A staircase curved behind the reception desk and opened up to the second floor, and it flowed perfectly, the polished brass banister earthy in a way but fancy at the same time.Dark, plush couches and chairs filled the first floor, and a local artist’s paintings of the Tetons in each season highlighted the lushness of the inn and juxtaposed the ruggedness of the locale.
Big, wide front windows framed Dixon’s family’s wooded property.I’d heard locals saying recently that moose had been seen near the inn, and it was common knowledge that elk and deer played in the fields frequently.I tried to crane my neck and spot some through the windows but didn’t see anything.They had probably already hunkered down before the storm.
Everything had been perfectly decorated and seemed a bit fancy for the area, if I was honest, but God knew we got enough big-spender tourists out this way.Dixon’s brothers had figured out how to cater to every kind of vacationer.If you were looking for a more down-to-earth experience, you could rent a cabin and help at Abey’s and Devo’s veggie farm or take guided horseback tours of the land, but if you wanted the poshness of an all-inclusive inn and catered, five-star meals, you could pay the big bucks and stay at The Inn at Lee Valley.
Dixon looked a little like his head might be spinning, so I ushered him up the stairs to deliver the flowers and watched his hand slowly slide up the smooth banister as we climbed.And when I unlocked a room with the master keycard the desk clerk had handed me, like she did every week, Dixon’s head snapped back.
“This is… I’ve never seen a nicer hotel room in my life.Who the hell stays here?Royalty?”
I laughed.“All kinds of people, I’d imagine.I don’t usually see or talk to the guests, but I’ve caught a few here and there.And one time, a woman staying in this very room liked my flowers so much, she stopped by the shop and ordered more.”
He smiled.“Of course she did.Your flowers are beautiful.”
“How would you know?”I joked.“You bought bottom-of-the-barrel daisies.”
He rolled his eyes.“Merv loved ’em.”
“I’m sure she did.They came from you.”
We finished the delivery, his eyes roving over every detail of the inn while we worked, and then we returned the keycard and walked back out to my van.
“I’m damn proud of my family right now,” he said quietly.“And way past impressed.”
“How’s it goin’ with them?”I asked as I drove us out to Old Fish Creek Road to Highway 20, and then to the rehabilitation center on the opposite side of town.
The end of summer was in full swing, and cars and trucks passed us with their windows down, music blaring from within.Soon, the local ice cream truck would be making its rounds through town, its happy song tinkling on the warm air, hopefully before the big storm came knocking.When Nana Nelson’s husband passed, she used part of his life insurance payout to buy the truck, and all the Wisper kiddos waited for her every Friday in front of their houses after school to get a frozen treat.I’d bought a Bomb Pop from her a time or two myself.
“Oh, yeah, it’s…”
Dixon didn’t finish his sentence, which told me enough.
“Not goin’ well?”
“It’s not bad.It’s just that it’s kind of overwhelmin’, y’know?”
“How so?”
“Well, it’s not just my son I wanna get to know.It’s not just him I owe amends to.”He sighed heavily and shrugged.“It’s goin’ better than I thought it would, though.They could’ve shut me out completely.Maybe they should’ve.I didn’t even know about the inn until Abey mentioned it my first day back.Life went on without me.I knew it would.Ihopedit would for Stu’s sake, but it’s just that I don’t know where I fit anymore.”
Finally, he’d said it out loud.
“It will take time,” I said softly.“That’s all.”
It was clear when he spoke and the weight of a thousand burdens lowered his voice that he needed his family.“Yeah.”
“Do you have plans to spend time with Stu yet?Are they… allowing that?”
“Bax is comin’ around slowly.Merv invited me for Sunday supper, and he agreed.He has a lot of rules though.Which is fine.Of course it is, but I just hope I don’t fuck it up.”
“Rules?”
“Yeah, y’know, like ‘Don’t tell Stu you’re his birth father.’‘Don’t bring up rehab or drugs or jail.’Like I would with a five-year-old?And my favorite is ‘Don’t come around here expectin’ everyone to forgive you.’”
“Oh, Dixon.I’m sorry.That must’ve been hard to hear, but you know your brother is hurt, right?He’s tryin’ to protect Stu, but he’s protectin’ his heart too.”
“Yeah, I know,” Dixon said as I pulled into Mountain Home’s parking lot.
I shut off the van and turned toward him.“Tweedledum?”
