Dressed casually in faded jeans and a lavender shirt embroidered with violets, Abby sat in the porch rocker awaiting Nash. She’d allowed her feminine side to dictate the shade of nude lipstick and spritz of a floral fragrance. Clipping two flower barrettes into her hair completed the natural look. Abby looked in the mirror and marveled at how accepting she was becoming of Charm.
Right on time, Nash’s vehicle turned into her circular drive. Wearing his most charming smile, he stepped out, holding the box in the air. “Hi there. I bring pizza fresh from the brick oven.”
“Hey yourself. I’ve set the table on the porch.” Abby led the way. “Mineral water with a twist of lime and a tasty dessert awaits.” She smiled, watching Nash place the box in the center of the table before taking a seat.
“Tempt me. What’s the dessert?” He placed a slice of pizza on Abby’s plate and then his.
“Carmel fudge brownies.” Abby took a bite. “Is this ever delicious. I love the jumbo green olives.”
Nash nodded. “We have two great pizza places in Charm. Did you make the brownies?” He lifted the foil on the tray next to him.
Abby pushed Nash’s arm away. “No sampling.” She grinned when he shoved the temptation closer to her. “I do aspire to bake things one day soon, but alas, these came from the market.”
“Aspirations are good. We all need them.” Nash repositioned his topping and took a bite. “What did you do today?” His dimples appeared to torment her.
“Well, let’s see. I unpacked, followed by a life-altering lesson with Gita. Later, a squirrel, a bluebird, and I hiked the backyard path to Angel Cascade. Just your run-of-the-mill day in Charm,” joked Abby. “What about your day?”
“I had a run of the mill day too. I got Sander situated with his guide. He finally quit taking a drive on the hour to see if the loop opened, so that’s real progress.”
“Poor guy. I confess when I drove to town earlier, I kept glancing around for my exit road. I guess there’s no point in checking, and like I said, leaving doesn’t carry the allure it did my first days here.” Abby took a sip of her beverage and waited for Nash’s reply.
“Looking for the portal opening is an expected behavior. Don’t worry. You’ll get an early sign if or when.” Nash waved to Myrtle as she toddled up her sidewalk. “In the meantime, you’re gaining insights into why you’re here.”
“Today was a banner day for insights. Tell me, Mayor, what’s Edna and Myrtle’s story?” Abby needed to shift the conversation to something lighter.
“Your attempt to dodge talking about you isn’t subtle, but I respect it. Whenever you’re ready or need my ear, say the word,” said Nash. “Have another slice while I enlighten you on those colorful two ladies.”
“Thanks, on both counts. This is my last piece. I plan to devour half those brownies. And after the s’mores, you know I can.” Abby enjoyed bantering with Nash. Their personalities seemed to mesh. Stealing a peek at his broad shoulders, she did a virtual smackdown, turning her mind back to dessert chatter.
“As long as you stay on your side of the brownie tray, we’ll do fine.” Nash grabbed a knife and cut the brownies down the middle. “My side. Your side.” He pointed.
“You don’t cut even.” Abby spun around the tray so she’d have the larger section. “You may now enlighten me on the spinsters.”
“Fine.” Nash closed the empty pizza box and nabbed a brownie. “So, you want to hear about the sisters? As you know, I’m able to share what’s common knowledge. They have an interesting background. Edna and Myrtle arrived in Charm long before me. Like Gita, they chose to remain and contribute. Their family’s impressive heritage swept from the cotton fields to the textile mills. No surprise that generations of great wealth came to the sisters. Rather than bask in the frivolous life, as Edna refers to it, the ladies chose to take over the businesses when their father passed. You’ll not find two more knowledgeable or passionate people on the textile subject.” Nash opened another bottle of mineral water and poured it into his glass.
“That’s what I’d call a major commitment to your family’s legacy. Can you tell me why they ended up in Charm? Did they venture off the high-principle path like I did?” Abby wondered if that was a shared behavior of Charm’s residents.
Nash shook his head. “I can’t say. The thing of it is, Abby, we all share some commonalities, like a lasting connection to nature. But the driving force that brings someone to Charm is as variable as the winds.”
Abby’s face registered confusion.
“Look, I understand my vague responses are off-putting. You may even think me obtuse, but like I’ve said, focus on you. Over time, you’ll glean more on the method and mechanisms that define Charm. Trust me. Other folks share their stories when it matters.”
“Okay, Nash. I appreciate what you said and know you’ve been as straightforward as possible with me. Speaking of stories, want to hear one of my latest barmy encounters?” Abby’s expression shifted to amused.
“Barmy? As in wacky?” Nash’s eyebrow lifted.
“The same. So, it’s my first day in the cottage, and I don’t know where things are and all. Right?” Abby was enjoying the setup.
“Right,” responded Nash, stretching out the word.
“So, I decided to brew a pot of tea, and without pause, I opened the cabinet where the teapot waited on a shelf. Mind you, that was the first time I’d looked inside.” Abby paused, allowing him time to process her story.
“Maybe you—”
“Nope. Don’t answer yet. There’s more. The same experience repeated with my bathroom vanity drawers’ contents. You see these barrettes and makeup?”
“I do. You look pretty tonight. Forgive my lapse in saying so.”
“Thank you, but I wasn’t fishing for a compliment. Instinctively, I opened the vanity drawer and found these items. It was like I knew they were there. I’m cracked.”
“Hold up. Didn’t you tell me that you envisioned your cottage years ago down to every detail?” asked Nash.
