Lulu's Café

by T. I. Lowe

  7

  THE BUTTERY SUNLIGHT cascaded down, lightly caressing Leah’s face and warming her. She closed her eyes and leaned back onto the worn quilt to take it in. As she lay in the meadow, sweet giggles tickled her ears, rousing her back out of her peaceful dozing. Smiling, she opened her eyes and watched the beautiful little girl skip toward her. She stopped at the edge of the quilt and stared at her mom with a mischievous grin. Leah watched as the warm afternoon breeze danced through the little girl’s golden-brown curls. Her light-blue eyes glittered as she jumped into Leah’s waiting lap and wrapped her soft arms around her neck. She playfully kissed Leah on her eyelids and cheeks and nose before whispering, “I love you, Mommy.”

  Leah giggled and returned her daughter’s kisses in the same manner. “I love you too.”

  “Will you braid my hair real pretty, Mommy?” she asked, scooting around in Leah’s lap.

  “I’ll try.” Leah laughed as she tried to weave the curls into a braid, but the curls kept escaping. Her daughter’s curls were much tighter than Leah’s and had a mind of their own. Leah had to restart twice.

  “Mommy, you have to hurry up.”

  “There’s no hurry.” Leah continued to lazily play in her daughter’s hair.

  “You have to hurry,” the little girl urged Leah once more.

  “Why, baby girl?” Leah asked as she planted a kiss on top of her daughter’s head. She smelled of a perfumed mix of honeysuckle and freshly cut grass. Leah wanted nothing more than to spend the day snuggled up to her daughter and taking in the sweet smell of her.

  “It’s almost time for me to go.”

  “Go where, baby girl?”

  “Back to Daddy.” Upon her reply, the little girl began to slowly fade away.

  “No. Stay with me, and I’ll protect you from him.” Leah tried to pull the child closer to her chest, only to find that she could no longer hold on to her. “Please stay. I promise to take better care of you this time. Please, baby girl.” Tears seeped down Leah’s face.

  “Silly Mommy. You’re too late.” With that, she kissed Leah’s cheek one last time and skipped to the edge of the field. She placed her tiny hand in Brent’s waiting one. Leah had not realized that he had been standing there, watching, the entire time. She watched helplessly as her daughter and husband walked away from her, giggling.

  Leah woke up sobbing from the heart-wrenching dream. She had somehow ended up at the foot of the hotel bed with no blanket. She tried to right herself in the bed and was suddenly struck with a new ache from deep inside her pelvis. The odd heat coming off her body was a fever, just as the nurse had predicted.

  It was her second night in the hotel. She had spent the entire time barely moving from the bed. She had been trying to rest so that her body could heal, but it seemed that she was getting worse.

  She dragged herself out of bed and dug out the bottle of antibiotics from her purse. She also pulled out a pain pill and a pack of graham crackers the nurse had loaded her down with. It was the only sustenance she had eaten since leaving the hospital. Leah stared at the package of crackers. She wasn’t hungry. She weighed eating the unwanted crackers against the side effects of taking medicine on an empty stomach. She didn’t think she could manage any other form of sickness. She washed the pills and crackers down with a couple glasses of water before heading back to bed.

  She repeated the routine of medicine, water, crackers, and restless sleep for the remainder of the next two days before the fever crept away for good. Leah knew she had to get moving, but she just couldn’t get it together enough to act on it. She knew she needed to eat to regain some strength and she needed to purchase a car. She needed . . . There was just too much to figure out and it left her completely overwhelmed.

  After another day or so passed, Leah demanded her body get up and head out to take care of those tasks. After finishing the complicated task of washing and dressing, she called the front desk and requested a cab. She pulled her cap down over her eyes and grabbed her purse before heading to the lobby, where she got a much-needed cup of coffee, a muffin, and a banana from the continental breakfast buffet. She ate slowly and waited outside as her eyes tried to readjust to sunlight.

  Leah was relieved that the driver knew where a pretty good car dealership was and gladly took her there. She thanked him and exited the cab to begin her automobile hunt. The car lot was a sea full of silvers, blacks, and shiny whites. Her eyes skimmed over them and landed on a beauty at the back of the lot. She fell in love instantly. It was a vivid teal-blue with a white stripe down the side. She had never owned a vehicle of any color and perked up at the possibility.

