Chap 2-3

Here's some more of the book. Please let me know your thoughts.

Chapter 2—Finding Home

Anna spent her first few days in O'Kelly keeping a low profile, which is no simple feat with a scary looking Doberman at her side and out of town tags. She looked for a place to live and work, walking past old memories remembered. Taft's General Store still dominated Main Street and flooded Anna with memories, like agonizing over which piece of candy she should choose and of old men sitting around playing checkers on the back porch. The Merry Dairy flanked Taft's, and it still looked like everyone's favorite ice cream in town. Anna wondered if Mr. Taft had ever declared his love for Miss Georgina Merry. Wow, she thought, that is so small town cute, and mildly nauseating. Donnegan's also remained where the town congregated most evenings for food, music, and drink. Anna recalled how her mother rarely visited Donnegan's despite its popularity, and wondered if she could even remember what Mr. Donnegan looked like.

A few new store names stood out—Boone Brother's Outfitters for one, Snaps, which looked like a good place for quick dinner, and Shag, a hippish kind of salon where the stylists wore all black and served bottled water and wine to their clients. Anna would have to find out what happened to Ms. Wanda, who owned the former salon in town, the Do or Dye.

Anna knew she had to buy into the life of this little town in order to survive and, hopefully, discover its secrets. She wondered how she could pull it off and yet keep her roots hidden. She didn't want her plans going up in smoke.

In only three days, Anna found the perfect place to live and set up her shop. The realtor's eyes widened when Anna paid cash for prime O'Kelly real estate. She replied simply to his look with just one word. That seemed to placate him.

She stepped into the living space above the soon to be bakery and immediately called her mother. “Oh Mama, its so great—its small and warm and the walls aren't egg shell.” She said joyously.

“I'm just so glad you have a roof over your head, a good, safe roof. That will have to be your refuge. Well, there and the hills, right?”

“Well of course. I already have a few trips planned out. Its just so beautiful here. How did you ever leave?” Anna couldn't help but pry a little.

“You never stop looking for answers do you darling? You know how I left—in a car, with you at my side, very quickly.” Anna knew that's all she would get from her mother. “How's the town treating you?” Meaghan turned the tables.

“Well, I haven't met anyone, except the realtor.” Anna heard her mother exhale.

“Oh Anna, I'm so nervous for you. You have to be careful.” She paused, “But, of course, they will want to know all about you, with your new shop and pretty face. So, as your mother, I'm giving your permission to lie. Lie lie lie.” They both laughed, yet Anna sensed her mother's effort to hide the fear in her voice.

“Mama, I love you. Thank you for supporting this, even though I know you hate it.”

“That I do, Anna, but I've reconciled myself to the outcome.”

While she easily transitioned into the upstairs house over an afternoon, the downstairs would need some serious help in order to become the bakery Anna pictured. The previous business rented the place, then up and moved to Asheville, stripping it bare—a simple, empty room with white walls, save the small kitchen through a door in the back. Buying the space helped solidify Anna's level of commitment, and she hoped it kept the seller a little quieter. She did not need the whole town knowing about the new girl just yet.

Hiding in her room, she searched and ordered everything she'd need for the shop--mixers and ovens and warmers and display cases, tables and chairs and silverware and mugs too. Definitely lots of mugs, and tea, and coffee. This was, after all, the mountains of North Carolina. Also on order, a sign to adorn the front of the shop.

Then, with Sig at her side, she drove out of town, keeping her eyes straight ahead, but aware of a few people watching. For three days she hiked and camped—places she vaguely remembered from childhood. Constantly tingling with fear and anxiety about this venture, Anna prayed for peace and wisdom. This town ran her mother out 15 years ago, and now they had no idea who was moving into the corner building—or so she hoped.


Chap 3—Meeting the Neighbors

The building next to the future bakery housed a small law firm—Hanson & Hanson, the former a rich, ancient hermit whose only legal contributions for the last 20 years was advice over the phone to his son, the other Hanson. Anna saw the younger Mr. Hanson's not so new black Mercedes parked on the street the morning she arrived back from her time in the hills. He'd driven the same car when she was younger, and then he stepped out the front door.

