Chapter 23
CHAPTER 23
M aggie was unhappy with Lexi, who cuddled up to Paolo on the bed in the middle of the night. It wasn’t like the dog to do that, given that she had loved her crate and slept through the night without incident.
Now, at six-thirty in the morning, Lexi, who was no more than ten pounds, seemed to have taken up the entire queen-sized bed.
Maggie looked at Paolo, who pretended to sleep.
“I know you’re awake. It’s your turn to take her out.”
“Let me sleep ten more minutes,” he said, not opening his eyes.
Maggie sighed. “How is it possible this little thing has pushed me so far to the left, I’m about to fall off the bed, and why is she on the bed in the first place?”
“She was in her crate when we went to bed. Maybe I didn’t lock it,” he said.
Paolo didn’t move, but since she had a meeting with Millie and Ciara this morning anyway, Maggie decided to get up and take the dog out.
“Come on Lexi, get off the bed.”
Lexi didn’t move, but kept her body snuggled next to Paolo and looked up at Maggie. Her big brown eyes melted Maggie’s heart.
“Oh, all right, I guess you can stay.”
Maggie quickly got dressed as Lexi settled in and closed her eyes.
When she got down to the back porch of the inn, Chelsea was already sitting on the swing with a real estate brochure in her hands.
“Hey, what are you doing here so early?”
“Waiting for you to get out of bed, obviously. I’ve already made a pot of coffee. I should get paid for all the times I help move breakfast along.”
“If you mean by coming here for your coffee and scones, I’ll have to say no. The breakfast is your payment.”
“Speaking of breakfast, I thought I’d make something different this morning. I’m in the mood for a frittata, how about you?”
“Sounds delish. You don’t have any guests?”
“Not today, but we will have one family coming the day after tomorrow. I love meeting new people, but I have to admit, I love the days when I have the inn all to myself.”
“I hear you. I love it when the island is quiet during the off-peak seasons.”
Chelsea kept tapping things with the real estate brochure, and Maggie got the hint.
“Are you looking at Captiva real estate?”
“It’s not for me. It’s for Steven. He’s looking to buy something either on Captiva or Sanibel. He’s busy the next couple of weeks and thought maybe I could look at a few properties for him. He’s not in a hurry, so I can take my time.”
“Oh, that sounds fun. If I’m free, you’ve got to take me with you. I’d love nothing more than walking through the rooms in some of the beautiful homes around here. Do you have an agent you’re working with?”
“Yes, I’ve got to be in Sanibel at one o’clock this afternoon for a showing. I’ve got the pictures here if you want to see them.”
“Let me get my coffee, and we can sit and look over some of those listings. I’d love nothing more than to help Steven spend his money. What’s the budget?”
“He’d like to keep it under three million.”
Maggie almost spit out her coffee, catching the liquid on her chin with a napkin.
“Three million?”
Chelsea smiled. “Not enough?”
Maggie laughed. “Very funny.
“Where’s Riley and Iris today?” Chelsea asked.
“They’ve got the day off. Millie and Ciara will be here around nine to help me with the inn’s website. We’ve got to update a few things, including the nightly rate. I haven’t increased the rate since I bought the place, but it’s time.”
Maggie got up and gathered the ingredients for her frittata, while Chelsea drank her coffee and flipped through the real estate brochure.
“What’s the latest on Kristin’s situation? Has anyone spotted her ex-husband yet?”
Maggie cracked eight eggs into a large glass bowl, and then added a third of a cup of heavy cream. She then lightly whisked them together.
“I have no idea, and I don’t want to know.”
Chelsea nodded. “I agree. The less we know, the better, otherwise I’ll be looking over my shoulder everywhere I go, thinking he’s on the island.
Adding a pinch of salt, Maggie set the eggs aside and searched for her cast iron skillet.
“So, would I be pushy to ask you how things are going between you and Steven? I mean, everything looked wonderful during Thanksgiving and the parade, but if he’s looking to buy real estate, I have to assume that he’s serious about the two of you.”
Peeling an onion, Maggie then began chopping and transferred it to the oiled skillet.
“If you mean have we talked about marriage? No, and I get nervous just thinking about that possibility.”
“Nervous about him asking or getting married again?” Maggie asked as she smashed four cloves of garlic.
“I don’t get the distinction. Aren’t they the same thing?”
Maggie laughed. “I guess you’re right about that.
“You haven’t answered me,” Maggie said as she got red pepper, zucchini and asparagus from a basket near the window.
Chelsea shrugged. “I’m only nervous about getting married at my age because of all the fanfare. I’m not one bit nervous about becoming Steven’s wife. In fact, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, I hope he does ask me.”
Maggie stopped mid-chopping and smiled.
“I cannot believe my ears. Chelsea Marsden is ready to remarry. I am so happy to hear this, because I think Steven is wonderful, and the two of you make such a lovely couple. It makes my heart happy.”
Chelsea beamed with happiness, and Maggie tried not to cry, but it was no use.
“Are you crying?” Cheslea asked.
Maggie shook her head. “It’s the onions,” she said, throwing the garlic and veggies into the skillet. Stirring the mixture, excitement grew over potential wedding plans.
“What are you doing?” Cheslea asked.
