Whistlin' Dixie in a Nor'easter (39 page)

“The inn sold and the buyer wants to close right away.”

“Tahiti, here we come! We should cancel Destin this year. Leelee, did you collect your insurance money from your ring yet?” Virginia asked.

“I forgot all about that,” I said.

“Table the Tahiti talk, would y’all, please. Leelee,
what about Peter
?” Alice asked.

“What
about
Peter?” I answered.

“I thought y’all were getting close,” Alice continued.

“Not any closer than I’ve gotten with Roberta, Pierre, and Jeb. I’m really gonna miss them.”

“And you’re not gonna miss Peter? Bullshit, I don’t believe it,” Alice argued.

“When I told him about the inn selling he acted like he could care less.”

“You’re reading him wrong. He cares all right.” Now Alice was monopolizing the conversation.

“How do you know? You only met him that one weekend,” I said.

“Yeah, but every time I talk to you you’re always talking about him and what good
friends
y’all have become. I think you kissed him when you got drunk that night.”

“I did not! So what are you saying, I should stay here ’cuz of Peter Owen and not sell the inn?”

“Absolutely not, I’m just saying he’s gonna miss you.”

“Oh crap, here comes my mother-in-law looking for me, y’all. Gotta go, bye,” Mary Jule whispered, and hung up immediately.

“I’m so happy, Leelee. F
inally
, is all I have to say,” Virginia said.

“Ditto that. I’ll let y’all know when I have a moving date.”

“Move in with me,” Virginia said. “You and the girls are welcome here as long as it takes you to find another place to live.”

“Five children under one small roof? Y’all are crazy, John will pull his hair out. Maybe you should stay with me, my house is bigger,” Alice said.

“Not that much bigger,” Virginia told her.

“Would y’all stop? Let’s not worry about that right now. Thanks for the invitations—both of you. But I better let you go. I wanna get quotes from some moving companies. Plus I need to call Ed Baldwin back. I never even asked him how much the offer was for.”

“Alrighty then, talk to you soon. Love you, Leelee,” Virginia said.

“Yeah, I love you, girl,” said Alice.

“Love you both,” I said, and hung up.

I grabbed the Yellow Pages and called the first company on the list—Allied Van Lines. They gave me an initial quote over the phone. It was when they told me their first available opening that left my tongue hanging out.

“We can move you Monday week,” the man on the phone said. “Will that work for you?”

“You mean a week from today?” I giggled after I asked him.

“That’s what I mean.”

“No, that won’t work. I haven’t even had a real estate closing. What’s your next opening?”

“Not ’til the middle of March. We had a cancellation for next Monday.”

“Gosh, that’s in a week,” I said. “I better think about this, sir, and call you back.”

“That opening won’t last long,” he told me.

Right away, I called Ed Baldwin. I still remembered the number. I’ll never forget how it was typed out on his brochure. 1-802-CALL-ED-B. His Vermonter receptionist answered the phone on the first ring. “The Ed Baldwin Agency, Doris speaking.”

“Hi, Doris, this is Leelee Satterfield. I’m calling for Ed. Is he available, please?”

“I’ll check, he stays awfully busy, you know.”

“So he’s told me.”

After what seemed like five minutes, and purely for effect, I’m sure, Ed finally answered. “Ed Baldwin.”

“Hi, Ed, it’s Leelee.”

“
Leelee
!” he practically yelled with excitement. “I was working down my list to get to you. So how about that sale? Told you I’d come through for you.”

“You sure did. Hey, Ed, you didn’t tell me how much the offer is for.”

“Three thirty-five.”

“
Three hundred thirty-five thousand
! That’s fifty thousand less than we paid for it.”

“We can counter, I plan on it. But remember, Vermont is in the middle of a real dry spell these days.”

“Ed, if everything is so dry around here, then how is it that you stay so busy all the time?” Of course I had to come right back with, “I mean, I don’t mean to be
mean
or anything, but I
am
curious.”

“Well, uh, I’ve got several properties that I’ve listed—on the market right now—and they require my full attention. I’m working on several deals in New Hampshire as well. But in my expertise, Leelee, you should take the money and run.”

