Page 3 of The Summer I Stayed (Midlife Meet Cute #5)
Maggie
Alison’s ringtone, a cheerful sound just like her, fills the small room that will be my home for the next few weeks. After the raccoon fiasco, I went back to Driftwood Diner for a replacement meal and called the Lakeside Haven Inn to reserve a room.
To my surprise, they had one. With summer here, I figured they’d be booked out, especially with all of the activities they offer here.
They have water activities, farmers market every weekend, and an array of food options that would make any foodie’s stomach growl.
Plus, the Summer Festival is an attraction that everyone anticipates every year.
I hit the green button, and Alison’s face pops up on my screen. While she has a lot of my features, she vastly reminds me of her father.
“Hey, sweetie,” I answer, sinking into the bed. “A little early to be checking in on me, isn’t it?” I tease her, glancing at the clock. It’s barely been twelve hours since I left the house.
“What? I can’t check on my own mother?” she replies playfully. “How’s day one going?”
“Oh great,” I say casually. “I had a run-in with some of the locals.”
“Locals?” she asks curiously. “Like who? Did you see Gemma?”
“Not Gemma, no. But raccoons, yes.”
“A raccoon?” She lets out a confused laugh.
“Raccoons,” I emphasize the “s.” “A mom and her babies are living in the kitchen…of the lake house.”
Alison bursts into laughter, the sound filling the entire room. “You’re kidding, right?”
“I wish,” I respond, running my hands through my hair. “I walked into the house and set my takeout on the coffee table. I’ve never been inside, so I took a look around, and when I came back, there she was. The mom had my food container open and was eating my fries.”
“What did you do?”
“Grabbed the closest thing to me to shoo it out of the house.” I continue to tell her the full story, leaving nothing out because Alison is a detail kind of girl. Everything up until me sitting here on the bed, finally enjoying my Porch Swing Panini and fresh fries.
“And this Jake guy just happened to be there?”
“According to Gemma, he’s the town handyman. He was coming by to check on the house after the storm.”
“Oh, Mom,” Alison sighs dramatically. “You’ve been in Blue Alder Cove for less than a day, and you’re already having an adventure!”
I’m surprised she didn’t ask any further questions about Jake. Alison has made it known that she’s okay with me dating again. It was a bit of a shock to me when she first made comments about it.
“How about you, honey? How’s the packing going?”
“Ugh, packing is the worst,” she groans. “I mean, who knew I had so much stuff?”
“I did,” I reply dryly. “I’m the one who’s been tripping over it for the last eighteen years.”
She gives me a fake gasp of offense.
“Packing is good for you,” I insist, ignoring her theatrics. “It’s a chance to declutter and prioritize.”
She sighs. “I suppose you’re right. Decluttering could be…therapeutic?”
“Exactly!” I say cheerfully. “Plus, it’ll make moving into your dorm easier.”
“But what if I need something and I don’t have it?” Her voice echoes the sentiments of every “overpacker” into existence.
“You’re going to Savannah, not Mars. If you need something, you can always buy it there, or I can have it shipped to you.”
There’s a pause before she answers softly, “Yeah, I guess so.”
I can hear the nerves in her voice and wish I could be there to hug her, tell her everything is going to be okay. Ali is normally a carefree, happy-go-lucky type of girl. But even the ones who seem like they have no worries get nervous, too.
“Hey,” I say gently, “you’re going to do great in college, sweetie. Don’t let packing stress you out too much.”
“You really think so?” she asks quietly.
“I know so,” I reply as she smiles softly at me.
“Oh!” Alison jumps in excitement. “You still have your blog, right?”
My heart skips a beat at the mention of my old blog, Cozy Charm by Maggie. It was my creative outlet, showing others home decor and organization tips, until my whole world changed when the love of my life was no longer here.
I almost mentioned the many decluttering posts I have to Alison but I didn’t want to bring it up. Yet, here we are.
Alison continues. “You can take them along and start documenting the renovation. And you can start with today. Everyone loves a good renovation story, especially if it involves wildlife.”
She’s right. Today’s adventure is an entertaining story to tell. But could I really start blogging again? Of course, it’s crossed my mind over the years, and I do miss it, but it’s been years since I last touched it. Are blogs even relevant anymore?
“And since when have you become an expert on what makes a good blog?” I tease, trying to keep my voice light in contrast to the heaviness I feel.
“Well, Mom,” she says, exaggerating my title. “In case you’ve forgotten, we are the digital generation. Besides, people love real stories. And it’s not like you don’t have a fan base. I bet they’d love to hear from you again.”
I know she’s right. My old readers often left comments asking when I’d return. They missed my posts and declared their feeds weren’t the same without my cozy home tips and inspiration collages. But every time I even thought about sharing something, all I could think of was Steven.
But this…this project might be different. It’s not just about creating a cozy corner or organizing a pantry. It’s about rebuilding something that’s been broken.
“I’ll think about it,” I finally say, earning a triumphant grin from her.
The day’s events have worn me out entirely, and I can feel the aches settling in. Once we finish our conversation, I jot down today’s events in my notes app. If I decide to start again, then at least I’ll have something to go off of.