Page 20 of Bourbon Girl: part 4 of 6
She twirled an unlit cigarette between perfectly manicured fingers, her movements restless and deliberate, as if the simple act of holding it might satisfy her craving. The cigarette looked expensive, nothing like the basic brands I'd seen other people smoke.
"You look like you're dying to light that thing," I said as I approached her table.
"Every minute of every day," Octavia replied with a rueful smile, setting the cigarette down next to her untouched cappuccino. "But I'm trying to quit. Again. Linda says the smell makes clients uncomfortable, and she's probably right."
I settled into the chair across from her, noting how even in this casual setting, Octavia commanded attention. Other patrons glanced our way, drawn by her polished appearance and the aura of controlled intensity she emitted.
"Thanks for asking me to meet," I said, wrapping my hands around my coffee cup for warmth. "I assume you want an update?"
"Among other things." Octavia picked up the cigarette again, rolling it between her fingers like a worry stone. "How's the search progressing?"
I filled her in on the latest developments—the DNA test we'd submitted, and the agonizing wait for results that would confirm or eliminate him as a possibility. As I spoke, Octavia listened with the focused attention I'd come to associate with her professional mode, occasionally nodding or asking clarifying questions. "Either way, I should know in a few days."
Octavia was quiet for a moment, her gaze drifting toward the window where pedestrians hurried past in the October chill. "Your case has been making me think about my relationship with my own father," she said finally, her voice unusually subdued.
The admission surprised me. In all our conversations, Octavia had remained focused on my search, revealing little about her own family dynamics beyond vague references to complications.
"I've been thinking about reaching out to him," she continued, "but I'm afraid it'll open a can of worms."
"Are you two estranged?" I asked gently.
"Sort of." She laughed, but the sound held no humor. "He's in state prison for passing bad checks, among other things."
I felt my eyebrows rise involuntarily. Octavia's polished exterior and designer lifestyle seemed incompatible with having a father in prison, but then again, I was learning that families defied easy categorization.
"Our mother left with no explanation when Linda and I were young," Octavia said, her voice taking on a matter-of-fact tone that somehow made the revelation more heartbreaking. "Just vanished one day. In hindsight, I suppose our father did the best he could, but that wasn't great."
She paused to take a sip of her cappuccino, and I noticed her hand trembled slightly as she lifted the cup.
"He was always running a con," she continued. "That was his thing—elaborate schemes that never quite worked out the way he planned. He'd shower Linda and me with gifts when he was flush with cash, take us to fancy restaurants, buy us expensive clothes. Then a week later, our power would be cut off for nonpayment."
The cigarette had returned to her fingers, and she twirled it with increasing agitation as she spoke.
"Feast or famine, that was our childhood. Never knowing whether we'd come home to champagne and takeout from the best restaurant in town, or eviction notices taped to the door." She shook her head, as if trying to dislodge the memories. "I'm not sure why I'm burdening you with all of this. I hardly ever talk about my father."
"You're not burdening me," I said, touched by her unexpected vulnerability. "I appreciate you sharing it."
"I just want you to know that father-daughter relationships are complicated under the best of circumstances," Octavia said, her professional demeanor reasserting itself. "You should protect yourself emotionally by tempering your expectations. Even if you find your biological father, even if he welcomes you with open arms, it might not give you what you're hoping for."
Her words carried the weight of hard-earned wisdom, and I found myself nodding in acknowledgment. "I appreciate the advice," I said. "But honestly, at this point, my expectations can't go any lower."
Octavia's smile was both sympathetic and knowing. "That might actually work in your favor," she said, finally setting the cigarette aside. "Sometimes the best surprises come when we're prepared for the worst."
October 21, Tuesday
barrel weightthe total weight of a full barrel, typically 500–550 lbs
THE MORNINGair was crisp and clean as Jett and I headed east from Lexington, the tour bus replaced by his personal truck for this unexpected adventure. The October landscape rolled past our windows in waves of gold and crimson, the Kentucky hills dressed in their autumn finest like nature's own celebration.
"Carter Caves State Park is one of the area's best-kept secrets," Jett said, his hands relaxed on the steering wheel as we wound through increasingly rural roads.
The fall foliage was absolutely gorgeous, more spectacular than anything I'd seen during Arizona's subtle seasonal changes. Maple trees blazed scarlet against the deep blue sky, while oak trees displayed every shade from bronze to burnt orange. The beauty was almost overwhelming in its intensity.
"Thank you for keeping your promise to bring me," I said, rolling down my window to breathe in the crisp air that smelled of woodsmoke and dying leaves. "I needed this."
We reached Carter Caves State Park after an hour of driving through increasingly forested terrain. The visitor center sat nestled among towering trees that filtered the morning sunlight into golden shafts, and I could hear the distant sound of water running somewhere beyond the buildings.
"Welcome to Carter Caves," the park ranger said as we signed up for the X Cave tour. "It's our most popular guided tour—about an hour underground exploring limestone formations that took millions of years to create."
