by Verna Clay
Faith returned to the B & B and spent the rest of the day in her room, not because she didn't want to explore the town, but because she had an overwhelming desire to write. The story took on a life of its own as she began creating an historical romance about a swashbuckling pirate named Dax. Of course, she never expected it to be read by anyone, so Baxter would never know he was her model for Dax. She even grinned at her audacity.
She tapped the story into her laptop until three and didn't even think about eating until her stomach growled. Hoping to find a bowl of fruit downstairs, she saved her file with the title of Dax, and then brushed her straight, auburn, shoulder-length hair. She applied some lipstick before going in search of something to tide her over until dinner. In the dining room she was relieved to find bowls of apples, oranges, bananas, and peaches on the sideboard and grabbed a banana.
"Oh, there you are," said Gabby. "We missed you at lunch and figured you were either exploring the town or the cove. Did you eat lunch?"
Faith grinned sheepishly. "Actually, no. I was in my room working on something and overlooked the time. Did missing lunch cause you a problem?"
Gabby made a tsking sound and glanced at the banana in Faith's hand. She motioned toward the kitchen door. "No problem, but let's go find you something more substantial than a banana. Besides, I want you to meet our chefs, Jennie and James Pierson, affectionately known to everyone as J & J who work at the B & B. She grinned at her silliness and Faith returned her grin. For Faith, Hope Bed & Breakfast was turning into a wonderful place to regroup.
Gabby continued, "You didn't meet J & J sooner because they took some much needed R & R to spend with their kids. Goodness, soon I'll be talking in shorthand." She pushed the door open and Faith entered a large, country kitchen with pots hanging above a massive island. The cupboards were open-concept and displayed vast amounts of plates, bowls, cups, saucers, and serving dishes. A huge window brought light and beauty into the room with a view of the B & B's private beach and forested peninsula. She had entered a cook's heaven.
Immediately, Faith recognized the couple she had avoided the previous day at the beach. Jennie glanced up from the food processor she was operating, turned it off, and grinned at Faith. James placed a tray of cookies onto a cooling rack and also grinned. Gabby made introductions while he removed his oven mitts.
Jennie said with a western accent, "It's a pleasure meetin' you, Faith. I saw you at the beach yesterday and was gonna invite you to join us in a game of volleyball, but you seemed to be in a hurry. Maybe we'll get a chance to play volleyball before you leave."
Before Faith could respond, James said in the same accent, "Nice meetin' ya, ma'am."
Faith smiled at the couple, knowing she would never join them on the beach. The heartache of watching them with their children would have been too much. She said, "It's a pleasure meeting you, too, Jennie and James."
There was an awkward silence and then Gabby said, "Faith missed lunch. Is there any chicken pot pie left?"
Faith started to protest, but Jennie gushed, "Yes, ma'am. It'll only take a sec to warm up."
The growling of Faith's stomach kept her from further protest.
After Jennie warmed the pot pie in a microwave, set it on a tray, and added tableware and the iced tea Faith had asked for, Gabby invited her onto the front porch to eat.
Faith wanted to return to her room to enjoy her meal and reread what she had written, but decided it would be rude after Gabby's kindness. She joined her hostess on the porch that ran the width of the house and faced Main Street. Remembering the question she'd been meaning to ask, she said, "How did Somewhere get its name?"
Gabby chuckled. "It was really the perfect name for the town because the founder, Oliver Hope, after making a fortune with an import business, sold his San Francisco based operation to pursue a simpler lifestyle. He uprooted his wife and twin sons to travel the coastline looking for that perfect life and ended up in Oregon. It's reported that his wife, growing weary of travel said, 'You better find somewhere soon,' and shortly thereafter they entered this cove. Her husband then told her, 'Looks like we've found Somewhere.'"
"What a great story," said Faith, using her fork to break into the flaky, golden crust of her pie. Lifting a morsel of chicken she blew on it and gingerly placed it in her mouth. It was still hot, but deliciously so. She closed her eyes and moaned. "This is awesome."
Gabby laughed. "I've gained fifteen pounds since J & J started working here."
