“Over here,” I called out to Crystal. I was situated on the couch in the Lodge with the bin of tote bags and the tin of cookies. She seemed to brighten up the whole interior of the Lodge with her colorful outfit. Her kelly green T-shirt was layered over a purple one with an orange one underneath. Her black curls bounced as she walked in pulling a large bin. The mismatched earrings of the day were a teardrop on one side and lightning bolt on the other. I was surprised to see her massaging her temple and letting out a sigh as she joined me.
“All the gloom is giving me a headache,” she said, glancing back toward the window. “I’m used to cloudy, but the sky is usually a lot brighter. It’s practically taupe out there. You know it’s going to rain. I wish it would do it and get it over with.” I followed her gaze to the window and nodded in agreement.
“At least it’s nice and cozy in here.” She sat down and reached out her hands to feel the warmth coming off the fireplace. “I brought everything for the kits.”
“And I have the tote bags to put them in when we finish.” I flipped off the lid of my wheeled bin, displaying the array of blood-red tote bags with Yarn2Go emblazoned on the front.
“Where shall we do it? Here or in our room in the Cypress building?” She glanced around the large room. “It seems pretty quiet in here.”
“For now,” I said. “There were a bunch of early arrivals for the programs that start tomorrow. And then there was Milton Carruthers.”
“You say that like he’s a problem.” She shrugged. “He’s not here for our retreat, so we don’t have to be concerned.”
“Yes, but Madeleine thinks he’s here to see her and I feel responsible. She met him during my retreat. What if whatever happens between them turns out badly?”
“Madeleine is a grown woman. True, she’s been overprotected until recently, but don’t you think that it’s better she have a relationship, even if it doesn’t work out, rather than not having the experience.”
“I’m sure you’re right. But I’m staying here for dinner to see how things go with them and to keep track of the three here already for our retreat.”
Crystal chuckled. “I think I’ll join you. It’s better than having another lecture from my daughter about how inappropriate my clothes are.” Crystal let out a heavy sigh. “She even ordered some clothes for me, on my credit card, of course. They’re in the car ready to be dropped off at the UPS store to return them. No way am I going to wear anything so drab.” She looked at the tin on top of my bin. “Any cookies in there?”
I flipped off the top and her eyes widened as she saw the sandwich cookies. She announced she was getting a cup of coffee to go with them and I took out a few of the red tote bags and put them on the table.
“Let’s see what goodies you have for our group,” she said when she returned and had polished off two of the cookies followed by a sip of the coffee. She pulled out a cellophane-wrapped bar of pink soap.
“It turns out that the soap maker is one of our people. She’s already arrived. She seems to be a veteran of wellness weekends that haven’t worked out and now she’s hoping yarn craft will solve things for her.”
Crystal put the wrapped bar of soap to her nose. “Her life might not be going as she wishes, but she makes lovely-smelling soap.” I handed her an extra bar I had in the bin and told her to keep it. She thanked me and tucked it in her bag.
“Your turn. Show me what you’ve got,” I said.
Crystal finished off another cookie before she put her things on display. She brought out two samples of the completed projects. Because we were expecting newbies, she had come up with something simple that required only the most basic of stitches and would work up quickly even if our attendees were novices. She held up a long strand of stitches with red hearts dangling from it. She took the garland and showed how it could be hung on a fireplace, a window or a door. I imagined it could be hung on a wall as well. “There is a knit version, too,” she said.
Cloris had come out from behind the counter and was arranging three easels with posters for the upcoming retreats and looked over at the garland in Crystal’s hands. “That’s really nice. I wouldn’t mind having one of those myself.”
Crystal took the crocheted version and was demonstrating how it could be hung on the registration counter as I explained how our people would have a souvenir from the weekend they could show off to their friends. “It’s the new thing,” I said and told her about Lexie and Bella. “Just a warning,” I added. “I think they consider me old.”
Crystal made a face. “Then they’ll see me as being ancient, too,” my yarn specialist said. “Particularly if they find out I have teenage kids.” She laid the garland on the counter. “How old are the trendy twins?”