“So, what do you suggest as a counter-offer?”

“Three fifty-five. I could make the call right away.”

“I suppose that sounds reasonable.”
I would give anything if Daddy were here right now. But he’s not. You have to do this yourself, Leelee.
“On second thought,” I told him, “let’s counter at three sixty-five—after all, they’re getting a heck of a deal. I’ve made drastic improvements to the place. I bought it smelling like
body odor
, Ed. These new people don’t even have to deal with that.”

“Three hundred sixty-five thousand it is. I’ll call you when I know something.”

I hung up the phone and headed into the bathroom to run my tub. When I saw the light brown water filling up the tea-stained porcelain tub, I reminded myself, once again, I had made the right decision. After turning
on the space heater to make the room tolerable, I huddled in front of it waiting for the tub to finish filling.
Why would I want to keep living like this?
I thought.
Freezing my butt off ten months out of the year.

But on the other hand, I’m thirty-three years old, I own my business, and I’m making money. Not much, but we’re getting by. And I feel like, for the first time in my life, I can do something on my own. I don’t need anyone to do it for me.

What on earth is wrong with me? Why am I so confused? What is it about Vermont that’s making me doubt myself now? I’ve never liked it here. Or have I?
I cautiously stepped in the tub, little by little, getting used to the hot water. Finally, I was able to lie down, and as I soaked in the warmth and closed my eyes, I let my mind drift back over the last fourteen months.

The portable phone startled me from my thoughts. I leaned over, dried my hand on the floor mat, and answered it. It was Ed—only fifteen minutes in between calls.

“They’ve countered back at three fifty-five,” he started right in. “I think you ought to take it. I’ve got clients that would give their eyeteeth to have an offer like that—considering the economy.”

The economy. Why is it that the economy never works in my favor? “Well, if you don’t think they’ll come up . . . I better think about it, Ed.”

“Oh, they aren’t coming up. They almost walked away when I told them you had countered. They know how things are around here. They’ve also seen my listing in Rutland and they’re interested in that inn, too.”

I almost told Ed to just let them buy that inn instead. But images of home flooded my mind. I could see my little girls in their bathing suits on the swim team, and our girls’ lunch at the country club, and barbecue sandwiches from Little Pig’s, and the azaleas and the dogwoods and the concerts down at Tom Lee Park on the Mississippi with the prettiest sunsets in America. I could see Kissie, her hair pulled back into one big “plat” as she called it. Her stockings all wrinkled at the ankles, inside her white lace-up shoes. At eighty-one, there’s no telling how much longer she might be alive. As I began thinking about
that,
I panicked and all at once I had my answer. I had to get home.
Peter, Roberta, Pierre, and Jeb are not my family. Kissie, Virginia, Alice, and Mary Jule are my family. Now that I’ll be a single mom I’ll need them more than ever.

“I accept their offer,” I said, definitively.

“You’re making a wise decision. Strike while the iron’s hot, if you know what I mean. Have you given any thought as to a moving date?”

“I called one moving company, Allied I think it was, and they aren’t available until mid-March, except for one opening a week from today. I laughed when the man said that. As if a real estate closing could happen that soon.”

“Don’t underestimate our buyers. Like I told you on the phone, they almost bought it last time it was for sale. They told me they could close as soon as you’re ready.”

“That’s
real
soon. One week? I couldn’t be packed up by then.”

“I know all kinds of packers and between Roberta and Jeb I don’t think it should be a problem to get you packed up and on your way.”

“I guess I could
try
.”

“We’ll set the closing date for late Monday morning, and you can be on the road by Tuesday.”

“I have to say, Ed, when you put your mind to something, you get it done.” I accidentally slapped the water with my left hand. The last thing I wanted to do was let Ed know I was talking to him from the bathtub.

“I bring results. That’s how I stay in business.”

“There’s one more thing. I’ve been feeling bad for everyone here at the inn. Do you think they’ll be able to keep their jobs?”

“I don’t see why not, there’s a restaurant to run.”

“What about Peter? Will they need a chef?”

“I doubt that, but I’ll be happy to look into a sous-chef position for him.”

“I’m not sure he’ll want that, but I’ll let him know you offered.”

