“Nice to meet you, I’m Stella,” I said. And it felt good to say it genuinely. To introduce myself as someone new. “I’m sorry,Trixie, we didn’t discuss payment before I fell asleep last night. How much do I?—”
“Nonsense,” she cut me off, waving her hand in the air and placing a cup of orange juice in front of me. “We’ll square up later, I’m not worried about that. Tell me, what brings you out to Love?”
Shame crept up my spine. Although IknewI was the victim in this situation, it wasn’t how I wanted my opening pitch to sound to this gracious woman opening her space up to me.
“Just looking for a change of pace from that busy city life,” I explained. And it wasn’t a lie—not exactly. I had been finding the hustle and bustle of the city to be exhausting. I hated feeling like my cell was an extension of my body instead of a tool to be used when necessary. I was exhausted by the rush, hurrying from one appointment to the next, and somehow always ended up being late. Everyone was so stuck in their own world, they didn’t even look up from their phones to consider what the person they just bumped into might be going through before they cursed and continued on their way.
Trixie must have seen my internal struggles as her face softened. “Well, I’d say you came to the right place if you’re looking for a change of pace. Love will take care of you.”
I hardly had time to consider her sentiment when the door burst open, along with it the booming laughs of several large men.
“There are my favourite boys! Come in, load up your plates.”
“Thanks, Gram,” one of them said while bending over to kiss her on top of her head. Appreciative remarks were echoed by the other men, but I couldn’t hear any of them.
I tried to catch my breath as the room started spinning and black spots dotted my vision. Logically, my brain knew that not every big man with a loud laugh was going to come after me, but my body was still fighting those automatic reactions.
I shot up from the chair to excuse myself, only to send my cup of orange juice flying across the table. “Oh god, I-I’m so sorry. Here, I can clean it up.” I was desperately trying not to stumble over my words as my trembling hand reached for the glass.
“Goodness, no, dear, not to worry one bit.” Trixie quickly wiped up the spill. Concern laced her features as she grabbed my hand to stop it from shaking. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, yes, I’m fine. I’m just going to get some fresh air. Thank you so much for breakfast, Trixie.” I tried not to rip my hand away from this gentle woman, but I wasn’t sure I was successful as I tore from the room.
“But you didn’t even…” Her protests faded as the door closed behind me.
Taking in the vast landscape in front of me eased the feeling of the walls closing around me. The trees stood tall with the morning sun touching their peaks, the birds chirped freely while they greeted a new day. The breeze whipped my long hair, and it felt like a reprieve on my clammy skin, my body finally letting my lungs expand fully.
All of it reminded me thatI was free.
I don’t know how long I walked before the scent of freshly brewed coffee hit me, and my stomach rumbled once again.
A groan escaped my lips as I realized I neglected to consume anything other than a few sips of juice before my instincts failed me and I flew out of the bed and breakfast. Thankfully, the late August sun warmed the morning air, covering me with a blanket of comfort that soothed me, as the meditative walk along thecountryside leading up to the town brought me back to my senses.
The source of the smell wasn’t hard to locate as I took in my surroundings. I was willing to bet it was not coming from the post office beside me, so I made my way across the street to Cupid’s Cup.
“Of course.” I giggled, my spirit brightening as I realized I was already feeling better about these silly names. My smile grew even bigger as I walked into the coffee shop and realized it was also attached to a bakery, Blissful Bites.
“Hello! Welcome to Cupid’s Cup!” I couldn’t tell which burned brighter, the warmth of her personality or the fiery red hair pulled into a bun on top of her head.
Was every person in this small town a part of a choir or something? The cadence of her voice had such a familiar quality to it that I couldn’t quite place.
“I’m Melody. You’re not from around here, are you? What can I get for you?” The smile on Melody’s face didn’t waver for a moment, making her so easy to open up to.
“No, I’m not. From Utah, actually, but looking for something a little different for myself. I got in late last night and stayed at Whispers of Love.”
Melody squealed and reached across the counter to pull me into a hug that completely shocked me. “That’s my grandma’s bed and breakfast! Oh, she must bethrilledto have a guest staying. You’ve come to the right place,” she promised, letting go of the embrace but holding onto my hands. Her warmth was contagious. As if her hair was a source of burning energy, and through her touch I felt that spark of hope being nurtured into a small flame.
We chatted a little more about the specials, and I gave her my name for my order, only stumbling a little over my decision to go by my nickname.
“It’s nice to meet you, Stella! I’m sure I’ll see you around.”
“Thank you, this smells amazing.” I took my breakfast sandwich and latte to a table near a window. I pulled my cell out and felt proud that I had barely touched it this morning, only to see I still didn’t have service. Fine by me. I took in the views of the small town outside the window instead.
Everyone walked by like this was the moment that mattered.
I saw parents laughing with their children while they jumped a hopscotch that looked carved into the sidewalk, an older couple walking hand-in-hand stopped to smell the flower garden outside the post office, and a woman sat on a park bench reading a novel.
All the while, Melody greeted each customer by name with that selfless smile on her face.
