.”
“You’re a godsend. A true friend.”
“I want this, for you to meet your father and your siblings. To find that missing part of you.” Kenya smiled. “And I can’t count the number of times you’ve been there for me. It’s my honor to do this, really.”
“I love you, sister.” Lu gave Kenya a tight squeeze and fanned away the tears that threatened to fill her eyes. She’d been on an emotional roller coaster ever since John Samuels’s phone call. Nowadays it seemed as though everything made her cry.
“I love you more.”
“Okay, no time for crying today! I have stuff to do. I have a flight to catch soon. Zach did my packing for me, but I have to go behind him and make sure he didn’t miss anything.” Lu laughed. “He’s so good to me. I don’t know where I would be without him.”
“He’s going to make a great husband,” said Kenya.
“Zach is a wonderful man. He reminds me of Glen. He was a wonderful man, too. And you know what, you’re going to find someone else just like him—I just know it. Someone just as wonderful.”
“Not that I’m looking. But anyway, show me this computer system.” Kenya avoided any talk of meeting anyone who might replace Glen.
“Let me just say this; I know you’re on these dating sites. . . .”
Kenya interrupted, “Looking for companionship only, someone to take in a movie with, maybe go to dinner. Maybe a little woo-ha . . .”
Lu looked Kenya square in the eye. “Woo-ha?” She giggled.
“Yes, woo-ha.” Kenya laughed, too. “Nothing more than that. Nothing permanent.”
“Don’t close your heart to love, Kenya.”
“Love hurts, and it’s disappointing. I’m never going down that road again.”
“Never say never.” Lu unlocked her laptop computer and logged into her property management system.
“Well, I’m saying never.”
Lu gave her friend a nod and a raised eyebrow and simply said, “Okay.”
She had been praying that Kenya would find someone just like Glen, and so she simply left it alone. For now, she was going to leave the details for God to work out. She continued to show Kenya how to navigate the system. She walked her through several processes, and when she was confident that Kenya was well refreshed, she snuck away to the terrace and dialed Natalia’s number.
“Good morning!” Natalia answered and was like a burst of sunshine. “Today is your big day.”
“Yes, it is.”
“Are you ready to meet your father and siblings?”
“I’m a little nervous, but I’m ready,” Lu said. “And how are you? Any better today?”
“I’m better. I’m at the winery already. Work will be a great distraction.”
“I agree,” Lu told her. “Please don’t hesitate to call either me or Kenya if you need us. We love you and we’re never too busy.”
“I know. And I love you guys, too!”
“Well, I must go finish packing and preparing. My flight is in a few hours.”
“Safe travels and please let us know you made it safely.”
“Will do, honey. Talk soon.”
Lu felt good that everything on Cape May was in order.
* * *
It wasn’t until she arrived at the airport that she felt anything that resembled anxiety. She was nervous. She bit her nails and her knee bounced up and down as she sat there, a copy of the Cape May County Herald folded in her lap. She held on to a cup of Starbucks Pumpkin Spice latte. Zach placed his hand on her knee and stopped it from bouncing. He grabbed her hand and held it tightly. “Relax, babe. Everything’s going to be just fine.”
“You promise?” she asked with a half-smile.
“I promise.”
She’d been fine until her arrival at the airport. She’d been fine after she called John Samuels a week ago to let him know that she’d made her decision to honor his wishes and fly to Sacramento. She heard the joy in his voice—he was happy. He’d insisted on covering all her travel costs and accommodations. His secretary had made all the arrangements for her and Zach. All she had to do was show up. She’d been fine after calling Yana to let her know that she was indeed going to meet her father. Even after Yana all but had a fit about it, her mind was made up. She’d even been fine after leaving the inn in Kenya’s hands this morning, and after making sure that Natalia was in a somewhat good place emotionally.
She thought about the family on the other side of the country who awaited her arrival—John Samuels and his children. She wondered what they were all like, if they would embrace her. John had been excited and welcoming, grateful that she’d accepted his invitation. She, too, was excited to meet him. She had so many questions that she needed answers to. Answers that Yana hadn’t given her. She didn’t know if all of them would be answered over the course of this trip, but she was certainly going to ask as many as she could.
She pulled her jacket back on, zipped it up.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this. Nervous. Anxious.” Zach gave her a smile. “You’re always in control.”
“Yes, I know. It’s tripping me out, too.” Lu giggled nervously. “This is new for me.”
“What are you worried about?”
“Just wondering what I’m going to be faced with when I get there. What if they hate me?”
“What if they love you?” Zach countered.
Lu sighed. Zach was always her ray of sunshine, her positive energy.
“I have so many questions. I should’ve written them down, so I don’t miss anything.”
“You can always call him if you forget something.”
“What if I don’t have time? He’s a very sick man.”
“I think you’re worrying too much. You should just let things occur as they should—freely. Stop trying to control everything.”
“You’re right.” She closed her eyes.
She needed something a little stronger than coffee and knew she’d order something just as soon as they boarded the flight.