Nadia walked through the grocery store, carefully studying the aisles and noting where everything was as she pushed the cart in front of her. While it wasn't incredibly busy, the few people who were there seemed intent on watching her. Much as they had done since the second she drove into town to shop.
It was a bit unnerving, but she told herself that it must be a small town thing. Nadia had never been to one before, but assumed that was how people were. With a population of about 1,000, Fisher's Bay was about as small as they got.
Perhaps it was because they didn't often get newcomers.
"Is that her?"
"Looks just like Ingrid and Mara - has to be."
"Never thought another would come to town."
"Well... we don't know that. But the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."
Nadia felt her cheeks heat up as she walked a little faster, her eyes trained down on her list on her phone as she pretended she hadn't heard the two older women hissing to each other. She nervously tucked a strand of her dark brown hair behind her ear, her fingers itching to rake through it, though somehow refrained.
It seems her arrival to Fisher's Bay had been well noted even though she had gotten into town late last night. Jesus, did everyone already know who she was? And just who had her grandmother been to warrant this kind of scrutiny? She figured her mother would definitely have gossip surrounding her, but the women seemed just as judgemental about the oldest Johansen.
In record time, Nadia was at the checkout counter, aware of the looks she was still getting. The cashier stared at her, a wary look in the mousy woman's eye as she silently rang her up, not even speaking to tell her the total.
Nadia handed over her card and then grabbed her bags after she paid, hightailing it to her car.
What was with this place?
After everything was loaded, Nadia's eyes fell on the post office just down the street. While part of her was ready to call it a day and retreat to the solitude of her grandmother's cabin, she knew she needed to check for mail. There could be bills.
So instead of going home, Nadia straightened her back and started walking towards the post office, smiling warmly at anyone who met her eyes. Part of it was because she wanted to make a good impression since she had to live here for the foreseeable future and would prefer that the townspeople didn't hate her. The other was because she wasn't about to let anyone know that she was bothered.
All she got in return were wide eyes and guarded looks.
In better lighting, Nadia figured Fisher's Bay would be quaint, even if the townsfolk were proving less than friendly. A slightly ominous feeling clouded the village with the overcast sky and the heavy scent of rain in the air. It was as thick as the fog that rolled in from the ocean in the morning. Nadia felt like she was in a Stephen King novel. For a second, she glanced around, worried a psycho clown or monster of some sort would leap out from behind a building.
She really needed to stop watching horror movies.
The town proper was located along the coast, docks and a marina lining one side of Main Street while shops and businesses lined the other. Nadia assumed fishing must be the main source of income, though she wasn't sure.
From what she had seen so far, there was a diner and what touted itself as a steak/Italian restaurant. There was also a hardware store and a small library. She had passed an unexpectedly large, stately City Hall building that seemed a bit out of place among the rustic shops. Nadia hadn't seen a school, but assumed there must be one hidden within the rest of the area that she had yet to explore. The town spread back from the coastline and she assumed there was a residential area as well.
Though there were probably just as many people who lived out in the forest like her grandmother.
Nadia pushed open the door to the post office, hearing a cheerful ring of the bell. There were a few people there, but unlike the grocery store, they were too caught up in their own business to pay any attention to her. Smiling, Nadia approached the main counter, finding an older man standing there.
"How can I help you, young lady?" he asked warmly.
"Hi, I'm here to get whatever mail you might be holding for Ingrid Johansen," she said, already digging around in her purse for a document stating her as executor of her grandmother's will. "I'm her granddaughter - Nadia Johansen."
When she looked up, the smile slid away as she saw the look of shock on the man's face. He then cleared his throat, giving her a nervous smile though his eyes remained somewhat cold.
"Ingrid Johansen, you said?" he asked. "I'm afraid I can't give anything to someone who's not Ingrid. And well, she's dead."
Nadia startled at the harshness of his words compared to how friendly he had seemed just moments ago. Christ, what was with this town?
"Yes, I know. I'm here to take care of her affairs, which is what this paper says if you'd look at it," Nadia said coldly, holding out the document and her ID.
Mr. Nichols had said she shouldn't have any trouble taking over her grandmother's things, but gave her a form just in case. Apparently she did need it. The man took the paper, glancing over it and her ID before handing it back.
"I'll be right back" he said before turning and walking out of sight.
Nadia huffed, and glanced around, noting that the few people there were now openly staring at her. Okay, this was getting old real fast. Any hopes that she'd get to star in her own Hallmark movie were getting quickly dashed against the rocks that lined the marina. Not that she had much hope in that sense. Mostly she wanted to at the very least like the town and truly get a fresh start where no one knew about her or her mistakes.
