Laura wasn’t surprised. “No, he doesn’t talk about his father much. They’re not close.”
“I don’t blame him. I’m not sure I’d ever speak to my father if he did that.”
“I think it is hard for him though. He doesn’t have much family left. Just his father and his Aunt Helen.”
“His Aunt Helen. That’s still the strangest thing to me too. That we thought she was your Aunt Helen.”
“I know. And even though she’s not really my aunt, we were close, and I thought she was family.”
“Are you still talking to her at all?” Tina was curious.
“A little. I was furious of course. But I also got to know her son, Harold and on some level, I get it. She needed money for him.”
“On a happier note. I’m glad you dumped Dylan. I never did like him much.”
Laura laughed. “I know you didn’t.”
“Are you okay with that though? No second thoughts?” Tina sounded concerned and Laura loved her for it.
“I’m still sad that it didn’t work. But there were signs. I probably should have ended it months ago. It was easier not to, to just drift along, as my focus was really more on getting the music right. And he was part of that. I knew it might be messy if we broke up and it has been.”
“Yeah, that must be tough for both of you, to still work together so closely. Will you need to find a new band?”
“I hope not. I told Dylan I would though if things didn’t get better. I think, hope, he knows that there’s no chance of us getting back together.”
“So, you’re off to Charleston. What will you do first?” Tina added a little more chardonnay to their almost empty glasses.
Laura smiled. “I booked a room at a cute little bed-and-breakfast right in the heart of downtown Charleston. I thought it would be fun to play tourist. And I told Cole I’d call him if I came to town. He said he’d show me around. I’m hoping if I see where I lived, and places I used to go, that it might help me to remember more.”
“That’s big. And what about Cole? He’s married right?”
Laura knew what she was asking. “He is married.”
Tina looked disappointed. “Too bad.”
Laura grinned. “I know right? We’re good friends though. I am glad that he’s back in my life.”
Tina lifted her glass. “To finding happy memories in Charleston!”
Laura set out the next day for Charleston. She called Cole along the way and they made plans to meet up for lunch downtown the next day. He said he was excited to show her around. She’d planned on the trip taking a little over eight hours, but there was an accident on the highway that slowed things down and it was dark by the time she reached the bed-and-breakfast. She was exhausted by the day of driving and eager to take a long hot shower.
The bed-and-breakfast was lovely and Laura felt like she was stepping back in time as she walked into the stately old home that dated back to the mid 1800’s. An older woman with a perfect blonde bob and a friendly smile greeted her at the front desk.
“Welcome, I’m Rose Taylor. Are you checking in with us?”
“Yes. Laura Scott, for two nights.”
Rose looked in her reservation book and then handed her a key. “You’re in the yellow room, one of our nicest. It gets a lot of sun. Oh, and I just need your credit card again dear. You won’t be charged until you check out of course.”
A few minutes later, Laura was settled in her room. It was pretty and cozy too, with a gas fireplace, a four-poster bed and a bathroom that made her sigh with happiness when she saw the oversized claw-foot tub. She couldn’t wait to soak in it. After a long, hot bath, she felt much better. Once her hair was dried, she set out for a walk to find something to eat.
There was a cute little market a few doors down from the hotel that had sandwiches and several homemade soups. That sounded perfect to Laura. She ordered a bowl of creamy crab soup and a hot roll to go and brought it back to her room. Charleston was famous for she-crab soup and it was delicious. By the time she finished eating, her eyes were growing heavy again, and she decided to put on her pajamas and crawl into bed. She needed a good night’s sleep, as tomorrow was going to be a big day.
Just as she reached to turn out the light, her cell phone dinged, and she saw that it was another text message from Dylan. He’d been leaving her messages wanting to get together and talk and she knew there was no point to it. She’d meant it when she said she was done. She frowned though as she read his latest text message. “If you don’t reply, you will be sorry.” Laura responded by turning off her cellphone and flipping the switch on her bedside lamp.
Chapter 29
Laura woke early, around six when the sun steamed through the windows. She’d forgotten to pull the heavy curtains shut before she went to bed. She didn’t mind though. She liked to get up early and was both excited and nervous to explore the city. She dressed and made her way downstairs for breakfast, which was included. There was a table with all kinds of pastries, fresh cut fruit, several quiches, and an assortment of breads and bagels. She helped herself to a cup of black coffee, a bowl of fruit and a bagel with butter. She had the room to herself until she was almost done eating and a lovely older couple, Mavis and Tom Ellis, joined her and said they were from Boston.
“It’s our first time here. Have you been to Charleston before?” Mavis asked as she buttered a thick slice of pecan and raisin toast.
“I lived here when I was young, but I haven’t been back in many years. It feels new to me too,” Laura admitted.
“How fun for you to see where you grew up! If we run into each other at breakfast tomorrow, you’ll have to tell us all about it.”
Laura promised to do so and then left them to enjoy their breakfast. A thought had come to her as she chatted with the older couple and saw how they seemed to adore each other and were so excited to go on a historic tour they had booked. They seemed to be the best of friends and Laura knew that’s what she wanted in a partner too. Someone she could relax and have fun with and adore. She could feel a song building and was anxious to get back to her room and get the words down that matched the images and sounds in her mind.
