Page 13 of No Such Thing as Serendipity

We were back in the truck, heading in the direction we’d come. “Hey.” I pointed to a sign. “Cabins are that way. We could ask Vera if we could stay in a private one.”

Emma shot me a dirty look. “The point is to experience the retreat with others.”

I groaned. “Can’t we experience it from a distance? Besides, it sounds like there are plenty of opportunities for sharing.” My voice carried a tone of distaste. Emma might say it was with full-blown revulsion.

“Have you forgotten who’s in charge?” She smirked. “Take us to our villa.”

I thought I’d test the water. “Do I get to pick the activities I want to do?”

“Nope.” Emma gazed out the side window as we drove down the bumpy path toward the villas.

“Nope. That’s it?”

“Yep.” Emma pointed out the front window. “Look. I think it’s a woodpecker.”

I peered in the direction she pointed, but I saw nothing but overgrown trees.

“Stop!”

I slammed on the brakes, searching the road in front of me, expecting to see another dog rushing the truck. “What?”

“I wanted you to see the woodpecker.”

“Jesus, Em, you made me slam on the brakes for that.”

“Have you ever seen one?”

“I dunno. Probably at the zoo.”

She turned her back and leaned toward me. She pointed into the trees. “Follow my arm.”

I bent, and my gaze trailed along her arm until I noticed a flash of red. “Is that him? With the redhead?”

“I think so. Isn’t he cool?”

I smiled. Actually, it was kinda cool seeing its head bob as it pounded the tree with abandon. “Damn, that tree doesn’t stand a chance.”

We sat and watched it for a few minutes before it tired of the tree and flew away. I lifted my foot from the brake, and we rolled down the pockmarked road toward our villa.

Half a mile later, the villa complex came into view. As Vera promised, four identical buildings faced inward, enclosing the square. As we approached from the south, I pointed to the villa facing north. “I’m assuming that one is ours.”

“Tranquility Terrace. This is so fun. It’s like they’re nestled in the middle of a forest.”

She was right. They’d obviously cleared the area to put in the villas. Trees flanked the buildings, a little close for my liking. There were only a few yards clearance from the back of the villas to the forest. What if there was a storm?

“Why the worry lines?” Emma asked.

“Um, aren’t those trees a little close? What if they blow over?”

Emma chuckled. “Can’t you just enjoy the splendor? Stop being practical for a minute or two.”

“Fine. Don’t come crying to me when you wake up with a tree in your bed.”

Emma held up her hand as if taking an oath. “I promise I won’t cry to you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Where do we park?” With the villas arranged in a square, I’d assumed the parking was in the middle, but the road veered north.

“Um, follow the road.”

Leave it to Emma to state the obvious.

The road snaked through the forest, so we could no longer see the villas. I strained to peer through the dense foliage, but the vegetation blocked my view. Engulfed by trees, the villas seemed miles away, despite being nearby.

"I just figured they'd centralize the parking. In the middle."

“No. That would ruin the allure.” Emma pulled a pamphlet from her bag and shoved it toward me. “The square is for all the activities.”

I glanced down. There were several pictures, each depicting myriad activities. “Jesus. All that’s in the center of the villas?”

“Duh, that’s where our programs will be, except for the ones in the main lodge.”

“Outside?” My voice must have risen two octaves.

“Well, yeah. Where did you imagine we would do things?”

“In a swanky temperature-controlled spa.”

“I never said this was a spa. It’s a retreat.”

“What’s the difference?”

Emma grinned. “You’ll find out.”

I groaned as I drove north. A weathered sign directed us to turn left for parking.

The short lane opened into a parking lot behind the villa across the square from ours.

The parking lot, half the size of the lodge parking, wasn’t in any better repair.

I was used to resorts with immaculate grounds, so this place was throwing me. Another thing not to say to Emma.

“Looks like we have to lug our luggage across the square,” I said. Few cars dotted the lot, so I pulled into a spot closest to a walkway. “We’re here.” I kept a neutral tone since I couldn’t muster putting excitement in my voice. I thought I was being gracious.

Emma supplied the enthusiasm as she clapped and bounced in her seat. “This is going to be so amazing.”

Yeah, amazing.

We grabbed our carry-ons, deciding we would come back for our luggage once we got a feel for the place. Emma motioned to a sign, showing Gratitude Grotto to the left and Lovingkindness Lodge to the right. “Which way?”

I shrugged and didn’t hide my grin. “I thought you were making all the decisions.”

She gave me a side eye and marched toward the path to the right.

“Lovingkindness Lodge it is,” I said as I followed her.

The walk through the trees took only a few minutes, not as long as I’d feared. We came out between Harmony House and Gratitude Grotto. Our villa sat on the opposite side of the square. Not that I could distinguish it from the others since all four villas were identical.

