Grace After the Storm

by Sandy Sinnett

  She snapped a few photos from a distance, then they continued on their way.

  “Happy now?” Mitch asked.

  “More than you know… thank you,” she said softly.

  “Anything for you, Darlin’” He took her hand, and gently kissed the top. Her insides did a little flip and she smiled. Oh how I’ve missed that feeling!

  Moments later, Laci caught a glimpse of the river between the trees.

  “Keep watching out your window, you don’t want to miss what’s coming up,” Mitch said.

  They came upon a wide bridge where several cars had pulled over to the side, and that’s when Laci saw the spectacular view of the Columbia River Gorge for the first time. Her body turned sideways as she gazed out the window – mesmerized by the beautiful scene. Mitch pulled the car over to join the others, and once outside, they walked over to the guard rail that lined the road. A thin layer of mist covered the water below, making it even harder to take her eyes from the river’s charm.

  “I know you want a picture,” he smiled.

  She looked at him and smiled, then grabbed the camera from the car. The wind whipped briskly, but it was refreshing. They looked over the edge of the railing, staring into the distance. Laci felt Mitch’s arms wrap around her to keep her warm as she snapped a few pictures.

  “It’s cold. We should get going,” he said.

  “Wait! One more picture,” she shouted, not wanting to leave. “Okay, I’m done.” They hopped back in the car, and drove off.

  “Where are we stopping for the night?” Laci asked.

  “Well, let’s see what the next town looks like. That sign back there said we’re pretty close to Stevenson.”

  Seconds after Mitch mentioned the town’s name, Laci caught a fleeting glimpse of a sign on the edge of the road that read, ‘Foreclosure Property’. At least she thought that’s what it said, but couldn’t make out the rest. It made her a little sad all the same. She used to be a Realtor years ago and she remembered how hard it was when someone was faced with losing their home.

  “Hmm…,” She mumbled softly. Mitch overheard her.

  “Hmm, what? Please tell me it’s not another vampire movie monument!”

  Laci giggled. “No, no. It’s nothing like that – just reading road signs.” The beautiful scenery quickly distracted her however, and the thought was gone.

  Stevenson was a little town that might have been missed if one blinked, but had a charm all its own. They drove slowly as they entered the town, watching for signs that would point them toward a hotel for the night, but there was nothing around.

  “Hey… there’s a grocery store up ahead on your right – pull in there. I need to get a few things anyway, and we can ask one of their employees for directions to the closest hotel,” Laci said.

  “Great idea. I knew I kept you around for a reason,” he chuckled softly.

  They pulled into the parking lot and got out of the car. Laci looked around and stretched for a minute, then noticed a small women’s clothing boutique across the street with the cutest window display!

  “Oh! Let’s walk over there first, Mitch. I love that blouse in the window! And it looks like there is a café inside – maybe we can finally get a good cup of coffee.”

  Mitch rolled his eyes and smiled, then took her by the hand. “Happy wife, happy life…” he mumbled out loud.

  “You are such a smart man, Mitch Young.” She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek for indulging her.

  They walked through the front door and a little bell chimed to announce their presence.

  “Hello there. I’ll be right with you,” said the cheerful lady behind the register. Her voice was chipper and she had a smile that lit up the room – it even made Laci smile. She looked around the store, but instead found herself watching the store clerk glide around the room assisting other customers and chatting with them like they were part of her family. She was simply lovely with her short, red hair shaped perfectly for her face, and an exquisite complement to her porcelain skin. She reminded Laci of a young Audrey Hepburn – stylish, graceful and charming. A few minutes later, she walked up to greet them.

  “Hello again! I’m Andréa, the owner. Is there anything I can help you find?”

  “Hi Andréa, I’m Laci and this is my husband Mitch. We saw the café sign out front – do you serve coffee?” Laci asked.

  “Oh Sweetie, you haven’t lived until you’ve had a cup of my coffee. You come right over here and I’ll make one for both of you. It’s so nice to meet you! Are you just passing through?” She extended her hand to greet them.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Mitch said as he shook her hand. “We’re looking for a place to stay for the night.”

