Pov- Bree

I slung my backpack over my shoulder, picked up the small

dog carrier on my passenger side seat, and closed the car door

behind me. I stood still for a minute, just listening to the

morning cricket songs echoing all around, almost, but not

quite, drowning out the soft swish of the trees rustling in the

wind. The sky above me was a vivid blue and I could just

make out a small sliver of glistening lake water through the

cottages in front of me. I squinted at the white one, the one

that still had the small sign in the front window declaring that

it was, For Rent. It was clearly older and slightly run down,

but it had a charm about it that immediately appealed to me. I

could picture sitting on the small porch in the evenings,

watching the trees surrounding it sway in the breeze as the

moon came up over the lake behind me, the smell of pine and

lake water in the air. I smiled to myself. I hoped the inside

offered a little charm too, or at the very least, some clean.

“What do you think, Phoebs?” I asked softly. Phoebe

chuffed agreeably from her carrier.

“Yeah, I think so too,” I said.

An older sedan pulled up next to my small VW Bug and

an older, balding man got out, walking toward me.

“Bree Prescott?”

“That’s me.” I smiled and took a few steps, shaking his

hand. “Thanks for meeting me on short notice, Mr. Connick.”

“Please, call me George,” he said, smiling back at me and

moving toward the cottage, both of us kicking up dust and

dead pine needles with each step. “Not a problem meetin’ you.

I’m retired now, so I don’t really have a schedule to keep to.

This worked just fine.” We walked up the three wooden stairsto the small porch, and he pulled a ring of keys out of his

pocket and began searching for one.

“Here we go,” he said, putting the key in the lock and

pushing the front door open. The smell of dust and faint

mildew greeted me as we stepped inside and I looked around.

“The wife comes out here as often as possible and does

some dusting and some basic cleaning, but as you can see, it

could use a good once-over. Norma doesn’t get around quite as

well as she used to with her hip arthritis and all. The place has

been empty all summer.”

“It’s fine.” I smiled at him, putting Phoebe’s dog carrier

down by the door and moving toward what I could see was the

kitchen. The inside needed more than a basic cleaning–more

like a complete scrub down. But I immediately loved it. It was

quaint and full of charm. When I lifted a couple of covers, I

saw that the furnishings were older, but tasteful. The wood

floors were wide planked and beautifully rustic, and the paint

colors were all subtle and calming.

The kitchen appliances were older, but I didn’t need

much as far as a kitchen went anyway. I wasn’t sure I’d ever

want to cook again.

“The bedroom and bathroom are in the back–” Mr.

Connick started to say.

“I’ll take it,” I cut in, then laughed and shook my head

slightly. “I mean, if it’s still available, and okay with you, I’ll

take it.”

He chuckled. “Well, yes, that’s great. Let me get the

rental agreement out of my car and we can get that all taken

care of. I listed the security deposit as first and last, but I can

work with you if that’s a problem.”

I shook my head. “No, that’s not a problem. That sounds

fine.”

“Okay then, I’ll be right back,” he said, moving toward

the door.While he was outside, I took a minute to walk down the

hall and peek into the bedroom and bathroom. Both were

small, but they would do, just as I’d figured they would. The

thing that caught my attention was the large window in the

bedroom that faced the lake. I couldn’t help smiling as I took

in the view of the small dock leading to the calm, glassy water,

a stunning blue in the bright morning light.

There were two boats far out, not much more than dots on

the horizon.

Suddenly, looking out at that water, I had the strangest

sensation that I wanted to cry–but not with sadness, with

happiness. Just as soon as I felt it, it started to fade, leaving me

with an odd nostalgia that I couldn’t begin to explain.

“Here we go,” Mr. Connick called and I heard the door

shut behind him. I left the room to sign the papers for the place

I would call home–at least for the next little while–hoping

against hope that this was where I’d finally find some peace.