She tried to quickly unlock her front door while juggling her pack, dog, and keys. Anna had to fight her surprise at how much he'd aged over the years. Maybe those rumors of questionable scruples were true of the Hanson family, or perhaps it was the rumpled clothes. She hoped she'd changed even more, recalling how often this man visited her mother's shop when she was younger. What if he recognized her? Sig turned toward him quietly.

“Need a hand there missy?” Mr. Hanson asked with a gruffness in his voice that belied the early hour.

“No thank you, I got it.” Anna replied, just as her water bottle dropped to the sidewalk and rolled away.

He caught it with his foot and bent to pick it up. “You're new here.” It was not a question. Sig growled a little as the man stepped closer.

Anna place a hand on Sig's head and quietly regained herself. With resolution she looked to her neighbor, but spoke to her dog. “Sig, that's enough.” She took the water bottle with a smile. “Yes I am. Anna Matthison, pleased to meet you.” She shook his hand like her mother taught her, firm and with enthusiasm. Thankfully she'd remembered her contacts before coming back into town. She could easily see his face, friendly but also searching for information.

“Jacob Hanson. Welcome to O'Kelly. Where abouts you from?” He eyed the nose ring.

“Grew up south of here, but spent the last few years out west.” Anna didn't love dishonesty, even with her mother's permission. The old bakery was south of Main Street. “These mountains put a tie on someone, and its hard to be gone for too long, so I came back east—a new start in an old place.” She thought that was just enough information to satisfy Jacob Hanson, to make her seem local enough. She realized how easily she dropped into her old, hill billy accent.

He looked at her for a moment longer, then gestured towards the shop, “And this place—what do you intend?”

“A bakery, hopefully. They seemed full up of bakeries down in Asheville and over in Boone, so I landed here, in O'Kelly. Should be opening in a month or so, just in time for summer.” She flashed another smile, as warm as she could manage, almost certain it would win him over, “You'll have to come by for a treat, on the house, but don't tell anyone. I'd go broke feeding all the neighbors, but you're the first I've met.” She surprised herself with honest enthusiasm.

Jacob replied, after a moment, “Well, now that'd sure be nice.” He stared at her a second longer, almost looking friendly. “Alright Miss Anna. Looks like you have a lot of work to do, and so do I. We'll be seeing you.” He headed back in to his office as Anna watched from her door. Sig barked softly, breaking her thought. She pushed the door open and headed inside.

Painting dominated Anna's day as she covered the bare white walls of the bakery into the colors of the surrounding hills. Green on one wall, blue on the next, brown on the next, purple on the last for the periwinkles and sunrise. Old time music played through her iPod as she covered each wall, interrupted only once by a loud knock on the door. Anna peered around her headphones to see a pointed face peaking through the window. Glancing at Sig, who came to her side, she quickly answered the knock, still holding her paintbrush. “Hello. Can I help you?” She asked.

“Yes, yes, I'm Sylvia, Sylvia Johnson. I have that clothing shop up the street, that one there.” Sylvia pointed to Buttons and Berets. “I, I, I wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood. Jacob Hanson told me this shop had a new owner. So here I am, and I brought you these.” She held up a basket of muffins and a pitcher of tea. “Would, would you like to take a break. There's a bench out here, but you'll have to provided the glasses. I thought, I thought we could get to know each other.”

Anna smiled to herself a little. Oh Sylvia, I know you already. Your false timidity, your stutter, your outrageously overpriced clothes that my mother never bought. But do you know me? Do you remember? I guess there's just one way to find out. I hope God heard Mama's prayers. “Only if that's sweet tea.”

A confused look crossed Sylvia's wrinkling brow, “Is there any other kind?”

“Give me just a minute Ms. Sylvia,” Anna gestured to the bench and shut the door behind her.

