Page 58 of One Sultry Summer

It was a nice change to see Mr. Graves’s lighter side. Finding out that he took a liking to my mother made him more down-to-earth. His demeanor appeared more relaxed than the last time I saw him in the office. One might even describe him as being more relatable and inviting, making it easier for others to connect with him.

Our day was nonstop, and Devin and I were exhausted. We pulled back into the parking lot of the inn. With the sun dipping below the horizon, the world was enveloped in twilight. The glow of light filtering through the windows illuminated the darkness, casting soft silhouettes against the curtains. We made our way inside, and even though we were tired, we decided to forgo returning to our rooms.

We entered the dining room to check if there was any food remaining. It was quiet, just a few people milling about. We stood looking at our food options. Meatloaf, fried chicken, potatoes, green beans, mac and cheese, and cornbread.

Everything looked and smelled delicious. I didn’t know where to start, but the one thing I knew to stay away from was candied yams. Thankfully, they weren’t on the menu for tonight. For some reason, each time I tried it, my body reacted, and let’s say it wasn’t pretty. Even though I love the taste of candied yams, sadly, it turns out I’m allergic to them.

I filled my plate with chicken and all the fixings and didn’t wait for Mr. Graves or Devin and took a seat. The guys were too busy filling two plates of food for themselves. As I sat down, I remembered I didn’t grab a drink and sighed. Maybe I would grab something later when I finally headed to my room. Abby walked in, and trailing behind her was Emily.

“Evening folks, so how was your day?” Her eyes landed on me, and her eyes softened. Jeez, did I look that bad? I tried to respond, but my voice was barely above a whisper. “Goodness, Valerie. Let me get you something to help soothe your throat. I know tea always makes me feel better.

Emily stood next to me and smiled as she saw I had chicken on my plate. “Pretty lady, can I help get you anything?” I shook my head, but I desperately wanted to know where her daddy was. I haven’t seen him since this morning, and I missed him.

She took a step closer and hugged me. Her little arms enveloped me, and she patted my back. She gave me comfort that I didn’t know I needed; I couldn’t help but smile.

She released me. “Daddy said he was sorry he couldn’t see you. He got called away.”

“Thank you for the hug and the message, sweetie.”

“You’re welcome.” A faint smile formed on her face.

“Have you eaten yet?” I barely made out as my voice cracked.

She nodded as Abby returned with a cup and saucer, and honey. She moves swiftly and places a teakettle on the table filled with hot water. “Would you like to join us? There’s plenty of room.”

“I don’t want to be a bother, sugar.”

“It’s no bother.” I patted the seat next to me.

“I’ll be right back,” Abby said. Emily slid into the seat next to me. Before long, we were joined by Devin and Mr. Graves, their plates were filled with goodness. I placed a cloth napkin on my lap. Abby returned carrying a tray with cornbread, a cup of tea for herself, and a bowl of chocolate soft serve ice cream for Emily.

When she sat down, we all began to eat. It felt oddly strange as if we were sitting down to a family meal. My work family and the people ofthis town were becoming dear to my heart. The only two who were missing were Wyatt and my mother.

As I looked around the room, most of the patrons had left. The guys quickly finished their first servings and got up for dessert. As for me, I wanted to enjoy all the flavors as I bit into the chicken. It was crispy, and I could make out spices like paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Abby drizzle honey on her cornbread, and I followed suit. Abby’s cornbread was savory and downright delicious.

Each time I tried Abby’s southern cooking, it reminded me of summer and a hint of living in a small town. Everything felt bright, including my mood and my current love life. The flavors reminded me of lazy afternoons and warm gatherings with friends. It was more than just food; it was a comforting experience that brought back cherished memories and creatednew ones. I laughed at myself. I guess that’s why it’s called comfort food.

As everyone said goodnight and returned to their rooms, I stayed behind at the table and made myself another hot tea. Abby told me I could stay as long as I wanted and wished me goodnight. I picked up my phone and saw no new call or text alerts, and let out a breath. As my grandmother always says, the phone works both ways. Before I could dial Wyatt’s phone number, a call came in.

“Evening, Valerie.”

“Hey, Rae.”

“I didn’t catch you at a bad time, did I? Are you still working for your boss?”

“No, not at all. I finished working for the day, and I’m now free. What’s up?”

“We’ll be heading out tomorrow morning to the airport, and we’re wondering if you want to see us off.”

“Of course, I do. Just tell me the time.”

“Our car picks us up at eight o’clock. If you’d like to ride with us, I can have the driver bring you back.”

“You know, I would love that. To be honest, I needed a brief reprieve after the non-stop day I had. Plus, it allows me a little more time to spend with all of you before you head home.” I felt a warm sense of joy at the thought of spending more time with Rae and my best friends. I cherished each moment we were able to spend time together, knowing how little we saw each other in our busy schedules. Seeing them off at the airport would be bittersweet, but I wanted to make the most of every minute we had left.

After I hung up the phone with Rae, I called Wyatt, hoping to hear his voice. Unfortunately, it went straight to voicemail.

“Hi Wyatt, sorry I missed you. I wanted you to know that tomorrow morning I’ll be heading to the airport with my friends, and I won’t get to see you before I leave. If you get this message, I missyou, and I will see you later in the afternoon.” My phone beeps repeatedly in my ear, and I pulled it away to see if there was an incoming message. It was my notification telling me that it was going to shut off as I ran out of battery. I was frustrated with myself for neglecting to charge my phone earlier.

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