“Yes, but come on, not these kinds of details. Since this is about me, can’t you offer some morsel of explanation? This is nuts. I’m accepting and not judging, but hey, a touch of—”
Nash raised his hand. “I hear you. Okay, you know our needs often simply appear, while others get requested or shopped for like groceries?”
“Yes. I shopped for my overalls.” Abby stopped to think. “No, actually…I didn’t shop specifically for overalls. They sort of claimed me, but I did shop for food today.” She paused again. “No, even choosing items at the market had some enchantment. Forget it. I don’t know what’s going on. Just tell me how these hairclips, lipstick, and I are simpatico.”
Nash broke into laughter. “I’m sorry. You’re funny and wonderful, Abby Drake.”
“That proves you’re crackers too. Give me something,” Abby begged.
“So, if Source knows you inside and out, then setting up your cottage to your liking wouldn’t seem much of a stretch. Tell me. Do you keep primping-related things in your vanity drawer at home?” Nash took an enormous bite of his brownie.
Abby considered the question. She tried not to focus on Nash’s green eyes or the way his lips licked crumbs from his fingers. Instead, she acknowledged the part of him that was wise and a gifted guide. “I do keep my, to use your words, primping things in the left drawer. So, okay, there’s a similarity. But the tea kettle—”
“It’s a given that it’s a different kettle, but where is it stowed in the Crestview kitchen?” Nash pressed on.
“I don’t have a base cabinet to the right of my stove in Crestview, so it’s on the left side. Hang on. I’ll be right back.” Abby ran to the kitchen and noted a cookie sheet cabinet was on the left side of her stove, and a base cabinet housing her teapot was on the right. So, things were stored in places she would have chosen. The fact that the contents were supplied by some curious means, Abby couldn’t decipher and returned to the porch.
Nash was standing. He pivoted to face Abby. “So?”
“So, the kettle is on the opposite side, but in the logical place I’d have chosen. I guess the Source does know me and what I like. I’ll keep trying to accept all of this—” Abby’s arms swept a circle in front of her. “These—” She looked pleadingly at Nash.
“Gifts,” he supplied. “Then you’ll fare fine in Charm and learn what you need. Keep accepting with a glad heart and—”
“And I’ll be homeward bound in no time. Did you hear that?”
“Yes.” Nash waited.
Abby gave an exasperated sigh. “I confess that I’m still all over the place on staying or leaving. I thought I’d found peace. I guess not. My mind keeps messing with me. My past keeps messing with me.”
“Totally normal. As for accepting Charm’s ways, you’re living in a different dimension here. If someone born here went to Crestview, they’d feel as you do. Life would seem strange to them. It’s all relative, as they say.” Nash leaned back.
“That makes sense. I feel better. Keep reminding me I’m living in a different dimension, though I don’t yet understand the inner workings and the why. I recognize that accepting things as they are does free me to move faster with the lessons. And that’s a good thing.”
A smile appeared on Nash’s face. “Sounds like you’re back on track, despite your earlier skepticism over natural intuition leading you to open the right cupboards. Tell me, have you checked out your portal cubby?” Nash scooted his chair away from the table.
“No, I’m not ready to open Pandora’s box. Maybe I will tomorrow. Maybe not.”
“The word ‘maybe’ is a good choice. I used it a lot when I arrived here. How Gita suffered me. I remember one day she set out to prove I had something to offer Charm. Anyway….” Nash’s voice trailed off.
“Don’t stop in the middle.” Abby pulled him from his chair. “Sit with me in the porch swing and finish the ‘anyway.’”
Nash joined her. “Okay, okay.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway, on that day, I’d hit a wall. I didn’t see where I could fit in Charm and felt pretty low. I mean, Bella seemed to revel in her extraordinary new life. Being in Charm proved a great healer for her loss, and with the kids being so young, they acclimated right away. Not me. I had my all-important work in Peru waiting. I had grants to live up to. I had people counting on me to deliver mind-blowing research. I had yet to acknowledge that I was compromising my ethics, my values…myself. Sound familiar?” Nash’s foot made the swing go.
“Too familiar and too painful.” Abby laced her fingers through his. “So, you didn’t see a place for you to matter or a path to meaningful work in Charm?”
“Nope, but then I didn’t want to matter to Charm or Charm to matter to me. Like you, I wanted my old life where my ego reigned supreme. Gita would try to guide me toward saying yes to simple acts of kindness and helping. Nothing she tossed my way held my interest. When she’d ask me each day if I’d do one simple thing?”
“You’d say, ‘Maybe. Maybe not.’” Abby twisted to see Nash’s face.
“Exactly. I guess Gita had her fill of my stubbornness and lack of progress. She took me on a short field trip that changed my ‘maybe not’ to ‘maybe so.’”
Abby understood all too well how a scientist’s mind needed a certain level of stimulation. Boredom chased her, and probably Nash as well. “A field trip in Charm? Come on. Seriously?”
“That was my reaction. In fact, I laughed for like five minutes before Gita dragged me out to her car. I say again, how she suffered me. The woman’s a saint.”
A wry smile quirked Abby’s mouth. “Compared to you, maybe I’m not such a bad student after all.”
“Maybe not.” Nash nodded, saying his favorite words. “Let’s go.”
“Go where?” A cautious Abby released Nash’s warm hand and scooted to the side of the swing.
“On a field trip, of course.” Nash’s expression turned mischievous.