Karl braced himself, rubbed the goose bumps already forming on his arms, and then stepped into the icy shower. Brr. Get in and get out quickly. He had already lathered up so he didn't have to endure the frigid water a minute longer than he needed to.
The motel's manager had apologized profusely yesterday for the mishap with the bed and had gotten them another room. The second room thankfully smelled fresher and the bed had held together. One downside of this motel was that the hot water was limited. They found this out very quickly. Karl had let Lottie take the first shower but even though she was quick, the hot water had run out before Karl's turn came.
Another downside of the motel was the paper thin walls. Last night as he had tossed and turned thinking about how he was going to make his presentation to the council, he was serenaded on both sides of their room by a chorus of loud lumberjack snores. Lottie had fallen asleep quickly and didn't seem to be bothered by the noise.
The cold water on his face and face revived him. They were scheduled to meet with a realtor to view the restaurant mid morning. They had only gotten a cursory view of the restaurant since it was getting dark as they drove past last night. So he wasn't sure what to expect. He looked into the mirror above the sink as he shaved. He winced at the puffy dark circles under his eyes. Yikes. Hopefully I don't scare the realtor off.
Karl looked over at Lottie who was sitting on the lone chair in the room. She was reading her devotional. One of her hands rested lightly on her expanding stomach. She looked serene and tranquil. Karl wished he could relax as well. But he seemed to be born with a restless energy about him. Lottie's calm nature was one of the things that attracted him to her. She was able to put her worries aside and enjoy the moment.
As if sensing his stare, she glanced up, "Ready to go?"
"I will be ready in five minutes." He brushed his teeth and then went to the dresser to grab his keys and wallet.
The motel offered a weak pot of coffee and homemade muffins. They declined the coffee and each grabbed a muffin. They decided to stop by the grocery store and grab some fruit for breakfast. The town was waking up as they were heading out. The hotel clerk had drawn them a map of where to find the grocery store. Karl made sure he went the speed limit. He had a feeling that he wouldn't be so lucky if he was pulled over again.
After only two wrong turns, they found a grocery store. The grocery store had a banner out front proudly proclaiming that it was locally owned. The prices unfortunately reflected that. Coming from the city, Karl and Lottie were used to having options when they went shopping. Karl picked up an apple and quickly put it down when he saw the price.
"The prices are pretty steep here." Lottie said quietly.
"Yes, I noticed that."
With an eye on the prices, they quickly located what they wanted in their price range and went to check out. There was only one cashier on duty this morning, so they patiently waited as an elderly woman's purchases were rung up ahead of them. The cashier and elderly woman leisurely chatted about the weather and about an upcoming school event.
Karl was quickly realizing that the pace of life here was quite different then what he was used to. People didn't seem to be in a rush to get to their next appointment. He had noticed several locals catching up in the store. Several times as he walked through the aisles he had to maneuver around people as they stood in the aisles shooting the breeze.
After paying for their purchases, they drove to a nearby park to eat. The park was mostly deserted at this time of the morning. A few young mothers with their kids were playing on the playground at the far side of the park. They settled on a bench and listened to the birds and the occasional shout of glee from the kids playing. They had found some bread, sliced cheese and some grapes to eat for breakfast. It wasn't a fancy meal but he was grateful for it nonetheless.
They said grace and started in on their meal. Lottie took a deep breath, "Umm. The air smells so much fresher out here. I know I have already said this but it's so nice here. It's so peaceful."
Karl grunted.
"Really? That's all you can say. I know you are enjoying yourself as well."
Karl tried to hide his smile. Lottie knew him too well. He could imagine his kids growing up in a town like this. Everybody knowing everybody. Neighbors looking out for one another. He started to choke up thinking about his future family. He cleared his throat. "Yeah, it's alright."
Lottie eyed him but decided not to press him any further instead she switched topics.
"How much work do you think the diner needs? Mrs. Hale never mentioned the state of the building. I can't wait to have lunch with her today. It will be so good to see her again." Lottie continued on.
Karl half listened as Lottie talked, his mind drifting round and round. He occasionally added a grunt here and there.
After their breakfast, they packed up the remaining food and headed back to the car. They made a quick stop back at the motel to brush their teeth and freshen up and then they headed back to Forever. The plan was to stop by the Body's house first.
Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the Body house, or more like complex. Apparently, the Body clan had deep roots here. They were some of the first settlers in the area. Many of the Body clan still lived nearby.
Mrs. Body informed them last night that Body relatives owned the two houses on either side . They drove up the gravel road and were greeted by a chorus of barks. Two well loved and well rounded pugs ran out to greet them.
Karl braced himself for the circus that was about to ensue. He glanced at his watch. He was glad he had allowed for ample time with the Body family before they had their meeting with the realtor.
