Life After Perfect

by Nancy Naigle

  A small sign about the size of a pizza box, painted bright blue, simply read FALLS followed by an arrow. She wondered if that was a lane to the house of someone by that name, or if perhaps there was a waterfall down the path.

  Katy slowed as the road elbowed, just like the crude drawing had said it would.

  Another snaking turn caught her a little off guard, and then trees seemed to stand back from the road, letting a glorious stream of sunlight flood over it.

  A yellow road sign indicated a drive to the right ahead.

  It was marked with a city sign, but in fact was dirt and gravel. PINEY CREEK LANE. A small sign under the street marker read, NO OUTLET.

  As she took the turn, her tires crunching against the rough terrain, she wondered just how long this road with no outlet was.

  The creek came into view. She’d always thought of a creek as a small trickle of water, but this one spanned a good distance to the other side. Although it was so rocky, it was doubtful you could do anything but walk or fish in it.

  The inn sat off to the right-hand side.

  LONESOME PINES.

  The sign was just like the ones in town, only instead of a rainbow of bright colors, it had hues of greens, deep reds, and golds against the black.

  For some reason, when the old woman at McDonald’s had spoken of the inn, Katy had pictured a historic home with a room or two for rent. Lonesome Pines Inn had two full stories and dormers at the third level with such intricately carved trim that they looked like big Yosemite Sam mustaches.

  Two long wings extended from each end of the main house for as far as the foliage would let her see.

  Katy drove down to the water, and got out and walked to the edge, near a small dock that had seen better days. Large boulders peeked above the water line as the current rippled and splashed against them in a hurry to follow the flow . . . to somewhere. She knew the feeling. It’s exactly what had led her here in the first place.

  Chirps, beeps, buzzes, and pops filled the humid air with a cheerful hum. A splash across the way caused her to spin, only to find that whatever it was had already disappeared. For such a serene landscape, it sure was filled with busy sounds.

  But maybe those sounds of nature would quiet the noise in her head. More important, she had no one to judge her. No one to answer to. And that made it the perfect place to hunker down for a few days.

  She lifted her phone and snapped a picture of the creek. Maybe she could figure out what a future without Ron in it even looked like. It wasn’t something she’d ever even casually entertained. She turned and took a selfie with the water behind her.

  Her smile looked forced.

  She walked back to her car. Before getting back in, she took a picture of the inn, then pulled into the driveway.

  A woman stood at the door.

  “Hi,” Katy said as she climbed out of the car. “I just met your sister over at the McDonald’s up the road. She told me you had a vacancy.”

  The woman stepped onto the porch. “I do. That Nell could keep my house fuller than a Holiday Inn if I let her. She doesn’t even work there. Her husband owns the place. She helps out when she gets bored. She calls it help. They probably call her a nuisance. Come on in.” She motioned her inside. “Welcome!”

  “You really are the spitting image of her.”

  “Thank you, dear. I happen to think my sister is quite lovely, so I’ll take that as a compliment. I’m Naomi.”

  “It was meant to be one.” Katy followed the woman inside. “So nice to meet you.” The house was very clean and inviting. Ron absolutely refused to pick up after himself, so she’d given up on trying to keep her house clean, and finally gave in to the maid that Ron had wanted her to hire anyway. It still baffled her a little that a house with just two people in it, who travel half the time, could be that much work.

  “Traveling alone?”

  Katy nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “I have a beautiful room down here on the first level. It’ll give you plenty of privacy and it even has a reading nook. Or I have one up on the top floor. It’s a little smaller, but it has a great view of the water. Would you like to see it?”

  “I’ll take the room with the reading nook. That sounds very nice.” Suddenly, all she wanted was to go to sleep. “I’ve been driving for hours. You’ll probably barely see me the next few days.”

  “You’ve come to the right place. I’ll be quiet as a mouse.” She waved a bony finger in the air. “Oh, but shall I wake you for breakfast in the morning?”

