Whistlin' Dixie in a Nor'easter

by Lisa Patton

  “I know, but you might enjoy it. I could take you to Graceland.”

  “Now you’re talking.” Joy temporarily returned to her face.

  Jeb overheard me and jumped right in. “I’m coming for a visit. I’ll be checking out Graceland, the Grand Ole Opry, and Dollywood, too.”

  “Now you’ve got me taking you all over the state.”

  “Might like it so much, I might decide to stay. You never know. Don’t you flatlanders have Mary Kay or Avon down in Tennessee?”

  “I think so.”

  “Your mother would never go for that, I can tell you that reet now, Jeb Duggar.” Roberta and Jeb’s mama were friends. Roberta thought that gave her license to boss Jeb around.

  “I’m not saying I’ll move for sure, Roberta, I’m just keeping my options open.”

  I quickly diverted the conversation. “All y’all are welcome anytime in Tennessee. I’d be happy to have you.” Jeb went back to his chores and whistled “Hound Dog” while he replenished the firewood.

  “I’m gonna miss you, Roberta.” I felt a lump knotting in my throat.

  “Well, missy, I think I’m the one who’s goin’ to miss you.” She finished folding one of the drapery panels, which Jeb had taken down from the window, and glanced over at me. “It won’t be the same around here without you. Now that Helga’s gone, I actually look forward to coming to work. You’ve made everything nicer.”

  I watched her place the panel neatly in the box in front of her and grab up another. “At first, I wasn’t so sure about you and how you would fit in up here. When you started making all the changes I got nervous but now I can see it’s done a world of good. I’ve learned a lot from you.”

  I had been wrapping my china in newspaper, and I stopped abruptly. Her words took me by surprise. “I am so touched by that, thank you. But I can’t help wondering what in the world you’ve learned from me?”

  Her good eye gazed at me as if she was genuinely shocked that I had asked her that question. “How to be a survivor. I watched you hold yourself up, even when your husband walked out and left you for another woman. You kept it together for your little daughters’ sakes. You could have run back to Memphis then, but you didn’t. You kept on goin’. Then when Helga done you wrong, you still didn’t give up. You fired her instead and I don’t know anyone who could have done that. You had the guts to change up this place and give it a new look and a new name and a new menu, too.”

  “Actually, the menu was all Peter.”

  “It don’t matter who did it, it was done under your leadership. You know what I think?”

  “What?”

  “I think that after watching you, I could do it, too. If anything ever happened to Moe, I’m sure I could make it on my own.”

  “That is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me, Roberta.” I reached out to hug her and when I wrapped my arms around her little, roly-poly back, I felt so much love for her. I truly would miss her so much. “Daddy always told me I could do anything I put my mind to, but until now I never believed it.”

  “Well, believe it. I wish I could’ve met your dad. You’ve talked about him so much I feel like I know the man.”

  “He may not have liked the cold weather, but he sure would have been proud of the Peach Blossom Inn.”

  “It’s you he would have been proud of.”

  Baker will want to say good-bye to the girls. I’d been dreading making the phone call, and by Friday afternoon I could no longer silence the small voice in my head. What I really wanted to do was skip out of town. Just escape and leave the way he had—with no warning. Maybe I’ll just write him a note and tell him we’ve gone home. He did it to me. Didn’t he deserve to have a dose of his own selfishness? Maybe he did, but my girls did not deserve any of this and it wouldn’t be fair to deprive them of one last visit. There was no telling how long it would be until they saw him again.

  I dialed directory assistance to get the number of Powder Mountain. The switchboard operator put me through to his office and the lengthy wait seemed downright rude.

  “Baker Satterfield,” he answered at last.

  “Hi. It’s Leelee.”

  “Oh. Hey.” Boy, did I take him by surprise.

  “Were you busy?”

  “No, I mean—Well, yeah, I’m always busy. Things are crazy around here. We’re having a banner seas—”

  “The girls and I are leaving. We’re going home.”

  “When?”

  “Tuesday at sunrise.”

  “And you’re just now letting me know?”

