#63 Thank You - Go Raibh Maith Agat

I woke naturally with the sun shine reigning down on my curled body. My knees were tucked into my chest as I lay on my side clutching my locket with one hand and the journal to my stomach.

Lyle appeared moments later, her head popping up just enough so I could see her wavy hair tucked behind her ears allowing a full view of the content smile planted on her face. She stood on the ladder as she beckoned me to join her downstairs for breakfast.

It took me longer than usual to get dressed. Not because I was mulling over my outfit choices – I really didn't have much in the way of fashion besides my B&B t-shirts – but because I couldn't seem to focus long enough to take something off the hanger. The saying 'one leg at a time' held a different meaning for me as I struggled to choose a pair of clean pants.

When I finally got dressed in jeans and tank top – the closest thing I had to country club attire - I met Lyle and Frankie downstairs. Upon giving Frankie a once over I didn't feel that bad about my clothing choice. He was wrinkled from the collar of his flannel to the cuffs of his dark jeans.

"You're going to stick out like a sore thumb." Lyle grinned plucking at his clothing as he shooed her off.

"Oi, this is what all the millionaire entrepreneurs dress like down in silicon valley."

"We are on the other side of the country Frankie."

"So?"

"So, compared to their ironed button downs you look like a bum."

He put his hands on his hips and stuck his chin out. "Well then I like it." In one exaggerated movement Frankie turned on his heel and strutted back into the bathroom throwing a pouty look over his shoulder.

I giggled at the action partly because of Frankie's mockery and partly because of the nervous energy I felt building in my gut. I looked to Lyle for assurance. She dressed no differently than I in dark jeans and a simple top to match.

"Maybe we should borrow some clothes from Grace – at least a scarf for you and I." I placed my palm over my locket and thought about Frankie. "I'm sure Tony has some nice shoes that would fit Frankie."

As soon as the suggestion left my mouth the door to the bathroom inched open a crack and Frankie stuck his head out. "Hell no. The day I put on anything but my trusty converse," He stuck his foot out the door displaying the material that at one point used to be white. "Is the day I die."

With that he slammed the door.

Early in the morning Frankie went into the Club's scheduling software adding a membership appointment for us at eleven. I suggested we call to 'remind' them of our appointment but Lyle didn't want them to have the chance to reschedule.

"Worst comes to worst, they are busy and allow us to walk around the property." She grinned and I knew that was exactly our plan. One way or another Lyle and I were to sneak away from the attendants and poke around the Bull Frog Country Club's expansive property.

"Are we sure he isn't going to be there?" I didn't want to say his name, and I didn't have to as Lyle sobered.

"He works every day until one when he takes a late lunch, usually with investors, politicians that sort."

"But what if he has some business meeting at the Club? We can't predict that. He said he's taking over the company in less than a week, wouldn't that cause for celebration?" The image of Monroe clinking champagne glasses in a room filled with wealthy unscrupulous businessmen made my stomach churn.

"There is that chance, but we both know even if I say yes you'd want to go anyways."

I mulled the thought over in my head. She was right of course, I would want to go. Just as I had wanted to go to X-Enterprises.

Since the closest train stop was twenty miles away Lyle opted to drive the three hour trip. We took the highway until Frankie directed her to an off ramp and we wove through a series of paved country roads.

For this trip Frankie elected to leave his computer at the cabin. With only a phone in his hand he looked out of place – almost naked. Even when he emerged from his bathtub kingdom he was often holding the sleek computer propped on his forearm. Technology was an extension of his self and I wondered if he felt out of place without it.

The sudden thought struck me that I was going to miss Frankie. He would leave wouldn't he? Not because he disliked me, or the cabin. He never complained – if you didn't count the lack of Cheetos in the cabinets – but he had a life. Once he mentioned to owning a cabin of his own a few hours away. I'd always imagined Frankie as someone who surfed sofas – or bath tubs in his case - with only a backpack of computers and cords but now that I thought about it a house suited him. It was obvious he liked his quiet and solitude. Anyhow, it was naive to think he would stay put in my small bathroom forever.

Once-

I couldn't find the right words. Once things were finished? They would never be finished. My mother would always linger in my mind, Monroe's threats would always feel fresh, but eventually we would run out of puzzle pieces.

