Chapter 7
7
M aileah stood on the edge of the beachfront pavilion, eyeing an array of yoga mats. The waves against the shore and the cool morning breeze did little to quell her restlessness or ease her guilt.
Last night, after her blow-up with Junie, she had tried to be on her best behavior with Todd. They had gone to the Ferry Cafe, a popular restaurant known for its seafood. Fortunately, she had managed to ask enough questions over dinner to keep Todd talking about himself all evening.
At some point, Maileah knew she would have to apologize to Junie.
Worse, Babe had canceled their meeting this morning with a vague excuse. Maileah was sure she’d lost the opportunity to rent the guest cottage.
So when her grandmother called to invite her to her morning yoga class, Maileah had agreed—if only to get out of the house.
Maileah was surprised to see so many older women like her grandmother. Most of them looked strong with excellent posture, regardless of their shape .
“I wasn’t sure you would come,” her grandmother said, greeting her with a hug. Ella looked trim in her yoga outfit.
“This has never been my thing,” Maileah said. Yoga classes were too sedate for her. “I’d rather run a marathon, scale a cliff, or ski black diamond slopes.”
Ella smiled at that. “You were always the most adventurous one of the family.”
Maileah twisted her mouth to one side. “That’s not necessarily a good trait, I’ve learned.”
Her grandmother looked surprised. “I don’t know what gave you that idea.”
“Look at my history—my leaps into new relationships never paid off. I’m trying to change that, but I just had a huge fight with Junie over my moving out.”
Ella gave her a sympathetic look. “You’re welcome to stay with me if you need to.”
Maileah had taken Junie’s offer as an insult to her abilities, but her grandmother was only trying to help. “I appreciate that, but that’s not the point. I need to stand on my own again. My life has been a disaster—no one knows that better than me—but I am truly trying to change it.”
“Let’s talk about that later,” Ella said, settling onto a mat. “This will help clear your mind.”
With a sigh, Maileah joined her, although she felt like an intruder. The instructor, a willowy woman with silver-streaked hair, began the class with a series of deep breaths. Maileah fought to keep herself from fidgeting, yet she couldn’t stop her monkey mind from leaping ahead.
As they moved into the first poses, Maileah was surprised to see her grandmother flowing from one position to the next while she fought to keep up.
She flopped onto the mat after one set. Trained for explosive bursts of energy, her muscles protested against slow, controlled movements. Her calves burned during a downward-facing dog, and her heels were an embarrassing distance from the mat .
“Breathe into your stretch,” the instructor said.
Maileah realized she’d been holding her breath as if she were drowning. She exhaled sharply, earning a smile from Ella.
Halfway through the class, during a particularly challenging balance pose on one foot, Maileah wobbled, nearly toppling over. Beside her, Ella stood steady, her eyes closed in peaceful meditation, prayer, or gratitude—she couldn’t tell which, but Nana was a master.
How did she manage that? Yet, by the end of the class, Maileah’s limbs hummed with a different energy than she was used to. It wasn’t the adrenaline rush of her usual sports but a strange, oddly appealing calmness.
When the class was over, they left the pavilion and started for the parking area.
Maileah rubbed her shoulder. “You’re so good at yoga. How long did it take you to get that way?”
“Years of practice, dear,” Ella replied. “Working in the ER was demanding, and I had to find a way to calm my mind. Your body and mind will adapt, and your physical and mental balance will improve. I was quite stiff in the beginning.”
Maileah chewed her lip. “I’m glad I tried it, but I don’t have much time to devote to it.”
Ella smoothed a hand over her shoulder. “Even though you’re busy, you should take time for yourself. With consistency, you can accomplish more than you might imagine.”
A part of Maileah understood that advice. “I went for a bike ride yesterday, and I felt great afterward. Then I went shopping at Beach Babes and bought some new clothes. I told myself that would motivate me to create work for myself. Babe mentioned that she has a guest cottage available. I felt pretty good about it until I told Junie.”
“And that’s what your fight was about.” Ella nodded in thought. “Do you feel like you’re in competition with her?”
“Sort of,” Maileah admitted. “It started when we were kids, and Dad made me feel like we had to compete for his love. Junie didn’t, and she gravitated toward Mom, so that left me with Dad, dancing as fast as I could to get his attention.”
“I noticed that,” Ella said softly.
Maileah recalled her memories. “He jogged, so I ran marathons; he skied, so I attacked the expert slopes; he climbed walls at the gym, so I scaled real cliffs.” She shook her head. “Maybe I’m doing the same thing to win Junie’s acceptance.”
“Your sister is only concerned about you.”
“But she makes it sound like I’m incapable of good judgment.” Maileah’s cheeks blazed with heat. “In hindsight, she has a point. But I’m clear on what I want now.”
