Page 40 of Cross My Heart
By the time I pull into the motel, it's almost ten. I put the car in park and look out over the steering wheel. Molly cannot be serious. I pull up her name and press dial, she answers on the second ring.
“You are joking, right? This can’t be where I’m supposed to stay?” I tell her, slightly annoyed after my long day.
“Mr. Cross, I told you, things are different up there. You knew Lanie grew up in a very poor and rural area. All the ski lodges were full at the mountain, this was the best I could do. There aren’t even any VRBOs available up there this time of year. I’m sorry, Mr. Cross, that’s what you get.”
I’m about to say something when I realize she hung up on me. Damn it, maybe Lanie is rubbing off on her. The thought, although it should piss me off, makes me smile.
I get out of the car, grab my bag, and head to the front door. I open it and take one tentative step inside, pausing to look around.
“Well, sonny, get your ass in here and close the door before you go freezin’ us all out.” I move quickly to shut the door behind me to find a woman who has to be ninety sitting behind the counter with a Miss Rosa name tag.
“Um, hi. I’m Dexter Cross, I’m...checking in.” I look around a bit before returning my eyes to Rosa. She has a mischievous gleam in her eye.
“First time to Burke Mountain, is it, son?”
“Yes, ma’am, it is,”
“And I’m a guessin’ it was planned last minute?” She asks, not even trying to suppress her snark.
“Yes, Ma’am,” I answer again.
Then she cackles, actually cackles. “I just a knew it. You suits are all the same. End up here when you don’t plan well enough. I know it ain’t much, sonny, but I can promise you a clean room and a comfy bed. There are only two other guests right now.” She pauses, tapping her chin. “I reckon you can have breakfast just about any time you feel like it.”
I’m an asshole.
“Thank you, Ma’am. It’s my first time in Vermont,” I tell her. “I wasn’t sure what to make of it. I’m here to surprise some people, I want to talk to them about a mutual friend.”
“Well now, is that right? Who you hopin’ to sneak up on? I can probably help, GPS don’t work for most folks out this way,” Miss Rosa informs me with a devilish smile.
I think about it for a minute and figure it’s too late for her to ruin any surprises, and she does genuinely seem interested, so I find myself talking. “I’m here to see the McDowell family, do you know them?”
“Sonny, I’ve been livin’ here my whole dang life, I know everyone and everything. If you’re here to see Maxine and Pete, you’re either Julia’s long-lost baby daddy or you’re here about our sweet girl, Lanie, so which is it, huh? You the shit baby daddy or someone else wantin’ something from our Lanie?” she asks through narrowed eyes.
“Ah, no, ma’am. I do have three kids, and while their mom is not around, she is accounted for,” I stammer.
“So, it ain’t Julia, bless her heart, such a sweet girl and that Charlie of hers, such a little looker that one. What is it you want with our Lanie?” Miss Rosa asks, even more mistrusting than before. “Our Lanie-girl has been through quite a time lately, you know. She don’t need no more heartbreak. The only good thing that ever happened to that girl was the McDowell’s. If you’re here to cause trouble, you should know no one in this town will think twice about shootin’ your ass.”
Startled, I cough. She is dead serious. “No, Ma’am. No trouble. She is living with me right now, she’s my children’s nanny.I just want to get to know the people she cares about so I can make her more comfortable with us.”
“Mm-hm. You like that girl. No use in denyin’ it, I can see it all over your face,” she states as if it’s the law. “Maxine will too. Now, off you go. When you git to your room, you think on if you’re willin’ to put in the work before you go see those good folks. Our Lanie has had a rough life. I can tell you she is going to need some convincin’ if you want her to love ya. Knowing her, she already cares and probably loves your kids, but lovin’ you? That’s going to take hard work, so don’t go after her if you ain’t cut out for it. Now git.” She shoo’s me away like a fly, and I feel the same way I did the first time I met Lanie.
What the fuck just happened?
* * *
The next morningwhen I stopped to get coffee, I finally realized just how small of a town this is. I pull up to the Dunkin’ Donuts and walk inside. Within minutes, I’m surrounded.
“So, you’re Dexter, huh?” The girl behind the counter asks.
“I thought he would be smaller, more like a pencil pusher,” says an old man sitting by the door.
“He’s got some balls coming here unannounced,” comes from a guy about my age. He definitely works with his hands, I notice.I wonder what he does?I’m so far out of my element here.
I put my hands up in surrender. “I’m sorry,” I say, turning to the young guy first, “How did you know who I was?”
Everyone laughs.
“Man, this town is as small as it gets. By 11:30 last night, you were on the town group chat. You’re here to get some info from the McDowell’s. I have to tell ya, Julia is not going to be impressed with you going behind Lanie’s back.”