The next few hours flew as the song came together quickly. When she had it where she wanted it to be, she recorded it on her cellphone, then hit play. As she listened, Laura felt the goosebumps that indicated she’d hit onto something really good. Maybe she’d play it for Cole when she saw him and see what he thought.
At a few minutes to noon, Laura headed downstairs to the lobby to wait for Cole. He was already there and smiled when he saw her.
“I hope I didn’t keep you waiting?”
“Not at all. I just got here a few minutes ago. Traffic was lighter than I expected.” He glanced around the lobby at the colorful arrangements of flowers scattered throughout the room. The sunlight streaming through the windows warmed the room and highlighted the older furniture that had been lovingly restored. It was an elegant and cozy setting. “Pretty place.”
“It is,” Laura agreed. “I just wrote a song this morning that I kind of like. I’d love to get your opinion on it later. I taped it on my cellphone.”
“I’d love to hear it. I’d be honored to be the first one to listen.”
“I’d love to know what you think of it and you must promise to be completely honest. I want real feedback.”
Cole grinned. “I promise. So, how do you feel about grabbing some sandwiches and having a picnic lunch? There’s a park we used to go to, right near downtown, and maybe we can get an ice-cream after, if we feel like it.”
“That sounds perfect. There’s a place a few doors down that has sandwiches.”
“Lead the way.”
Twenty minutes later, they reached the park and Laura followed Cole to a large tree that had a bench beside it. Laura was happily surprised that it looked familiar and she could feel that she’d been there before. The sun was shining and there was no wind, so it was nice and warm as they sat eating their
turkey sandwiches. Cole pointed out various landmarks as they ate, a bookstore on the corner that Laura spend many hours in, the pizza shop they used to buy slices at and the ice cream store.
“I wonder if they have almond fudge chip?” Laura asked.
Cole laughed. “They do. That was always your favorite.”
“Really? That’s a good sign then. And this all looks vaguely familiar to me, kind of a déjà vu feeling.”
“Do you remember this?” Cole pointed to a rough carving on the tree next to them. A heart with their initials inside.”
“You did that?”
“I did. We were crazy about each other then.”
Laura felt a rush of emotion and sadness for what they’d both lost. It wasn’t hard to imagine being in love with Cole. She felt so comfortable with him and her heart ached for their teen-aged selves.
“I wish I could remember more. It feels like it’s starting to come back though, slowly.”
Cole gathered up their empty sandwich wraps and tossed them in the trash can behind their bench. “So, now that we’ve eaten, let’s hear your song, and then if you have room, we can go get that ice cream.”
Laura pulled her cell phone out of her purse and found the recording. She suddenly felt shy as she hit play. She always did when anyone heard a song of hers for the first time. It was hard to know what people would like and sometimes she knew she was too close to it to be objective. As the song played, she relaxed. It still sounded pretty good. And not for the first time, she felt a wave of sadness that Cole was married. If fate had brought them back together, it seemed like a cruel twist for both of them to be with other people—though, she was single now and had no plans to rush into a relationship with anyone anytime soon.
The sound of clapping snapped Laura out of her daydreaming. Cole was holding his hand up to high five her and he looked excited. She slapped her hand against his as he began speaking.
“That was phenomenal. I think maybe your best song yet. It’s going to pull on people’s heartstrings.”
“Thank you! I’m so glad you liked it. Is there anything you’d want to change?” Laura often got her best tweaks to a song after people made suggestions and once she implemented them, it made the song even better.
Cole thought about it for a moment. “It’s pretty perfect, but there was one thing I thought of. What if you went a little softer at the midpoint and then let it build a little more at the end? Might be a more powerful finish.”
Laura knew he was right. She could hear the adjustment in her mind and knew it was the right finishing touch.
“I’ll do that, thanks.”
“So, are you ready for that ice cream?”
They got their ice cream cones, almond fudge chip for her and pistachio for him, and then strolled along the busy street as they ate them, stopping now and then to peek in the windows of different shops. They went back to Cole’s truck after that and spent the rest of the afternoon sight-seeing.
He took her all over town to all the places they used to go. Some places felt more familiar than others. When they went to Folly Beach to the spot where they used to always go, Laura felt the same bittersweetness that she’d felt at the tree. She could feel that they spent a lot of time at that beach and it was important to them. It was a beautiful place and she couldn’t resist walking barefoot on the sand and dipping her toes in the water.
When they left the beach, Cole said the last stops would be the high school they attended and the trailer park where she used to live with her mother. They drove by the high school first and Laura was surprised by the rush of memories that swept over her as she looked at the familiar school. She’d been happy there. It was confusing to have so many memories filling her up at once. It made her head ache, and she pressed one hand against her temple.
“Are you okay?” Cole sounded concerned.
She smiled and tried not to show how shaken she was. “I’m fine. It just took me by surprise because it looked so familiar. That hasn’t really happened yet.”
“Are you sure you want to go to your mother’s place today? We can put it off if you want.”
“No, I’m sure. I want to go there. I feel like I need to.”