  “Yes, that would be lovely. Thank you.”

  “Excellent.” Naomi opened a leather-bound journal. “What’s your name, dear?”

  “Katy.”

  “With a K?”

  “Yes, ma’am. K-a-t-y.”

  Naomi wrote meticulously slowly. So slowly that it took everything Katy had not to snatch the pen from Naomi’s frail, wrinkled hands and finish for her.

  “Last name?”

  Lord have mercy. It would take a year. “Bar.” Good enough.

  “Two r’s?”

  “Just one.” Katy gave her a little wink, encouraging her to get a move on with her entry. If she’d let Naomi spell out the whole name, Barclift, she’d fall asleep right here at the counter. She probably should have just used her maiden name after seeing how slow she wrote Katy.

  She hadn’t even thought about a divorce meaning a name change. They didn’t have kids, so no reason to keep his, even though when she’d married Ron, she’d been so glad to be rid of her maiden name. Wild. That last name came with plenty of jokes through the school years, but now it seemed to have more appeal. Short, easy to spell, and it was hers. Not Ron’s.

  She could leave all the monogrammed stuff behind. Well, except for the little hand towel in the bathroom that Grandma had embroidered. That was special.

  Katy glanced down. The woman was still carefully scrawling letters. Could she be any slower?

  Naomi’s lips recited each letter as she wrote it. “How long will you be staying?”

  “Let’s start with three nights. Then I’ll let you know, if that’s okay.”

  “It’ll be fifty dollars a night, but if you decide to stay a week, I’ll give you the discount on the other nights.”

  “That’s fine.” Katy paid Naomi in cash, and then went back to her car and brought in her things.

  “The room is ready.” Naomi turned and headed down a hallway to the left. “Follow me.”

  At the end of a long corridor decorated in a bold jewel-tone blue, Naomi took both hands and swung open a set of French doors.

  Naomi looked around like a proud mother. “This is my favorite guest room. There’s a nice little patio through those doors too if the weather cooperates. You can only see a little glimpse of the water, but the sounds are so relaxing. You don’t even have to really see the water to enjoy it.”

  “Thank you. This will be perfect.”

  “You can bring your things in and get settled in.” Naomi waddled back out to the foyer. “Would you like a quick tour of the rest of the place?”

  Katy didn’t have enough polite energy left in her to go through that. “Can we do it another time?”

  “Of course.” Naomi walked over to her and said, “We’re huggers. Hope you don’t mind, but you sure seem like you could use one.” She held out her thin arms and Katy walked right into them.

  The older woman was right. She did need that hug. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

  “Make yourself at home, dear. I keep the small refrigerator in the library right off this hall filled with water and sodas. There are always snacks under glass on the sideboard there too. I bake something fresh about every day. Gives me something fun to do.”

  “That sounds wonderful.”

  “If you’re up to it later, the Blackberry Festival is the entire weekend. I
t’s really quite a celebration in the evenings. You might consider going down there.”

  “I’m just going to head on down to my room. Thank you for everything.” Katy walked back to the bedroom and shut the French doors behind her. It wasn’t just a bedroom; more like a suite, and that reading nook had a window seat nestled in the center of the wall of books. Hardbacks, paperbacks, and floor to ceiling.

  She walked back to the door that led outside and unlatched the deadbolt. Her skin became instantly damp in the humid air, but the foliage was in full bloom and she couldn’t resist stepping outside for just a minute or two.

  Her mind immediately went to what it would be like to have been here with Ron. She forced that image from her mind. Why’d you have to go and ruin everything, Ron?

  She sat on the edge of the bed. Had there been times when she’d felt things weren’t quite right? If she hadn’t seen him sitting there with that woman yesterday, would that phone call have made her wonder if something was wrong?

  Her fingers traced the hand-stitched quilting. The fabric was in good shape, but silky soft against her fingers from years of washing. Good quilts lasted forever. She used to think good relationships were like that. She was beginning to wonder if there was even such a thing.