  By the time she made her way to the back of the lot to get a better look, an eager car salesman greeted her. Noticing her injuries right away, he tried to act as though he didn’t.

  “Good morning, ma’am. I’m Jim. Looking for a car today?” He enthusiastically stretched out his hand.

  “Yes. I want that one,” Leah said, ignoring his handshake attempt. She pointed to the 1978 Jeep Wagoneer.

  “You don’t want that bulky thing. It’s considered a collector’s car. Let’s me and you go check out one of those sweet little sedans up front with all the bells and whistles,” he said.

  “Sir, I’m not sweet and I’m not little. I’m bulky. I need something with some room.” Leah walked around the Jeep, giving it a good looking over. It had been fully remodeled, with tinted windows and new tires with shiny chrome rims. Jim reluctantly unlocked it so she could inspect the inside. It had custom tan leather seats and a new radio with a CD player. It seemed quite retro with a few updated touches. She knew she had to have it.

  “Can you pop the hood, please?”

  Jim did as he was told. “Everything has been restored. It has a brand-new V8 motor and a newly upgraded transmission.” He droned on for a few minutes about the other upgrades.

  Leah nodded as though she understood exactly what he was saying. He could have told her it had a new space engine and she wouldn’t have known any better. She continued the act for a few more minutes before asking about the price.

  “This beauty will run you forty-five thousand dollars,” the salesman said without hesitation.

  “That’s ridiculous.”

  “I agree. This is intended for old geezers with more money than sense, who just want something to add to their car collection.” The salesman motioned back to the front of the lot. “I can put you in a brand-new car for half that, and it would be a lot better on gas too.”

  Leah motioned to the Jeep. “You can do better than that, and you know it.”

  “My boss is going to kill me if I go any lower than forty.” He shrugged.

  “I’ll pay you thirty thousand, cash.” Leah couldn’t care less about the cost. It just felt good to stand up to a man and not worry about being punched in the face for it.

  Jim stood there, shaking his head, while looking at the vehicle in question. Leah removed her hat so that he could get a good look at her. “Sir, excuse me for saying this, but I have literally been living through a hell you wouldn’t be able to fathom. I don’t have the strength to stand in this lot all day. Now accept my offer, or I’m leaving.” She turned to leave.

  “Okay. Thirty thousand, cash, and you have yourself a deal.”

  Within thirty minutes, Leah had paid the man. In return, he handed over two sets of keys and signed over the title for the Jeep Wagoneer.

  “I would have paid forty-five.” She smiled slightly as she climbed into her very own vehicle.

  “Figures.” Jim laughed.

  Leah celebrated her successful purchase with a stop at a donut shop. Before returning to the hotel to pack, she stopped to fill the gas tank and grabbed a road map of the East Coast. It was time to pick a new beginning, and Southern coastal living sounded like a good enough place to start. A few hours after sunset, Leah struck out on her road trip to the unknown.

  She had no clue interstate driving would take such a toll on her broken body. She s
topped every so often to stretch her cramping legs and aching neck and shoulders. She couldn’t take her prescribed pain medicine and drive, so plain Tylenol had to substitute during the trip. Close to dawn, the pain became nearly unbearable. She spent the next hour driving through tears.

  She begged her throbbing body to just hold out until she could make it to the Atlantic Ocean. The more she begged, the more the pain and fatigue increased. She finally gave in and took the next exit off the interstate. She knew she was less than an hour from the coast, but making even that short distance would not be happening.

  8

  THE SIGN WELCOMED HER to Rivertown, South Carolina. The quaint town skirted a wide river that was lined with well-kept homes and shops. Leah noticed Mother Nature had not divvied out her fall gifts yet. Lawns were still lush and green with summer color, and most of the trees were holding on to their shaggy green coats. This didn’t seem to bother the townspeople, for they had spread their own autumn decor throughout the area. Various scarecrows leaned against the black lampposts that lined the sidewalks, and with their mischievous grins and button eyes, they watched over the town.