  “Please don’t go there. Unless you want to discuss your definition of advance notice.”

  Silence.

  “Would you like to see them?”

  “Of course I want to see them. Are you kidding? Let me think a minute, here.” I listened while he cleared his throat. “Tonight’s out. I’ve got a dinner. Sunday day is Huega Ski Club—”

  My blood boiled. “You are unbelievable, Baker.”

  “Wait a second. You’re the one that’s just now springing this on me. How long have you known about it?”

  Forcing myself to tame the sword in my mouth, I softened my tone. “Only a couple of days. Can you work it out?”

  “Yes, I’ll pick them up Monday right after work.”

  “I’ll have them ready.” I paused a moment, thinking about what else I wanted to say. I hate confrontational conversations, even with him. “When I get to Memphis, I’ll . . . figure everything out. About the divorce and all.”

  “Sure. Whatever works for you.”

  “Okay. Well. I’ll talk to you sometime. Bye.”

  I hung up the phone and screamed out loud, “I hate you.” I climbed up on my unmade bed and buried myself under the covers. You are so selfish. How could I have ever been so blind?

  Sunday was my very last night in the restaurant. We were slow, only serving fourteen dinners. Peter and Pierre, now steadfast buddies, were attempting to have a lucid conversation about wine at the end of the night. Peter was listening to Bob Dylan on the boom box and drinking a glass of Sonoma-Cutrer chardonnay from a bottle that a customer had left half full. Pierre had brought it into the kitchen and immediately offered it to Peter.

  When Peter saw me with a tray full of coffee for the customers at the last table, he lifted his glass to make a toast before I left the kitchen. “Here’s to Leelee, owner and now deserter of the Peach Blossom Inn. Best wishes.” Then he let out this contrived laugh, like we were supposed to think what he said was funny. When no one else but Pierre giggled at all, he said, “It’s a joke. Can’t anybody take a joke around here?” And he threw his sauté pan into the sink. It banged loudly when it hit the chrome bottom.

  I didn’t comment. Neither did anyone else. Roberta looked straight at me and I motioned for her to follow me out the kitchen door.

  “Is he drunk?” I whispered, when we got to the waiting room just outside the kitchen.

  “Ohhh, yes. He had a glass of wine next to him all night. Pierre kept it filled to the top. Never seen him do that in all these months I’ve worked with him.”

  “That was mean, what he said back there. He is not the person I thought he was.” That kind and gentle man, whom I thought I knew so well, had just slit my trusting heart wide open and filled it up with doubt. Doubt about his character, our friendship, and what’s worse—doubt about my decision.

  “He don’t mean it, it’s his defense talking. He’s just sad to see you go, that’s all.”

  “Well, he sure has a strange way of showing it. He’s barely spoken to me all week.”

  “Remember what I told you? About the way he lights up when you come into the room?”

  I nodded.

  “I watched him looking at you tonight when you didn’t know. He’s hurting on the inside. That’s why he’s acting that way. He’s goin’ to miss you.”

  “Now you sound like Alice. She says the same thing only she’s just speculating. She’s only been around him once.”
<
br />   “Aren’t you goin’ to miss him?”

  “Well, sure I’m gonna miss him. Just like I’m gonna miss you, Jeb, and Pierre.”

  “The heart speaks louder than words, Leelee. Listen to yours.”

  After the last four people left the restaurant, I slipped into my apartment to check on the girls and fix my hair. I brightened my lips and even added a little perfume to my wrists.

  When I made it back into the kitchen, it was pitch-dark—not a soul in sight. When I heard the cellar door creak open in the dining room, it gave me hope that a certain someone was still around. My heart started to race and I hesitated a second before moving in that direction. Mustering all my courage, I slowly walked out of the kitchen and into the dining room, only to find Jeb pouring a glass of water over the remaining embers in the fireplace.

  “Is everyone gone?” I asked, looking around.

  “Yuup.”

  “Didn’t everyone leave sort of soon? I mean, it’s only ten thirty. Usually, the kitchen doesn’t go dark until after twelve.”