Cole nodded. “Okay then. It’s right around the corner. We’ll be there in a few minutes.”
Laura held her breath as Cole turned onto Sutton Street. As soon as she saw the street sign, she recognized it. Cole pulled into the trailer park and slowed down as he reached number eighteen. There was a cheerful older woman sitting on the patio drinking a cup of coffee while a skinny orange cat walked in figure eights around her feet. She smiled and looked at them curiously when they got out of the truck.
“Can I help you? Are you looking for someone that lives in the park?” she asked.
“No, we’re just passing through,” Cole said.
“I used to live here, in your unit. Years ago,” Laura told her.
The woman looked delighted to hear it. “You did? How marvelous. Would you like a look around? I’ve redecorated in my style, but I haven’t really changed anything. It was in very good condition. I’m Betty, by the way.”
“I’m Laura and this is Cole. I’d love a look around, if it’s not too much trouble.”
“No trouble at all. I welcome the company. It’s quiet around here during the day. Come on in.”
Laura and Cole followed her inside and as she showed them around, chattering all the while, Laura felt a little fuzzy as if she was in a dream walking around. She remembered living here, and when Laura stepped into her old bedroom, she felt light-headed as a deluge of memories crashed down on her. All kinds of images and feelings all at once; it was overwhelming. She swayed and Cole put his hand on her arm to steady her.
“Are you okay?” he whispered.
She nodded, but when Cole took her hand to lead her out of the room, she gripped onto it tightly. When they went into Betty’s bedroom, her mother’s old room, Laura’s eyes welled up and the sadness was almost more than she could bear. She fought back the tears and tried to gather herself together. She didn’t want to fall apart in front of Betty or Cole. She could do that later when she was alone in her room and could figure out how she was going to deal with everything that she remembered. Because now, she remembered it all. She remembered being in love with Cole. She glanced at his sweet concerned face and wanted to burrow herself in his arms, to hold tight and never let go. But she knew that wasn’t possible.
Chapter 30
Cole’s phone dinged as he and Laura said goodbye to Betty and climbed into his truck. He glanced at the text message, which was from Chelsea.
“Don’t wait for me for dinner. Working late tonight. Not sure what time I’ll be home.”
It was the second time that week she’d worked late. As he and Laura pulled out of the trailer park, a thought came to him since he was on his own now for the evening.
“That was Chelsea. She’s working late tonight and I’m not much of a cook. Want to join me for dinner?” He wasn’t ready to drop Laura off yet and he was a little worried about her.
“I’d love that. I was probably just going to have soup again and hibernate in my room. Dinner with you sounds much better.” She was smiling again and seemed back to normal, so maybe he’d imagined that she was sad or upset before. Laura always had been on the reserved side. She kept things to herself and wasn’t always easy to read.
“Great! You like barbecue right?”
“Love it. Nashville has the best.”
Cole grinned. “Well, you haven’t had Smoky Pete’s yet. It’s kind of a dive, an out of the way place, but it’s the best I’ve ever had. The margaritas are good too.”
“That sounds wonderful. I’m sure I’ll love it.”
Twenty minutes later, they arrived at Smoky Pete’s and Laura laughed as she followed Cole down into the basement of a brick building in what looked like a sketchy part of town.
“I told you it was a dive,” Cole said before a hostess came over to se
at them and handed them menus. When the waitress came, they both ordered margaritas which were delivered a few minutes later in salt-rimmed mason jars. She also set down a bowl of hot roasted peanuts to snack on.
“I think it’s charming,” Laura said as she looked around the room. Cole followed her gaze, seeing the restaurant through her eyes. It had cement floors with crushed peanut shells littered here and there. Small windows with faded black shutters let in a hint of light, but otherwise the room was dark and dimly lit except for colored lights strung along the walls and wrapped around tall beams. Booths with brown faux leather seats lined the walls and there were a few cocktail tables in the middle. There was usually live music most nights. Later in the evening, the restaurant turned into more of a bar and the tables would be pushed to one side to make room for dancing.
From where they sat they could see the open kitchen where workers were slicing meat and cooking their meals. It was a good place to go if you didn’t want to be bothered. When he and Chelsea were first dating they used to go often and hide out in a booth for hours, laughing and drinking margaritas, happy in their own little world. They hadn’t been there in a long time, almost a year now.
“So, what’s good here? What should I get?” Laura asked as she reached for a peanut and cracked open the shell.
“Everything’s good. I usually get either the pulled pork or the brisket with mac and cheese on the side.”
When their waitress came over, Cole ordered the brisket and Laura got the pulled pork. Their food came out quickly, and they chatted easily as they ate. But Laura didn’t say anything about how she was feeling or what if anything she’d remembered that day. Cole was pretty sure she remembered something because she seemed not quite herself when they were at the trailer and even before when they drove by the high school she looked miles away. His mind went back to her new song, which spoke to him. It was how he’d always viewed their relationship, when they were together. She said it was inspired by the older couple she’d met at breakfast, but he couldn’t help wondering if somewhere deep inside her subconscious she was starting to remember and it was coming out in her music.
Nashville Dreams Page 17
