Chapter 7
When Saturday rolled around, Emily realized that this marked her first weekend living at the Oasis. Though she’d experienced much these past five days, she was growing weary of doing all the fun activities alone.
Botton line, she missed talking to her friends.
Yesterday, when she’d gone to Sparkle Nails for a mani-pedi, it had been with the hope of enjoying some casual, even if superficial, conversations. But the women on both sides of her had been engrossed in their phones, and her nail tech talked nonstop about some dumb thing her boyfriend had done.
Emily had never been one for constant chatter, but it was beginning to feel as if she had this new wonderful life and no one to share it with.
Give it time,she told herself as she biked to Culler Lake for what was billed as Lakeside Surge Splash, a full day of fun in the sun.
There were loads of activities for young adults. Unfortunately, Emily arrived late, and the rosters for the volleyball and softball teams were already full.
After watching bits of both games, Emily wandered the area. Despite knowing she needed to watch her pennies, she rented a paddleboard. It was something she could do alone. Besides, it looked like fun.
Thankfully, she had worn her new swim shorts—navy with white polka dots—and a tank top. The bright pink on her fingers kept drawing her eye, and she couldn’t keep from smiling.
She pulled her attention back to the attendant, relieved to hear that the board and paddle came with a life jacket.
Emily could see he was busy. After making sure he’d selected the right equipment for her, he strode off to the next person, a tall redhead who was turning in her board.
“Hey, you need help?”
The redhead was striding toward her.
“I don’t even know how to get started.” Emily gave a little laugh that managed to sound quite pathetic. She gestured with her head. “The attendants are all so busy…”
“I think they were unprepared for the amount of interest in today’s event. I’m Mackenna, by the way.”
“Emily.”
Mackenna eyed her equipment and gave an approving nod. “Looks like you’ve got everything you need. Now, pick up the board, fin facing up, and we’ll take it over there where the water is calm and relatively shallow.”
“You don’t have to help me?—”
“If not me, then who?”
It was what Emily had said whenever someone had asked why she volunteered to teach literacy, especially to detention center inmates.
“Well, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Mackenna stopped and pointed. “Now, place the board in the water. We don’t want the fin hitting the bottom, which I don’t think it will here.”
Following the instructions, Emily not only put the board in the water, she mounted the board and eventually was steady enough to stand.
“Now, hold the paddle with one hand on the T-grip and the other on the shaft.”
Once Emily did as instructed, Mackenna taught her the basic paddling strokes and how to switch sides when paddling for better balance.
“That’s good. You’re a natural.” Mackenna’s praise bolstered Emily’s confidence. “Remember to distribute your weight evenly on both feet. No, no, don’t look down. Look at the horizon. That will help you maintain your balance. Good, that’s good.”
After more pointers on how to turn the board and dealing with falls, Mackenna pronounced her ready to head to open water.
“Thank you, sincerely.”
“You’re very welcome.” Mackenna studied her for several long seconds. “Have we met before? I feel as if we’ve met before. Maybe at Destiny? I’m there most Saturday nights.”
Emily knew about the popular club where the younger crowd went to drink and dance, but she had never been inside. “I don’t think so. But if I see you there, I’ll buy you a drink.”
Mackenna grinned. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”
It was time to paddle away, but Emily was enjoying this time too much to rush off. She wondered if it would be too pushy to ask if Mackenna had lunch plans. Maybe instead of a drink, they could meet up after Emily turned in her board, and she could buy lunch?
“Hannah.” Mackenna waved her arm wildly, then turned back to Emily. “I’ve got to go. I’ll see you around.”
“Thanks—” There was no time to say more, as Mackenna was striding over to where her friend stood.
Emily realized with a shock that Mackenna’s friend was Lisa’s daughter-in-law.
What a small world,Emily thought, then dipped her paddle in the water. With several short, controlled strokes, Emily moved the board forward.
An hour later, Emily turned in the paddleboard. While she was tired, the sense of accomplishment and feeling of relaxation stayed with her long after her feet hit dry land.
Paddleboarding was something she could definitely see doing again. Once she’d turned in her equipment to the still-harried attendant, she was reminded by the growling of her stomach that it was lunchtime.
She could see now that the man running the SUP station had brought a picnic lunch. That thought had never crossed Emily’s mind. Though several food trucks were parked nearby, Emily couldn’t muster any enthusiasm for their offerings.
Recalling Cuppa Joe was running a $2 pizza slice special today made the decision easy to return to town and grab a bite to eat there.
