“I do apologize for the state of things,” Jorge said. “She won’t let me do my job and can’t do it herself. Stubborn, that’s what it’s called.”
Jorge was a doll, straight up, Ali decided.
“You should know,” Didi countered.
Well, they were both too cute for words. Ali felt a little twinge. This was what a lifelong love looked like.
“This looks like a lot of work for anyone, much less someone with a new hip,” Ali pointed out.
Didi sighed. “I used to do all the laundry, all of it, same day, honestly. I’ll get caught up.”
Ali spied the little kitchen sink and fridge in the office.
“Here, you two sit, and I’m guessing this is where your famous lemonade is?” Ali got up, deciding to take over a bit. These two needed help, not to serve her, the woman who’d turned their world upside down out of the blue.
“It is. But you shouldn’t be the one serving us! You’re the guest,” Didi insisted again.
“Well, if my Toledo lawyer is right, I’m actually not. I’m the owner. As such, I’m pouring the drinks.”
Jorge and Didi were on edge, and Ali felt bad about that. But no matter how much Didi insisted on working, Ali could see sitting was a good idea for this pair, at least for now.
As Didi popped back up and got the glasses, Jorge put his hand out to help steady his wife. She slid a hand across his shoulder as she passed. These little tokens of love and affection both warmed Ali and made her sad.
She hadn’t really mourned the death of her marriage, only the death of her father. But sitting with these two sweet people made her sad that she’d never have that with Ted.
She brushed off the melancholy and refocused on her purpose in Haven Beach.
“How long have you two been managing here?”
“Oh, not long, fifteen years?” Didi asked Jorge, who nodded in confirmation.
“I used to manage facilities for a three-building resort in St. Pete,” Jorge explained. “This place is tiny comparatively, so perfect for my retirement.”
“Ha, retired,” Didi laughed. “We work every day! That’s the key to our vitality. Which we had, until six months ago, his hip, my heart. It’s like pffft. Bam! You’re old!” Didi snapped her fingers.
Didi didn’t say this was sadness. She smiled and laughed at their current state.
Her positive energy was contagious. Ali found herself enjoying their company and this space.
“I had been retired for a few years,” Didi continued. “It was so boring! I really needed a change of pace, so we signed on here. We live across the street. It’s a really nice condo. We used to live on the property, but the condo has space when the grandkids come. We’re always booked here, or, uh, we used to be before my mess up with the phone. And the pool. Oh, dear. You’re visiting at a terrible time. I’m so embarrassed.”
“No judgment. I literally just found out about this whole thing. Curious, why don’t you have online booking or a service like VRBO?”
“Ah, no. I suppose we’re old-fashioned that way. But if you are the new boss, you can get all that new-fangled stuff!”
“I don’t know about being the new boss. I inherited this from, uh. Well. I don’t have the details. But I do need to assess the financial realities here. And I need to understand before we put it on the market.”
Didi gasped and then put her hand up to her mouth. But the woman’s brain was working, that much was clear. She adjusted and pitched, “Of course, I mean, you’re smart to do that. But what about keeping it as an investment or as your family’s summer place?”
Ali had no intention of that. “I’m not the sole owner,” she told them. “All three of us, my sisters that is, are listed for the property. I’m the oldest and just recently quit my job, so I had time to come down and check things out.”
“And you just found the paperwork?”
“Yes, my father died, and it was amongst some things of his. I still don’t know why he never told us about it. I’m wondering about the management company. I’ll need to speak with them. Do you have some contact info I can get my hands on?”
“Oh, sure, uh, Jorge, is that in our files at home? That contact info?”
“Huh?”
