Chapter Five
Thus far, the day had been long, sad, and strangely uplifting.
There had been a knock on my door at eight a.m., and I opened it to Gabe and Heather on my doorstep with their daughter, Joy.
While I played with Joy, they loaded the last of my belongings into Gabe’s SUV and carted it two miles to the storage unit I had rented, where they unloaded it.
I told Gabe it was above and beyond the whole 'serve and protect' oath he took as a police officer, but he insisted he wasn’t there as an officer of the law, but as a friend. It’s what friends do for friends, he’d said.
By the time they left, I had to head to the lawyer’s office to sign the paperwork.
After saying my final goodbyes to the house and my grandmother, I was ready to leave just as another car pulled up.
It was Indigo Garland, the manager at the Bells Pass Bakery.
She’d become a close friend over the last few years, and she insisted on driving me to Saginaw to have a little girl time.
I saw it for what it was, but I was too grateful to argue.
Driving back to Bells Pass after signing the paperwork would be hard through tears, and I didn’t see any reason to let pride stand in the way of kindness when it was very much appreciated.
The appointment took even less than the ten minutes I’d planned, proving it was surprisingly fast and easy to sign away your past. All I could do was hope the new family who bought the house would make it a home.
Their daughter used a wheelchair, so the modifications already in the house were necessary and appreciated.
That was the only reason I hadn’t fought the sale.
Someone needed that house, which Yaya would have wanted if I couldn’t be the one to own it.
While I wanted to stay and hold onto the memories we’d made there, it was time to find a new way forward and a new future.
It wouldn’t be easy, but hopefully, in the end, it would be a fresh start that I needed, both for myself and my business.
When we returned to Bells Pass, Indigo had taken me to the office of the only lawyer in town.
Ivy had asked him to review the bills I still had to pay for Yaya’s care to see if there was a way to negotiate a lower balance.
Nervously, I apologized for taking up his time because there was no way I could afford his hourly fee.
Instead of sending me on my way, Lance had waved my words away and assured me it was pro bono and there would be no arguing.
He promised it wouldn’t take long to contact the few creditors that wouldn’t be paid off with the sale of the house and see what he could do.
While he couldn’t promise anything, he would try to get the balances manageable enough that I could pay them off over the next year.
That was more than I could ask for, so I handed over the paperwork and left him to the job with his assurance that he’d let me know as soon as he had a plan worked out.
Something told me it would take more time than he let on, but I wasn’t in the business of insulting people who were trying to help me.
Which was how I came to sit in a chair at Heather and Addie’s salon.
Heather had given me a facial, and then Addie had washed, trimmed, and styled my hair.
It was a new home, new me kind of thing.
Well, it would be if I had a home, but it was time for a trim, so who was I to turn down a little pampering?
“Everyone has been so wonderful today,” I said as Addie fluffed my hair and pulled the cape off my neck. “There’s no way I can repay you all.”
“You don’t have to,” Addie assured me. “This is what you do for friends when they’re going through something difficult. The little bit of time each of us took from our day to offer support wasn’t a hardship. I would venture to say we all needed it as much as you did.”
With a smile, I shrugged on my sweatshirt and hugged her fiercely, thankful to everyone who had helped me see that I didn’t have to go through this alone.
We walked to the counter to pay, but she refused to let me.
“Addie, you have to let me pay you for the product at the very least,” I said, holding up the bag of goodies she’d pressed into my hand.
“I have to do no such thing, and I won’t. Consider it a housewarming gift.”
“If only I had a house,” I muttered. “I do appreciate it, though. It will certainly be better than the tiny bottles of shampoo at the hotel. Speaking of which, I’d better head back to Saginaw for the night. I could use some time to decompress.”
“Stop at the diner before you leave,” she said, opening the door for me. “Ivy texted that she needs to talk to you.”
“I know she’s working on finding me somewhere to stay. Ivy is fabulous, but there’s no way she could find a place in,” I checked my watch, “nine hours. That would take a miracle worker.”
“Well, she is a nightingale, so don’t count her out just yet. She’s probably planning to send some food with you, so make sure to stop.”
“Will do,” I promised before I leaned in for a hug. “Thanks again, Addie. You’ve all helped me get through the day that I dreaded in the best possible way. For that, I’ll be forever grateful.”
“That’s what friends are for,” she promised as she patted my back and pointed me toward the diner.
That was when I realized I didn't have my car. It was still parked on the street by my—correction—the old house. When I finished at the diner, I’d ask Ivy for a ride since it was too far to walk.
The day was warm again, and I longed for cooler weather.