“Maybe you want to prove it to yourself more than Junie.”
Maileah saw the truth in that. “I guess that’s why I took it out on her. I fell short of my expectations. Maybe I’m a little envious, too.”
Ella stopped beside her runabout golf cart and tucked her bag inside. “She’s probably feeling as low as you are about your argument.”
“I’ll fix that.” Feeling grateful for her grandmother’s advice, Maileah hugged her. “Thanks for this.”
“Anytime, sweetheart. You have such energy and focus when you’re working on a task that interests you. What you perceive as disadvantages might be your superpowers. I believe you’re on the verge of a breakthrough.”
“I like the thought of that.” Maileah took her bike from a rack near her grandmother’s golf cart. “Would you like to go to Jo’s for breakfast?”
“I’ll meet you there. I have a little time before my volunteer shift at the hospital.” Ella swung into the cart.
Maileah pulled her shoulders back, standing straighter. Whether that was due to the exercise or her grandmother’s advice, she couldn’t tell.
Yet, she felt a glimmer of hope. She might have missed out on Babe’s guest cottage, but there would be another place for her. And she had solid skills she knew could help small business owners. She could do this.
She cycled to Cuppa Jo’s and waited for her grandmother. When Ella arrived, Maileah opened the door. The bell above the door chimed as they entered, and the aroma of coffee and fresh-baked muffins greeted them.
Ella stopped to say hello to several people, including Officer Blumenthal. “Officer Blue, it’s good to see you.”
He stood to greet her “Yes, ma’am, Ms. Ella. And you, too.”
Maileah knew Jo and Blue were dating; she often saw him at Jo’s house across the street. Junie had helped them reunite after a misunderstanding.
Jo looked up from behind the counter. “Hello, ladies. Would you like a table?”
Ella gestured to the red vinyl bar stools. “We’ll take two at the counter.”
Maileah sat beside her. “We went to an early morning yoga class. It’s not as easy as it looks, and now I’m starving. What’s the special?”
“Eggs and bacon on a croissant, California-style,” Jo replied. “That’s with avocado and sprouts. What will it be, ladies?”
“One of your green protein smoothies for me,” Ella replied.
“I’ll take the special, but hold the sprouts,” Maileah said. “And a side of fruit.”
Jo made a note on an order pad. “We have pineapple, watermelon, and strawberries today. Is that okay?” When Maileah nodded, Jo tore off the order and passed it through the kitchen window.
As Jo poured coffee and water for them, she said to Maileah, “You and Todd looked like you were getting along well the other night. He sure is easy on the eyes. Do you like him?”
Ella turned with interest. “Did you have a date, dear? ”
“Junie set me up with a guy she met at the Majestic. Todd is an accountant, and he just moved to the island,” Maileah replied, dodging Jo’s question. “We had dinner at the Ferry Cafe last night.”
“Your sister is looking out for you,” Ella said, sipping her coffee.
Considering their earlier conversation, Maileah caught her meaning. She owed Junie an apology. She also saw guarded approval in Jo’s eyes.
She didn’t feel much attraction to Todd yet, but wasn’t his type what she was supposed to want?
As if on cue, her phone buzzed. Todd’s name flashed on the screen.
“And here he is.” Maileah answered his call while her grandmother looked on.
Todd’s voice was warm and engaging. “I hope this is a good time. I was wondering if you’d like to do something fun this weekend?”
“Sure. What did you have in mind?” She could use a day at the beach or on the water.
“There’s a cooking class at the Majestic with Chef Gianna on Saturday. I can hold my own in the kitchen, but it’s fun to learn new techniques. There will be other couples, and we’ll eat what is prepared. The chef has two spots left, so I grabbed them.”
Maileah’s heart sank a little. Cooking? The last time she’d boiled water for pasta, she’d burned the pan and set off the smoke alarm. Yet, Todd sounded so eager.
“I’m sure we’ll both get a lot out of it,” she said. It might be fun to watch a real chef prepare food. Maybe they’d get to mix up something in a bowl or toss a salad.
After she hung up, she told Jo about the date.
“He sounds consistent,” Jo said with a wink at Blue, who was taking a break at the counter. “I like men I can depend on. ”
“That’s always a good trait,” Ella said. “Does he have others?”
Maileah grasped for something. “He’s well spoken. And dependable.”
“Yes, I believe we established that,” Ella said, arching an eyebrow. The front door chimed, and she looked back. “Why, Sailor is here. He can join us.”
Maileah turned. His wet hair was slicked back, and he looked like he’d come from the beach.
“Hey, Jo,” he called out cheerfully. “Got a protein smoothie and a daily special for me?”
“You got it,” Jo said, putting in his order.
Sailor greeted Ella before sliding onto the stool next to Maileah. “Great waves this morning. You should come out sometime.”