Norma Connick had left all her cleaning products at the

cottage, and so after I had lugged my suitcase out of my car

and put it in the bedroom, I had gotten to work. Three hours

later, I pushed a damp piece of hair out of my eyes and stood

back to admire my work. The wood floors were clean and dust

free, all the furniture was uncovered and the entire place

thoroughly dusted. I had found the bed linens and towels in the

hall closet and washed and dried them in the small, stacked

washer and dryer next to the kitchen, and then made up the

bed. The kitchen and bathroom were scrubbed and bleached

and I had opened all the windows to let in the warm summer

breeze that came off the lake. I wouldn’t get too used to this

place, but for now, I was content.I unpacked the few toiletries I’d thrown into my suitcase

and placed them in the medicine cabinet and then took a long,

cool shower, washing the hours of cleaning and more hours of

travel off my body. I had broken up the sixteen hour drive

from my hometown, Cincinnati, Ohio, into two eight hour

hauls, staying overnight in a small, roadside motel one night,

and driving through the next to arrive this morning. I had

stopped at a small Internet café in New York the day before

and looked online for rental properties in the town where I was

headed. The town in Maine I had chosen as my destination

was a popular tourist attraction and so after more than an hour

of searching, the closest I could get was across the lake, in this

small town named Pelion.........

Pov- Bree

After drying off, I put on a pair of clean shorts and a t-

shirt, and picked up my phone to call my best friend, Natalie.

She’d called me several times since I’d first texted her and told

her I was leaving, and I’d only texted her back. I owed her an

actual phone call.

“Bree?” Nat answered, the sounds of loud chatter in the

background.

“Hey, Nat, is this a bad time?”

“Hold on, I’m going outside.” She put her hand over the

mouthpiece and said something to someone and then came

back on the line. “No, it’s not a bad time! I’ve been dying to

talk to you! I’m at lunch with my mom and my aunt. They can

wait a few minutes. I’ve been worried,” she said, her tone

slightly accusing.

I sighed. “I know, I’m sorry. I’m in Maine.” I had told her

it was where I was heading.

“Bree, you just took off. Geez. Did you even pack

anything?”

“A few things. Enough.”

She huffed out a breath. “Okay. Well, when are you

coming home?”“I don’t know. I thought I might stay here for a little

while. Anyway, Nat, I didn’t mention this, but I’m running low

on money–I just spent a big chunk on a security deposit for my

rental. I need to get a job, at least for a couple months, and

make enough to fund my trip home and a few months of living

expenses once I get back.”

Nat paused. “I didn’t realize it was that bad. But Bree,

honey, you have a college degree. Come home and put it to

use. You don’t need to live like some kind of vagabond in a

town where you don’t know a single person. I already miss

you. Avery and Jordan miss you. Let your friends help you get

back to life–we love you. I can send you some money if it

means getting you home more quickly.”

“No, no, Natalie. Really. I… need this time, okay? I know

you love me. I do,” I said quietly. “I love you too. This is just

something that I need to do.”

She paused again. “Was it because of Jordan?”

I chewed on my lip for a couple seconds. “No, not

entirely. I mean, maybe that was the straw, but no, I’m not

running away from Jordan. It was just kind of the last thing I

needed, you know? Everything just got to be… too much.”

“Oh honey, a person can only take so much.” When I was

quiet, she sighed and said, “So the semi-strange, impromptu

road trip is already helping?” I heard the smile in her voice.

I laughed a quiet laugh. “In some ways, maybe. In other

ways, not just yet.”

“So they haven’t gone away yet?” Natalie asked quietly.

“No, Nat, not yet. But I feel good about this place. I

really do.” I tried to sound chipper.

Nat paused again. “Honey, I don’t think it’s about the

place.”

“That’s not what I mean. I just mean, this feels like a

good place to get away to for a little bit… oh gosh, you’vegotta go. Your mom and aunt are waiting for you. We can talk

about this another time.”

“Okay,” she said, hesitantly. “So you’re safe?”

I paused. I never felt entirely safe. Would I again? “Yes,

and it’s beautiful here. I found a cottage right on the lake.” I

glanced out the window behind me, taking in the beautiful

water view again.

“Can I come visit?”

I smiled. “Let me get settled in. Maybe before I turn back

around?”

“Okay, deal. I really miss you.”

“I miss you too. I’ll call again soon, okay?”

“Okay. Bye, honey.”

“Bye, Nat.”

