Page 13 of Fresh Start
I laughed.
“Of course. That’s why I’m here. To hang out with my favorite niece.”
Her smile widened, and she took a seat right next to me just as Yaya served the food. It was just like I remembered. I’d never tried any moussaka that surpassed Marina’s. It was like a hug on a plate.
“So I guess staying here is out of the question,” I said.
“What? Why?” Yaya asked.
“Well, you saw how they treated me. I don’t want to invade their space,” I said.
“They’re just being hotheads. Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ll talk to them,” Yaya said.
“I can’t—”
“Don’t worry, Leo. I’ve got you a room at my bed & breakfast,” Melody said.
Yaya Marina opened her mouth in shock.
“What? I haven’t seen my brother in seventeen years. I’m spending all the time with him I can. And considering how busy I’m going to be with the rooms, I want to make sure we get some quality time,” Melody justified herself.
Summer clapped her hands.
“I love the B&B, Yaya. Can I visit Auntie Melody and Uncle Leo there?”
Yaya took a deep breath and eventually closed her mouth in a pursed, forced smile and covered Summer’s hand with hers.
“Of course, sweetheart. Of course,” she said, but I could tell she wasn’t happy with Melody’s arrangement.
I had no idea what was going to happen over the following week or if I could even bridge the gap between my brothers and me, but I knew one thing for certain.
Things were going to be interesting.
Three
Dawson
Iopened my eyes and let them adjust to the light coming in from the window, and the birdsong coming from outside put a smile on my face.
I sat up and rubbed the sleep away. I couldn't remember the last time I’d slept in a bed like this. Even my own back in New York wasn't that comfortable. I’d slept like a log. Both the mattress and the pillows had managed to caress my body and encompass it in a warm embrace throughout the night. I’d never felt more ready to seize the day.
Last night had been a disappointment for sure, but I would just have to make sure I spent as much time with my parents as possible.
As much as this was about them, it was also about me and my much deserved, much needed break. There wasn’t anything like a seaside escape. And moreover, a seaside escape where I didn’t have to work.
I got dressed in my jogging shorts and a T-shirt and left my room through the balcony, working up my pace as I approached the sea.
The rhythmic crashing of the waves offered a soundtrack to my run, and the salty smell opened up my appetite. Running along the beach, I got the chance to admire the beauty of this small town. As was often the case with seaside communities, Melody’s B&B was situated along the coast of Cedarwood Beach with the majority of the town’s other local businesses, bars, restaurants, and tourist shops.
There were patches of the beach where a few people were busy setting up neat rows of sunbeds and parasols, most of them empty at this time of day—it was still seven in the morning after all—but I knew it would be buzzing with activity in a matter of hours. The water was full of fishing boats, surely out for their daily catch to deliver to the local restaurants.
I reached the far end of town, and once there, I got lost inside the woods, but not before I managed to snap some shots of the bay and the scenic view of the Cedarwood Beach from my current vantage point. My morning routine was my favorite part of the day. I was never a big fan of sleep, and I could never snooze. Even without an alarm, I was always up at seven in the morning, and instead of sitting in bed scrolling through my feed, I preferred getting my exercise out of the way so I could enjoy whatever I was doing after breakfast.
Today, I could possibly make a start on the latest thriller from James Sky, which I’d picked up at the airport four days ago, but as of this moment remained untouched in my suitcase. And then after, maybe do lunch with my parents. If they weren’t busy.
When I entered deeper into the forest, the chirpy song of robins and sparrows greeted me. There was something about nature that I couldn’t resist. Even back in New York, I would often find solace in the depths of Central Park.
I enjoyed the solitude. And even though it should have been ironic considering how alone I was, spending time with myself, even if for just half an hour, gave me more life than being in a room full of people. I didn’t consider myself a shut-in or an introvert, but maybe I was turning into one the older I became. Or maybe it was the crazy life I lived that was making me into one. Those press conferences always got to me. And it wasn't just that.