Faith enjoyed another bite as Gabby motioned toward the boulevard. "Some of the homes on the boulevard are owned by part-timers who like to spend summers here, and I have to tell you, the houses are incredible. Can you imagine owning a four or five thousand square foot home that you only visit for a few weeks each year? And many are larger than that."
Faith shook her head. "Not really. And besides that, this town is so picturesque I'd want to make it my permanent home." She closed her eyes again as she enjoyed a forkful of creamy vegetables.
When she opened them, Gabby was grinning widely. "J & J are the best cooks in town and I'm blessed to have them. They relocated to Somewhere about five years ago from Dallas, where they worked for some high class restaurant. They said they were sick of the big city and wanted to raise their children in a community where locals weren't strangers on the street. When they first arrived they stayed here and when I found out they were chefs, I invited them to give my B & B a shot. They did, and the rest is history."
Faith picked up her spoon so she could include the juice of the pot pie in her next bite.
Gabby continued, "They've got a home near the top of Hope Hill behind us that, in my estimation, is a better place to live than the boulevard because of the elevated view. Seeing the entire cove from above and the endless blue beyond is incredible. And storms during fall and winter are indescribable sights when the sky and ocean turn gray, and you can't decide where one begins and the other ends." She got a faraway look as if reliving the scene, and suddenly Faith wanted to experience one of those storms.
When Gabby returned her attention to Faith she smiled sadly. "My husband died of a heart attack during a storm and you'd think I'd hate them, but I don't. Somehow they make me feel like Marcus is standing beside me." She chuckled. "Maybe it sounds crazy, but storms make me feel good, and the worse they are, the better." She reached to pat Faith's shoulder. "Perhaps I'm speaking out of turn, but there's sadness in you. If you ever need to talk about anything, I'm here."
Faith cleared her throat, said abruptly, "I'm a widow, too," and changed the subject. "I haven't explored downtown yet. I think I'll go there tomorrow. Is there any place I shouldn't miss?"
Calmly, Gabby responded, "Be sure to visit the museum." Then she named other places of interest. Faith finished her meal, stood to leave, and thanked Gabby again for her hospitality. As she was about to enter the house Gabby said softly, "Find your storm, Faith."
7: Sandy
All night Faith dreamed of raging storms and woke several times to the silence of a serene summer night.
Find your storm…find your storm…find your storm. Was there anything in this world that could help her heal? Help her continue a life void of her family? Bring her peace?
Waking to the depression she fought daily and that had kept her bedridden for weeks after the accident, she forced herself to rise and shower. She was going to explore town, come hell or high water.
During breakfast she learned that the elderly B & B guests had checked out and two brothers now occupied their room. The brothers were young, maybe late twenties, handsome with scruffy, unshaven jaws, and kept glancing toward the three sisters. Faith suppressed a smile. Three brothers, instead of two, would have been perfect; however, since Candace directed all of her attention at Baxter, maybe two brothers worked well for the situation. She glanced at him to see him watching her. She feigned indifference even though her heart jumped, which was distressing, because she had no interest in pursuing a relationship with a man; be it
friendship or anything else.
Gabby said to the group as a whole, "What do you think of these pecan pancakes? Jennie's trying out a new recipe, so we're all guinea pigs."
There were immediate responses saying how delicious they were and Faith joined the praise after swallowing a mouthful of the melt-in-your-mouth, crunchy pecan cakes dripping with maple syrup. The conversation, as it often did, then revolved around food, and Faith thought about the boysenberry pancakes she used to make for her family. She almost mentioned them, but stopped herself in time. In no way did she want to be questioned about her family.
Like Gabby, maybe everyone could see her sadness, but there wasn't any allegorical "storm" that could restore her happiness. She finished her pancakes, took a last sip of coffee, and excused herself.
Directly across from the B & B was a small park at the apex of Main Street and Ocean Boulevard, and she made a mental note to visit the park and walk the boulevard on another day. She walked east on Main Street toward the shopping and tourist district and the first shop she encountered was a lovely boutique called Bathing Suits Galore. There was a salesclerk in the display window dressing mannequins in hot pink bikinis and Faith paused beside a second window of mannequins dressed in black, one-piece suits. She was impressed with one that had yellow piping around the bodice, and when she envisioned her old brown suit, she cringed. The thought of wearing that outdated monstrosity propelled her into the boutique. The clerk, still in the window, lifted her head to smile and welcome her with a joke. "Good morning! Just give me a minute to get this mannequin decent."
