by Julie Allan
By early evening she had sketched out a business plan and made a list of all she needed to research to flesh it out. She could begin to see what her future could be and that made it easier to leave her past and the questions about it behind. It was so nice to concentrate on something positive for a change. She was blessed with people in her life who would help her along the way.
What would Mark say when he found out about her money? It really did not matter, Mr. Lee had made sure that Lizzie and her money were legally protected from him ever getting his hands on it. Still, she took some satisfaction imagining the expression on his face if he ever found out. If only the divorce could happen faster. Now that she was moving on with her life, she wanted that to apply to all areas. Luckily with all she had to keep her busy and the fact they were living on opposite ends of the state, she hoped she would not dwell on it much.
She stepped out on the back porch to take the dogs out before bed and gasped. The full moon hovered over the harbor, casting a magical trail of light across the water that seemed to reach right to their dock. It surprised her that even after growing up here, the beauty of the lowcountry could still catch her breath. The sparkle of the moonlight dancing on the harbor was mesmerizing. She sat on the back steps and Lucky and Ella came and sat vigil at her feet. The soft breeze fluttered the Spanish moss and caressed her face. She sat for a long time captivated by the view before sleep beckoned her to climb the stairs.
Chapter Six
Lizzie sat in Mr. Lee’s waiting area a few minutes before noon. She could hardly contain her excitement. She knew she was fortunate to have capital to start her business with, but she was also blessed to have the guidance and connections Mr. Lee and his associates would avail her. She wrote questions down in her notebook as they came to her and when the clock struck twelve, Mr. Lee, as punctual as ever, strode out from his office, dapper in his seersucker suit, the summer uniform for lowcountry attorneys.
“Hello Lizzie, ready to see your new home away from home?”
“Of course and here,” she said, handing Mr. Lee a brown bag.
“What’s this?” he asked.
“A fresh egg salad sandwich and a homemade moon pie. It’s the least I can do as you are taking up your lunch time to help me.”
“Mmmm ... mmmm, I am going to leave that here in the icebox and enjoy it when I come back to tackle the mound of paperwork waiting for me on my desk.”
After stowing the lunch Mr. Lee and Lizzie headed out into the sultry summer air. It was a short walk to the corner of Coleman Boulevard, and just a block down they stopped in front of a rectangular, one story cinder-block building that had for years been a bike shop and in the recent past had been a Mexican restaurant. The tenants at that time had added a nice wide screened porch on the front with a tin roof. Some straw sombreros still decorated the walls of the porch.
“I remember this place,” Lizzie exclaimed. “This would be a great location. Will the landlord allow for alterations to the property?”
“As a matter of fact, yes, and they are open to a lease with option to buy the property after two years if you so choose,” answered Mr. Lee. “I thought of this place because it already has a kitchen, and I think it will require minimal remodeling to get to the vision you shared with me. I have the key, let’s go in and take a gander,” he continued.
The inside was a little dusty and there was a long bar that definitely needed to be removed, but Lizzie could envision what it could look like and allowed herself to get excited about the possibilities. Despite the porch that ran the length of the front of the building, the space seemed to have good natural light. The floor was concrete and could be painted and have coats of polyurethane applied for durability. They stepped on to the porch and she loved the effect the tin roof had on the space.
“What is the monthly rent on this place?” she asked.
“It has been running two-thousand a month, but I have it on good authority that the landlord is willing to rent for sixteen-hundred as it has been sitting vacant for a while.”
“And who owns it?” Lizzie continued to probe. “An investment company called B.E.W. Enterprise,” he answered.
“So how do we make this happen?” Lizzie continued. “We will go back to the office and start the paperwork. You will need to give me a list of the alterations to the property you would like to have happen as soon as possible, and if approved the landlord will send a work crew over to make it happen. You will be responsible for tables, chairs, shelving etc. and you may also pick the colors of paint you would like to use.”
“Good, I would like to make it feel like a coastal cottage in here.” Lizzie’s eyes wandered over the walls.
“We should also carefully look over the kitchen equipment that is here and see if it meets your needs.” Mr. Lee smiled broadly. “I can’t wait until I can make this my regular lunch place.”
The two carefully looked over the kitchen and Lizzie took lots of notes and made a few sketches on a note pad. The kitchen was more than adequately equipped even having a large commercial freezer and a walk-in cooler. The handle was a little loose on the cooler but otherwise it was in great condition like the other equipment. That certainly would make getting up and running a lot easier. Off the kitchen there was a walk-in storage closet, a large walk-in pantry, a small office and a bathroom. The backdoor led out to a small parking lot.
They headed back to the office and signed the required paperwork, and Lizzie set up an appointment with Mr. Smith to get the permit process and business license started.
She gave Mr. Lee a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, thank you!” she exclaimed.
“It was my pleasure Lizzie. You just keep making me your delicious food and I will do just about anything for you ... at least within the parameters of the law,” he said as he winked at her.
“Yes, sir!” Lizzie responded. “See you soon,” she added as she almost skipped out the door.
