definitely miss them, but the ache of losing Derek was so painful that all she could think of was getting away. Her mother even suggested she go stay with Derek’s mother and father out in Fontana, California. Amber knew that that wouldn’t help. They’d only be grieving right along with her. She didn’t want to grieve anymore, just wanted to get away. The only place she could think of was the wonderful Washington rain forest. As soon as the more than generous insurance money went in her bank, she was out of there and on her way to the Pacific Northwest.
“Well…this is it,” she told herself and slowly opened her door. She went around to the back of her car and took out her largest suitcase, figuring she’d get the smaller one later (the rest of her personal belongings were being shipped UPS), and proceeded to the front porch. There she gingerly went up the steps, careful not to trip on the raised side, sat the suitcase down and fingered for the key, opened the squeaky screen and inserted the key in the lock. She turned the knob and the door fell open.
At first she was leery, wondering if her realtor, Shelia Young, had had all the utilities turned on and had furnished the little cabin with the few things she’d ordered. She sighed with great relief when the light went on and she saw the small love seat she’d ordered from Sears placed as she’d asked in front of the double window to the porch, and off to the right and through the large opening into the kitchen was a small table and two chairs she’d ordered. The little cabin had been sold with a refrigerator and electric range. “Thank goodness!” she breathed. It actually looked almost charming.
She wasn’t sure why she had been worried, but it seemed she worried about everything these days. She had checked Shelia Young out thoroughly before trusting her with settling all the legalities with little house and furnishing it.
As she made a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree turn in the center of the living room, she realized that all looked really good. Clean. Everything that had a place was in place. The wood floors were a dark red mahogany and shone surprisingly bright. She could almost see herself in them. Shelia had had the house cleaned before her arrival. There was a black bear rug in front of the off-white love seat patterned with red roses. The rug being something a little extra Shelia had thrown in for Amber’s generous tip for going beyond the call of duty.
She went to her left then and down the short hall where the two bedrooms were.
They too were intact, and hers, the one to her left and front of the cabin, was furnished with a regular size bed, chest-of-drawers, full length mirror on the back of the door and a nightstand by the head of the bed, just in front of the small window there. She had left orders to leave the other bedroom vacant, as she was tinkering with the idea of possibly using it for her painting when she wasn’t working outside.
She liked to paint landscapes in oils and pastels, and tried her hand at an occasional portrait. That was another plus for moving to Washington, all the beautiful scenery she could eventually put on canvass. But right now, first things came first. She laid her suitcase down on the bed and went out to get the smaller one.
By five O’clock, Amber was unpacked. She went to the kitchen and peeked in the refrigerator for the first time, realizing that that was one of the first things she should have checked, but she found she could rest easy. There was fresh milk, a six-pack of canned Coca Colas, fresh vegetables and fruits in the drawers, cold cuts, cheese and several TV dinners in the freezer. On top of the refrigerator was a fresh loaf of wheat bread. She was set for now.
She quickly made a sandwich of sliced ham and cheese and was about to sit down at the little table when she heard a car pull in her drive. Standing up and going to the front window, she saw a tall redheaded woman get out of the car. Amber had never met Shelia in person, but had seen photos of her online before hiring her as her realtor. Sandwich in hand, as she realized she was starving by now, she flung her front door open and went out to greet the pleasantly smiling woman.
“Careful of that top step!”
Shelia instantly smiled. “Oh…I’m fully aware of it, already. In fact, I had left orders for Sam…our man that does maintenance on our properties…to nail it down. But you arrived a day earlier than we anticipated. I was surprised to see your car here in the drive.”
Amber shifted her sandwich to her left hand and wiped her right hand on her jeans and then extended it. Shelia accepted. They shook. Amber liked Shelia’s firm grip, helped seal the trust that was building between the two.
“Yeah…I was going to spend the night in Oregon. But I figured I’d come so close, I might as well come on in. Arrived here around noon.”
“Glad you’re here.”