Putting down the brush and wiping off her hands, Anna breathed a moment. She quickly rehearsed her story and ventured outside to sit with Sylvia. Sig followed, of course. Muffin in hand, Sylvia looked concerned. She stared at Anna, but tried not to. “Uh, well, why did you, did you come to O'Kelly? Jacob said to start a bakery?” She sort of toasted her muffin towards Anna with great seriousness.

“That's right. I hope to open by the summer.”

Sylvia took a long drink of tea. “And you've bought the place then? How did such a young woman come upon such funds?” Sweet tea apparently eroded away Sylvia's timidity. Knowing something of this town prepared Anna for such questions, however, she wasn't prepared for Sylvia's intense scrutiny. Please don't recognize me. Please don't...

She looked down at her hands, “A gift from someone.”

“Pfffftt. That's quite a gift there. Someone must've thought you were something special. You're parents perhaps?”

Man, she's going after it. “No, not my parents. They don't have that kind of money—at least as far as I know.” She followed with, “They actually owe me money. Can you believe that?” Anna hoped that might shut her up on the subject.

“Well I never!” The older woman did look flabbergasted.

Anna took advantage of the pause in conversation. “How long have you lived in O'Kelly?”

She asked. “Um, I, well I was born here. What about your parents--where do they...” Sylvia started to ask, but Anna was already on to the next question, “Would you mind telling me something interesting about yourself?” Sylvia eyed her, finally silent. Anna continued, “Just trying to get to know you Sylvia. Surely there's something you'd want to share. Like, what did you do this morning?” The older woman recovered.

“Uh, yes, yes sure. L, Let's see. This morning, oh dear, this morning w, w, was quite the adventure. I have a garden, you see, and the squirrels have eaten it to pieces. To stop them, I put netting all around the trees the devils live in, and they get caught. Then I, I, I take care of them.” Sylvia's voice rose to an almost fevered pitch.

“What does taking care of them entail, Sylvia?” Anna wondered, concerned with what the answer might be.

Sylvia sobered herself, sitting up and folding her hands in her lap. “Well, Anna, I beat them with a broom handle. Little buggers.”

Before finding an appropriate response, Sig jumped up and lay his head on Anna's knee. “Oh, Sylvia, shoot. I'd love to talk more but its time to walk Sig, and I wanted to head up the twins before it gets dark.” She pointed towards Sophie Rock and Siobhan Rock--two peaks that bent towards each other, supposedly named for a twin sisters.

“So you, you've already picked up on some local lingo. That's how all the outdoorsy folks around here talk.”

Dangit Anna, you got to pay attention to that stuff. “Yeah, I read it in my “Appalachians on an Empty Wallet” book. Thought it might help me fit in a little more quickly. They recommend the twins as a great place to hike.” Ok, not too bad.

Sylvia nodded, “I haven't read that one, but I have a lovely collection of Danielle Steele if you need some other reading.” Geez Sylvia, not Danielle Steele. “And Anna, you, you should check...well, you've got to look in a mirror before answering the door next time.”

“Uh, ok, I will. Thanks Sylvia.” She shut the door behind her and looked down at her clothes. Sure, they were covered in paint, but what did Sylvia expect? Her zipper was up, her bra straps weren't showing. What was Sylvia's problem? Anna ran upstairs to the bathroom for a better look. “Oh Anna, no wonder.” The various colors of paint splattered and striped her face and neck from top to bottom. She looked diseased. Dangit. Oh, what will Sylvia think of me? She washed it off quickly and thoroughly.

Thankfully, Anna made an effort to keep her face paint free as eleven other neighboring business and residents wanted to know all about the new girl in O'Kelly over the next few days. By the end of her fourth night in the shop, she had every wall painted and trimmed, ovens and equipment installed, and a fridge full of goodies in tupperware brought by everyone who stopped by. Anna glanced in the mirror while eating homemade mac and cheese, wondering where her fear of recognition came from. No one knew her, and truly, how could they. Fifteen years later, with an amazing haircut and contacts, she almost fooled herself.