With her money stash dwindling by the day, Emily realized that sooner—rather than later—she would need to find a more economical place to stay than the hotel. Specifically, someplace she could prepare her own meals. And she should start looking for a job.
The sweet scent of summer hung heavy in the afternoon air as she took the bike path back to town. One thing she would never get tired of, or take for granted, was having strong legs and endless endurance.
The first thing Emily did when she reached the business district was to roll the bicycle into Gear Up Go. “Here it is, home safe and sound.”
Tyler, who had rented the bike to her, turned. He was a lanky young man with a mass of brown hair.
“Always on time.” Taking the handlebars, he smiled and studied her. “I mentioned it before, but we’ve got bikes on sale right now. If you don’t mind used, I’ve got one I could give you a good deal on.”
“Which one is it?” Emily glanced around the shop.
He patted the handlebars of the bike she’d just returned. “This beauty.”
“How much?”
Though Emily would love having a car, she couldn’t afford one. But, depending on price, she might be able to afford a bicycle. Renting one every time she needed transportation was getting expensive.
“I can give it to you for…” Tyler rubbed his chin in thought.
The amount he named seemed fair, but would still take a good chunk of her remaining cash.
“Let me think about it,” Emily told him. “I’m going to grab something quick for lunch. I’ll stop by after and let you know what I decide.”
“Cool.” He smiled. “I’ll set it aside…just in case.”
She crunched the numbers in her head as she strode the short distance to Cuppa Joe. The popular coffee shop, located just off Main Street, was known for its excellent coffee selection and melt-in-your-mouth sourdough cinnamon rolls. It had recently added pizza by the slice to its limited lunch menu.
Stepping inside the shop, Emily reveled in the enveloping warmth and the wonderful smells. Yeast and cinnamon, rich roasted coffee and the enticing scent of sugar had her smiling as she approached the counter.
Though she knew the shop did a booming business, she’d missed the lunch rush. At this time of day, there was no line and plenty of open tables.
After receiving her order, Emily took her slice of pizza and complimentary cup of water to a small table by the fireplace, currently boasting faux fire logs instead of wood.
Emily studied the flickering flames and decided that fake or not, they added to the ambience without the need for actual firewood or generating heat.
When she pulled out the chair, her heart gave a little leap as she spotted the newspaper.
“Hey, let me wipe off the table before you sit.” A teenage boy hurriedly stepped to the two-top. “I can recycle that paper for you.”
“Actually, I’d like to keep it, if that’s okay.” Subscribing to the online newspaper was on Emily’s list of things to do. Right after she obtained a credit card.
“Fine by me.” The boy’s lips quirked upward. “Gus, he’s one of our regulars, always brings his paper from home with him. He reads it with his coffee, then leaves it for whoever wants it. I’ve tried to tell him that if someone does read the paper, they read it online, but he insists there are still people like him who prefer the real deal.”
The boy chuckled, telling Emily exactly what he thought of that notion.
Tucking the newspaper under her arm, Emily lifted the plate and cup while the boy made a quick swipe of the table, which had appeared clean, but apparently wasn’t.
“Thank you.” She smiled at the boy as she took a seat.
“No prob.”
Staring into the fake flickering flames, Emily sat back, took a big bite of pepperoni pizza, followed by a long drink of water.
At the nearby table, two older women were talking about the Antiques Extravaganza at the fairgrounds.
Emily set down her cup. She’d forgotten that was today. She and Beverly had planned to go together.
She could see it now, the two of them laughing and talking as they strolled up one aisle and down the other. Geraldine would have stayed home. Every year, she made it clear, in her no-nonsense way, that she didn’t have any use for “old junk.”
Lisa wasn’t big on antiques, and Rosemary was too immersed in wedding plans to go this year.
It would have been fun, Emily thought wistfully. After checking out all the “old junk,” she and Beverly would have enjoyed a leisurely lunch together.
They would eat and talk and laugh…
Emily’s heart twisted. Could she go to the event alone? Or would it be a painful reminder of all she’d lost?
There was another possibility. She could use the free day pass she’d been given while at Vertical Ascent. It was to a fitness center that had recently opened. While checking out the exercise equipment would be fun, it was the pool—or rather, pools—that interested Emily.
She’d yet to put on the cute bikini she’d purchased on her trip to Gateway Promenade. She could swim laps, splash in the water or simply sit in a deck chair with a cool drink in one hand and a book in the other.