I hung up the phone and went to the big window and

drew the shades in my new bedroom and climbed into my

freshly made bed. Phoebe settled in at my feet. I fell asleep the

minute my head hit the pillow.

**********

POV- Bree

I woke up to the sounds of bird calls and the distant lap of

water hitting the shore. I rolled over and looked at the clock. It

was just past six in the evening now. I stretched and sat up,

orienting myself.

I got up, Phoebe trotting along behind me, and brushed

my teeth in the small bathroom. After I rinsed, I studied

myself in the medicine cabinet mirror. The dark circles under

my eyes were still there, although less pronounced after the

five hours of sleep I had just gotten. I pinched my cheeks tobring some color into them and gave myself a big, cheesy, fake

grin in the mirror and then shook my head at myself. “You are

going to be okay, Bree. You are strong and you are going to be

happy again. Do you hear me? There’s something good about

this place. Do you feel it?” I tilted my head and stared at

myself in the mirror for a minute longer. Lots of people gave

their own reflection pep talks in the bathroom, right? Totally

normal. I snorted softly and shook my head slightly again. I

rinsed my face and then quickly pulled my long, light brown

hair back into a messy twist at the nape of my neck.

I went out to the kitchen and opened the freezer where I

had put the frozen meals I had had in a cooler on ice in my car.

I hadn’t had a lot of food to bring with me–just the few things

that were in my refrigerator at home–a few microwaveable

meals, milk, peanut butter and bread, and some fruit. And a

half a bag of dog food for Phoebs. But it would do for a couple

days before I had to find the local grocery store.

I popped a pasta meal into the microwave sitting on the

counter and then stood eating it with a plastic fork. I watched

out the kitchen window as I ate and noticed an old woman in a

blue dress and short white hair come out of the cottage next to

mine and walk toward my porch with a basket in her hands.

When I heard her light knock, I tossed the now-empty

cardboard meal box in the trash and went to answer.

I pulled the door open and the old lady smiled warmly at

me. “Hi dear, I’m Anne Cabbott. Looks like you’re my new

neighbor. Welcome to the neighborhood.”

I smiled back at her and took the basket she offered me.

“Bree Prescott. Thank you. How nice.” I lifted a corner of the

towel on top of the basket and the sweet smell of blueberry

muffins wafted up to me. “Oh gosh, these smell delicious,” I

said. “Would you like to come in?”

“Actually, I was going to ask if you’d like to come have

some iced tea with me on my porch. I just made some fresh.”

“Oh,” I hesitated, “okay, sure. Just give me a second to

pull on some shoes.”I stepped back inside and put the muffins on my kitchen

counter and then went back to my bedroom where I had kicked

off my flip flops.

When I came back to the front, Anne was standing at the

edge of my porch waiting for me. “Such a lovely night. I try to

sit out in the evenings and enjoy it. Pretty soon I’ll be

complaining about how cold it is.”

We started walking toward her cottage. “So you live here

all year round?” I asked, glancing over at her.

She nodded. “Most of us on this side of the lake are year-

round residents. Tourists aren’t interested in this town as it is.

Over there,” she nodded her head toward the far side of the

lake, barely visible from this distance, “is where all the tourist

attractions are. Most in this town don’t mind that, like it even.

Course all that’s going to change. The woman who owns the

town, Victoria Hale, has plans for a bunch of new

development that will bring the tourists here as well.” She

sighed as we climbed the stairs to her porch and she sat down

in one of the wicker chairs. I sat on the two-person porch

swing and leaned back on the cushion.

Her porch was beautiful and homey, full of comfortable

white wicker, and bright blue and yellow cushions. There were

pots of flowers everywhere–wave petunias and potato vine

cascading over the sides.

“What do you think about bringing tourists here?”

She frowned slightly. “Oh, well, I like our quiet little

town. I say let them stay over there. We still get the passer-

throughs which is enough for my taste. Plus, I like our small

town feel. Supposedly condos are going up here, so there

won’t be any more lakeside cottages.”

I frowned. “Oh, I’m sorry,” I said, realizing she meant

she’d have to move.

She waved her hand dismissively. “I’ll be okay. It’s the

businesses in town that will be closed down because of the

expansion that I worry more for.”