“Morning, Uncle Finn!” Belle called from the back porch where she was feeding chickens. “Where’s Alex?”
“She’s sleepin’ in today,” I smiled, ruffling her hair as I climbed the porch steps.
Inside, Mom was scrambling up eggs and bacon while Elowyn made toast. They looked up when I walked in.
“Coffee’s fresh,” Mom nodded toward the pot. “Alex not feeling up to breakfast?”
“Rough morning,” I poured myself a mug and leaned against the counter. “Period caught her off guard.”
Elowyn set the butter knife down and turned to me. “Does she have what she needs?”
“Just an emergency stash, and no heating pad,” I took a sip of my coffee. “You got anything you can spare?”
“Yep. Follow me,” Elowyn wiped her hands on a dish towel and picked up a reusable grocery bag. I set my mug on the counter. “Boys!” She called out as we climbed the stairs, “breakfast is ready,and you need to eat so you can go help Hank!”
I followed her to the linen closet where she pulled out an electric heating pad and plush throw blanket and stuffed them in the bottom of the bag. Next, she moved to the bathroom at the end of the hall where she pulled out boxes of tampons and pads from the cabinet under the sink and dropped them in the bag.
“How bad is she?” She pulled a bottle of Midol from the medicine cabinet.
“Pretty miserable,” I swallowed, following her back downstairs. “She was up at three, hidin’ in the bathroom so she wouldn’t wake me. Pain meds don’t work well for her—something about her ADHD.”
“Poor thing,” Elowyn added a packet of chamomile tea and a small container of honey to the bag before turning and handing it to me. “You tell her if she needs anything else, she can call or text me directly.”
“Here,” Mom handed me another bag and I looked inside—breakfast packaged up with utensils and a thermal jug I assumed was full of coffee.
“Thank you,” I kissed her cheek and then Elowyn’s. “I’ll tell her to come to the house if she feels up to it.”
I headed back toward the lodge, Maggie falling into step beside me as if she knew exactly where we were headed. Lou emerged from the guest services office as I reached the lodge—looking up at the sound of my boots on gravel.
“Finn, I didn’t realize you were—” her gaze dropped to the bags in my hands. “Oh.”
Maggie sat down between us, tail thumping against my leg.
“Everything okay?” Lou asked, her voice carefully flat.
“Alex isn’t doin’ great this morning,” I lifted a shoulder, feeling some guilt at her finding out we were staying at the lodge this way.
“Ah,” Lou’s expression shifted, her cheeks darkening slightly. She glanced toward the lodge, then back at me. “Well. I hope she feels better soon. If she needs something, she can ring guest services.”
“Thanks, Lou,” I offered her a smile before heading into the building with Maggie trotting beside me.
I stopped by the restaurant kitchen and found an unopened carton of oatmilk. I added it to the bag with breakfast and looked for a large glass next.
“Can I help you?” I spun around at the voice of one of the waitresses.
“Hi,” I grinned sheepishly. “I’m Finn… Walker. Is there a glass and tall spoon or metal straw or something I could have? Or a takeaway coffee cup? And some ice?”
She pulled out a tall clear disposable cup from the cabinet and scooped ice into it until it was half full. Was the perfect iced coffee ratio something all women just knew? “Do you just want ice, or coffee too?”
“Just the ice. Actually…” I set the bags down as Maggie settled next to them. I pulled out the insulated jug and oatmilk. “Maybe I could just make it here?”
She set the cup down and I filled it with coffee and then oatmilk, mixing it with the stirrer she handed me.
“My girlfriend,” my cheeks warmed as I said the word out loud to a stranger, “she’s very particular about her coffee.”
“My brother’s the same way,” she handed me a lid and straw. “Has to be exactly right or it throws off his whole day.”
I thanked her and picked up the bags in one hand as Maggie stood again, ready to go.