If only she had someone to go with…
As if Emily thinking of her had conjured her up, Chloe strode into the coffee shop.
She didn’t appear to notice Emily as she headed straight to the counter to order.
Once Chloe had ordered, Emily sauntered over and tapped her on the shoulder.
Chloe jumped, and her gaze jerked up from the phone in her hand. “Oh, Emily, hello. Give me a sec.”
After finishing her text, Chloe pocketed the phone. “I didn’t notice you.”
Emily gestured to the bag that now held the phone. “Something important? I mean, you seemed really engrossed.”
“Not really. Jaclyn and I are trying to decide what we want to do this afternoon.”
Room for one more?Emily wanted to ask, but didn’t. While she had the feeling Chloe might not mind, Jaclyn was a different story.
“What did you come up with?” Emily tried for nonchalant.
“Nothing yet. I mean, we’re going clubbing tonight, but we still haven’t firmed up this afternoon.” Chloe inclined her head. “What about you? Got big plans?”
“I went to the event at Culler Lake this morning.” Emily gestured to the table by the fireplace. “After I eat my slice of pizza, I’m going to buy a bicycle.”
“That sounds like fun.”
“Chloe,” the barista called out.
Chloe lifted her drink from the counter, then turned back to Emily. “Would you mind if I joined you for a few? Jaclyn is coming by to pick me up, but she had a couple things to finish up, so I’m not sure how long?—”
“I’d love company.” Emily hoped her smile didn’t shine too brightly.
Once they sat, Chloe’s gaze dropped to the GraceTown Gazette that Emily hadn’t had a chance to read. A sadness filled her eyes. “Oh, Til.”
For a second, Emily thought Chloe was speaking to her. Then she followed the direction of her gaze.
Emily blinked at the sight of the photograph of her with the headline Longtime Civic Leader Found Dead.
For several seconds, Emily simply stared at the article and the photo. She forced herself to breathe in and out.
“That was my friend who died.” Chloe gestured with her hand toward the newspaper. “Matilda Beemis.”
“I remember when Jaclyn gave you the news.” Emily licked suddenly dry lips, her pulse fluttering like a hummingbird on steroids. “I hope it’s okay to ask this, but how are you doing with all this? You mentioned she was like your grandmother…”
“She was.” Sadness swept across Chloe’s pretty face, and tears filled her eyes.
Emily folded up the newspaper, then stashed it in her bag to read later, keeping her gaze focused on Chloe.
Blinking back the tears, Chloe took a long sip of her drink. “I got the honey lavender latte. Next time you come here, you should try it. It’s really good.”
“I’ll have to do that.” Emily didn’t want to talk about lavender lattes—which actually sounded gross to her—she wanted to let Chloe know it was okay to own and express her feelings. If she wanted to, that was.
“You know, my dad died not too long ago,” Emily began, “and people always seemed to think that they couldn’t talk about him, that making me remember him would cause me pain. What they never understood was that I was always remembering him, always thinking about him, whether or not they brought him up. In fact, I like sharing memories of him with others. It’s a way of keeping him with me.”
Chloe hesitated for only a second. “When I went away to college, Til and I didn’t see each other much, but she wrote to me every week. Actual letters, not emails. My roommates couldn’t believe I got real letters in the mail.”
Emily said nothing, a sick ball forming in the pit of her stomach. She’d enjoyed writing to Chloe. Despite not receiving more than a handful of letters over those years in return, she’d kept writing.
“My roommates teased me, but I liked getting them,” Chloe admitted. “Til was active and interested in so many things, not like a lot of older people.”
Hearing the love and admiration in her voice had Emily taking a long drink of water, her throat suddenly parched.
Chloe’s smile turned rueful. “I wasn’t good about getting back to her. When I graduated and started my job in Miami, I was even worse. But whenever I visited GraceTown and we got together, it was as if I’d never left. Til never ragged on me about not staying in touch, not like my parents.”
“You were busy.”
“I was, and I, well, I got involved with a guy in Miami. I thought he was the one.” Chloe gave a humorless chuckle. “Wasn’t.”
Emily straightened in her chair, a thousand questions crowding on the tip of her tongue. How was it that she hadn’t known Chloe had been involved with someone in Miami? “Is that why you moved back here? Because that relationship ended?”
She hoped that wasn’t too personal a question for a casual acquaintance to ask.
“Partially.” After a moment of silence, Chloe admitted, “Mostly. When I returned to GraceTown, I wanted to hang with Til, but you know how it is—getting a place and starting a new job kept me busy. I thought we’d have time…” Chloe looked away, her expression suddenly bleak. “She probably died thinking I didn’t care.”