“I’m guessing early twenties,” I said.
“We’re only in our thirties,” she wailed.
I felt a gush of the heavy damp air and turned to see who had come in. Madeleine had stopped just inside the door and seemed hesitant, as if she was intruding, which was crazy. She had every reason to be there since the place belonged to the Delacorte family and the café was even named after her and her sister, but she was easily intimidated by Kevin St. John. As soon as Cloris explained that the manager had gone to his seminar, Madeleine seemed more at ease.
After missing out on wearing denim, Madeleine was making up for it now. Today’s outfit consisted of a denim skirt made out of an old pair of jeans she had put over black leggings. She topped it with a loose black sweater. Her blondish bob finished the look. She looked cute and stylish and tens of years younger than when she had dressed like her sister.
Her face lit in a bright smile. “Is he here yet?” she said, bubbling with excitement, which was a change too from the time when she let Cora do all the talking. I had actually wondered if Madeleine wasn’t able to speak. There was no doubt about that now.
“Yes. He checked in a while ago. I think he went to his room,” Cloris said.
She suddenly got flustered and seemed to be blushing. “I don’t know what I should do. It’s the first time I’ve seen him in person since he came for that writers’ weekend. He was one of the presenters, so I barely saw him. Since then, it’s just been Facetime. Maybe I should just wait until dinner. You’ll be there then,” she said, looking at me. “I’m anxious to see him, but a little nervous too.”
“I’ll be there too,” Crystal said. “Don’t worry, you’ll have your posse for backup.”
“I know you said that you would arrange a room for me,” Madeleine said. “But I was thinking I could stay in the cottage.” She looked down at the ground and lowered her voice as she continued. “I thought it would be nice to have a place where Milton and I could be just the two of us.”
The cottage was a small structure away from the other buildings. It was surrounded by trees and underbrush and felt cozy and private.
Cloris heard her and her expression dimmed. “Of course, I understand. There’s someone staying in it, but he’s leaving tomorrow. We can have it all ready for you then.”
Madeleine seemed a little disappointed. “Then I’ll just leave my suitcase and go home after dinner,” Madeleine said. She looked at the bins and stuff on the table. “Can I help with anything?”
“That would be great. We need to get the kits ready,” Crystal said. “Since we’re dealing with inexperienced crafters this time, we want to have the first heart already started.”
“That’s a splendid plan,” Madeleine said, picking up the sample of the garland and admiring it. We each took a bunch of the drawstring bags that held the supplies for the project and began doing the beginning stitches for each of them. We were talking among ourselves when a woman’s voice cut into our conversation.
“Oh, no,” she said. “This can’t be.” Her white-blond hair was slicked back in a short style and she wore bright red lipstick. The color worked on her, but I had tried wearing it once and I thought it made me look like a vampire. I could not even look at myself in the mirror.
She was standing near the three signs for upcoming retreats and seemed distressed. My first thought was it was mine that was giving her a problem, but then she said something that made me realize it wasn’t. “He can’t be here. He never does it this weekend. I made sure to pick a time when he wouldn’t be here.” She seemed angry and frustrated. “He ruined my life. Get Unstuck, my foot. He ought to get stuck on one of those glue traps they leave out for vermin. And one for her too.” She smacked something on the sign with such vehemence, it fell off the tripod and hit the floor with a thud.
“I guess she’s not a fan,” I said, and Crystal rolled her eyes.
• • •
With the short days at this time of year, it was totally dark when the dinner bell began to ring announcing the meal in the Sea Foam Dining Hall. Normally, there would be a line of people waiting to go in, but this time only a small clump waited outside. The air felt heavy with moisture, like a sponge that was swollen with too much water. It was a relief to get inside. The dining hall was one large space lined with tall windows. The stone fireplace glowed and added a feeling of cheer. More than half the room had been roped off and only a few of the large round tables were set up for the meal due to the small crowd.
