#52 Limbo - Limbo

Lyle and I entered the B&B through the side door a few moments later than usual. Extra effort was needed this morning to drag our equally groggy selves out of bed. The bright side, neither of us had a nightmare. The downside, neither of us had slept enough to start dreaming. Therefore, while Lyle took a quick shower I made us both steaming cups of green tea, one to chug now and one for midway through the morning rush when we were sure to be feeling the exhaustion. Right before we left I also made a point to check my messages, finding a voicemail from Martha, my childhood social worker, congratulating me on "the big 2 3". I made a mental note to call her back as we rushed out the door.

I found my spot at the griddle whipping up a triple batch of pancake batter while Lyle started setting up. It was never too absurdly busy on a Friday morning – most new guests arrived later in the day for a weekend trip - so it was just Lyle and I manning the kitchen. Neither of us minded and sometimes the situation was easier to handle with less people running through the narrow aisles between tables. Before we knew it the clock struck nine and all our guests had gone back to their rooms to get ready for their day.

Lyle went to the foyer to take the dirty napkins down to the laundry while I began washing and drying the dishes. Just as I picked up the first plate Grace deemed our 'spring plates' because of the sweet paintings of native flowers on the edge a voice cleared their throat behind me.

"I'm almost done, can you put this jar of honey in a pot its solidifying." I pushed the crystalized honey to my side, my back to the rest of the kitchen, so concentrated on my work that I didn't notice my friends gathered behind me until they opened up in song.

Grace's operatic vibrato carried through the room and I grinned as the sound filled my ears turning around to meet the group. They congregated in a half circle around Lyle who smiled wider than I'd ever seen her as she sang off key. In her hands she held a chocolate frosted cake with iced letters that read "our favorite breakfast queen".

Dania and Evelyn flanked Lyle holding onto opposite sides of the plate as they danced as much as they could while still keeping the creation level. In his usual position Tony gave me a wink from behind Grace as his strong arms wrapped around his fiancé who hit a high note with such passion that I swore glass would break.

As the singing came to an end Grace rushed in to hug me and in the process lifted me a few inches from the floor.

"I am so happy you decided to join me in this crazy adventure." She whispered in my ear then setting me down she turned to everyone. "It was right here three years ago tonight that I convinced May to go along with my dream. Just one month before opening she helped me whip this place in to tip top shape and she's been here ever since – and still hasn't learned how to make anything other than pancakes." She added with a chuckle and everyone laughed with her. "Now all of this, my dream is a reality- our reality. So thank you darling, I couldn't have done any of this without you"

There were tears in her eyes as she scooped me into another hug and whispered her love in my ear.

"Love you too." I wheezed back as she squeezed me so tightly I couldn't breathe - but I didn't mind.

I was truly happy.

Hurriedly, I was ushered onto a bar stool at the kitchen island, where in front of me sat three wrapped gifts. Dania and Evelyn grabbed plates and utensils cutting into the cake and passing it around much to my delight.

Cake for breakfast? What could be better?

"Hurry on and open up your presents, we have work to do." Grace scolded pushing the gifts toward me. "You know some child is going to wander in here and start ogling your cake. Eat up!"

The girls claimed the first present, a cheerful assortment of ankle and knee length socks – one of which had the words "fuck off" embroidered into the fabric. Grace and Tony got me a new spatula and set of measuring cups which they acknowledged was a futile offering – I traded exact measurements in for eyeballing amounts a few years back. The last gift was Lyle's, underneath the untimely Christmas wrapping paper sat a black plastic box. I undid the snap to reveal a collection of different size graphite drawing pencils along with two rubber erasers.

"Thank you." I swiveled around in my chair and embraced her just as I had to my other friends before giving her a quick kiss.

"Oh and I almost forgot!" Grace exclaimed pulling something from behind her back. "We got something for you too." She extended the a package no bigger than a book to Lyle.

I glanced at Grace in worry before turning to watch Lyle rip open the old newspaper wrapping to find a dark green White Pine t-shirt.

"Now don't get it too dirty, you'll need it if you keep running around here." Grace extended a warm smile to Lyle and I couldn't help but find myself wearing a stupid grin as well. Lyle didn't say anything, replacing a typical thank you with a meaningful nod in Grace's direction.

"Alright that's enough of that. Everyone back to work!" Grace sobered and shooed everyone out of the kitchen except for me.

While Lyle and the girls went to start cleaning rooms and loading the laundry, I continued my clean up at the sink. The morning was quiet and I watched the breeze ruffle through the flowers a few paces from my window.

I'd just finished the dishes when Evelyn's strained voice carried from the foyer to the kitchen. "Sir, I am sorry but if you don't have a reservation I am afraid we are all booked up."

Curious I peeked into the foyer to see a skinny man clutching a duffle bag twice his width as he argued with Evelyn. He was tall and stood well over a foot above her but as he spoke he jutted his neck forward as if he were afraid his head would scrape the ceiling.

"Is everything ok?" I asked taking a step into the room. Instantly his head snapped in my direction and his face lit up. Inching his way toward me he gave me a weird wink and nod combination.

"I am a friend." He proposed taking my arm in his hand.

I jumped away. "I don't know you."

"Sir, we are going to have to ask you to leave if you do not have a reservation like I said-" Evelyn was cut off as Lyle rushed down the stairs with Grace trailing after her.

"Frankie!" She gushed. "I thought you were coming tomorrow."

"The trains were running on time, you know I always have a 12hour window." His strange reply was matter-o-fact.

"Who is this?" Grace asked sneaking up behind the two.

"Frankie is a friend of mine, he's staying with May and I for a few days while he's passing through town." Lyle grinned giving the man a hearty pat on the back.

Frankie didn't look to thrilled to be meeting Grace as she sized him up. He clutched his duffle bag for dear life as if he was afraid at any moment Grace would snatch it from him. She exchanged a look with me searching for my approval of Lyle's surprise guest and I gave an enthusiastic thumbs up.

This man – Frankie must have been who Lyle was talking about earlier when she said she knew someone who could help us take down Monroe. With a brief nod Grace cleared Frankie for the stay and I swore I could hear a sigh of relief from the lanky man. Lyle ushered him outside presumably to our cabin promising me in a hushed tone that she would explain after work.

For the rest of the day I did my best to concentrate on cleaning and not the strange man that sat in my home. Lyle promised he was the key to our closure, to bringing Monroe to justice – or something.

As the day dragged on, I couldn't help but notice how different I felt - not just from how much cake I ate that morning. It was Frankie. He represented Lyle and I taking actual steps toward Monroe who I previously thought resided in a windowed tower so high that I'd never be able to reach him. Now all that was in limbo. For so long I – we pushed down our need for closure, stuffing it down our own throats to the point of making ourselves sick.

Everything was changing. We were taking our lives into our own hands rather than leaving them on the clothes line, perfectly tacked in place with only the wind to give it life. It was hope - the same hope that I felt the first night on the train - though it was no longer as naïve. I smiled to myself as I changed the sheets on a queen bed, maybe this hope would last.

-

Calm before the storm ?