  “Whoa! You’re definitely not from around here are you?” she giggled. “That’s quite a southern accent you have there – must drive all the girls wild!”

  A tad embarrassed, Mitch smiled – his cheeks a pale shade of pink. “Well, it drives her wild and that’s all I care about. We’re actually from North Carolina, here on vacation. Laci is originally from Olympia though.”

  “Oh I love Olympia! Sit down and enjoy your coffee so we can chat.” Andréa was delightful and Laci found it hard to leave, but it was getting late and they needed to find a place to stay.

  “Andréa, is there a hotel nearby?” Laci asked.

  “If it’s a hotel you want, you’ll have another hour ahead of you. But there is an old bed and breakfast up the highway just a little bit farther – it’s called Foxhead Estates. I’m sure she has a room available. My sweet friend Hannah owns it and lives there with her grandmother, but it’s in foreclosure… the poor thing. They’re letting her stay there and keep it open until it sells.”

  “That was the sign we passed!” Laci squealed.

  “What?” Mitch asked, confused.

  Laci turned to Mitch and whispered, “Never mind… I’ll tell you later,” then turned back to Andréa. “That’s too bad she’s losing her business. Are you sure she even wants guests?”

  “Trust me, she can use all the help she can get.”

  “Well, what do you say, love?” Laci gave Mitch her ‘please-say-yes’ look.

  He laughed. “I think we’re going to Foxhead Estates, Andréa. Can you give us directions?”

  Goosebumps popped out all over Laci’s arms as she sensed there was something much more to this temporary stop – unable to explain it away.

  Andréa wrote down the address and phone number to the B&B, and they said their goodbyes. “Ooh! I have such a good feeling about your visit,” she said, giving them both a big hug as if they had all been friends for years. “You’re going to absolutely love Hannah’s place! And don’t forget to stop back here on your way out of town and tell me all about it. Besides, I think we’re destined to be great friends!”

  Andréa beamed her bright smile as she waved goodbye from the store window, and they were on their way.

  3 - Promising Opportunities

  Signs for the bed and breakfast appeared a few miles down the road. Laci read one to herself. ‘Foxhead Bed and Breakfast – Award Winning Winery’. Huh? It seems that Andréa left that little detail out. A winery too? Very interesting.

  Mitch pulled the car into a long driveway that led up to a big, beautiful old log cabin-style house which Laci assumed was the bed and breakfast. The knotty-cedar exterior, most likely a rich red in its earlier days, was now faded and worn. It had two-stories with gables and eaves along the front, and a big bay window still adorned with Christmas lights from the recent holiday season. The two-tiered front porch was the length of the house, complete with a porch swing – swaying slightly as if someone had recently jumped off. They parked, then got out to look around. To her right, Laci saw a large building that looked like the winery, also disheveled and in need of some major TLC, but it had an old-world charm about it. As she looked around, her tell-tale goosebumps came back and she couldn’t help but feel like she and Mitch were there for a reason.

  W
ithin minutes, a petite, little red-headed gal walked out of the house and on to the front porch to greet them. She looked to be in her mid-forties, give or take a few years. Her long curly hair blew in the breeze and Laci found herself somewhat envious of the muscular arms peeking from under her t-shirt. She was obviously a woman who took care of herself. She looked over at Mitch, realizing he had also noticed her attractive features, and seemed to be enjoying the view. She bumped his shoulder to divert his attention.

  “Hey, Romeo. Remember me… your Juliet? You’re taken, my love.” Laci pinched his side and he laughed.

  “Don’t worry, Darlin’. I was just admiring God’s handiwork, that’s all. My heart belongs to you.”

  Laci smiled, and once again he had sweet talked himself out of trouble. They walked toward the porch and the redhead waved and smiled cheerfully.

