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He hops out, grabs my suitcase, and opens my door in what seems like ten seconds flat. I giggle at his new name for me and also his peppy attitude combined with the speedy service. He’s quite amusing. Just Andi is fine by me.
It’s sure as hell better than Dead Andrea.
That thought popped into my head out of nowhere, but I refuse to let it linger. I hold my smile. “Thank you,” I say kindly, taking my suitcase from his grasp. “How much do I owe you?” I reach into my handbag.
“First trip is on me, Just Andi,” he says, his smile never fading as he circles the van to leave.
Relief and surprise filling me. “Oh wow! That is so kind of you.”
He just dips his head, as he makes his way to the driver’s door. “Call me for all of your taxi needs and we will call it even.”
“Deal.” I smile, giving a little wave goodbye.
As I walk toward the entrance, I turn back quickly, realizing I forgot to ask Mike about the boutique.
“Hey, Mike!” I call just before he closes his door.
That was lucky. Once it was closed, he would have been gone in a flash!
He hops out and meets my gaze over the van. “Yes, ma’am?”
“The lady at the train station mentioned a boutique nearby, where I can purchase some clothes. Can you tell me where it is?”
“Of course. If you head right down there,” he says, pointing, “hang that first right, and it’ll be the third storefront down on the right. Chelsea’s is the name of the store.”
“Thanks!” I say and turn to continue inside. The entrance door barely opens when I hear Mike speed away, and I suppress another laugh.
“Welcome to Fraser Motel,” a sweet older woman greets as soon as my foot crosses the threshold.
This place is like something out of a movie. A quiet little town filled with kindness at every turn.
“Hi, how are you?” I reply.
She smiles back, her wrinkled cheeks pressing to her eyes. “Doing just fine, my dear. How are you?”
“Better now,” I say. “I’d like a room please, and I’d like to pay cash if possible. I accidentally left the bag with my wallet and cards in my foyer.”
She waves a hand, and my shoulders immediately relax. “Cash is just as good here. That’s no problem. How many nights?” she asks.
I hadn’t thought of that. I know my money is limited, but the reality is, this is my only option.
“How much per night?” I ask, feeling a hint of embarrassment. I’ve never had to be concerned about money like this before. I think she picks up on my awkwardness regarding cost.
“Typically, we charge ninety-nine dollars per night, but I think we can offer a small discount if you plan to stay awhile. Does five hundred for the week sound good to you?”
My shoulders relax even more as a relieved sigh escapes me. It’s not perfect, but it’ll do for now until I can figure something out.
I nod with a smile. “Thank you. That’s very kind of you.”
The transaction is quick and painless thanks to small town hospitality. Cash accepted, and no ID required. Maybe starting over with my new name won’t be as hard as I thought it would be.
I walk outside, key in hand, as I roll my suitcase along the breezeway to my room. Stopping in front of room number seven, I push the key into the lock and let myself in.
I take a moment to look around. It’s a pretty basic room. One queen bed in the center and a small table with two chairs by the window. The vanity area doubles as a kitchenette with a coffeepot and microwave on one side and a mini fridge under the counter. The toilet and tub and shower combo are separated from the vanity area with a door.
Relief finds me again as I sit on the end of the bed for a few minutes, taking it all in. It’s not the most comfortable bed in the world, but it’s better than I expected. This won’t be so bad.
There are so many things I need to take care of. I need to buy clothes, basic food items, and toiletries. More than anything else, I need a job. What kind of clothing would I know to buy without knowing what kind of job I’ll end up with?