  An array of wreaths adorned each and every door for as far as Leah could see. A clothing boutique’s door was almost hidden behind the voluptuous wreath made out of fat mesh ribbon in orange and brown with gold cording woven throughout. It was odd to describe but very appealing to look at.

  Various sizes and styles of pumpkins and gourds, along with fall leaf garlands, were visible on each porch. A brick town house had a scarecrow sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch, making Leah do a double take. At first glance, it looked like a farmer wearing his overalls and straw hat, sitting lazily.

  As Leah slowed the Jeep to a crawl, she spotted a café on the corner, facing the dark, enchanting water and a cozy park. She parked at the curb and tried to pull herself together before climbing out. She grabbed her scarf out of her bag and wrapped it around her neck to cover the healing bruises. She pulled the sun visor down to inspect her face in the mirror. Not happy with what she saw, Leah grudgingly shoved her black cap back on her head. As she eyed the sickly yellow-and-green palette of her skin, she wished that she’d grabbed her makeup during her hasty escape from the loft. Some concealer would really come in handy. Nothing could help the mess on her bottom lip. The jagged split was puffy and resembled leather with tiny barbs sticking out. Leah wished she had something she could use to extract the gross-looking stitches. Adding that to her mental to-do list, she stiffly maneuvered out of her Jeep and walked to the café entrance.

  The building was a two-story redbrick structure with expansive windows along the first floor’s front and sides. Each set of massive windows was shaded with sprawling royal-blue awnings, which were decorated with vibrantly painted sunflowers and whimsical white letters spelling out Lulu’s Café across the remaining space. It looked inviting from the outside. Peering into the window, Leah could see that the café was bustling with customers. Outside the café, the sidewalk was lined with wrought-iron tables and chairs. Every table was occupied with customers chatting as they sipped steaming mugs of coffee.

  The sign for the store hours indicated that, Monday through Saturday, the café opened at six each morning and closed at two each afternoon, and it was closed on Sundays. Leah found the hours a bit odd. Most restaurants served dinner and were open on Sundays too, or so she thought. She reminded herself that she was in a new environment and that the customs from the West Coast probably wouldn’t apply here.

  The café had its fall decorations on display as well. Large planter boxes overflowed with giant yellow and orange mums. One had a wooden sign sticking out from the middle declaring, Happy Fall, Y’all.

  Leah was beginning to think the place was too happy and, more importantly, too busy for her liking, when she spotted a vacant four-person table right inside the door. She made her way in and slipped into the chair closest to the window. She deliberately faced away from the entrance, hoping not to draw much attention. Once she was situated, she noticed that the back of the café was made up of a large butcher-block counter that housed a bakery case full of treats on the right. The remainder of the counter was lined with half a dozen stools, with customers perched on each one. Leah noted approvingly that the tables and chairs were a variety of mismatched shapes and sizes stained in the same mahogany tint. She liked the relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere.

  Leah watched a petite lady behind the counter serving up coffee and laughs. Her stomach began to rumble at the fragrant smells whirling around her, so she turned her attention to the menu resting on the table. Turkey sausage, turkey bacon, egg-white omelets, whole grain breads and cereal, fresh fruit . . .

  Leah blinked at the odd menu. She gazed around at the customers enjoying their healthy meals. Her heart had been set on a stack of pancakes and greasy bacon. She studied the bakery case but found no donuts hiding.

  “Humph.” She went back to studying the menu.

  “I didn’t keep you waiting too long, did I?” A Southern drawl interrupted Leah’s thoughts.

  Leah looked up to find the petite lady with a perfectly coiffed silver bob smiling at her. She was so short that she was nearly eye level with a seated Leah. Her clear gray eyes seemed to bubble with hospitality. Leah instantly liked the woman and gave her a slight smile, being careful not to stretch her bottom lip.

  “Well, you gonna keep giving me that sweet smile or are you gonna order something?” the lady asked in a teasing voice.

  Leah pointed at the bright-orange cursive L embroidered thickly on one of the lady’s apron pockets. “Please tell me you’re Lulu.”