  There was a soft tap at the door.

  “Yes?” Katy said.

  Naomi eased the door open and slipped inside the room carrying a delicate teacup. White polka dots danced on a blue background and flowers ran around the edge. “I brought you a cup of tea to help you relax. A decaf called Midsummer’s Peach. One of my favorites.”

  “That was so thoughtful.” She reached for the cup and saucer, and inhaled the warm aroma. “Wow, that really does smell like fresh peaches, too.”

  “That teacup always lifts me up when I’m feeling a little blue.” Naomi’s eyes reflected kindness.

  “Is it that obvious?”

  “You look troubled.” Naomi began to leave, but paused in the doorway. “Sometimes getting away will bring a better perspective. This is a good place for that. It’s quiet.”

  The tea shook in Katy’s hand. “I hope you’re right.”

  “Take your time, dear. And if money is a problem, we will work something out.”

  “Oh, no. That won’t be a problem. But thank you.”

  Naomi patted the edge of the door and gave her a little wink. “I’ll leave you be, but if you wake up hungry later, come on out and join us. I don’t usually serve supper, but I have some regular guests passing through tonight. They won’t make it for breakfast, so I’m doing a little breakfast-for-dinner kind of thing special for them. You’re more than welcome to join us.”

  “Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.” Only, Derek’s face popped into her mind as she said it. She wondered if Naomi could also tell she was just being polite.

  So where exactly was the line between lying and polite?

  “Get some rest,” Naomi said.

  What a lucky day to land in a spot like this for just fifty dollars a night. Comfort equal to the Ritz-Carlton, and a therapist/grandma here to comfort her. It was like a recovery clinic for the rich and famous.

  She sipped the tea, closing her eyes and wishing for emptiness.

  But that wasn’t meant to be.

  Her mind was still filled with the image of Ron and that woman, and the voices of her mother and sister. And a dozen questions that she’d probably never get the answers to.

  She climbed out of bed to unpack. She put her laptop on the dresser, and then took her toiletries out and set them on the counter in the adjoining bathroom.

  The old claw-foot tub was so deep she might need a life preserver. With a twist of the old white porcelain knobs the water rushed into the tub. She splashed her hand under the stream to check the temperature, then pushed the plug into the drain. A hot bath would relax her. She took advantage of the wooden scoop that hung from a huge old jar next to the tub, and tossed a scoopful of rose petals into the steaming water.

  Katy got undressed and then stepped into the cast iron tub, letting the flowery water wash over her like a warm embrace.

  When was the last time she’d slowed down like this? Probably not since college. Not since she’d been Katy, not Katherine, and her life had been a lot simpler.

  She unwrapped a small disc of soap from a tray of them next to the tub. The wrapper, a simple square of fabric, had been held together by a round sticker that boasted a local farm, Just Kidding Goat’s Milk Baa-aath Bar.

  She held the soap to her nose—like honeysuckle on a warm summer night. She swished the soap in the water, then slipped it into the washcloth and gave it a twist; tiny bubbles oozed into a rich creamy lather. It felt smooth on her skin.

  She lay there until the water went cool. A renewed spirit trying to rise from the broken mess.

  Time. Time is what she needed.

  She stepped out of the bath feeling relaxed. She toweled off, catching a glimpse of herself. A beautiful old mirror stood strong and tall, like a lover, in the corner of the bathroom. Watching her.

  Katy lowered her eyes, and then looked up again. The ornate wooden frame, mahogany maybe, held twisting vines captive in its delicate carvings. The glass was wavy, but even so her body seemed unfamiliar. Her tummy was still flat, but gone were the days when at this time of year, she’d have been tan, with lines where her bathing suit would have been. No, now her skin was one continuous canvas of ivory that hadn’t been kissed by the sun in at least two years.

