Nathaniel
“I am Nathaniel Barry. I made the reservation for three nights. You can see it here on my laptop.”
I try to keep my voice even and not let the frustration I’m feeling show. I’m trying to check in at the Woodlands Resort, and it’s not going well.
I hold my computer screen up for the receptionist to see. She has scraped-back black hair that matches her black dress.
“I’m sorry, sir, it’s resort policy. You must present ID upon check-in.”
I set my computer down on the check-in desk and rub my temples. I was so relieved to find my briefcase and laptop at the train station’s lost and found that I didn’t even think about needing an ID for check-in. I would’ve asked my colleague for more than a quick loan if I’d known this was going to happen.
The receptionist’s lips are pinched and her arms are folded across her chest. She’s definitely not going to budge.
I wonder what Izzy would do in this situation.
I shake my head at the thought. What’s wrong with me? She’d make trouble, that’s what she’d do.
Or tell a story about her granny, or…I narrow my eyes. Maybe Izzy was actually onto something.
“I’m sorry about this,” I begin again.
The receptionist shrugs. “It’s policy. You can’t stay without ID.”
“Sure. On my way here I was mugged—”
“Oh. Oh no. That’s awful!” Her hand flies to her chest and she gives me a more sympathetic look.
I nod and try to play up her sympathy. The only other place to stay in Romeo is a B&B and they’re all booked up. I have to stay here. Also, this is where Gertrude is. I have a better chance of finding her if we’re in the same hotel.
I hold my hands out disarmingly. “So you see, I don’t have any ID to show you. But…”
She nods encouragingly.
“I do know someone that lives in town who could vouch that I am who I say I am.”
The receptionist’s brow wrinkles and I can tell she’s chewing this over. “Well…maybe. Who do you know?”
I give a bland smile. “Miss Erma.”
The change is instant. The formerly unmovable receptionist gives me a happy, toothy smile. “Oh, Miss Erma. Well, that’s a different story. Of course that would work. Miss Erma. Isn’t that wonderful?”
I keep my expression flat. I almost forgot that Miss Erma has superstar level status in this town.
She was my grandma’s neighbor growing up, and although my grandma died more than twenty years ago, Miss Erma still chats with my mom at least once a month. Whenever Erma comes down to New York for a Broadway show or a museum trip she swings by to see my parents. Every now and then I’m there too. She always jokingly pinches my cheek and tells me someday she’ll “see” my soul mate.
I always told her I’d already found my soul mate in Gertrude.
The receptionist has her phone out. It’s ringing in on a video call. After a few rings Miss Erma picks up. All we can see is her ear.
“Miss Erma, hello? It’s Virginia at the Woodlands Resort.”
“Virginia. Hello. Did I win a free stay? See Wanda, I told you I was going to win. I saw it in a dream.”
I hold back a chuckle. Wanda is Erma’s best friend. By the sound of the background noise they’re at some sort of jazzercise or Zumba class.
“You can’t prognosticate winnings, Erma. That’s horse crap,” Wanda says.
“Who says I can’t learn new skills late in life?” Erma replies. She shifts the phone to her other ear. We catch a quick glimpse of a dance studio, lots of mirrors and about a dozen older women shimmying around.
“Psychic dreaming isn’t a skill you can just learn,” argues Wanda.
Virginia’s pale face turns bright red. “No, no. Miss Erma, I’m sorry. You didn’t win, Elliot Driver won. We’re on video. Can you hold the phone up so we can see you?”
“Elliot Driver? I definitely didn’t see that,” she says. Then she mutters, “We who? Who’s on video?”
She fumbles with the phone. It flips upside down for a second and then Erma’s and Wanda’s faces fill the screen.
“Why, Nathaniel, what are you doing in Romeo?” Erma gives me a big, grandmotherly smile.
I glance over at Virginia and quirk an eyebrow as if to say, “see, I’m Nathaniel.”
“Maybe he also won the free stay from the drawing,” Wanda says. “You didn’t see that coming, did you?”
Erma shoos Wanda away and walks to the opposite side of the studio, away from the dancing ladies.
“Miss Erma, I just needed you to confirm that this is Nathaniel Barry,” Virginia says.
Erma scoffs. “Of course he’s Nathaniel Barry, who else would he be?”
“Thank you,” I say warmly. Now I can check in, use the room phone to call Gertrude, find her and convince her—
“Nathaniel, I just called your mother this morning.”
A twinge of guilt hits me. For the past few months Erma has asked after me. My mom said that she’d been feeling down lately. Her godson recently died and for some reason Erma claims that I remind her of him. My mom kept asking me to go and pay her a visit to cheer her up.
I never did.
“I’ve finally seen your soul mate.”
I frown at the screen. “Excuse me?”
Virginia gasps. “That’s so wonderful.” She turns the full force of her enthusiasm on me. “Do you know what that means? You’re going to fall in love and get married and live happily ever after!”
“I’m already in love,” I tell Virginia.
“Oh.” She frowns and looks back to the video call.
Erma gives me a pleased look. “She’s in Romeo right now.” Her brown eyes crinkle with amusement.
The back of my neck itches and I get the horrible feeling that she’s about to say my soul mate is Izzy.
“She’s an accountant,” Erma says in the same way a magician would say “ta da!”
I let out a relieved sigh. Not Izzy. Not Izzy at all.
She’s talking about Gertrude. Of course she is. I’ve always known that Gertrude and I are perfect together.
“That’s great,” I say. “I knew it. I already knew it. That’s perfect. Thank you, Erma.”
Virginia puts her free hand to her chest and goes, “Awwwww.”
Erma’s tilts her head and studies at me like a bird watching a worm. “You’ve seen her already?”
“Not yet.” I shake my head. “But she’s staying here too. I’ll find her. I’ll get her back.”
The music in the dance studio changes to a faster, more upbeat song.
“Erma, it’s your song,” shouts Wanda.
Erma lifts her eyebrows and her eyes twinkle. “It looks like I’m needed.”
“Bye, Miss Erma,” Virginia says.
“Thank you,” I say.
Erma gives me a wink. “I’m pleased about your soul mate, Nathaniel. I knew you’d like her. She’s respectable, smart, demure. She fits you perfectly.”
I nod, but I can’t manage to say anything in response.
Before, if I lost Gertrude to Raphael I’d be broken-hearted. Now, the stakes are even higher, because if I lose Gertrude, I’ve lost my soul mate.