The smell of hot food was intoxicating and I realized that I hadn’t had anything besides the muffin and a lot of coffee. I dropped my things at one of the tables and went directly to the cafeteria-like setup at the back of the room. As soon as I saw the array of food I chuckled, thinking of how Mindy’s mother would have reacted. The food was always tasty and carb-heavy. They had mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese, along with corn bread, as sides to the fried chicken. In fairness there was salad and broccoli as well. Dessert was white cake with frosting I was sure came out of a can. I passed on it, but filled my plate with a little of everything else, glad to have dinner made for me and not having to eat alone, which I was sure would lead to thinking about Dane.
The tables were beginning to fill up. The psychologist and his wife had chosen seats at the next table. Their seats were close enough to mine that I could hear them commenting on the food. The wife, whose name I know knew was Audrey, was a vegetarian and not happy there wasn’t an alternative to fried chicken. “I let them know that wasn’t acceptable and they’re making something for me.” She got up and went back to the food line.
The trendy twins, as I’d come to think of Bella and Lexie, took spots at my table. Madeleine hung by the door for a moment before claiming two seats at the table. “Maybe I should wait for Milton before I get my food,” she said with her eyes still glued to the door.
Crystal came in with an unfamiliar man. She pointed out the food line, but he was searching the room. His gaze stopped on Trent Nicholson’s back and he cut through the room. He had dark hair and a wiry build and seemed angry about something as he started to lay into the therapist. “It all fell apart when I left,” the man said. “I did what you told me and I’m not any happier than I was. I need to know how to fix it. You said we could repeat the retreat for a discount. Ha! I want it free.”
Trent stood up and put an arm around the man’s shoulder and moved him off near the windows in an effort for privacy as he tried to calm the man.
Even so, everyone had their eyes on the pair. The man seemed very agitated and I hoped it wouldn’t escalate into violence. It was a relief when the man finally went to the food line and Trent returned to his table. He had a self-satisfied expression, as if he had settled things with the man.
Crystal took the chair next to me. “What was that about?”
“Judging from what the man said, he must have gone to an earlier retreat and not been happy with the results.” Crystal checked my plate of food and got up to get her own. She glanced toward the door.
“Uh-oh. It looks like more trouble for him,” she said, staring at the latest arrival. It only took a moment for it to register who the woman with the white-blond hair and bright lipstick was. She was the one who had punched the poster with details of Trent Nicholson’s retreat. She had already picked him out of the crowd and was glaring at him. It seemed as if he could feel her eyes on him, because he turned and looked in her direction as she crossed the room. He appeared to be about to dismiss her but then she said, “You don’t recognize me, do you?” He scrutinized her more closely as she did a model twirl. “I made a few changes.”
He clearly did recognize her now and seemed mesmerized by her for a moment before his expression changed. “What are you doing here?” he demanded.
“Don’t worry. I’m not here for you,” she said as she perused the rest of the room. “I came for a craft weekend. It’s something for the new me.”
Just as it was sinking in that she was one of my people, her gaze stopped on me. She totally missed Audrey’s harsh glare at her as they crossed paths. Audrey dropped her plate of the vegetarian alternative with a clatter and began fussing at her psychologist husband.
“Are you the yarn person,” the woman asked, giving me the once-over. “The person behind the registration counter said you were here.”
“Casey Feldstein, at your service,” I said with a friendly smile while trying not to stare at the bright lipstick. “You do know that our program doesn’t start till tomorrow.”
“No problem. Lisa Montez.” She stuck out her hand to shake mine. “But just to let you know, I’m expecting a lot out of this weekend.”
When Lisa had gone to get her dinner, Crystal gave my back a supportive pat. “I wonder what that means.”
“There he is,” Madeleine said, waving her hand at Milton, who was standing at the empty host stand. Her face was lit up with anticipation as she called his name. I hoped there would be a big romantic moment when their eyes met for the first time. Except that wasn’t what happened. She looked all dewy-eyed and dreamy, but he hesitated, taking a deep breath as if readying himself for something difficult.