Daughters (TP5)

8 - Three days

In the end, that pregnancy had been taken care of, but there were others. At thirty-seven Lucinda had three kids with three different fathers. Maribelle hadn't spoken with her sister in at least two years. She had matured enough to know her parent's marriage ended over more than her sister's promiscuity. As the years passed, she struggled to conjure up memories of them together.

Maribelle missed her brother Davis. They were always close. He turned into a man to be proud of. He was successful and gorgeous with a wife he adored. Unfortunately, Davis and Abigail hardly ever found the time to visit Maine.

She walked around the first floor and stopped to look out the front windows. The street was quiet in the middle of the night and any inhabited houses nearby were dark. Winter on The Point was quiet, and she liked it that way. That's why the booking for the weekend surprised her.

Dr. Freeman had told her she needed to take steps towards reducing her isolation. "You need to find ways to be around people. It's not healthy to be living alone on an island."

She didn't correct him although from an aerial view The Point looked like an island, no one considered it one. It connected to land through the marsh and by a causeway rather than sitting off on its own. Also at low tide the sandbars stretched across to the neighboring beach.

Her way of meeting Dr. Freeman's wishes was to list the house on an online B&B service, but just during the spring and fall when she could hide from the guests upstairs and under her oversized hoodie which was her coat of armour. Although she excluded the summer months she never bothered with the winter knowing no one would be interested. Unfortunately, she was wrong.

She climbed up the stairs to bed. Hopefully sleep would come because she would have a busy day getting the house ready for her guest.

By three o'clock, she was tired, but the house was clean. She only offered the large bedroom on the first floor. Technically, it was her father's room, but he visited so infrequently. It was a comfortable room with a queen-sized bed. They decorated it with a beach theme her guests loved. She made the bed with a nice quality Bean down comforter and flannel sheets. She had a cotton quilt she used in warmer months like September and May but in Maine flannel sheets season was seven months a year.

The ensuite bathroom had a large double head glass-enclosed shower. It reminded her of a similar shower and hands soaping her stopping to linger on her breasts. Shaking her head, she told herself that was a long time ago, and she was a different person now.

Mad at herself for thinking of the past, she went upstairs to the room she used as an office to check her email. It was unusual for her to stay away from her computer for more than an hour. She had many emails some were regarding ongoing projects, and some were for new ones. She was a freelance technical writer, but had an electrical engineering degree and had worked for a large company before she spent months in the hospital. It was after she took up residence on The Point that she stumbled across technical writing contracts online. She had always been good at writing specifications so she was more than capable.

She had plenty of work to keep her busy all weekend. She would greet her guest and then disappear upstairs for the weekend. She had a small fridge and a microwave so she wouldn't need to see her guest again.

She prepared herself to play hostess by putting on her hoodie. Checking her reflection in the mirror, she could only see the center of her face - her eyes, nose and mouth. I hid her ears and neck which was her goal. She would make Dr. Freeman proud by conversing with a stranger.

She used to go out, but it became too easy to stay home and order online, even Amazon sold groceries. None of her neighbors bothered her although she stopped walking because she noticed people staring. Occasionally her old friend, Lana would visit her, but now she was married and living in Virginia near Maribelle's father.

She hadn't moved to Virginia when her father did. She was in her first year at Georgia Tech when her father married again and settled in Virginia. She would visit on school breaks but she never felt truly at home there. She had always liked Melissa, her father's wife, but she was long past the age where she needed a mother. In the past, when she imagined getting married, it was Melissa, she would have asked to help her find a dress. She would never have asked Ruby. It was a moot point now she would never get married.

Her camera doorbell told her when her guest arrived. He arrived on foot with a young girl by his side. She checked her reflection and slowly descended the stairs.

She opened the door to a warm smile and dark brown eyes. She quickly moved from his face to the girl beside him. She only offered one room, but only the man had a backpack slung over his shoulder.

Breaking the awkward silence as she took them in and she was certain they were staring at her hoodie. "Come in. Please."

"Thank you. I'm Michael Bassett and this is my daughter, Anna."

"I only have one room available." Maribelle voiced her concern head on.

He smiled. "Anna isn't staying."

She nodded. "Have you visited The Point before?"

Dr. Freeman would be proud that she had engaged in conversation with a stranger, but she would never tell her doctor that she found her guest handsome.

"I have not." He answered as if there was more to his response.

"Well, March is a harsh month. The winds off the water can be fierce. Don't be deceived when the warm sun shines in the window. It isn't warm."

"Thanks for the warning."

She nodded. "Your room is in there. You can feel free to use the kitchen and the living room. The second floor is private."

"I doubt I'll need to use the kitchen."

"Here's a key. Come and go as you please. I have you for three nights."

She was ready to dismiss them. Having strangers stare at her was hard enough without adding the fact that this stranger was extremely handsome.

"Yes, I have a flight home early Monday morning. Thank you miz..."

"Hughes, Maribelle Hughes."

The minute she turned away to retreat to safety upstairs, she heard the daughter whisper something. She was sure she was commenting about her being odd or ugly or both. Maribelle told herself that she didn't care. He'd be gone in three days.