Mrs. Body hobbled onto the porch, as they parked the car. "Karl and Lottie. I wish you would have stayed here last night. We had great time looking at old photo albums. We also had a sing along around the piano. It was a hoot. Did I ever tell you the story about how Boris' grandfather was the editor for the newspaper in town?" She paused. " Where are my manners? Come in and meet the family."
Two hours later, Karl and Lottie extracted themselves from a game of pinochle. Various Body clan members volunteered to come with them to meet the realtor but Karl turned them down. He suspected it had less to do with moral support and more to do with their own curiosity. Apparently, the store front had been boarded up for years and nobody had been inside recently.
Waving a final time and make a quick visual scan to ensure no pugs were underfoot, they eased out of the driveway.
"Mrs. Body seems really happy here. I wonder if she would consider moving back?" Lottie said.
Mrs. Body and her husband had moved to San Francisco shortly after getting married for better work opportunities. The plan had always been to move back but unfortunately Boris had taken ill before they could move back.
Karl did have to agree that Mrs. Body seemed to be in her element here. "Yeah. I wonder why she didn't move back earlier?"
Their speculation was cut short as they arrived at the diner just then. In the daylight, the exterior looked nondescript and well worn.
Karl drew in a fortifying breath and turned to Lottie. He grabbed her left hand and give it quick squeeze. "Ready?"
"Let's do it." Lottie shot him an encouraging smile.
The realtor, Mr. Bill, was waiting for them by the door. "Greetings. Welcome to Forever!" His booming voice drew the attention of a couple pedestrians walking by on the sidewalk.
"Come on in. I'm glad to see this space might be used again. It's got great potential."
Mr. Bill shook their hands and then ushered them inside. The lights were dim and flickered overhead and it was hard to see much since the windows were boarded up. Karl noticed that a few windows were completely missing. Mr. Bill noticed the direction of his gaze.
"Nasty business that is. A few years ago, a few bored teenagers looking for something to do threw rocks into the windows and cracked them. The town decided to board the place up to discourage further vandalism. A blight on downtown really. Walking by a store front with boarded up windows. Tsk. Tsk. If only the town council wasn't so picky about who the next tenant was." He continued on but Karl's gaze was taking in the place.
It wasn't much too look at. The place was covered in dust but in his mind's eye he could see the potential. He could tell Lottie was also getting excited.
"Let's head back to what could be the kitchen area. The electricity will have to be brought up to code. I know a few contractors in the areas who could help you get this place up to date."
This was assuming that the town council approved their request to convert this building into a restaurant. The hearing was scheduled for 10 am tomorrow and as far, as Karl was aware nobody else was interested in this space.
Thirty minutes later, they wrapped up the tour and thanked Mr. Bill for his time.
The next stop was Mrs. Hale's house for lunch. On the ride over, they talked about ideas for the space. Some ideas were grand and some were downright ridiculous, but it was fun to envision what the space could become.
The happy mood stayed with them as they pulled up to Mrs. Hale's house. The front door opened as they pulled up. A woman with dark hair with streaks of gray stepped out.
"Mrs. Hale!" Lottie said opening her car door. Karl followed shortly after.
Mrs. Hale and Lottie embraced. They chattered excitedly mostly about the upcoming baby. Karl feeling abandoned cleared his throat.
"Mrs. Hale, this is my husband Karl."
"Nice to meet you." Karl said.
They stepped inside her house and were greeted with the smells of fresh bread and a roast baking in the oven. A door upstairs opened and shortly after Mr. Hale made his entrance.
After another round of introductions, they sat down to eat.
"So Mr. Hale what do you do for a living?"
"I'm a lawyer. I'm mostly retired but I take on some work every now and then. As you know I also sit on the town council."
Karl perked up. "Yeah. I remember Lottie mentioning it."
Getting right to the point, Mr. Hale asked "Are you ready for the presentation tomorrow?"
"I believe so. I have filled out the application and have my business proposal drawn up. I have also done my research and I'm ready for any questions that might be raised."
"Good. Good. Those are important first steps. My advice to you for tomorrow would be to project confidence. This town council is particular. Any weakness and they will pounce."
"Oh Henry." Mrs. Hale lightly slapped his arm. "You are one of the worst of them. Your attorney mind never settles." She turned to Karl. "Watch out for this one. He will grill you."
Mr. Hale chuckled and raised his hands, "Fair enough. I do have a reputation for asking tough questions."
The conversation moved on to others things. Overall the lunch was an enjoyable experience. Throughout their lunch, Mr. Hale sprinkled in useful tips. Thanks to Mr. Hale's discreet suggestions, Karl felt like he had a better handle on what things the town was looking for in a restaurant . He would try his best to bring those out in the meeting tomorrow. Now to project confidence and win over the council.