“Good enough. Congratulations, once again. I’ll speak with you soon, bye now.”

“Bye.”

So the decision was made. The girls and I were leaving one week from
tomorrow. We would be living at Virginia’s house in Memphis in less than two weeks. Let me say that again a little louder, and a little better. I’LL BE HOME IN TIME FOR SPRING! And when I say spring, I mean
spring
. Flowers, azaleas, dogwoods, and green, green, green.

I wanted to tell Pierre myself, before anyone else got to him. Since it was a Monday, his day off, I knew he’d be sleeping late. I kept an eye on the little café curtains that hung in the front window of his cottage. An open curtain was the sign that his day had begun and it was okay to disturb him.

About a quarter ’til eleven, I noticed the curtains were open and I rapped on his door. It took him a little while to answer and when he did, he cracked the door slightly and peeked outside.

“Hi, Pierre.” I smiled and waved.

“Ohh, Leelee.
Bonjour, amie.
” He opened the door fully and motioned for me to step inside.

“Whatcha working on?” His latest jigsaw puzzle was spread out over a little card table in front of his twelve-inch TV. I sat down and started fitting the pieces. One of Gracie’s little chew toys was in the corner and I reached over and picked it up. “I miss Gracie.”

“Gracie,” he said, shaking his head. “Vedy good dog, vedy good dog.”

“You loved her, didn’t you, Pierre?” I said slowly and loudly.

“
Oui
.” Pierre touched his heart.

“I need to tell you something. This is very hard for me, but—I’m going home to Memphis.”

“Memphis?”

“I’m . . . moving, Pierre, I’m going back for good.”

“No.”

“I got a call from Ed Baldwin. You know, the real estate guy? He . . . sold . . . the . . . inn.” I was speaking quite slowly although we had begun communicating fairly well.

His eyes opened wide.

“Don’t worry, you’ll still have your job.”

“
Merci
,
merci.
Eh, are you happy?”

“Yes, I am very happy. It’s time for me to go home, Pierre, I don’t belong here. I’m cold all the time.” I held my arms like I was shivering. “And I miss my friends . . .
amies
, you remember Virginia, Alice, and Mary Jule?”

“
Oui
.” He smiled when I said Mary Jule’s name.

I touched my heart. “I miss them. Memphis is my home. Vermont is hard. It’s very difficult for me here. In all kinds of ways.”

“Eh, Peter is still chef at Peach Blossom Inn?”

“No, I don’t think so. The new owner is a chef, I think.”

He got a perplexed look on his face. Maybe he didn’t understand me. “I am sad, when you go. Sarah and Isabella vedy sweet girls.” He acted like he was sucking on a pacifier and smiled.

“They love you, Pierre.” I thought about when Baker predicted he’d be a grandfather to the girls. He was right. As hard as it was to communicate with Pierre, I knew he loved us.

“Sarah and Issie and I will miss you.”

“You vedy smart woman, Madame Leelee.”

A very smart woman.
That’s what someone who could hardly communicate with me thought about who I was. With all that had happened over the last year, there were times when I doubted that very statement and wondered if I would actually be able to make it on my own. To think that Pierre, who could only
watch
my actions, and observe me by the way I conducted my business rather than what I said, thought that I was a very smart woman gave me a renewed confidence. I had no doubt that it would be tough to go forth as a single mother, but I knew for sure that I could make it.

Chapter Twenty-three

All week long, Peter had been acting standoffish, leaving immediately after he finished in the kitchen. He hadn’t done that from day one so that’s how I knew for sure he was mad or hurt or feeling just plain let down by me. The Sugartree Inn hired him on the spot, just as he predicted, so that was one large worry I could strike off my list. In fact, he said they were paying him a hundred more dollars a week. In my mind, that was a big plus, and I assumed he was happy for the raise.

But every time he walked through the inn, and saw all of us packing, he never once offered to help and I never once asked him for it. We hardly said two words to each other all week.

Actually, as it turned out, I didn’t need his help. Roberta stayed by my side, assisting me the most, and Pierre ran a close second. Jeb played like he was helping, but every few minutes he’d act like he was needed at JCW.