Looked like that wouldn't be the case either.
Nadia's heart ached as she quickly blinked, refusing to cry in public. Maybe she should have called Chloe. At least she sounded nice. And God, what Nadia would give for a friendly face right about now.
A thunk had her attention turned back to the counter, seeing a small pile of envelopes there.
"That should be it," the man said. "You plannin' to stay in town long?"
Nadia just blinked, unsure why he cared to know. But she could feel the others around her listening in, which was an odd sensation. She had never noticed something like that before, but somehow, she just knew. Perhaps it was because she was used to big cities that were so noisy and crowded, it was easy to blend in and no one really noticed you.
And here she obviously stuck out like a sore thumb.
"I'm not sure. Thanks," she said curtly.
She snatched up the envelopes with a tense smile before turning and striding out of the post office, shoving them into her purse. Once outside, she came to a stop and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath in, then slowly letting it out.
Christ, what was she doing here?
Were things really that bad back in Boston that she abandoned everything on whim, hoping that things would be better in a town she had barely heard of, living in a house owned by a grandmother she never knew?
Maybe. Maybe not.
Opening her eyes, Nadia straightened her back, intending to stride back to her car with her head held high and then drown her sorrows in the two bottles of wine left by Chloe, even though it was before lunch. And then probably the two other bottles she had picked up in a liquor store she passed the next town over on her drive in last night.
But something had her freezing.
Nadia frowned, feeling a pull in the opposite direction of her car. She looked over across the street, her eyes seeing the docks and boats. They then fell on a small building out on a boardwalk. It looked bright and inviting, a cheerful sign saying "Bay Coffee Co." out front. Without thinking, her feet started moving in that direction.
Nadia stopped and shook her head, taking a step back towards her car, but finding she could go no further. Her eyes once again settled on the coffee shop. Not understanding just why, Nadia decided to take a chance.
Quickly, she made her way across the street and towards the boardwalk. No one was around and Nadia wondered if it got a lot of business, located where it was. As she made her way down, she took in the expansive view of the Pacific and decided it didn't matter. She wouldn't mind enjoying a cup of coffee with that view. She could pull herself together before her meeting and hopefully avoid more of the strange townsfolk.
When she reached the door, she pulled it open as someone was walking out of another door on the other side of the shop. Just as the door swung closed, the desire to be there dissipated and Nadia was left wondering if it was even there to begin with. But one look at the eclectic, yet cozy atmosphere of the cafe had her deciding to stay regardless.
Large windows almost filled three sides of the small space, allowing for an expansive view of the ocean. Each table was different with chairs that didn't match, all of them in varying shades yellow, green, and blue. Some tables had sofas. Each looked comfy as hell. The few pieces of decor were marine in theme, which could have been chintzy but came off as cute instead.
A large counter was across from her with three stools at the end, a register, and a display case of pastries and other baked goods. Behind it were a few different types of coffee machines, though Nadia's attention kept returning to that view.
"Holy shit, Nadia, right?"
She swung her head around, catching a young woman about her age step out from what she assumed must be a small kitchen. The woman squealed and bounded towards her, her dark hair swinging wildly behind her in a high ponytail.
Before Nadia could answer, the woman's arms were around her in a hug so fierce, she stumbled from the force of it, the air slightly knocked out of her lungs. Damn. While the woman was slender, she was definitely solid.
"Why didn't you call me and tell me you were coming into town today?!"
"Um... Chloe, I take it?"
The woman stepped back, a sheepish expression on her face as though she just realized that normal people didn't bear-hug perfect strangers. Chloe chuckled nervously as she took another step back and straightened her apron.
"Sorry. Just... I was pretty close with your grandmother and she talked about you all the time. Kind of feels like I know you," Chloe admitted, shocking the pants off Nadia. The woman held out her hand. "Chloe Kingfisher."
"Nadia Johansen," she replied automatically before wincing.
Of course, Chloe knew who she was.
Chloe just grinned as she shook Nadia's hand. There was something about her that had Nadia relaxing. Maybe it was because she was the first nice person she had met so far. Though she was seriously wondering just what her grandmother had said about her.
"Take a seat. What can I get you? On the house of course, since you're our newest resident," Chloe said.
"Oh, um, just a regular coffee. Black," Nadia said.
"Got it! Sit anywhere," Chloe chirped as she walked over behind the bar and counter.
Nadia turned and walked over to a table in front of the windows, taking in the view while Chloe got to work. The cafe was empty, but still felt comfy with pop music playing softly in the background. She sank into an armchair that was just as comfortable as it looked.