  “It was a slow night, and tomorrow’s a day off.”

  “I wanted to tell everyone good-bye. You’ll be here tomorrow, won’t you?”

  “Sure. I’ll be here at some point. Things don’t get cracking around JCW until midday. Might try to sleep in for a change.”

  “My moving van arrives around eight tomorrow morning but I’m not leaving until Tuesday. I’m hoping to get an early start.”

  “I’ll be over tomorrow.”

  “In that case, I’ll see you then. Have a good night’s sleep, okay?”

  “I will. Sleeping’s never been a problem for me. I sleep like a log. Mom tells me she can hear me snoring down the hall. Funny thing is, I can hear her snoring down the hall.”

  “Well, you better beat her to bed tonight if you wanna get some rest. ’Night, Jeb,” I said, and headed back to my superb owners’ quarters. When I shut the door behind me my heart stung. Peter Owen blew out of the Peach Blossom Inn without even waving good-bye.

  The movers pulled up to the inn at exactly 8:00 A.M. Aside from directing, there was very little for me to do, as it had all been done in the days before. Almost fourteen months to the day had passed since the last time I hired movers. Everything we brought from Tennessee was going back and every single thing we acquired from the Schloygins was remaining.

  Roberta arrived in the middle of the chaos all concerned about the news she heard on the scanner. “Leelee, I don’t mean to scare you, but a nor’easter’s comin’. It’s predicted to blow in here by late tomorrow morning. Make sure you get out of town early. If you stay ahead of it, you should be alreet.”

  Around noon, Ed stopped by. He almost had me fooled into thinking he was offering to help, but within seconds of his arrival the real reason he was there surfaced.

  I offered him a Coke and invited him to join me at the table in front of the bay window.

  “So, everything seems to be going well.” Glancing around the room, he pulled out his chair and laid a manila envelope on the table.

  “Not that much to it, really. All the packing is done. I told you I kept all my boxes, right?”

  “Yuup. Bet you’re happy about that. Hey, Leelee, the reason I’m here is we won’t be able to close this afternoon. I’ve had to postpone it a few days but your leaving is not a problem. That’s what FedEx is for.”

  “What happened?”

  “A death in the family.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. Well, I completely understand that. Please send my condolences.”

  “Right. I certainly will.” He offered no other explanation.

  “So . . . I can just leave?”

  “Yuup.” He picked up the envelope and slid out the papers that were inside. “To expedite, why don’t you go ahead and sign the closing papers. I’ll FedEx the fully executed documents to you in Memphis.” He passed me the papers along with a pen.

  He could sense my confusion by the bewildered look on my face.

  “Your ten-thousand-dollar earnest money check is in escrow and I’ll wire your Tennessee account with the balance, or send a cashier’s check—whichever you prefer. I’ve done it many times before. With all the second-home owners here, it happens all the time.”

  “Well, if you think it’s okay?”

  “Of course it’s okay, I’ll take them to get Baker’s signature this afternoon.”

  “Oh my gosh, I hadn’t even thought about that.”

  “He’s got to sign, too. I’ve taken the liberty of calling him and he’s got no problem with it at all.”

  I closed my eyes and sighed. “What did he have to say?”

  “Not much, strictly business. He’ll sign a quitclaim deed, too, no problem.”

  “Well, he’s said good-bye to the girls, he’s signing the papers, and I guess that’s that. Strictly business.” I changed the subject. “What about the restaurant? We have reservations for next week. I only planned for this one week of downtime. That’s what they asked for, remember? It’s just that I don’t want Jeb, Roberta, and Pierre to be without a job.”

  “I knew you’d be worried about that so I made sure to ask the new owners. They’ll be up and running within the week.”

  “Oh, good. That’s my main concern. I figure it’ll take me three days to get home so you can send the money on Friday.”

  “Friday it is. To what address would you like me to send the check? Or like I said, I can wire the money into your account.”

  “I don’t have an account yet, so just FedEx it to me at my friend Virginia’s house. I’ll write it down for you.” In a flash, he whipped out one of his business cards and shoved it in front of me. I wrote down the address on the back and slid it across the table.

