AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Getting out her list to study, she’d make a loop of the stores in the village. Walking the dusty sidewalk flooded her with childhood memories of being on the street with her grandfather, hand in hand. They’d get an ice-cream cone and see who could eat theirs before it melted. Or stop for iced tea and window-shop, sucking the sweet tea through a straw. Maybe she’d buy a glass and try to recapture that time. Even the familiar smell of horse manure made her smile, remembering making a face the first time she saw it in the street before someone from town cleaned it up.
The ache of her father’s death permeated her heart like it had happened yesterday. She was sorry she’d taken time with him for granted. And she wished he knew what she’d done, moving to Cypress Cove.
The hot sun slowly making its way overhead beat down on her. Next trip, she’d bring a hat. Few people were out in the middle of the day, smart townies staying indoors during the hottest hours. The hardware store door was open, and she felt the cool air escaping. That would be her next stop for two heavy-duty combination locks and a few other items she thought of while walking the aisles. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a distinguished-looking white-haired gentleman staring at her.
When she could no longer ignore it, she made eye contact. That shock of thick white hair was the first thing she noticed. He was clean-shaven and dressed for town, wearing a perfectly ironed and starched pale-blue short-sleeved shirt with a crisp collar, a red bow tie, khaki pants with a sharp crease, polished docksiders, holding a straw hat.
“You’re Betty Bonnet’s niece,” he stated, his eyes riveted.
“I am.” No one had referred to Aunt Elizabeth as Betty for a long time. “Maggie Angel.”
“Valentin Amotte. Val. I knew Betty growin’ up.”
Doing quick math, she figured he must be in his seventies. “Right, I keep forgetting she grew up here.”
“You stayin’ awhile, I hear.”
“I hope forever,” she said.
“If we don’t get flooded out,” he replied. “I’ll let you get on with your shoppin’. If you think of it, tell your aunt Val says hello.”
“I’ll do that. Thank you.”
She felt silly saying thank you, but it felt right, him approaching her like she was already a local. People were making her feel welcome.
Finding a few more items, like bug repellent and another citronella candle, she went to the checkout counter. This time, the gentleman didn’t wait for a second.
“Elizabeth Bonnet’s niece. It’s all around town that you’re here.”
“That’s me,” Maggie said, smiling.
“I’m honored you made a stop today.” He held out his hand as an introduction. “Alfonso Casson. If you ever need anything, just send me an email and I can deliver it to Bayou Cottage instead of you comin’ out in the god-awful heat. Give me a chance to get in my boat.”
“I won’t be sending an email. I got no—” She was already picking up the vernacular. “I don’t have internet out at the cottage.”
“That’s right! I can fix you up. We got the towers, the dishes—you need it, we got it. I give you a good deal on it, too. You interested?”
“Yes! How soon can you do it?”
“I’ll get my son to come out this afternoon and pour the footings for the tower. Give it thirty days to cure in this humidity, and we can erect the tower.”
“Thirty days!”
“That’s pushin’ it, too. But I tell you what. If you got a satellite dish on the cottage, I might be able to hook something up for you real quick until the tower. Won’t be great, but it be better than nothin’.”
“Oh yes, I’ll take that. Can you put a booster on it for my cell phone?”
“Right, you ain’t got that either. We can do that, too. Look for my son around four. Esteve Casson. Steve.”
After paying for the locks and the footings, she said goodbye, excited about the internet potential. She wanted to live isolated, but notthatisolated.
Next, the grocery store, where she bought whatever looked tasty, including a dozen donuts. The same experience in the grocery repeated itself. “You Elizabeth Bonnet’s niece.”
Shopping there brought back more memories as familiar farm names, local places that provided the produce and baked goods, meats and dairy jogged her brain. It was being on her childhood vacation all over again.
The bag boy helped her carry her purchases, including a bag of ice to keep everything nice while she returned to the post office. But she needn’t have bothered because when she got to the dock, her boxes were already in the skiff. It appeared that two more had arrived while she shopped, and the postmistress had delivered them. The dockmaster helped her get down into the skiff, and he and the bag boy handed her the groceries. Next time, she’d bring a cooler and her own canvas bags.
Tipping everyone again, she got out her cheat sheet for starting the outboard motor and in seconds had the skiff turned around, headed toward the cottage.