"Take your time. I'll just browse." Faith found the rack of black bathing suits and searched for size five or six. She found a size five and removed it from the rack.
The clerk stepped out of the display window and although she wasn't pretty in the classical sense, she had the kind of face not easily forgotten. Beneath wildly curly muddy blond hair that was tamed by two large clips on the sides, her almond shaped green eyes, long nose, overly large mouth, and pointed chin, were stunning in combination. Her most amazing feature, however, was her golden tan, and although slightly overweight, she wore the extra pounds well in turquoise slacks and a matching shell. The yellow scarf tied around her shoulders and gold dangling earrings added contrast. Her makeup was flawless and not excessive. Instinctively, Faith knew that if she ever wanted a makeover, this was the woman to seek advice from. The clerk said, "My name is Sandy and I love that bathing suit because it's understated, yet striking with the yellow piping. The dressing room is in the back if you want to try it on."
Faith studied the suit for a second. "Yes. I think I will." Five minutes later, preening in front of a mirror she whispered to herself, "Faith, you are going to buy this suit and sunbathe. You may even venture into the ocean." Giving her body a once over, she decided she was too thin. Maybe J & J's cooking would add the ten pounds she needed. She heard the clerk outside the dressing room asking, "Do you need another size?"
"No. This one is perfect. Thank you."
After dressing, she returned to the front of the store where the clerk was rearranging scarves on a display rack. The friendly woman glanced up and smiled warmly. "Are you visiting Somewhere? If so I can direct you to several local attractions."
Faith liked the clerk's attitude. "Sandy, I'm Faith. And yes, I'm visiting. I'm staying at Hope B & B."
"Nice to meet you. Be sure and tell Gabby and Baxter that I said hello." She glanced at the bathing suit. "Would you like me to ring it up?"
"Yes." Faith lifted a lovely blue and beige scarf from the display that mimicked the colors of sea and sand and handed it to Sandy. "And this scarf, too."
While Sandy rang up Faith's purchase, she said, "I've lived in Somewhere since I was twelve. My mom and dad decided this was the perfect place to raise their only child, so we moved here from Seattle fifteen years ago." She paused in sharing her history to tell Faith how much she owed and began bagging her purchase in a pretty white bag. "Sometimes I show up at the B & B for lunch, so maybe we'll see each other again." She accepted the cash Faith handed her.
"That would be nice," Faith responded and then asked, "If I were looking to purchase a home here, who would you recommend as a realtor?"
Sandy handed Faith's change to her. "Oh, that's easy; Dave and Doris McGovern. They're some of the friendliest people you'll ever meet and they know every inch of Somewhere. They're completely honest and above-board about every house they show. In fact, they sold me one four years ago that's three blocks behind my shop. I really wanted a view, but those houses were more than I could afford, so the McGoverns found one that I could easily build a deck on the roof. I followed their advice, hired a local contractor, and now I have a million dollar view on blue collar wages."
Faith accepted her purchase, thanked Sandy, and turned to leave, but before she reached the door Sandy called out, "Wait! I think I have a business card for the McGoverns in my purse." She excused herself, entered the back of the store, and returned a minute later holding up a card.
Faith thanked her and asked, "Is there a great place nearby to eat?"
Sandy enthusiastically suggested Mama Pink's Diner. "If you stay on Main Street, it's at the halfway point of downtown. You can't miss the hot pink exterior."
Faith said she would definitely try out the diner and then bid Sandy goodbye. As she continued down the road she found herself doing something she hadn't done for a long time—spontaneously smiling.
8: Mama Pink's Diner
Inhaling deeply, Faith enjoyed the fresh, salty air as she continued her exploration of downtown Somewhere. The main shopping district consisted of several blocks and was resplendent with colorful facades and business signs with such interesting names as: Mama Pink's Diner, Betty B. Breverton's Beauty Boutique, Handy Dan's Hardware, and Classy Coffee Cafe. It was obvious that the city planners did not require coordination of colors, such as in other cities, and the overall affect was quaint and eclectic because each business was unique unto itself.