  “Hi, I’m Hannah Blake. I’m the owner. Please, call me Hannah. I’m afraid I don’t have any rooms ready, but if you’re here for a wine tasting, I’m happy to assist. If you’re nosing around about the foreclosure however, then I’ll kindly ask you to get back in your car and leave – I’ll be taking that sign down any day now,” Hannah said.

  Right away, Laci took note of her defensive reaction. Although she was polite, she conveyed a stern, matter-of-fact tone that delivered a clear message.

  Laci smiled. “Well, Hannah, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Laci Young and this is my husband, Mitch.” Mitch waved casually and smiled. “We were actually interested in getting a room for tonight. Andréa sent us – we met her earlier when we stopped by her shop for coffee.”

  Hannah laughed softly, “I should have known. She’s my biggest fan and dearest friend, outside of my grandma. Always looking out for me, that one.”

  “So, if you’re taking the sign down soon, does that mean you’ve sold the property?”

  “No, it’s not sold, but it’s not for sale either… not exactly. I’m still hoping to raise the money we owe the bank. I have every intention of keeping this place in my family where it belongs,” Hannah replied.

  Mitch took a step toward the porch. “It’s a beautiful place. I don’t blame you for wanting to keep it. I don’t really know much about the Bed & Breakfast business, but I do own a winery in North Carolina and it’s very special to me,” he said.

  Hannah’s eyes widened, “North Carolina, huh? That’s… that’s where we used to vacation years ago. It’s a beautiful part of the country,” she replied, somewhat distracted now. Based on her comment, Laci got the distinct feeling that there was more to that story.

  “We sure love it there,” Mitch said, and paused for a moment of awkward silence. “Well, we should be on our way. The wine tasting did sound good, but we need to find a place to stay tonight. It was nice to meet you,” Mitch said.

  Laci immediately shot Mitch ‘the look’ to convey her intense disapproval of his statement. We are definitely not leaving! I needed to learn a little more about little miss Hannah and this property. Lucky for her though, Hannah offered up a new option.

  “Wait… please don’t go. I’m sorry if I’ve been rude, that’s not like me normally. We are fellow wine connoisseurs after all, so the least I can do is offer you a room for the night. Besides, Andréa would never speak to me again if she found out that I turned you away,” Hannah said.

  Laci looked at Mitch with her ‘please-say-yes’ look, then smiled.

  “Well thank you, Hannah. I’m pretty sure that look from my wife means ‘we’re staying’, as long as you’re sure, that is.”

  “Of course! It’s a little run down but I make up for it with my mad cooking skills.”

  “Great! It’s settled then,” Laci said, more than a tad excited. Mitch rolled his eyes at her. I’m a passionate girl, what can I say?

  Hannah escorted us inside.

  “Give me a few minutes to get your room ready and let my grandmother know we have guests in the house. We haven’t entertained in some time and I would hate for her to suddenly take a stroll down the hall wearing nothing but her skivvies,” Hannah smiled and walked away.

  While Hannah was gone, Mitch and Laci walked outside to get their bags from the car. Laci was lost in thought. This wasn’t a mere coincidence, us meeting Andréa and learning about this place. No, there was much more to this and I already have a few thoughts on what direction this could take. Mitch popped the trunk and Laci stared at him, waiting for him to look at her. Finally he did.

  “What? You look like you’re up to something,” Mitch said, his eyebrow raised in curiosity.

  “You know!”

  “Uh, well… actually I don’t know. You’ll have to enlighten me with your wisdom there Darlin’.”

  “Ugh! The winery, Mitch! The foreclosure? She’s going to lose her family’s business!” Laci said emphatically, hoping to convey her meaning, but it didn’t seem to turn on any lights for him. Nope… no one was home.

  “Yeah, that’s what usually happens in a foreclosure, but I’m still not following. What are you getting at?”

  She rolled her eyes and huffed with an audible, exasperated sigh. Hannah stepped out onto the porch before she could continue.

  “Do you need help bringing in your bags?” Hannah asked.