Upon reaching the end of the path, my eyes widened as the square came into view. It was as if we’d stepped into another world. Unlike the rest of Blissful Breeze, the grounds were immaculately tended, whereas the rest of the resort, to use Emma’s phrasing, was primitive.

A large fountain, at least twenty feet tall, stood in the center of the square. Even from this distance, about twenty-five yards away, I heard water splashing down the sides.

Emma elbowed me. “See, there’s your water.”

“Did we pass through a portal to another time or place?”

“What do you mean?”

“Remember when we were kids and we’d watch Sesame Street ? They’d sing that song. One of these things is not like the other.”

Emma’s eyebrows knitted. “Yeah, so?”

“I feel like we’re in the adult version of it.”

“Now you’ve lost me.”

“You saw the roads, the main office, the parking lots.” I paused, studying the villas, which could use a coat of paint and some TLC. “And the villas.” I held my arm out toward the fountain and then swept it in a circle, taking it all in. “This place does not match the others.”

Emma didn’t react to my comment. Instead, she said, “Wow, look at those flowers.”

Each corner of the square featured a flower garden that surrounded the four paths leading to the fountain.

Farthest away from where we stood, closest to our villa, was the cool color palette.

In one corner, the flowers were mostly purple and silver, and the other corner sported blues and whites.

Closest to us were the warm colors. Orange and yellow flowers grew along our path, while reds and pinks filled the path on the other side.

We continued walking toward the fountain, taking in the rest of the grounds.

The areas in front of the villas, sandwiched between the flower gardens, each had a different theme.

To our right, in front of Harmony House, appeared to be the game area, which included a full-size sand volleyball court.

A well-manicured grassy area that could rival the lush grounds of Augusta National Golf Club expanded in front of Gratitude Grotto, while across the square by Lovingkindness Lodge, a patio with wrought iron lawn furniture, complete with oversized umbrellas, graced the bricked area.

Across the way, in front of our villa, a firepit anchored the space.

As we took it in, an older black woman who sat on the porch of Tranquility Terrace waved. “Hello,” she called across the expanse. “Welcome.”

Emma moved her arm in a giant arc and shouted, “hi.” She grabbed my arm. “Come on, let’s meet our housemate.”

I took a deep breath. I could do this.

“Welcome to Tranquility Terrace,” the woman said as we approached. “Vera said there were sisters staying here, so I’m assuming that’s you.”

I put my hand on my chest in mock surprise, “What gave you that idea?”

“Except for the hair, you’re spitting images of each other. Twins?”

I groaned. “She’s eighteen months older.”

The woman shook her head. “Damn, I woulda pegged you for twins.”

“We get that a lot.” Emma walked up the stairs to the porch. “I’m Emma Fulton, and this is my sister, Blake Saunders.”

“Annie Coffman.” She held up her glass. “I’ve been sitting out here enjoying a drink, waiting for the rest of you all to arrive.”

“Long Island style?” I asked.

Annie held up her glass and wiggled her eyebrows. “I’m not saying.”

Emma’s eyes widened.

Annie chuckled. “Kidding. They discourage mind-altering substances here. They want us to get a natural high.”

Emma lifted her arms and raised her face to the sky before she twirled. “The healing power of nature, isn’t it fabulous?”

I stared at her, considering whether I should make a sarcastic comment.

Annie burst out laughing. She pointed at me. “Look at that face. Oh, lord, you are the yin to her yang, or is it the yang to her yin?”

“You be the judge, Annie.” Emma gave me a sickeningly sweet smile before she continued. “Yin is the dark side, while yang is the light.”

Annie cackled and slapped her hand on the table. “Oh, no, I’m not. I’ve already stepped in it enough. You all know who the yin and yang are.”

I waved my hand at her. “No harm. Emma knows how annoying her yang is.”

Emma stopped twirling and shot me a look before she said, “Please, ignore her. She doesn’t get out in civilized society much.” Emma leaned in and whispered, “She’s in private equity. A shark. Barracuda.”

“I also have ears.” I put on a scowl, even though I was used to Emma’s shtick.

Annie chuckled. “This is gonna be fun having the two of you as housemates. Why don’t ya all go set your stuff in a room? Then you can join me for an iced tea.”

“Sounds good,” I said.

“Don’t mind my stuff piled in the common area.”

“You didn’t choose a room yet?” I asked.

“Nope. I’ll choose from whatever’s left. Let the universe decide where I belong.”

“Serendipity,” Emma practically shouted.

“Exactly,” Annie said.

I groaned. “Damn it. I’m going to be so outnumbered.”

A puzzled expression crossed Annie’s face, so Emma launched into the story of how we ended up at Blissful Breeze and why I wasn’t allowed to make any of my own decisions.

After Emma finished, Annie shook her head with a huge smile on her face. “This just keeps getting better and better.”