“I’m hardly in your league,” Maileah said, feeling her grandmother’s eyes on her. “You’re a real bigshot.”
Sailor ran a hand through his damp hair. “Aw, I don’t know about that. I just do what I like. Some friends and I are taking out a couple of catamarans on Saturday. Want to come with us?”
Maileah’s heart leapt at the idea of gliding over the waves, but then she remembered the promise she’d just made. “I’d love that, but you’re too late. Todd invited me to a cooking class at the Majestic.”
Sailor looked at her as if waiting for the punch line. “You’re kidding, right?”
She shook her head. “I know how that sounds, but I’m sure it will be fun.”
“We need to get you out more,” he said, chuckling. “Cooking class or catamarans. Come on, Maileah. This isn’t hard.”
Ella suppressed a smile as she listened and sipped her coffee.
Maileah shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I promised.”
“Then we’ll go another time,” he said .
Jo served their orders. The three of them chatted with other locals as they ate.
When it was time to go, Maileah turned to Sailor. “See you around.”
“Call me if you need another chaperone,” he said, grinning.
“I don’t think I’ll need your services for a while,” she said. “Todd’s a good guy.”
The smile slipped from Sailor’s face. “Are you saying he’s the one?”
“Why, they’ve only just met,” Ella interjected, turning to Maileah. “Anything could happen, isn’t that right, dear?”
“I guess so.” Maileah felt a little awkward, wondering what Sailor thought of her, but quickly told herself what others thought no longer mattered.
As they left, Maileah waved at Jo, who had been watching the exchange with Sailor. A twinge of regret filled her; she loved being out on the water. But she shook it off, reminding herself of her goals. She walked with her grandmother to Ella’s golf runabout.
When they reached the small vehicle, Ella said, “While I’m impressed with the effort you’re putting into dating—and Todd sounds like a nice young man—have you considered you might have your actions out of order?”
Maileah frowned. “What do you mean?”
Ella touched her arm. “Focus on yourself first. Find work that you’re passionate about and become self-supporting. You’ll be in a much better place to make relationship decisions then.”
Once again, Maileah knew her grandmother’s advice was sound, but the pressure to get all aspects of her life in order was overwhelming. “I often feel like I’m running out of time.”
“Oh, my dear. You have more time than you think. Don’t rush into anything because you think you should.”
Maileah hugged her grandmother tightly. “Thanks, Nana. For everything. ”
For the rest of the day, Maileah devoted herself to work. She finished another task for Junie’s website.
She also worked on a plan for marketing services, listing her skills and what she could contribute to business owners. Junie and Knox had gone out, so she barely saw them and didn’t have a chance to speak to her sister.
That night, as Maileah lay in bed, she told herself she was looking forward to seeing Todd again. He was kind and stable, precisely what she needed.
Yet, as she drifted off to sleep, it wasn’t visions of a cooking class that filled her dreams, but the open ocean and the freedom of a catamaran cutting through the waves, its sails full of wind.
The following day, Maileah woke with the realization that while she was excited to see Todd, she dreaded the cooking class. She had lived on take-out and restaurant food in Seattle. Her culinary skills were virtually non-existent.
What if they were asked to make something beyond a salad? The thought of embarrassing herself in front of Todd and a group of strangers made her stomach churn.
Maybe they would only watch the chef. She’d like that.
She rolled out of bed and went to the kitchen for coffee. While there, she considered brushing up on her skills. She could start with a simple breakfast. As she stared at Junie’s intimidating array of pans and utensils, she laughed at the irony.
Here she was, a woman who had fearlessly flung herself out of planes, terrified of a few eggs and a frying pan.
She reached into the refrigerator, figuring she might as well stretch all her limits.
“Maileah, what are you doing?”
She whirled around at Junie’s voice, dropping an egg as she did. “Practicing.”
Junie stared at the egg pooling on the floor. “I don’t have time to clean up after you. ”
“I’ve got this.” Maileah quickly cleaned up the runny egg. “About the other day, we need to talk.”
Her sister looked uncomfortable. “You said plenty.”
“And I was wrong about most of it. That was my stress talking, and I’m sorry.”
“I am, too.” Junie hugged her arms around her torso. “I’m meeting Knox for a run on the beach.”
Maileah didn’t want to force her. “Can we talk later?”
Before leaving the kitchen, Junie nodded, and Maileah felt a measure of relief. They could start fresh.
While the eggs sizzled, Maileah wondered what Sailor and his friends were up to. Probably out on the water already, she thought wistfully. She pushed the thought aside, focusing instead on not burning her breakfast.
One step at a time, she reminded herself. Cooking class first, catamarans some other day.
The smell of slightly overcooked eggs filled the kitchen, but Maileah grinned triumphantly. It might not be gourmet, but it was a step in the right direction. Sort of like her life.