Wanting You

Chapter 2 Jasmine

The parade of stars began to pop in the dusky sky as Aiden made his way around the last bend in the road. The trees opened up, welcoming him. There it was, The Apple Blossom Inn. Something surreal happened when his feet touched the driveway. He stood there with his hand over his mouth in shock. The two-story pine lodge was not what it used to be. Gone were the window boxes filled with colorful flowers. Some of the green shutters barely clung to the windows. The roof sagged and the bright green railings that covered the front porch were now dull and had chipped paint. The yard, once manicured and filled with wild flowers was now filled with dirt and pine straw for a covering.

Aiden lowered his head. This can't be. When he gained composure, he walked down the long drive, saddened to see the long cracks in the concrete. Surely no one visited this place but faithful old travelers who remembered the glory days of the inn. The Apple Blossom Inn was a wonder in its day. A 250-room lodge sitting on 90 acres.

Nanna brought those acres to life with fishing ponds, barn fires, walking and horseback trails. A park for families to gather for picnics. Then there was the swimming hole and the small outdoor theater where kids watched movies under the stars. He flinched thinking all of that was probably a faded memory too.

As he got closer to the lodge he looked to the left to see if the trail was still there. He didn't want to see that trail, but something compelled him to look to the left. It was still there and it was well worn. That was the path to where he grew up, in his father's double wide trailer. Their property line was adjacent to the lodge.

The well-worn path suggested that his father still lived there. Billy Bob Johnson was born and raised in Ellijay back in those ancient woods. The trailer that they lived in had been passed down from his deceased grandfather. Aiden knew that he would never leave the place.

Perhaps if there was overgrowth it would have been a sign that he was dead. That is something that Aiden would have preferred. As he looked at the path his eyes narrowed and he felt the slow boil of rage. He kicked a rock as hard as he could, imagining that it was his father's head. Before rage could blind him from his purpose, he snapped his mind back to Jasmine.

Leaves crunched under his feet as he made his way to the porch. The steps sagged under his weight indicating that they were in need of repair. Now was the moment of truth. He swallowed hard, willing his heart to slow down but it did not. Reaching for the door knob was so difficult. His fingers felt like led. What will she think of me now?

The palms of his hands were sweating. He reached and then pulled back. Finally, he filled his lungs with air, grabbed the handle to the door and went in. The familiar clanging of the bells always had let the crew know that a visitor had arrived. He'd heard that sound a thousand times. The memory of it made him smile.

Then he stepped in and shut the door behind him. But this time there was no crew that came dashing out to greet a weary traveler. The roar of a blazing fire warmed the room. He stood waiting for someone to come out. Time suddenly stopped, nothing had changed. That was good for memories seeping into his conscious but terribly bad for business. The Apple Blossom Inn was stuck in the 70's décor. Everything was neat and clean, yet old and worn. An update was due decades ago.

The large brown bear rug was right in the same spot where he and Jasmine used to play and color by the enormous fireplace. The old red leather furnishing that were the talk of the day in the 70's was still making a statement, in this decade, not a good one. New woodlands paintings covered the walls, that was a plus. But the huge chandelier made of antlers should have long been gone.