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Lily
Hot breath ticklesmy sweat-slicked skin as I trace the outline of a tattoo on the guy’s huge bicep. A low voice rumbles through me as the muscled man who just made me scream says, “You’re so beautiful.” He pulls out of me, and it’s as if he’s taking a piece of me away for safekeeping. I whimper and am about to speak…
Bands of sunlight filter through my blinds as I wake.Today’s the day.I’m so out of here. Last night I packed my car and threw my room-cleaning clothes, sneakers and all, in the dumpster behind the motel as if I was shedding my skin. I'd been running the place for so long I don't think it occurred to me I was allowed to have a life.
After I shower and dress, I grab my last bag and the list. I should feel guilty about leaving my mother with nothing but directions for keeping the business running. But I don’t, because nothing I can do will make her deal with life outside a bottle of Mr. Boston coffee brandy.
The scarred wood floor creaks under my feet as I walk through the living room toward the front door. Leaning over the couch, I kiss my passed-out mother goodbye for the last time. Her sour smell turns my stomach as I place my note on the coffee table.
She’s no longer my problem.
* * *
The momentI had the first bear dream, I knew I was meant for a lot more than Grand Junction, Colorado. Catori, the old Indian woman who scared the children in my town by knowing things she shouldn't, confirmed it. She told me I was destined to save a clan, and here I am. Ready to save the black bear.
Well, that's not the only reason. The man in my dreams is calling me, too. Carly and I have been texting since the day she and Sierra gave me my tattoo. She says he's quite real and anxious to meet me.
I glance out at the grass that leads to pine trees on the side of the interstate just before I get off at the Bangor exit. I don't know when it started, but I've had the strangest feeling something is following me, and the flash of black I see in the woods every once in a while has me convinced.
When I get off the highway, I pull over at a gas station to check my phone for the final directions. The breeze that greets me when I open the door of my car carries the scent of pine mulch from the freshly landscaped flower beds.
I'm only a few miles from my destination, and my stomach starts to roll, while my palm is slick against the gas nozzle. My confidence has just taken a hike. The gas pump meter ticks away as if I'm running out of time. A flash of black makes me glance at the trees that surround the gas station. I’m paranoid because I don’t see anything. I can't seem to shake my uneasy feeling, but after three days of driving, I'm not turning back now. I burned my bridges behind me.
As if to seal my fate, I see a bear along the side of the road just before I get to the gift shop where I'm supposed to meet Carly. I wonder if attacks are a problem here, and it makes me more wary about my rash move across the country.
Ten minutes later, I pull into the parking lot of the address Carly gave me. It’s a wooden building, unpainted and grayish with age. The door is clear glass, and Carly's face is warm and welcoming when she opens it to greet me. I begin to relax. She's genuinely happy I’m here.
“I’m glad you’re finally here. Come meet Annie. You’re going to love her.” She leads me into the small gift shop.
My feet thump softly on a wood floor as we enter, and a tall woman approaches us with a tray. “Hi, I’m Annie.” She holds out the platter full of candy. “These are made from our maple syrup. Try one.”
“Thanks.” I reach for a leaf-shaped sweet.
The sugary treat melts on my tongue as she asks about my trip. After a few minutes of small talk, Annie says, “I know Carly has filled you in on what we do, so if you’re ready, I'm going to drive you around to show you the business.”
I nod in agreement as I put a final tiny maple leaf candy on my tongue.
“Good. Let’s go see your new home. That is, if you decide to stay.”
I don't tell her I have no choice. “Sure, we can go now.” She leads us out the back, and we climb into a Hummer. Being a big girl, I appreciate the roominess and slide comfortably over the leather of the front seat.
Annie drives us through hundreds of acres as she and Carly tell me about the multifaceted business of a tree farm. My skills from running the motel can be put to good use if I want, or I can try something new. By the end of the tour, I feel as if I made the right decision to come here, even if my cautious nature is making me unsure.
We return to the shop, and I’m instructed to follow Annie and Carly to their home. When the blinker of the Hummer in front of me indicates it’s time to turn, a chill lifts the hair on the back of my neck. I shake my head at my silly fear of the unknown and follow them up the long drive toward Carly, Brady, and Annie's home. My anxiety morphs to something more like panic, because I'm going to meet Ian soon. My dream floods my memory, and my insides tingle as I remember his large arms holding his weight above me. I recall the pressure of him inside me and how I didn’t want him to leave. It makes me take a deep breath to calm down.
Driving through a wrought-iron gate, I stare in awe at the huge house. I’ve heard the weather here can be severe, but this building looks as if it could withstand every natural disaster. Landscaping with gardens that give the impression of wildflowers in a field softens the ominous structure, and a wrap-around porch encircles both levels. The look is majestic, like something you’d see in a travel magazine.
Pulling my worn duffle bag from the front seat of my old car, I wonder if Ian is this rich, too. My car door creaks open, and Carly comes up next to me when I slam it shut.
She says in a quiet voice, “This place overwhelmed me the first time I saw it, too. My apartment in California was the size of the guest bathroom. But Annie and Brady are awesome, and you'll be comfortable, promise.”
A smile forms on my face at her kind words.
Our feet tap lightly on the three wooden steps as we climb to the front door. We enter a large room that has a peaked ceiling two stories high. Plenty of windows let in daylight, and I take in the surroundings as they lead me through. Annie says, “Carly, I'll go make tea if you want to take Lily to her room.”
I like that Annie doesn't ask if I want anything and assumes instead. Carly takes me up stairs covered with a carpet runner that muffles our steps. At the end of the hallway, we enter a room decorated in pale aqua and green. The bed is set up high with a thick comforter, and the numerous pillows on it make me want to slide in and snuggle.
Carly says, “I'll let you unpack and get settled. Come on down to the kitchen when you’re done.”
