Page 32 of Gulfside Girls
The cottages were wood-shingled and covered in a variety of peeling paint colors. She spied yellow, red, lime, orange, pink, and blue!
There was a little courtyard that led out toward the ocean. She followed a path of stones partially obscured by sand. As she walked, no fewer than three little geckos skittered to and fro.
It wasn’t long before the overgrown tropical vegetation cleared enough to see the sandy beach. Sea Turtle Resort might be dilapidated, but if it wasn’t on a sinkhole or a haunted graveyard, maybe they could sell it and make quite a bit. The location alone was stunning!
For a moment, Ali was still, quiet. She was pulled into the scene in front of her. She was surprised by how she felt. This felt both new and familiar.
The sound of the waves rolling onto the sand, the caw of a pair of seagulls, and even the wind rustling through the palm fronds behind her entered her heart like music. Or rather, it was some aural frequency tuned to the base of her brain that vibrated down to the middle of her chest.
Her mind quieted, her breath got slower and deeper, and the air in her lungs was there on purpose.
Was it the water? The salty air? The warm wind after so many years of frigid winters?
She longed to take her shoes off and sink into the sand, as though it were the missing element of her biology. The entire experience made her feel…what was it? Grounded?
Ali didn’t have time to process this before a voice floated over the sound of the waves.
“Don’t forget to exhale.”
The voice was also familiar. Had she heard it before?
Was it in her head? She did as the voice instructed and exhaled.
“Happens to me every day. Easy to gasp at the sight.”
This wasn’t in Ali’s head. She turned to find a woman about her height, maybe in her seventies, standing a few feet behind her, hands on hips, head tilted to the side.
She had white hair piled in a chaotic nest on top of her head. She wore cargo shorts that stopped just below her knee, but the portion of her legs that they did reveal was tanned and toned. She wore a t-shirt that had the logo of the Sea Turtle Resort on the front and a chambray shirt over that. In her hand was a toolbox. And in her eyes, mirth. They were blue, inquisitive, and surrounded by gorgeous laugh lines—and those eyes were searching hers.
“Hello, I’m Didi, the uh, the manager here. I don’t have any reservation arrivals listed for today, though Jorge and I have been a little scatterbrained lately. No worries if you’re checking in today. I can get Key Lime ready for you. It’s open and the closest to the beach.”
“Ah, no, I’m not checking in. I’m here to assess the situation.”
“Ah, the situation is sun and sand, as always.”
“Uh, no,” Ali said, “with the manager. I need the situation—or rather, I have questions about that.”
“Oh well, that situation is, Jorge and I are getting on, and I must stop him from trying to vacuum the pool until his hip surgery fully heals. So, I apologize for being at Sixes and Sevens. You didn’t talk to Karen Ort, did you? We did our best, but?—”
“I, no, I’m not a guest. My name is Ali Harris, and it appears I own this place.”
The woman took a sharp intake of air, and then lifted her hand to her mouth. It was her turn to be bowled over, it appeared. Didi blinked as if she wasn’t sure if she was seeing things. She dropped the metal toolbox to the ground. It landed with a loud metallic clang.
Ali was slightly worried she’d caused Didi to have a stroke or something
“I think it’s your turn to exhale.” Ali stepped forward and put a gentle hand on the woman’s arm.Is she okay?
Didi did as Ali instructed and exhaled. She shook her head and blinked. “Oh, wow, goodness, the ugh, management company, uh, they didn’t tell us that. Well, it’s just a surprise. I’d have prepared. We’d have done more, ugh, well, just…the laundry isn’t even up to speed, Ali.” The older woman appeared to be out of breath.
Did I come on too strong? Why is she so upset?Ali tried to bring the temperature down on the surprisingly fraught exchange.
“Honestly, I’m not here to grade the place or check-in. I’m here to figure out how this place wound up in my name and my sisters’ names.”
“Well, three on a deed, that’s not unusual, is it?” Didi continued to search Ali’s face.
Ali got a little self-conscious.Do I have broccoli in my teeth or something?
“What’s unusual is that we had no idea we owned it, and it appears we have for a long time.” She probably shouldn’t spill these details to this stranger, but the woman was safe to talk to. Ali knew immediately.