  She hugged the towel close to her body. Naomi sure didn’t scrimp on linens. Everything about this place was very high end. The towel was not only soft, and thick, but it was big enough to dry two people at once. She grabbed two ends and tied a quick knot, then twisted it and looped it over her head like a sarong as she walked back into the bedroom.

  She pulled on a pair of light blue panties, then dropped the towel to pull her nightgown over her head. It fell over her rosewater-soft skin in a gentle swoosh.

  Katy hung her towel over the bar in the bathroom, turned out the lights, and slipped between the covers.

  She whispered a prayer into the darkness, “Oh, Heavenly Father, please give me the strength to fill my thoughts with the right things. I’m sorry for judging others. I’m trying so hard not to solely focus on the wrongdoings. I know exactly how Peggy felt now, but also know that being in a relationship with someone who is not committed to me is not how you meant marriage to be. Please help me find the right answers.”

  With tears on her pillow, she closed her eyes and was asleep before the water made its final gurgle down the drain.

  Chapter Nine

  Katy sat up and hung her legs over the side of the bed. From the edge of the bed she could see her reflection in the mirror. She swept a hand through her hair. It had curled from the dampness of the bath. She sat up, thinking she should’ve have blown it straight before she’d slept because there’d be no taming it now.

  Ron had always preferred her hair sleek and straight. All the more reason to let it go. She fluffed her fingers through her hair. “Good enough.”

  She grabbed for her phone and checked the time. To her surprise she’d only slept a couple of hours, but boy, had she slept hard.

  After applying a little bit of makeup to cover up the sleep lines on her face, she dressed in capri pants and a flowered, short-sleeved white blouse. She cinched her belt, and ran her hands down the front of the pants to smooth the fold lines.

  The door to her room creaked when she opened it. She hadn’t taken Naomi up on the offer for a tour, so she just quietly wandered out to the main part of the house.

  Other than the guests Naomi had mentioned, she had no idea how many others were staying at the inn, although there had been a couple cars parked out front.

  She backtracked to the entrance and then walked through the house toward the soft sound of music. Country m
usic.

  The dining room was empty, but the table was set. The long table would have been overwhelming in a normal-sized dining room, but the room was more like a ballroom. As it was, the table felt like the one in the Last Supper. You could probably seat as many as sixteen or more quite comfortably, but this evening there were only five place settings around one end of the table. One at the head and two on each side.

  As she stood there, a couple and their daughter walked into the dining room.

  “Good evening,” she said as the family joined her at the table. “I’m Katy. It’s my first time here.”

  The woman, who looked to be in her mid-fifties, said, “Hi there. I’m Anne. Naomi was telling us she had another guest. If it’s your first time, it won’t be your last. Right, Sam?”

  Her husband nodded.

  “First time in this area, in fact.” Katy settled into one of the chairs with an empty place setting. “I’m traveling alone. Will Naomi join us?”

  “No. Don’t think I’ve ever seen her eat. She’ll come visit with us, though.” The woman pulled her lips into a thin line, and glanced toward the kitchen door, lowering her voice. “That seat would be for Naomi’s grandniece, Kelly Jo. She probably won’t make it for any meals.” The woman leaned forward and whispered, “She has cancer. Very fragile.”

  Katy’s heart clutched. “I’m so sorry to hear. I didn’t know.”

  “Poor thing was here the last time we came through. How long ago was that, Sam?” The woman looked to her husband, who was a bit older and had a distinguished speckle of salt in his peppered hair, for concurrence.

  “Just back in May.”

  “Yeah, Naomi says she’s really taken a turn for the worse.”

  “It’s an awful disease.”

  Anne nodded. “So now you know. We stop here every year on our way up to see my parents. More often if we get the chance. Where are my manners? This is my husband, Sam, and our daughter, Rachel.”

  The daughter rolled her eyes at her mom’s chatting. Clearly visiting her grandparents wasn’t at the top of her list for summer vacations.