Would Lyle leave? She lived such a different life before we met. Had she found herself? I stared across the console at her as she pulled the steering wheel to the right as the road curved along a hill. She and Frankie were focused on the directions and paid no attention to me as I took the two of them in.

Appreciation washed over me as I watched two people who I'd known for a relatively short period of time help me so adamantly. I knew Lyle did so for Beth and Ivy and in part the memory of her parents who worked at X-Enterprises but this, driving to a Country Club in the outskirts of the suburbs to look for any sign of my mother, it was for me.

"Thank you." My voice was clear cutting through their concentration.

Lyle's foot waned on the gas pedal as her eyesight flitted over at me. Frankie didn't show the same air of shock or confusion as he patted me on the shoulder and told me all I owed him was a bag of Chex-Mix. "Not the individual bags either. I want that family pack."

We shook on it and he went back to directing while I sat contently in the passenger seat watching the trees fly by.

The Bull Frog Country Club sat ten minutes outside of the nearest suburb. There were no signs for the driveway and we had to backtrack twice just to find the skinny inlet. A long gravel drive wove through a well groomed tree line before circling in front of the building and leading to a lot. The building was even more magnificent than the website portrayed. The white brick facade sat at the front of what Frankie detailed to be a multi acre lot with a thick line of topiary acting as a fence barring those who might want to sneak around the building.

As we got out of the car Lyle stopped me. "You don't have to thank me, I know you'd do the same."

Her fingers rubbed circles into my shoulders as we spoke. I nodded sincerely unable to think of a response. Now was not the time to ask if she had a plan to leave once the bread crumbs turned to dust and left with the wind. I searched her freckled eyes, something told me there would always be an essence of loss in her gaze, but just as I recognized the look in her it would be in mine as well. We mirrored each other in the most intimate ways.

Pearled gravel crunched under our feet as we made our way to the steps. I held onto the metal railing as I looked up to get a better view of the entire building. A triangular roof hung over the porch which stretched the length of the building. Although there were tables and chairs arranged invitingly the space was empty.

Frankie made it to the oversized wooden door first bounding up the stairs he gave the door an excited push. I paused on the last step as my eyes adjusted to the dimmer light as I peered inside the building. Noticing my hesitancy Lyle took my hand in hers as we stepped into the foyer.

The inside of the Club was just as grand as the outside. Waxed wooden floors and light colored walls made the room seem even larger than it already was. The walls were rounded and cut off by three doorways. Two leading to hallways to the left and the back of the Club. The other led to a stair case at our right which spiraled up to a visible balcony on the second floor.

Decorating the plain colored walls were photographs ranging from black and white to bright colors. I took a step toward one of the walls but Lyle pulled on my hand urging me forward. It was then that I took notice of the check in desk nestled beside the curving stair case. A woman not much older than I sporting loosely curled hair shot us a friendly smile over Frankie's shoulder.

"We have an appointment." He had just finished stating as Lyle and I approached the desk.

The young woman seemed frazzled with our sudden entrance though she kept her polite smile painted on her face. She fiddled with the hem of her skirt while she waited for the computer to load so that she could confirm our date.

"What was the name again?"

"Frankie." He replied placing his elbows on the desk leaning over to look at the screen.

"Last name?"

"Don't need it." He flicked his wrist dismissing the question.

The woman pursed her lips but did not argue as she scrolled through the list. "You're a few minutes early Mr. Frankie, but I can bring you to our manager and she can show you around."

The nude color of her glossed lipstick caught in the light of the chandelier above us as she rounded the desk and led us through the hallway leading to the back of the building. The hallway was wide enough to fit five people walking shoulder to shoulder but I stayed close to the wall. Spanning the hallway, just like the foyer were photographs of members attending different events throughout the years. I glanced at each as we marched past. Most were older in black and white or grainy shades of grey and brown picturing families playing croquet or sitting out on the patio.

None of them depicted a lake or pond let alone anything to do explicitly with lily pads.

The first woman left shortly after depositing our rag tag group at a second counter in the back of the Club. We emerged from the hall way into a room with more square footage than both floors of my cabin put together. The room truly was a light at the end of the hallway with the entire back wall made of double paned glass looking out over a well groomed patio and lawn.

Still no pond.

I exchanged a nervous look with Lyle as we edged our way further into the room. How were we supposed to find the Lily Pad Place if we couldn't find any lily pads?