“What do you mean? I’m stirring the veggies, I have to do that to soften them before I pour in the egg mixture. Why?”
“You know what I’m talking about, Maggie. You’ve got that ‘I’m going to plan Chelsea’s wedding look’, and I’m telling you to stop that. Whenever you hear the word wedding, you go into this pink, romance trance. No matter what happens between Steven and me, you are not to start shopping for wedding decorations. Do you hear me?
Maggie smiled and nodded. “Yes, ma’am., but…”
“No buts, Maggie. I’m serious.”
Maggie’s dropped a handful of spinach into the skillet.
Maggie stopped pushing, poured the egg mixture over the veggies, added cheese and placed the skillet in the preheated oven, but she couldn’t stop the fantasy of helping her best friend walk down the aisle.
However, she’d promise not to do anything until Chelsea gave the go-ahead. Until then, she’d keep the dream alive, if only in her mind.
Sarah Garrison wasn’t computer savvy, but that didn’t stop her from occasionally asking friends and family to teach her. Maggie’s mother didn’t own a computer, but Marina Bluff Estates had several computer rooms around the property. Depending on which part of the retirement community a person lived, there were similar rooms with plenty of technology to explore.
Sarah was particularly interested in understanding YouTube. She’d spent hours on the computer watching videos on everything from baking desserts to building a greenhouse.
Lately, she was intrigued by videos of people reacting to singers’ performances. Images of different women and men with their hands on their faces in horror, mouths open in a display of shock over what they were hearing, caught her eye.
She called a young female employee over to the computer and pointed. Sarah had become friends with the young woman, and they regularly talked about the internet and how people made money on it.
“Alisha, do these people actually get paid to do this? How do they make money?”
Alisha nodded. “They do, some make tons of money. They’re called reaction videos. Not so much with these videos, but some YouTubers can make a fortune. There are lots of millionaires on there. They call them Influencers.”
“Influencers? Who do they influence?”
“Anyone who watches YouTube videos.”
Alisha pulled up a chair and sat next to Sarah. “Here, I’ll show you. My friend Kara has a YouTube channel about makeup. She samples all kinds of stuff, and the cosmetic company pays her money if someone buys their product. It’s no different than any other advertising campaign, it’s just that it’s done on a YouTube video.”
They watched one of Kara’s videos on concealer products. It was obvious to Sarah that the videos making the most money would likely have a pretty girl influencing others.
Sarah was shocked. “I can’t believe this. There is a whole world around me, and I didn’t have a clue. Can anyone be an influencer?”
“Sure,” Alisha said.
“What about me? Could I be an influencer? Who’s going to want to watch a woman my age putting makeup on?”
Alisha laughed. “Other women your age, that’s who.”
She then pulled up another video, this time of an eighty-year-old woman testing makeup for elderly women.
Stunned, Sarah sat staring at the woman, and then, the foundation she applied on her face. One minute every line and wrinkle appeared on her face, and the next, she looked twenty-years younger.
“What’s the name of that foundation? I might want to buy it next time I’m at the Miramar Mall.”
Alisha smiled. “See, it works.”
Alisha stood, put her chair back under the table and looked at Sarah. “I’ve got to get back to work. Can I help you with anything else?”
“No, honey. You go on, I’m going to watch a few more of these videos.”
Left alone in the computer room, Sarah couldn’t stop thinking about the potential of becoming a YouTube Influencer. It wasn’t just about makeup; she started imagining all sorts of content she could create. What if she made videos about her adventures at Marina Bluff Estates? She had plenty of stories to share, from the time she tried zip-lining at the community event to her spontaneous road trips around Florida.
As she continued to click through videos, Sarah’s excitement grew. She found herself taking notes on a scrap of paper she had in her purse, jotting down ideas for video topics. “Adventures with Grandma Sarah,” she murmured to herself. “Cooking old-fashioned recipes, DIY crafts, maybe even a book club for seniors.”
Her enthusiasm was contagious even to herself, and she could barely contain her smile. Sarah realized she could entertain and educate others, but she could also bring a sense of joy and community to her fellow residents at Marina Bluff Estates. She imagined hosting live sessions where her neighbors could join in, making it a communal experience.
Sarah’s mind raced with possibilities. She envisioned collaborations with other residents, like Mrs. Jenkins from down the hall, who was an expert gardener, or Mr. Harrison, who had a fascinating collection of vintage postcards. They could share their knowledge and passions on her channel, creating a diverse array of content that would appeal to a broad audience.
“Why not?” Sarah thought, her heart pounding with excitement. “Why not give it a try?”
The more she considered it, the more determined she became. Sarah decided she would need a bit more guidance to get started. She planned to ask Alisha to help her set up a YouTube channel and perhaps film her first few videos. She could already picture her introduction: "Hello, everyone! Welcome to Adventures with Grandma Sarah, where age is just a number, and every day is an adventure!"
As she watched yet another reaction video, Sarah couldn’t help but chuckle. Maybe she would even try her hand at a few reaction videos of her own. “Imagine that,” she mused, “a 79-year-old woman reacting to the latest music hits or viral trends. That ought to be fun!”
With a sense of newfound purpose and excitement, Sarah Garrison closed the video she was watching and began drafting a plan. Marina Bluff Estates wasn’t going to know what hit it.