I know you cared.
The words nearly made it past her lips when Emily pulled them back. “I’m betting she knew.”
Chloe’s gaze returned to her. “Why do you think that?”
“Mostly because I believe that when we love someone, deep down, they sense it. The same way we know how they feel.”
Chloe expelled a breath. “I hope that’s true.”
“No doubts.”
“You remind me of her, you know.”
“I do?”
“Not in looks, but in the way you talk, the way your words come together…” Chloe gave a little laugh. “Or maybe that’s just me projecting.”
“Sounds like your friend was a special lady.”
“She was.”
“You’ll be attending her funeral.” Emily said it as a statement, not a question.
Chloe sighed. “They aren’t having one.”
Emily bobbled the cup of water in her hand, but brought it quickly under control. With forced nonchalance, she took a long drink and reminded herself that that was what she had wanted. How many times had she told her friends that when she passed, she wanted no muss or fuss?
Now, seeing Chloe’s grief, she wondered if she’d been wrong to deny those who’d been a part of her life the chance to say good-bye.
“Til didn’t want one.” Chloe absently shredded a napkin. “Though I’ve heard her friends are organizing a celebration of life to be held later this summer.”
A warmth flowed through Emily’s veins. “That sounds nice.”
“There’s also talk about renovating Maplewood Park in her memory.”
“Isn’t that the park where they found her body?”
“That’s the one. She liked to go there and read. ” Chloe chuckled and shook her head. “God knows why. The place is a dump. But she loved it just the same…”
Chloe’s voice broke, and once again she blinked rapidly against tears that threatened to spill. “Sorry.”
In that moment, Emily wanted nothing more than to take Chloe in her arms and hold her close, like she had when Chloe was young. Instead, she spoke in a low tone designed to soothe. “Give it time. Take all the time you need. There is no timetable on grief.”
“You understand. Because of your dad, you understand.” Chloe met Emily’s gaze. “Jaclyn has never lost anyone. She can’t understand why I’m still sad. She thinks I should be over it by now.”
Going with emotion, Emily reached over and gave Chloe’s hand a squeeze. “Grief doesn’t work that way.”
“No. No, it doesn’t. I will miss Til forever.” Chloe’s voice thickened. Then, blinking rapidly, she took a long drink of her latte and appeared to steady. “She, ah, she left me her house.”
Emily widened her eyes as if surprised. “That was nice of her.”
“I didn’t expect it.” Chloe’s gaze turned distant. “I thought everything would go to her charities.”
“You were special to her.” Emily spoke carefully. “Have you been to the house?”
“I’ve been tending to the garden, but I haven’t gone inside.” Chloe hesitated. “I don’t want to go alone. Not the first time.”
“Maybe you could take Jaclyn with you.”
“I asked.” Chloe shook her head. “She’s not interested.”
Not even for a friend? Emily nearly spoke the question aloud, but stopped herself just in time.
“If you, ah, if you’d like me to go with you sometime, I will.”
“Thank you.” Chloe’s smile arrowed straight to Emily’s heart. “I’ll take you up?—”
“There you are.” Jaclyn’s voice had them both jumping. Her gaze shifted from Emily to Chloe. “I thought you’d be waiting outside.”
Chloe rose. “I craved a latte and ran into Emily. She kept me company while I waited.”
“How nice.” Jaclyn’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’m parked in the loading zone.”
“What fun activity do you two have planned for this afternoon?” Emily asked.
Jaclyn shrugged. “We haven’t decided.”
“There’s the Antiques Extravaganza at the fairgrounds,” Emily suggested.
Jaclyn laughed. “And mingle with a bunch of white-hairs? Ah, no, thank you.”
“We’ll figure something out,” Chloe assured Jaclyn.
Jaclyn smiled back. “We always do.”
“See you later, Emily,” Chloe called over her shoulder as she hurried to catch up with her friend, who had turned and was nearly to the door.
Until Jaclyn’s comment, Emily had been seriously considering the Antiques Extravaganza. Attending was something Til would have definitely done.
But she wasn’t Til. She was Emily now. So why was she stuck in the past, rather than doing something different and fun?
Thinking of her bikini and the free pass to the fitness center had Emily finishing off the last bite of her pizza.
She would buy the bike, then head back to the hotel to change.
This was a new her, and it was time to take advantage of all that being young had to offer.