  “Of course I’m Lulu. Why do you ask?” Lulu smoothed her ruffled apron, which swam in a variety of rich-blue swirls.

  “You match the happiness of the place perfectly,” Leah said.

  “Well, that’s the nicest thing someone has said to me today. What can I get you?”

  “Coffee and whatever you recommend.”

  Lulu gave her a wink and strolled back to the kitchen. Almost immediately, a young lady carried back a mug and a carafe full of coffee. While Leah waited for her breakfast, she retrieved a halved pain pill and washed it down with some hot coffee.

  Her hands trembled from the unrelenting pain in her neck and shoulders. Other body parts, still suffering from the beating and miscarriage, screamed for relief as well. Tears threatened at the acknowledgment of those pains. Leah tried to make a quick escape to the restroom. Wincing in pain from standing too quickly, she inhaled a shaky breath to ward off the dizzying pain. Once secured in the restroom, she pulled the hat off and splashed cold water onto her puffy face. Leah took several deep breaths before looking at her reflection in the mirror. Oh, how she hated the mirror. She dug out the curl serum and a comb to fix the rat’s nest on her head. She worked the serum through her hair and tried to smooth the curls. The task helped to calm her down.

  After composing herself, Leah headed back to the table and discovered a bounty of breakfast waiting for her. A royal-blue plate held an egg-white omelet filled with tomatoes, onions, and spinach, and topped with a sprinkling of white cheese and fresh herbs. Resting beside the plate was a steaming bowl of oatmeal covered with dried fruits and nuts. A jar of honey and small cup of cream had been placed beside the bowl. She sampled the omelet and was pleasantly surprised at how flavorful it was. Once she devoured the omelet, she turned her sights on the oatmeal. At least it’s not the mushy kind I had to eat in the group homes. She pulled the bowl closer and carefully added some honey and cream. She gave it a good stir, then took a cautious bite. Once again, the flavorful dish surprised her. The combination of the creamy oatmeal mixed with the tangy fruit bits and crunchy nuts was perfect. With the bowl empty, Leah felt completely satisfied and nourished. She was astonished that a meal could have such an effect. She sipped her coffee and thought it was no wonder the place was crowded.

  The pill was finally easing the pain, so Leah decided to stay and enjoy the coffee for a
little while. She needed to find a hotel, but she couldn’t muster the motivation to leave.

  “You get enough to eat, sweetheart?” Lulu asked as she strolled over and deposited another carafe of coffee. She gathered the dishes and empty carafe.

  Leah smiled at the lady’s endearment at the end of her question. “More than enough. That was delicious.” She fished out her wallet.

  “No need in rushing off. Have some more coffee.” Lulu grabbed a newspaper off the neighboring table and handed it to Leah. “And enjoy this boring newspaper.” She didn’t wait on a reply from Leah before rushing back off with the energy of a teenager. The lady’s face held very few wrinkles, making it hard to accurately gauge her age, but Leah thought she was somewhere in her sixties.

  Leah did as she was told. An hour later, the carafe was empty and the newspaper had been thoroughly read, twice. She found nothing boring about the local paper. It was unexpectedly upbeat with very little in way of the negative stories that normally dominated her paper back in Washington. This paper was dotted with celebratory news of weddings and births and new business openings. The entertainment section, filled with details on upcoming festivals, dominated a good portion of the paper. There was a date change announcement for an upcoming community class on how to prepare perfect jars of fruit preserves. The selected book for the upcoming book club meeting at the Rivertown Library was Chasing Fireflies by Charles Martin. Leah jotted the book title down on a scrap piece of paper so that she could remember to read it sometime. The paper also held a registration page for a youth fishing tournament at the Big Oaks Plantation. And on the back page was a large advertisement for the annual fall fair coming to town the following week. The paper was filled with refreshing articles. Leah decided in that moment that her fantasy of Southern charm was not a myth, but a lovely reality.

  Leah figured it was time to settle her bill and find a hotel for a night or two. She neatly folded the paper and left it on the table. After paying the young lady at the counter, she made a stop at the restroom. When she came back, she spotted Lulu, with a large basket of potatoes and carrots, sitting at her table. She approached the table to gather her coat and say good-bye.