  “No, no. We’ve got it – thank you though,” Mitch replied.

  They walked back inside and Hannah showed them to their room. It was probably best we were interrupted anyway. This way I can formulate a rock-solid plan that he won’t be able to refuse.

  “So, I was just about to fix dinner for my grandma and me. Would you like to join us?”

  Laci answered for both of them, “We would love to, thank you. I’m starving!” obviously thrilled for the opportunity to gather more ‘intel’ on Hannah’s situation.

  “Great! Give me about thirty minutes and I’ll have it ready. Until then, relax or feel free to walk around the grounds if you want. It’s a nice night for an evening stroll,” Hannah smiled and went on her way.

  Instead of unpacking, they took Hannah’s advice and decided to go for a walk. Despite the clouds, it was a beautiful evening and the temperature was warmer than expected for mid-March. Mitch wove his fingers through Laci’s and they walked over to the small garden nestled between the house and the winery. The sky grew darker, but a small section still glowed from the sun setting below the horizon.

  “I’m so glad we’re here Mitch.”

  “Me too, Darlin’. I can see a big difference in you just since we arrived. You look happy.”

  “It’s more than happy… it’s a sense of peace that I haven’t felt in months. I’m so sorry for everything I put you through.”

  Mitch stopped and turned to Laci. He cupped his hands around her face and looked in her eyes, “Don’t ever apologize again. We lost our baby, and I know it was much harder on you. I’m here for the long haul, Laci Young. For better or worse, remember?”

  “Yeah… I remember,” she smiled, then he leaned in and gently kissed her, wrapping his arms around her and holding tight. Laci’s body tingled and she began to shiver, and for the first time in months, she found herself wanting a whole lot more than a kiss. At that realization, her eyes popped open like she’d been poked with a stick pin, and in her utter joy, she pulled away from Mitch’s kiss and spontaneously laughed out loud.

  “Wow. Was it that bad?” he asked – a confused look on his face.

  “Oh, heaven’s no!” Laci slowly calmed down and quieted her laugh, “On the contrary my love, it was a little too good.” He smiled, knowing exactly what she meant. They walked back to the house, hand in hand, excited for the evening ahead.

  They immediately smelled the wonderful aroma coming from the kitchen and made their way to the dining room. Hannah was setting food on the table – pecan crusted tilapia filets, asparagus, and wild rice. Laci almost dove in headfirst she was so hungry. From the other side of the room, a frail little lady walked in and joined them, aided by her cane. She wore a pair of large dark sunglasses and looked over in t
heir general direction, but seemed to be searching for something.

  “You’re just in time! Laci, Mitch… this is my grandmother, Lois,” Hannah said.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Lois.” Laci walked over to introduce herself, but Lois turned slightly past her. Laci realized then that Lois was mostly likely blind.

  “It’s so nice to meet you both! I’m sorry but I can’t see you, Sweetheart. I’m legally blind and can only see shapes and light anymore. It’s a real pain in the ‘patootie’ if you know what I mean,” Lois said with a giggle.

  “That’s okay – I’m right here.” Laci guided Lois’ hand into hers and patted it gently.

  “Jules said we would be having guests tonight – it’s so nice to have a table full of people again.” Lois quickly turned her head and coughed with what seemed like great difficulty, then cleared her voice. “I hope I didn’t hold up dinner. I move much slower these days.”

  Lois’ voice echoed a tired soul within, but you couldn’t tell from her appearance. Her hair was mostly white with some reddish roots, and it looked like it had just been washed and set by a hairdresser. The makeup around her cheekbones was a little bright, but nice otherwise. And her outfit spoke volumes; black polyester pants, a long-sleeved white sweatshirt that read ‘Steady and Slow Wins the Race’, bearing an image of a small turtle with grey hair crossing a finish line. She wore a shimmery pink pearl necklace and tiny gold earrings, complemented by a glittery bracelet on her wrist. Absolutely nothing matched, but she was precious and Laci already adored her.