“Excuse the sandwich,” Amber said apologetically. “I forgot to eat until now. Didn’t realize how hungry I was until I took the first bite! Would you like a ham sandwich?”
Shelia was right behind her as they entered the cabin. “Oh…no thanks. I ate a late lunch and after I leave here I have one more property to check on…”
“Maybe some other time?” Amber suggested as she led the way into the kitchen. “Would you like something to drink? A Coke?”
“Just a glass of water. The water from the well here is absolutely divine. ..And, of course, I had it cleaned out and checked before you came. It is perfectly safe for drinking.”
“Oh! I didn’t realize I had a well.”
“Complete with old-fashioned pump on the top, just behind your back porch,” Shelia replied with a light laugh. “Of course, you have modern plumbing inside…I take it you haven’t been out there?”
“No I haven’t.”
“To the left of your steps. Only wells way out here. Just be thankful the power lines come out this far.” She pointed to the roof. “And a dish for your television, should you decide you want one.”
After getting the glass of water for Shelia, Amber took a seat at the little table and Shelia pulled out the other chair and sat across from her. Amber was beginning to realize there were many things she hadn’t thought through. It was a good thing Shelia was thinking of them for her.
“What’s the funny look for?” Shelia asked, rubbing the diamond ring on her wedding finger with her thumb.
“I guess I should be really thanking you. I could have come out much worse here. It never occurred to me there would be no city pipes out this far…or that I’d have a well.” She took a bite of her sandwich.
“Amber, I’ve been at this job for ten years now. You’re not the first person I’ve helped make the transition from city life to this,” she said, extending an open palm towards the window over the sink. Tall pines filled the view, obscuring the sky from where they sat. “I just hope that this is what you really want. Some people get really claustrophobic after being here for a while.”
“Oh? I hadn’t even thought of that. I just remember the cool air, the fine mist you call rain here, and the beautiful trees…Want to paint, you know. Think I told you already.”
“Yeah you did.”
“Well…I want to make this work. Nothing I want more at the moment.”
Shelia drank down her water, scooted back her chair and stood. “You have my mobile number. Should you need anything…anything at all, don’t hesitate to give me a call.”
Amber took the last bite of her sandwich, jumped up and followed Shelia to the front door.
“Thanks so much for coming. I’m just beginning to realize how really quiet it is out here.”
“It’s gonna get even quieter…You may find you do want that TV, even though there isn’t any cable, yet. There is that satellite dish I pointed out. From what the temporary renter told me, he had good reception…” Then she added, “Cable is coming soon, though… From what I’ve been told, they’ve been working on it. However, if you want the Internet, gonna have to get it through your phone line when you get your phone in.”
“I might get a television at that,” Amber noted, glancing around the room, now almost wishing Shelia wasn’t leaving.
“I did get you a small ra
dio, though…a welcoming gift.” Shelia smiled softly. “Left it in your closet on the top shelf in your bedroom…in case you want some noise outside of noisy crows and the animals.”
That’s very sweet of you! Thank you! I am sure I will use it.”
“Well…toodle do. You take care now. You’ll see me again. You’re not rid of me yet.”
“Thanks again…”
“Oh you’re more than welcome.”
Just as Shelia stepped off the porch Amber called out to her. “Does anyone else live out here in the vicinity…that you know of?”
Shelia opened her car door and then turned around to answer, looking happy that Amber had asked. “Besides a good-looking bachelor in his late thirties that lives about half a mile from here, I believe there is another cabin closer…recently purchased I might add…by some fella. One of our guys sold it to him…I believe he’s in his late twenties or early thirties…From New York…I think. From what Ed says, you’d never know it. Ed says the man has an accent he’s not familiar with. He thinks the guy is originally from Europe someplace.”
“Oh! Interesting…”
“And…this I find strange. Because Ed usually never makes that kind of comment…He says the guy is really good-looking in a different sort of way. Now what Ed means by that, I guess it’s for us to learn. That is…if we meet him. And you probably will eventually.” She
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