Chapter 14
Fourteen
Ali – Present Day
Didi was a lovely hostess. That much was clear.
But she was also too old or too frail to be doing all she was trying to do. That was also clear.
When her husband Jorge made his way into the office with a walker, Ali started to get a sense of just why this place didn’t have a working phone, a clean beach towel, or a single guest.
Jorge was more salt than pepper in his wavy hair. He was tanner than Didi but had the same welcoming smile. Didi popped up from her chair and scurried around to be sure Jorge was safely sorted out. They were all situated around a card table in a tiny space that also had a sink and a fridge. It was more makeshift break room than a kitchen. It sat behind a door. On the other side of the door was the counter where guests checked in and did laundry.
“I do apologize for the state of things,” Jorge said. “She won’t let me do my job and can’t do it herself. Stubborn, that’s what it’s called.”
Jorge was a doll, straight up, Ali decided.
“You should know,” Didi countered.
Well, they were both too cute for words. Ali felt a little twinge. This was what a lifelong love looked like.
“This looks like a lot of work for anyone, much less someone with a new hip,” Ali pointed out.
Didi sighed. “I used to do all the laundry, all of it, same day, honestly. I’ll get caught up.”
Ali spied the little kitchen sink and fridge in the office.
“Here, you two sit, and I’m guessing this is where your famous lemonade is?” Ali got up, deciding to take over a bit. These two needed help, not to serve her, the woman who’d turned their world upside down out of the blue.
“It is. But you shouldn’t be the one serving us! You’re the guest,” Didi insisted again.
“Well, if my Toledo lawyer is right, I’m actually not. I’m the owner. As such, I’m pouring the drinks.”
Jorge and Didi were on edge, and Ali felt bad about that. But no matter how much Didi insisted on working, Ali could see sitting was a good idea for this pair, at least for now.
As Didi popped back up and got the glasses, Jorge put his hand out to help steady his wife. She slid a hand across his shoulder as she passed. These little tokens of love and affection both warmed Ali and made her sad.
She hadn’t really mourned the death of her marriage, only the death of her father. But sitting with these two sweet people made her sad that she’d never have that with Ted.
She brushed off the melancholy and refocused on her purpose in Haven Beach.
“How long have you two been managing here?”
“Oh, not long, fifteen years?” Didi asked Jorge, who nodded in confirmation.
“I used to manage facilities for a three-building resort in St. Pete,” Jorge explained. “This place is tiny comparatively, so perfect for my retirement.”
“Ha, retired,” Didi laughed. “We work every day! That’s the key to our vitality. Which we had, until six months ago, his hip, my heart. It’s like pffft. Bam! You’re old!” Didi snapped her fingers.
Didi didn’t say this was sadness. She smiled and laughed at their current state.
Her positive energy was contagious. Ali found herself enjoying their company and this space.
“I had been retired for a few years,” Didi continued. “It was so boring! I really needed a change of pace, so we signed on here. We live across the street. It’s a really nice condo. We used to live on the property, but the condo has space when the grandkids come. We’re always booked here, or, uh, we used to be before my mess up with the phone. And the pool. Oh, dear. You’re visiting at a terrible time. I’m so embarrassed.”
“No judgment. I literally just found out about this whole thing. Curious, why don’t you have online booking or a service like VRBO?”
“Ah, no. I suppose we’re old-fashioned that way. But if you are the new boss, you can get all that new-fangled stuff!”
“I don’t know about being the new boss. I inherited this from, uh. Well. I don’t have the details. But I do need to assess the financial realities here. And I need to understand before we put it on the market.”
Didi gasped and then put her hand up to her mouth. But the woman’s brain was working, that much was clear. She adjusted and pitched, “Of course, I mean, you’re smart to do that. But what about keeping it as an investment or as your family’s summer place?”
Ali had no intention of that. “I’m not the sole owner,” she told them. “All three of us, my sisters that is, are listed for the property. I’m the oldest and just recently quit my job, so I had time to come down and check things out.”
“And you just found the paperwork?”
“Yes, my father died, and it was amongst some things of his. I still don’t know why he never told us about it. I’m wondering about the management company. I’ll need to speak with them. Do you have some contact info I can get my hands on?”
“Oh, sure, uh, Jorge, is that in our files at home? That contact info?”
“Huh?”
“You know, the management company information?” Didi squeezed Jorge on the shoulder and gave him a wife-to-husband stare. Ali had no idea what Jorge had done wrong, but he was for sure getting the stink eye from Didi all of a sudden.
He looked from his wife to Ali and then said, “Yes, uh, corporate stuff, hard to remember the name, always changing.”
“Well, if you could get that.”
“It’ll have to be tomorrow; we’ve got quite a bit of work to finish here, and we both have doctor’s appointments and then the meeting.”
“Sure, I’ve interrupted your day, and I can see there’s a lot to do here. If you don’t mind, I’ll just come back by tomorrow.”
“Where are you staying? Can I drive you back?” Jorge offered.
“No, my car is here. I can head back on my own. I’m over at the Courtyard Marriott.”
“Blech! No, no, no!” Didi waved her hands in the air.
“What?”
“You should stay here . To really understand the Sea Turtle, you need to spend a night in a cottage.”
“What about your guests?” As Ali said it, she realized she hadn’t seen a single one.
“The Key Lime Cottage is closest to the water. It’s adorable. Get your bag from the hotel, check out, and just move in here! It’s perfect!”
Didi had it all settled for Ali.
“I don’t want to be an imposition.”
“Please, you’re the boss, not us. And if you really want to know what you’ve got here, you have to live here, for a day and night at least.”
“Live here?”
“Oh, figure of speech, but you could explore our grounds all day. Take a dip in the water, walk on the beach, and a few of our neighbors might even swing by for the Grand Finale.”
By this point Ali knew what that was, the sunset. She’d missed it last night.
“I don’t know.”
Didi reached out and took Ali’s hands in hers. Ali was taken aback. There was something so touching about it. This woman, old enough to be her mother but younger in spirit than Ali herself, locked eyes with her.
“You need what this beach has. I feel it. Sand between your toes, ocean breeze, and those waves lulling you to sleep. I promise you’ll soak it in and go back to Ohio as good as new. I’ll even make us some snacks.”
“She makes good snacks, I’ll give her that,” Jorge chimed in. “Can’t dance at all, but man, the cheese board.” Jorge gave Ali a wink.
Something caught in Ali’s throat. Emotion? Recognition? Or was it just having these two kind people be sweet to her? She’d hate to disrupt their lives by selling this place, which she was going to have to do.
But it did make sense, staying one night, getting the lay of the land. And she had to admit, the place had a funky charm. The Marriott was nice, but it looked like every other hotel she’d ever been in. She could have been back home in Toledo when she closed the door. Here, well, here you were on the beach, no question.
“Okay, I’ll stay the day and night.”
Didi smiled, and it took over her whole face. She was ageless when she smiled.
And then, a question popped into Ali’s mind.
“How did you know I was from Ohio?”
Didi’s smile flickered, and she waved her hand in the air.
“Your accent, total Ohio accent. We get a lot of snowbirds.”
Ali nodded and then stood up. “Okay, well, I’ll go get my bag and check out. See you in an hour!”
She was feeling lighter than she’d felt in weeks.
Maybe I do need what this beach has, even if just for one night.