The Inn at Angel Island

by Thomas Kinkade

  “That branch has tossed a monkey wrench into your plans,” Claire agreed in a sympathetic tone. She opened the oven and peered inside. The cinnamon smell was incredibly delicious.

  “Too bad for your brother, he seems to be counting on a quick sale.”

  “Yes, he is,” Liza said. She had come here wanting a quick sale, too. But she felt differently about it now. Perhaps Claire sensed that. The next thing the housekeeper said made Liza think so.

  “Did you ever hear that saying, ‘When God closes one door, He always opens another’?” Claire asked.

  “My aunt used to say that whenever I got frustrated-trying to make a sports team or missing out on some job situation.”

  Claire smiled. “Yes, it was one of her favorite sayings. She also used to say that the problem with most people is that they sit staring at the closed door so long, they never notice the open one.”

  Liza didn’t recall that part of the proverb. A nice twist, she thought. Were she and Peter staring at the closed door right now, even with a huge branch poking right through it? Claire seemed to think so.

  Funny how just yesterday when she visited the cemetery, she was thinking that her aunt would not have approved of such a rush sale, making such a big decision without taking their time, considering their choices. Looking for another open door. Looking at things… creatively.

  Peter needed the money. He had made no secret of that. He was counting on it.

  But I have money I can loan him or even give him, Liza realized. She and Jeff had sold their condo as a condition of their separation agreement. Liza had planned to buy a new property with her share, but the money was just sitting in the bank. Hers to do with as she pleased.

  “Would you like a muffin?” Claire asked, setting a basket of hot muffins on the table.

  Liza took one and put in on her plate. Then she peeled back the paper wrapper. “This looks great. What kind is it, carrot?”

  “Not exactly. It’s called Morning Glory.”

  Liza took a bite. “It’s good. Really good,” she said around a mouthful.

  Claire looked pleased by her reaction. “It’s an old recipe, but it comes out a little different every time. It all comes together in the end, though. If you relax and take your time.”

  Liza didn’t cook much, but she had some idea of what Claire was talking about. That was the way she had always felt about her art. She would set out with some concept for what she wanted to capture in a sketch or painting, but then she always had to allow for the work to take on its own life, to speak with its own voice. For the unexpected to evolve. That was the fun of it, the magic.

  Liza wanted to talk more to Claire about this notion, but Jeff was coming down the hall toward the kitchen, dressed and ready to go. “Well, I’m off,” he said. “If the bridge isn’t open yet, I’ll just wait.”

  “I think it will be open by now,” Claire said.

  “Would you like some coffee before you go?” Liza asked. She and Jeff might not be a couple anymore, but they could be decent to each other.

  He hesitated. “All right, just a quick cup.”

  Claire poured a mug of coffee and handed it to him. He didn’t sit down but drank it standing.

  “Thanks for helping out last night,” Liza said. “It was all hands on deck.”

  “It was exciting. I sort of enjoyed it.” Jeff glanced at her. “A memorable chapter in a memorable visit.”

  Liza didn’t answer. She met his glance and looked away.

  “How about a muffin-for the road? They’re very good.”

  She held out the basket, a peace offering. He smiled finally and took a muffin, then wrapped it in a napkin. “For the road, then.”

  Jeff said good-bye to Claire and headed for the door.

  Liza followed. “Good-bye, Jeff,” she said. “Drive safely.”

  “Good-bye, Liza.” He turned and briefly hugged her. “I hope you find whatever it is you’re looking for,” he said, as he stepped away.

  “I hope so, too,” Liza replied. Though she hadn’t until that moment realized she was searching for anything special in her life. She just knew what she didn’t want. But maybe that was the same thing, just viewed from a different angle.

  She stepped out onto the porch. Jeff climbed into his car and drove away. She watched the car turn at the end of the drive, then disappear. An ordinary sight. Yet in this instance, it felt so final.

  Liza stood on the porch, hugging her arms around her for warmth as she stared out at the ocean and the crystal clear sky.