Lizzie left that afternoon with her feet floating off the ground. Aunt Dorothy listened enthusiastically as Lizzie described the space and shared her vision of what it could become. They discussed colors and counter top options and Lizzie showed her the refrigerated cases she needed to purchase on her laptop. Then the two worked side by side to prepare their supper.
After supper Lizzie felt herself consumed by nervous energy so she dusted off her old beach cruiser from the garage and took it for a spin. She thought she had been riding aimlessly but realized she had been closing in on the block where the Wilson’s lived. As she approached the house she saw Mr. and Mrs. Wilson enjoying the early evening out on their front porch, and they both waved as they saw her. Lizzie dismounted from her bike and climbed the steps, giving them both a hug.
“Can I offer you some lemonade, or something a little stronger?” asked Mr. Wilson.
“Lemonade would be lovely,” she answered.
He went in to fetch a glass for her and Mrs. Wilson informed her, “You just missed Bennett. He stopped by to help his father re-hang the screened door on the back porch.”
Lizzie smiled, “He helps out a lot at my house as well,” she said, recalling her embarrassment at finding him at her window.
“Oh, yes, he had a special relationship with your Uncle George. He credits your Uncle George with teaching him so many skills. He has taken his passing really hard,” Mrs. Wilson explained.
“Here is some of my wife’s fresh squeezed lemonade,” said Mr. Wilson as he re-emerged onto the porch.
“Thank you, sir,” Lizzie said as she gratefully accepted the glass.
“So, my bride tells me you plan to return home for good, we will be blessed for it. What are you going to do to keep yourself out of trouble young lady?” Mr. Wilson asked. Lizzie, flattered by his enthusiasm at her return, eagerly shared with them her plans to open her own business and how Mr. Lee had found her the perfect location.
“That is good to hear,” Lizzie said.
After another glass of lemonade, hearing about Mr. Wilson’s plan to retire in the next year and Mrs. Wilson’s new passion for knitting, she bade them goodnight and pedaled home. She was elated by the genuine affection the Wilsons still had for her and her for them.
Back at the house she contemplated the gathering at Amy’s house. She fervently hoped her reconnection to her peers would be as smooth as with the Wilsons.
The next few days passed in a whirlwind of researching sources for her needs and making the list of the alterations she wished to make to the space. By Thursday afternoon she was confident in her plans and submitted the requests via Mr. Lee.
On Friday morning she turned her attention to her plans to go over to Amy’s for the cookout and even though she was keen to rekindle her local friendships she was also dreading the inevitable questions that would come about what had happened with Mark. She also saw the social gathering as a distraction from the immersion, let’s admit, obsession she felt about her new venture. She found it hard to pry her attention away from the business. Aunt Dorothy was pleased Lizzie was going to Amy’s. She wanted her to socialize, and she was concerned Lizzie was using the business as an excuse to avoid human interaction. Particularly, interaction with those of the opposite gender.
She was standing in the kitchen working on the butcher block counter next to the sink so she could gaze out at the waving marsh grasses as she worked. The butcher block had a warm and worn patina from years of use. Aunt Dorothy oiled it regularly and while the kitchen was not fancy or “upgraded” like the remodels many of the neighbors had completed, it was the true heart of this home. Lizzie remembered standing on a chair to reach this same counter so she could watch and assist Aunt Dorothy in all kinds of tasks. In her teen years the kitchen was often the place they would talk over things as they would sit companionably shelling butter beans, peeling shrimp or shucking corn.
It was a large space and had changed very little over the years. The one indulgence, a state of the art range with six burners and two large oven chambers, had been added when the previous range finally quit three years ago. Uncle George had even installed an industrial strength vent hood to support the BTU’s. Lizzie had been envious, and was really enjoying using it since she had moved back home. Today’s task was to make the requested pimento cheese spread for the cookout. Which did not involve using the range but considering the unrelenting summer heat that was fine with her. This is definitely one item I will need to serve and have available for takeout orders.
Aunt Dorothy came in and sat down at the long pine table in the center of the room. “Well, this is like old times. I am so glad you are here, child.”
“I am glad to be here,” answered Lizzie. The kitchen table had been witness to many heart to hearts over the years. Lizzie felt the love in this room and with this woman who took her in and raised her.
Lizzie proceeded to tell Aunt Dorothy about the final plans she had submitted to the landlord, and when Lizzie finished she asked Aunt Dorothy for her thoughts.
“It sounds well thought out,” she replied.
“Well, I have envisioned this place in my mind for the better part of the last decade,” Lizzie said.
“What are you going to call the place?” Aunt Dorothy asked. “I was thinking Dorothy’s,” Lizzie answered turning to see the reaction on Aunt Dorothy’s face.
With a grateful smile Aunt Dorothy replied, “While I am flattered and so appreciate the sentiment behind the gesture, this is your dream child, not mine, I think you should consider some other options.”
“Well, I do have a few other ideas, East Cooper Eatery, East Cooper Café, Lizzie’s, but nothing seems to fit just right,” Lizzie answered.