Frankie took the lead once again marching his way up to the slightly smaller but more ornate desk that sat a few feet from a sliding glass door. Giving the room a quick once over I counted nine guests all of whom sat in the further corners of the room occupying the lavish leather recliners and buried deep within a book or magazine.

"I apologize for this, I would normally cover these details over the phone. The admissions process is a bit more rigorous," The woman had just finished stating to Frankie. She wore a modest white blouse with a simple gold chain necklace with earrings to match. As she spoke from her seat her head bobbed causing the dangling earrings to catch rays of natural light and sparkle. A plaque at the edge of her desk revealed her name to be Deborah. "Do you have any relations here? Friends, Family, co-workers? Someone who could give you a recommendation."

Frankie leaned on the desk as if he was in deep thought of who he may know to be a Bull Frog Country Club member. After a long pause he shook his head and made a vague excuse to having just moved into the city.

"Then let's get started with a basic profile and I can show you around." She chirped turning back to her computer. Deborah continued to take down information from Frankie – most of which he made up – before turning to me.

"What is your name miss?"

"May Ellis." I replied automatically then retracted as Deborah happily punched in the name.

Should I be giving my real name to a place frequented by Monroe? I didn't know Frankie's last name but I assumed he gave a pseudonym given his reluctance to tell the first receptionist. I glanced around the room worried that at any moment Monroe and his goons would pop out from behind an oversized recliner at the sound of my name. I scanned the room once more but not one of the guests moved a muscle let alone register my presence.

"Any relation to Charlene Ellis?"

I whipped my head around at the question to see Deborah squinting at the computer screen.

"What?" I felt my heart use my lungs like a trampoline to jump into my throat choking my words and knocking the air from my lungs.

"It looks like we have another Ellis in the books, but gosh it must have been one of the first names entered in our electronic system, it is scanned in. Charlene or Charmayne?" She stood from her chair to swivel to computer screen toward us.

There in the midst of a plain white screen sat a photocopied image of an angled cursive signature. Charlotte.

"She wasn't a member here per say, but she did attend as a special guest several times." Deborah continued not registering the fact that my mouth hung open at the image of my mother's signature. "Her attendance is looked upon kindly by the board."

I felt for Lyle's hand at my side and latched on as Deborah swiveled the screen away from us and continued typing.

"What year was that signature from?" I recovered my look of total astonishment in an effort to make my question seem as conversational as possible.

"Let's see, we switched from scanning to input in the late nineties..." She paused scanning the screen. "Is she a relative of yours?"

I ignored the question wishing that I could grab the monitor with both hands and find the information for myself. "Who's guest was she?" I leaned forward on the counter in an effort to get another peak at the screen.

Behind me with my fingers still intertwined with hers, Lyle gently pulled me backward. I refused to budge. "What else does it say there?" I continued urging Deborah to continue her search.

"I'm sorry ma'am I cannot show you that unless you have proof of relation. Club policy."

"But you just showed me her signature. I know Charlotte, she's..." My voice dropped off as I tried to think of a lie. I couldn't risk linking myself to my mother, not here. The staff would have no problem divulging information to Monroe. He was a club member and a master manipulator. Had I already said too much? Would he find out I was here? And what of Frankie and Lyle?

No, Monroe would only find out if he specifically asked; and why would he? Deborah didn't seem like a gossip who would go around sharing how she pulled up a signature from twenty years ago at the request of a young potential member.

Nausea rolled its way into my stomach. Even if she would I'd already exposed myself. They had my name, hell they probably had video of me on the million cameras surrounding the Club.

Maybe this was a bad idea. A stupid reckless idea. Why couldn't I stop? Was finding one more miniscule link between Monroe and my mother worth the risk?

I now knew my mother came to the Bull Frog Country Club around the dates that Mo Soileireacht detailed she'd begun seeing Monroe. By common sense I knew her escort had to be Monroe, but I wanted to hear it. Validation that I had a platform to stand on, that we were getting closer. That this wasn't all for not.

Clearing my throat I began. "Charlotte Ellis is my-"

"I think we'd like a moment to explore the grounds before we commit. Frankie can handle the rest of the paperwork." Lyle cut me off and without giving me a moment to reply pulled me away from the counter and toward the sliding glass doors.

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