  Finding closure about her marriage and her disillusionment with her job had left a gaping hole in her life. Two focal points of her life had been wiped off the playing board. In the blink of an eye, it seemed.

  Now there was just a big hole there. Like the one up in the roof. How would she fix it? What should she do?

  It seemed like a huge disaster. But it had also opened a space where you could see the blue sky or the stars at night.

  That was something to think about, too.

  It was all in the way you looked at things, Liza realized. Out on this island, she seemed to be seeing everything from a very different perspective.

  Chapter Eleven

  LIZA leaned on the porch railing and took one last, lingering look at the water. She certainly wasn’t going to answer these huge life questions right now. For one thing, she had more practical matters to focus on-figuring out how to fix the roof, for starters. She knew very well that the huge storm last night was just the first of many. She had to get a solid roof on the inn before the next storm hit.

  I guess I should ask Daniel what to do. Even if he can’t do the repair work, he probably knows a few carpenters or roofers who could.

  Another opportunity to see him, she knew. But she wasn’t just trumping up a phony reason. There was, after all, a huge hole in the roof…

  Liza caught herself and felt annoyed that she was giving the situation so much thought. Then she had to smile as Daniel’s truck came into view. As if her thoughts had summoned him.

  The white pickup pulled into the drive and parked near the front door. Liza waited on the porch as Daniel got out of the truck and walked toward her. His wide smile and dark eyes made her pulse race, but she did her best to hide her reaction.

  “So, you survived the storm, I see. The place is still standing,” Daniel greeted her.

  “Just barely.” Liza pointed to the tree that had been struck by lightning. “That tree was hit, and a huge branch fell off and went right through our roof.”

  “Wow… close call. You were lucky.”

  “I guess we were.” Liza hadn’t thought of it that way before, but it was true. The house could have been hit by lightning and caught fire. Maybe a big hole was not so bad after all.

  “How bad is it?” Daniel stepped closer, looking concerned.

  Liza was suddenly having a hard time focusing on the damaged roof. All she could think about was being alone with him yesterday and how good that felt.

  She forced her mind back to his question. “Well, the hole is sort of off to one side of the eave,” she answered. “And there’s this huge branch. I don’t know how we’ll ever move that, it’s so heavy. It’s hard to describe,” she said finally, glancing up at him.

  “Let’s go up and take a look.” He met her gaze and briefly touched her shoulder, then followed her to the front door.

  Something between them felt different this morning. Some ineffable… something. They had crossed some sort of line yesterday, a line of intimacy. Their relationship had moved into some new territory, one that was a strange, foreign land to her after being married for so long.

  And she had made a final break with Jeff last night, even more final than their divorce-which left her free to see Daniel in a new way.

  They headed into the house, and Liza led the way up the first staircase. “Do you work on roofs, too?” she asked him.

  “I might be able to work on this one. Let’s just see what’s going on.�
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  They finally arrived in the dimly lit attic. Daniel surveyed the branch and hole from a few different angles. Then he looked over the surrounding beams and the fractured wood around the opening. “Hmm. That is a nasty hit.”

  “So, what’s your prognosis, Doctor? Can this roof be saved?”

  “I’ll give it my best shot-though the emergency surgery will delay the paint job.”

  “Oh, right.” Liza hadn’t thought of that. They could probably find someone else to fix the roof while Daniel kept painting. But now that he had looked over the damage and said he could do it, she didn’t feel right taking the project away from him.

  “Well, it can’t be helped, I guess. A hole in the house is a priority.”

  “I’d tend to agree with that, especially with more rain in the forecast. You’re catching on to this renovation stuff pretty quickly.”

  She knew he was teasing her now. “Thanks. I do watch those home shows from time to time.”

  “I guessed that. Are you sure you really want to sell this place? I think you secretly enjoy it.”

  She was secretly enjoying something about these repair issues, that was for sure.