Considering my situation, I should be glad it’s a warm year.
Bells Pass to Saginaw isn’t long, but it can be treacherous in snow.
Since I can’t afford to replace my car, the interstate poses a hazard to my livelihood and possibly my life.
That was another reason I appreciated Indigo today.
While I had thought I’d be too emotional to drive, I was mostly just numb, so having a chauffeur meant I could stare out the window without worrying about having to focus on the road.
The diner was busy when I arrived, so I swung in the door and glanced around, but I didn’t see Ivy. Brittany, one of our cooks, was standing by the window. “Have you seen Ivy?”
She pointed through the swinging door that led to Ivy’s office and the back door. “She’s in the office,” she called before she set two plates up on the window for the servers to grab.
I waved and then headed through the swinging door, making a mental note to stop back in and make sure they didn’t need help before I left. Due to my circumstances today, I was off, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t step in and help when needed.
“Hey, Ivy,” I said, walking into her office.
She glanced up from her paperwork and smiled broadly, as always. It was a rare day when Ivy Lund didn’t have a smile. “Hi. Your hair is gorgeous.”
Fluffing it like a model, I grinned. “Thanks. Addie is a miracle worker with hair, that’s for sure. She said you wanted to see me, and I noticed the diner was busy. Do you need me to help out?”
“No, today is your day off,” she said, standing and walking to the door. “But I did want to show you something.”
“Sure, I’ve got time. Could you then run me back to the house to get my car? Indigo drove me to Saginaw and then ferried me around town, so the car is still there.”
“Not a problem,” she assured me, motioning me down the hallway to the back door.
Ivy lived directly behind the diner in an old farmhouse she and Shep had slowly renovated over the years since she took over the Nightingale Diner.
The house was included with the diner when Lucille Bevvywetter gifted it to Ivy.
In Bells Pass, the diner is passed from one woman to another rather than sold.
Usually, it’s someone the current owner has taken under their wing.
In Ivy’s case, that’s everyone who works here, but with any luck, Ivy will work here for decades.
Maybe little Lucy Lund will be the next nightingale of Bells Pass.
She sure has the personality for it. Ivy’s daughter is so sweet and loving.
Some even say she has a way of making people feel better.
I say she’s an empath by nature. She does make people feel better, but it’s her calming presence that has the most impact.
I could use some Lucy Lund in my life today.
Too bad she was in school. I might stay a few more hours until she gets home just to see her smiling face.
Ivy pushed through the back door, and I noticed a camping trailer behind the diner.
“Did you and Shep buy a camper? Seems like an odd time of year to do it.”
Her laughter echoed through the air. “No, camping is not Shep's thing. Too many allergens for his asthma. This is your home away from home. At least for a few weeks,” she explained, holding the door open and motioning me in.
In shock, I climbed the stairs and took in the small camper. “How did you get this?”
“One of my best customers at the bakery owns a rental business. He buys goodies for his workers every week, so I asked him if he had any campers to spare.”
“Ivy, no, I can’t take income away from him. Though I could afford to pay him, depending on his weekly rates.”
“It’s already been taken care of. This isn’t their busy season, and he was going to put it in storage, so he gladly accepted free treats for a few weeks of use.
Of course, it needs to be in storage by November or once the temps start to drop at night, but that buys us a bit more time to find you a permanent place to stay. ”
“You’re serious? I can stay here?”
“At least until the beginning of November. After that, we’ll need to reevaluate things.
Hopefully, we have a solution by then. In the meantime, this tiny but mighty space has a full-size bed at the back, a small bathroom and kitchen, and a sitting area.
You’ll have to shower at my place, but that’s not a problem for us.
I would grab meals at the diner for the time being since you don’t pay for food, and cooking here won’t be easy.
The water and electricity are already connected to the diner, and he’ll empty the tanks when he picks it up. ”
“This is too much,” I whispered, my hand shaking as I touched the small kitchen table. “Does this man have children?”
“Yes, his little boy is Bryce’s age. Why?”
“I’d like to send a book for him. I know you said it’s been squared, but I’d like to show my appreciation.”
“Now that I can arrange,” she agreed with a smile. “Come on, let’s get your car and the things you’ll need to make this your home.”
I followed her out of the camper and closed the door behind me, the idea setting in that I had found safety, at least for a little while. More than that, my friends had my back until I could get on my feet again.
“You truly are a miracle worker, Ivy Lund. I can’t thank you enough.”
“Just doing what a friend does, Jaelyn. What good are connections if I can’t use them to help a friend?”
I followed her to her car and couldn’t do anything but agree with a grateful heart.