  Ed moved over to the chair next to me and flipped through the papers, pointing to the lines that required my signature. As soon as I had signed my name on the last line, he rose from the table. “Well, I guess I’d better be getting along. I’d stay around to help but it looks like you’re all set.”

  I walked him to the door and as he reached out his hand I gave him a hug instead. He tensed up a bit, but I chalked it up to his uptight demeanor. “Thanks for everything, Ed.”

  “You’rrre welcome. It’s been great. Don’t be a stranger,” he said, and hurried on out the door.

  Roberta’s always right when it comes to the weather forecast. When my alarm went off at 6:00 A.M. on Tuesday morning, I peeked out the window at a snowy sky. The girls and I had slept in the largest bedroom of the inn, since the movers had already left with our own beds. Getting Great-grandmother’s bed back out of my room was a sight to see. Dismantling it was something else. With only an inch between the ceiling and the canopy, removing it took the movers over an hour.

  It was normally hard for me to get up that early, but knowing what lay ahead, and since the butterflies in my stomach wouldn’t quit, I jumped out of bed. After brushing my teeth, I pulled my hair back into a ponytail, not bothering with a bath. I huddled in front of the space heater in the bathroom a few extra minutes, for the very last time.

  I kissed the girls awake and when we made it downstairs into the fireplace room, Jeb, Roberta, and Pierre were waiting for us. “Surprise,” they all yelled. Those sweet people had prepared a beautiful going-away breakfast for us. Pancakes with warm Vermont maple syrup, crispy bacon, fresh-squeezed orange juice, scrambled eggs, and ice-cold milk. The table in the bay window was set and a big, crackling fire warmed the room.

  “Y’all are so sweet, thanks, you guys.” I unfolded my napkin and placed it on my lap. “Hey, did you hear me? I said ‘you guys.’ ”

  “But you still said ‘y’all,’ ” Jeb pointed out.

  “We’re rubbing off on you,” Roberta seemed thrilled to say.

  “Y’all sit down with us.” I patted the table and motioned for them to come over.

  “Where’s your breakfast, Pierre?” Isabella wanted to know. Pierre just smiled.

  “SHE . . . WANTS . . . TO .
. . KNOW . . . IF . . . YOU’RE . . . GONNA . . . EAT BREAKFAST.” I pointed to him with one hand and made an eating motion with the other.

  “Ahhhh.” His face lit up when he understood my hand signals. “No, no, Isabella.”

  “Can y’all come with us?” Sarah asked. When all three told her no, she seemed disappointed. “You can visit us, can’t you?”

  “Oh, I’ll be down there,” Jeb told her. “I’ve gut places to go and people to see.”

  “How ’bout you, Roberta?” Sarah said, with her sweet little angelic voice. “You’ll come, won’t you?”

  “I don’t know about that, missy. I’m not much on traveling. We’ll have to see.” Roberta leaned in toward her and put her hand up to the side of her mouth. “But I never say never.”

  “That’s right, Roberta, never say never. We’ll get you down south. I’m not letting you out of our lives that easy.” When I eyed Roberta’s little half smile, it broke my heart.

  The pancakes were delicious, always cooked with drawn butter at my inn and somewhat crispy on the edges. While the three of us ate our breakfast, Jeb rambled on and on about the different cities and attractions around the country that he planned to someday visit.

  I watched Sarah eyeing him and every time he paused, she’d start to speak but couldn’t quite get a word in edgewise. Finally, she seized an extra-long lull in Jeb’s babble. “Mommy says I’m going to a new school with just girls in my class. And that makes me so happy.”

  “Just girls, huh?” Roberta’s eyes lit up and she bobbed her head in approval. “No boy cooties to bother you?”

  Sarah scrunched up her nose. “That’s right.”

  Isabella laughed out loud and then pointed to a little white stuffed kitty with blue eyes sitting on the table in front of her plate. “Mommy, who’s that for?”

  Sweet Pierre smiled the biggest smile I’d ever seen come across his face. He had gone out and bought us each a little going-away present.