  She caught his eye for an instant, then looked away. A few cartons marked “Christmas” caught her eye, and Liza rushed over to move them to a dry spot.

  “I didn’t see these last night. I hope the Christmas decorations didn’t get ruined,” she said over her shoulder. “Aunt Elizabeth had such beautiful ornaments and lights.”

  “Here, let me help you.” Daniel stepped over and began moving the cartons with her. They worked together for a few minutes without speaking, yet Liza felt strangely connected to him, relaxed and easy in their partnership.

  Finally, he stood up and brushed some dust off his hands. “Anything else you want to get out of the way?”

  She stood up, too, and brushed a few stray strands of hair off her face. He reached down and helped her, smiling gently.

  “Why do I always look like such a wreck when I see you?” she asked in a quiet, plaintive tone.

  “I don’t know. But I have to tell you, I’ve rarely seen such an unattractive woman. It’s… alarming.” The way he was staring at her in the hazy light and the smile in his warm brown eyes suggested he was more charmed than alarmed.

  He cupped her face in his hand and leaned down and kissed her. Liza closed her eyes, feeling herself melt. Her arms slipped around his waist as he pulled her closer. Liza wasn’t sure how long they stood there, how long the kiss lasted. She lost all track of time.

  She heard someone coming up the stairs, and she quickly pulled away. What had come over her? What had come over him?

  “Liza, are you up there?” Peter called, as he slowly climbed the narrow flight that led to the attic.

  “Yes… I’m here with Daniel. We’re just looking at the damage,” she shouted back.

  Sort of…

  She glanced at Daniel. He looked as dazed as she felt. Which was some comfort. They shared a swift, secret smile. Then he put on his game face and walked toward the steps to greet Peter.

  “So, what do you think? A total disaster, right?” Peter ran his hand through his hair. “What a thing to happen. What timing.” He looked over at Liza before Daniel could reply. “Fran Tulley just called. The Hardys wanted to come back today, but I had to tell her about the roof. She’s going to tell them and see what they want to do. She didn’t sound too optimistic.” Peter’s tone was glum. “She thinks they may be scared off.”

  Liza glanced over at Daniel. “Daniel says he can fix it in a few days.”

  “A few days?” Peter turned to Daniel. “Will it really take that long?”

  “Two days at least. Depending on the weather,” Daniel told him.

  Daniel began to explain the different stages of the repair, and Liza decided it was the perfect time to slip away and let her brother take over.

  Liza yearned for a shower and a change of clothes. The situation would look better after that, she was sure of it.

  She knew there was plenty of work to be done today, but for some reason, the hole in the roof had taken the pressure off. Like getting a flat tire on a road trip. You had no choice but to stop and wait. And appreciate your surroundings.

  And think about being kissed in the attic by the most amazing man you’ve met in ages? a little voice chided her.

  Yes… that, too, Liza silently acknowledged.

  LIZA came out of her room a short time later, wearing jeans and one of her good sweaters, her hair pulled back in a ponytail. She heard noises up in the attic, the sound of a saw and hammers. Daniel didn’t waste any time getting to work, that was for sure.

  She also heard Claire talking with someone down in the foyer. It was Fran Tulley, she realized as she drew closer.

  “Oh, there she is,” Claire said, turning to watch Liza come down the stairs. “Fran is here to see you, Liza. I’ll leave you two to your business. I have something on the stove.”

  The housekeeper headed back toward the kitchen as Fran and Liza greeted each other.

  “Hi, Fran, I didn’t know you were going to stop by. Peter said he spoke to you this morning.”

  “I was in the neighborhood and thought I should see the roof firsthand. This way I can prepare people.”

  “Daniel Merritt just started working on it,” Liza assured her.

  “Oh, that’s good. Very good.” Fran followed Liza up the first flight of stairs toward the attic. “I’m afraid the Hardys have backed off,” Fran reported. “For now at least. I told them the damage probably wasn’t much and would be fixed quickly. But they got spooked. Some people feel superstitious about lightning.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Fran shrugged. “There’s a lot of magical thinking attached to lightning. It’s so sudden and explosive and powerful. Some people believe it’s some sort of sign from the heavens.”