“Give yourself some time; the right name will come to you. I also have a dream, a plan if you will, and I think it is time I let you in on it,” Aunt Dorothy continued.
Lizzie, having just put the bowl of her pimento cheese spread in the fridge, wiped her hands on a towel and came to join Dorothy at the table.
“What’s going on?” she asked curious, but not surprised. Aunt Dorothy was not one to wallow in grief or see her new status as widow as restrictive in any way.
“I had planned to ask Tommy over for dinner next week so he could be here for support, but now that I see that you are doing better, I can’t see any reason we need him here to help me fill you in,” she started.
“Okay, now you are making me nervous,” Lizzie said, as she reached across the table to take Aunt Dorothy’s hand in hers.
“Well, as you know Maggie lost her husband three years ago and now that Uncle George is gone, the two of us are both footloose and fancy free as the saying goes. Back when we were in college we both wanted to study abroad, or at least travel, but Maggie got engaged and shortly after that I did too. Well, that put a stop to our plans. So now we have time and we also both have more than enough funds to take an extended and by that, I mean a many months-long trip that will take us all over the globe to the many places we have always wanted to experience. What do you think?”
Lizzie felt the ground fall out from under her and she blurted out her first reaction. “You’re leaving me?”
“Not leaving you, child, following my own path and giving you the space to find yours, I of course want you to stay here in the house and look after things. Besides you will be so busy launching your new business, you won’t even miss me.”
“Of course I’ll miss you!” Lizzie exclaimed.
Aunt Dorothy reached over and cupped Lizzie’s chin in her hand, turning her face so she could peer directly into her eyes. “Elizabeth Caroline Long, you can stand on your own two feet! I have full faith in you, besides I won’t leave until September fifteenth so I will be here for your grand opening in August.”
Lizzie felt the ground return underneath her and she smiled and with genuine gladness replied, “I guess there is not much more to say except bon voyage, although I want to hear all about your itinerary. Plus we need to have a communication plan in place. Have you ever Skyped?” Lizzie asked.
“No, child, but I am sure you can teach me. I’m not afraid to learn new things,” Aunt Dorothy answered.
They went out onto the porch with some iced tea and Aunt Dorothy shared her and Maggie’s plan to travel all over Europe. They would take in England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Greece. There was a short stop in Egypt to see the Pyramids, an exotic jaunt through Asia, with the Great Wall of China being one of the highlights. They had even planned a few weeks exploring New Zealand and Australia. It was ambitious but the ladies were giving themselves September to April for their adventures. The travel agency had pre-booked flights, trains, ground transport, accommodations and even tickets for some of the must- sees along their way. In Egypt they would even have a private guide, which had become almost essential for foreign tourists to maintain their safety.
Lizzie could not help but marvel at the gumption these two ladies in their seventies had. She was also a little jealous of what they would experience, but she knew her time for such a trip would come. She evidently would have the funds, what she lacked was the ideal companion—a trip like that was meant to be shared. That was why going to Amy and Scott’s house was so important. She needed to reconnect with her peers and rebuild her friendships.
Later that afternoon the phone rang as Lizzie was contemplating what to wear for the first social outing she had attended since her return. It was Mr. Lee with good news, the landlord had approved the alterations and she could meet the work crew at the site on Monday morning. She would take possession of her own set of keys and the crew would begin the demolition. Everything was falling into place. Almost too ea
sily, she mused at least with the business, and that made her nervous that something was bound to go wrong. She pushed that thought aside. After all the new Lizzie vowed to be positive and true to herself. Now, what to wear? The green halter-neck sundress that emphasized her shoulders or the pink and white Lily Pulitzer dress with the sleeves but the shorter hemline that showed off her legs?
Chapter Seven
Lizzie made one last check in the mirror before heading downstairs to say goodnight to Aunt Dorothy and head out for Amy and Scott’s house. She had settled on the emerald green sundress, liking the effect it had in bringing out the green in her hazel eyes. Her hair she had hot rolled for maximum body and then brought it up in back into a loose up-do to give her neck some relief in the heat. She was feeling very self-conscious about the dent in her finger where her wedding ring used to be, so after rifling through her jewelry box she had found an emerald cocktail ring that had once belonged to her mother.
Aunt Dorothy had done an exceptional job keeping the memory of Lizzie’s parents alive. She had presented her with various pieces of her mother’s jewelry, always with a story of when and where her mother had worn it over the course of her upbringing. When she wore one of the pieces, she felt connected to her mother. She wondered sometimes what her mother would think about how she had turned out. She knew how blessed she was to have Aunt Dorothy and had always felt loved and secure. But because she had been so young when her mother had died, she had created an image of her that no one could live up to in real life.
She imagined that had her mother lived, she would not have made the mistake of falling for Mark in the first place. She slipped on the ring and immediately felt like she had gained a talisman to boost her confidence. The ring went well with the dress and she selected a simple gold necklace with a single emerald pendant, a graduation gift from Aunt Dorothy and Uncle George, and some simple gold dangling earrings to complete the look. Lizzie debated between heels and flats and her practical side won out. She slid on her gold braided sandals.