In Over His Head

Chapter 35

The taxi slid to a stop on the gravel in front of a wood-sided blue house, the paint worn and flaking on one end, the white corner trim stark against the grey of the cedar shingles on the eaves. The driver bailed out and hustled around to open the back of the ageing minivan to pull out their luggage.

"This was the only place with vacancy?" Sharla asked as the van doors opened and everyone else got out. It was charming, and looked like all those postcard images he saw on travel brochures for the East Coast with a ramshackle of homes all perched on the jumble of rock along the shore, each one a different jellybean colour, stark against the grey and gorse.

An anchor was in the middle of a flower bed, geraniums rustling around it, and a weathered lobster trap was perched sideways on the corner of the front steps. He peered out around the house towards the chop of the water reflecting the grey skies surrounding them. The storm was headed north now, they had flown through the worst of it.

"Got a view of the water at least," James said and immediately began ferrying luggage towards the front door, Thom and Oscar strode in tandem towards a curvy, short woman stepping out with a wave and a giant, cheery smile. Her curly hair was flying about in the breeze, and she and James shook hands. She began gesturing and he threw a futile glance back at the cab and nodded several times while both pilots stood back and smiled.

"I think James needs rescuing," Kevin mumbled and he too stepped out of the cab. Sharla was bee lining for the deck that looked to wrap around the back, without saying a word.

He reached James, Thom, and Oscar, and the woman turned towards him with an exclamation that sounded like "Lord-by there you are!"

"Good afternoon to ya! I must say we've never had someone such as yourself stay with us. A pleasure! Welcome to Saint Ant-ony!" she boomed out and vigorously shook Kevin's hand. He smiled despite his bad mood, because she was red-cheeked and merry, reminding him of the Scottish mums who worked the kitchens at his uncle's manor up near Edinburgh. Ruddy-faced with the joy of the world beaming out, perfectly content to talk your ear off about anything. James and both pilots took that opportunity to grab luggage and pull it into the Inn.

"Glad you can put us up Ms.—?" he asked.

"Harriet to you my dear. What should I call you? Sir? Lord?"

"Mr. Crawford is fine, Harriet," he replied, winking at her. She fanned herself and then flailed her hands towards the building.

"Let's get you all checked in. Your boys I have in bedroom two, your luck the twin bed suite with the pullout was empty. You and your bride there I have in bedroom five, has its own entrance so. It was the last one we had left."

His bride? Kevin must have looked confused because she gestured towards the house. "Your wife, the beautiful redhead I just saw headed 'round the corner to see the view? I imagine you'll want for some privacy after such a long trek."

"She's not, well, ahh—" he fumbled, but Harriet just laughed.

"Oh I'm funnin' ya. We don't stand on tradition here. No matter if yer not married yet, your b'y there, when he called me, he asked for whatever I had, since we're chock-a-full in tourist season here and everywhere. So when I offered the two rooms he said that would do perfectly for you and your missus."

Kevin was going to have words with James later. What the man was up to, he didn't know, but certainly, he had to know that Sharla would not share a bed with him, let alone the same room. He was mentally preparing himself to sleep on the floor when Sharla rejoined them.

"Hello m'dear! I'm Harriet," the woman bounced out, and shook Sharla's hand. Sharla blinked and rubbed at one eye, a tell tale sign she was exhausted. Harriet must have caught on because she tsked and put one of her arms around her, herding her towards the house. "Let's get you set up so you can have a lie-down. You look done in."