  Liza didn’t believe in that stuff. She didn’t even think about it. Not usually.

  As they climbed up the last narrow flight, they heard voices, and Liza realized that Peter and Will were in the attic with Daniel.

  “Everyone’s here,” Fran said, sounding pleased as they stepped into the attic. “Peter, Will, good to see you.”

  Daniel met Liza’s glance, and she could tell that he was not nearly so pleased to have such a large audience.

  “How’s it going?” Fran said, walking over to him. “Looks like you’ve found another big project here.”

  “Or it found me,” Daniel answered. He nodded toward the huge chunk of tree branch on the attic floor. There was sawdust all around, and Liza was relieved to see that everything nearby had been covered with drop cloths.

  “Daniel’s cutting up the branch. Then we’ll lower it out the window to the ground with some ropes and pulleys,” Peter explained.

  So he did need some help, Liza realized. Or maybe he was just humoring her brother and making him feel as if he were doing something productive.

  Will seemed to be the only one actually helping Daniel. He wore large gloves and a plastic eye guard. He held one end of the trunk as Daniel prepared to cut into it again.

  “Be careful, Will. Don’t get too close to that saw. I wish you’d let me do that part,” Peter told his son.

  “I’m okay, Dad. Just chill, will you?”

  “No need for attitude, Will.” Peter’s voice rose. “This is serious.”

  “I know, I know. Give me a break. You’re always criticizing. You know everything, right?” Will stepped back from the branch, glaring at Peter.

  There was a momentary standoff until Daniel stepped in. “Will’s doing a good job. Just let him handle this last part. He’s already got the gear on,” Daniel pointed out.

  Peter curtly nodded and stood back. Daniel positioned the saw again, but this time Fran interrupted him.

  “How long do you think it will take, Daniel?” she asked.

  “A few days. If I can get this branch out of the way and get started.”
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  Liza seemed to be the only one who caught his sarcasm. And Will, she noticed, who was quietly laughing.

  “That’s not so bad,” Fran said, considering.

  “Could you let the Hardys know that?” Peter asked. “Tell them we’re fixing the roof.”

  “Of course I will,” Fran assured him. Then she peered up at the hole again, frowning. “This is a setback, no way around it. I don’t think we should bring anyone else to view the property until this repair is made. It’s just going to throw people off. There’s enough to overlook already.”

  No denying that, Liza knew. Even her brother couldn’t argue the point.

  Daniel held up his saw. “Just want to warn you all. I’m going to count to five and start this up again. Ready, Will?”

  Will adjusted his goggles and nodded.

  “You don’t have to tell me twice. What a racket.” Fran quickly headed for the steps. “So long, Daniel. Good luck.” She turned to Peter and Liza. “Keep me posted. And don’t worry. Sometimes you just can’t force these situations,” she added. “You just have to sit tight and wait it out.”

  Liza glanced back at her brother as she headed down the steps, wondering how he was taking that piece of advice. Not well, she decided, not well at all.

  LIZA walked Fran to the front door, then wandered into the front parlor. Claire was sorting out more clothing, heavy woolen coats and sweaters that she was going to bring to a local homeless shelter.

  “The weather’s getting warmer, so I guess they’ll hold on to this stuff until next fall,” she said, packing the last bag. “It will go to use though, either way.”

  “I’m sure Aunt Elizabeth would approve,” Liza said. “Do you need any help putting that in your car?”

  “Nah. This is the last bag. I’m fine.” Claire tied the end of the black bag and stood up straight again. “What are you up to today? Outside or in?”

  Liza shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know. I might hang the curtains in the bathroom downstairs. But it seems too nice to stay inside.”

  “That’s the best thing about a big spring storm. It makes the air so clear and sweet,” Claire agreed.