Faith paused in front of Mama Pink's Diner and perused the posted menu of DOWN HOME COOKIN'. A chalkboard beside the door advertised the daily special.
TODAY'S SPECIAL - $9.95
The best meatloaf and mashed potatoes you ever tasted, with homemade sourdough bread and your choice of veggies! And our famous marionberry pie!
Continuing down the street Faith decided she would try some of that marionberry pie on her way back to the B & B. She walked three more blocks, visited a couple of antique shops and a clock shop, and then crossed the street to enter Art's Art Gallery. The artworks included paintings in several mediums, glasswork and pottery, wood carvings, and bronze and clay sculptures. The wood carvings of sea animals mounted on driftwood were intricately detailed and very expensive.
A thin, short-statured man approached Faith after she had perused the gallery for a few minutes. "Welcome to my gallery. I'm Art Hope. Please let me know if there's anything in particular you're looking for."
Faith was surprised by his last name. "Are you related to Gabby Hope?"
The gentleman smiled. "Yes. Her husband and I were distant cousins. Are you staying at the B & B?"
"I am, and I'm very impressed."
"Gabby is a genius when it comes to hospitality. Welcome to Somewhere."
"Thank you. This is my first foray into town and I must say it's one of the loveliest I've ever visited."
"I couldn't agree more."
Faith motioned to the carving of a starfish. "These wood carvings are astounding. Is the artist local?"
"Yes, but he doesn't want his identity known." Art chuckled. "He signs each one with 'Beach Bum' and he's becoming nationally popular."
"He's very talented."
The proprietor then began pressing Faith about her art preferences and suggesting several pieces. Finally, she said, "I'm just browsing for now."
With a resigned expression Art inclined his head across the room. "I'll be at my desk if you need help."
&nbs
p; Faith continued strolling through the gallery until she thought she'd seen everything. She was just about to leave when she spotted an alcove she had missed. Entering it, her eyes widened when she felt something akin to static electricity lift the hair on her arms. There were six paintings of scenes depicting various aspects of daily life in Somewhere, but the artist had cleverly intermingled two timelines on the same canvas: a modern day one and another from around the turn-of-the-century. However, there was one painting that was different. It was a boy and his dog playing on the beach. The boy was wearing a blue ball cap and had tossed a Frisbee into the air that the dog was chasing. Faith thought about Owen and his pet, and stepped from the alcove to ask the owner if the picture was of them, but he wasn't at his desk. She returned to study the painting once more and searched for the artist's signature. It was signed simply, "Vee." The other pictures were also signed in the same manner. Since Faith didn't want to wait for Art to return from the back room or have him pressure her into buying something, she left the gallery and started walking back in the direction of the B & B.
When she was across the street from Mama Pink's Diner, she jaywalked to the other side. She entered the diner and realized every table was taken; even the counter at the back was packed. A sign just inside the door read, "Welcome and Seat Yourself!"
Faith was about to leave when a waitress wearing a pink T-shirt and carrying a tray loaded with three plates of meatloaf and mashed potatoes, called from across the room, "Honey, your best bet right now is to sit at the counter until a table opens up. There's an empty stool on the end."
Faith glanced at the counter again and saw the stool. Smiling at the middle-aged woman with ponytailed bleached blond hair sprouting brown roots, she nodded a response because answering would have required her to shout. As soon as she sat at the counter a glass of water was placed in front of her by an elderly woman also with a ponytail and wearing a pink T-shirt. She looked to be in her seventies with massive fine wrinkles—not the deep etched kind—covering every inch of her face and neck. She was tall and big boned and her hair was shockingly pink. Her bone structure was such that it was obvious she had once been a stunning woman. She grinned at Faith. "Howdy. My name is Edna Jolene Elizabeth Pink, otherwise known as Mama. Are you staying in Somewhere or just passing through?" Although her greeting was direct and somewhat abrasive, Faith took no offense and instinctively knew that Mama Pink was a wonderful woman.