"If only you had been a few seconds sooner. Just missed the mayor," Chloe called out cheerfully.
Nadia looked over at her. Ah, that must have been the person leaving from the other door as she came in.
"Oh, well, not sure I warrant meeting the mayor," she replied.
"Please. It's not often we get new people moving in. You're a big deal. And he's one of my best friends, so you'll meet him eventually," Chloe stated. "I'm good at reading people and I already know that you and I are going to be tight."
Nadia didn't say anything as Chloe walked over with two mugs of steaming coffee, not sure just how to respond to such a statement. There was a time when she thought herself pretty good at reading people, though that was currently all shot to hell. Maybe Chloe was right.
Or maybe she wasn't.
Chloe sat down at the table across from Nadia, holding out one of the mugs to her.
"Plus, I'm dying for some fresh blood in town," Chloe continued. "You have no idea how boring Fisher's Bay can get. We don't get new people often."
Ah, so that was it. Nadia was a curiosity.
"I gathered that from the way everyone's been staring at me," she replied gruffly.
Chloe grimaced before offering her a sympathetic smile.
"Sorry about that. They'll get used to you in no time. And well... your grandmother was definitely one-of-a-kind," she explained. "Gods, she had the best stories..."
Sadness entered Chloe's brown eyes and for a moment, Nadia was jealous. It was clear this stranger had a connection with her grandmother - her own family - that she would never get to have. It was a peculiar feeling that had Nadia squirming in her chair.
"Oh, yea? I have to admit I don't know much about her. Mom didn't really talk about Fisher's Bay," Nadia said. "I didn't even know where it was until Mr. Nichols tracked me down."
Chloe's eyes widened as her mouth dropped open.
"Wait... you mean... she didn't tell you anything? About your grandmother or the town?" she asked, looking completely flabbergasted by Nadia's confession.
It had her feeling awkward all over again as she looked down at her coffee mug.
"Nope. Nothing," Nadia reiterated.
Chloe let out a low whistle, garnering Nadia's attention again.
"I... wow. Well... if it helps, I know your grandmother really loved you and your mom. Like I said, she talked about you both all the time," Chloe said gently.
Nadia found herself leaning forward, eager to learn more. Partly, she wanted to know just how much her grandmother knew about her. But most of it was wanting to know more about her in general. Maybe she could work up to figuring out just why the town seemed to hate Ingrid Johansen and by extension Nadia.
"Just what did she say?" she asked.
"Said you were a big newspaper reporter in Boston. She was really proud of that - of you," Chloe replied, smiling softly. "She had been trying to get in touch for years... Really wanted you to come visit..."
Chloe then stopped speaking as she sat up and began to closely study Nadia, a look coming into her eyes as though she was really seeing her for the first time. Nadia felt heat enter her cheeks as she looked out the window, attempting to ignore the other woman's slightly odd behavior. She swore she heard Chloe breath in deeply through her nose, but surely the woman wasn't sniffing her, right?
What was going on with Fisher's Bay? Maybe it was so isolated that no one learned how to interact normally.
"I often wondered about my grandmother... the only thing I could gather from my mother is that they didn't part on good terms," she found herself saying, unable to keep the bitterness out of her voice. "Suppose it's a good chance to learn about her while I go through her things."
"I can help with that, if you want," Chloe offered. Nadia looked over at her, relieved to see that she had sat back in her chair and appeared to be back to normal. "Ms. Ingrid really liked to hold onto things."
While Nadia still had her reservations, she would like to have a bit of help. And well, it might be better to have someone who knew her grandmother going through her belongings with her. Not to mention, there was a small niggle at the back of her mind that maybe Chloe was right. They could be good friends.
Heaven knew her time in Fisher's Bay would be far more painful without an ally, strange as Chloe may be.
"I'd like that," she said, offering a small smile. Chloe began to grin.
"Oh, and we're having a bonfire tonight. Just folks around our age. We normally do one a couple times a month. You should come! It would be a good chance to meet people our age," Chloe gushed, bouncing slightly in her chair.
"Ah, I don't know about that," Nadia said, unsure if she wanted to face more of the reception she had gotten so far.
"Seriously, come. I promise once folks get to know you, they won't be so... weird," Chloe said, on the verge of pouting.
Nadia found herself chuckling, and kind of wanting to go despite her reservations. Chloe had a point. It certainly wouldn't help her case if she became a recluse. Maybe she just needed to get out and meet more people her age. Surely they would be more open to her than the old folks.
"Fresh start," she thought.
"Well... okay. I guess I'll come."