It’s Friday, but she and I don’t have plans until tomorrow night. She said she has a lot going on and needed to clear her head for a few days, but wasn’t specific. I can only assume it’s her grandmother, but I still have a sinking suspicion she may be dating someone else. At least she agreed to meet, though. That’s promising. Surely she wouldn’t let me drive all the way down here to see her just to say she wants to end things.
When I arrive in town, I go straight to the job site. Jaxon meets me there, along with Mrs. Caxton. It’s a crisp fall day, probably the first hint of true fall this far into south Alabama, and she’s dressed head-to-toe in leopard print spandex. I’m reminded of a Shania Twain video from the 90s where she wore a similar outfit. She’s wearing black stiletto boots with the ensemble, and I’m not sure how she’s going to navigate all this construction. It doesn’t take long for me to realize the inappropriate footwear is her excuse to hold my hand while we walk around.
She’s so absurd and so commanding of my attention it takes me a moment to even notice what’s going on with the building itself. There are giant, bright blue tarps covering the entire roof. Massive jacks are in the crawlspace on the south wing of the hotel where we previously found rotten foundation. Piles and piles of wood are laying on that end, with a few more piles scattered across the property. There are two beams on the ground, one rotten and one that, while not brand new, is in excellent condition.
“I was able to salvage that piece from an old train station in Memphis,” says Jaxon, pointing to it. “It was the right width and height already, but we had to cut it down to match the length.”
The grounds of the property have also been cleared since I was last here, and while a good landscaper will need to be brought in to revitalize the exterior, it’s easier to see how majestic this property was and will be again.
Jaxon has a copy of my plans, so we walk through as he shows Wilhelmina and me exactly what he plans to do in every square foot of the building, explaining how long everything should take. The whole property will need to be re-wired, a new roof put on, and the plaster walls will need to be replaced or patched in a lot of areas. I also let him know I found a vendor in Atlanta to restore the chandelier, and someone in Charlotte, NC, to work on the fountain for the lobby. My heart skips a beat every time I think of the fountain. For me, it will always be associated with Micah.
Wilhelmina is mostly quiet, which surprises me. She asks very few questions but occasionally will comment with a “marvelous” or “fantastic” and rub my arm in response to something Jaxon is saying. She winks at me often, and touches my back more than I’d like, but I remain stoic and pretend she’s not flirting with me. A few times Jaxon gives me an amused look, which I also ignore.
Overall, I’m beyond pleased with how things are going. I have secured a few more jobs around the South from the proposals I sent out, but this one is particularly special. Wilhelmina’s bottomless pit of money certainly helps. I’ve never not had a budget.
After we tour the property, we go to Southern Star Steakhouse for an early dinner. Wilhelmina drinks a lot of wine, is loud, and tells everyone she sees about her hotel, with an emphasis on the word “my” when she describes it. I don’t see any locals I recognize, but they’re all very kind and eager to hear all about the property. There’s even a news reporter at the bar who gets our cards and tells us he’s going to call for interviews next week. Wilhelmina is delighted. “Be sure to include my picture,” she says with a huge smile. “I’ll send you my media kit.”
After we eat, I check into my hotel and text Micah. She says she’s looking forward to seeing me, and we agree on dinner at Gator Tails for seafood the next night. I also ask about her grandmother, and she tells me Nana is tired but okay. She was able to go to the store one day that week, but it took a lot out of her, so she’s been relaxing in her chair at home otherwise. I tell Micah I’m looking forward to seeing them both.
* * *
Ispend the next day alone at the Florablanca Inn site, taking meticulous photos to document progress. Since it’s Saturday, none of the construction workers are there, so it’s easy to wander around and get lost in my own thoughts. In the distance, several boats pass by on the river, no doubt taking advantage of the mild weather, and frogs along the shore croak back and forth. It’s an absolutely perfect, peaceful day, not to mention the best prelude to my evening with Micah.
I arrive at Micah’s at exactly six o’clock. She meets me at the door wearing a low-cut, textured dark yellow dress with brown leggings and cowboy boots. The mustardy color makes her bright orange hair stand out, and she looks like the perfect picture of fall.
I give her a hug and kiss in the doorway, and I can see her grandmother watching us from the other room, beaming.
“Hello, Rhodes,” she says in a flirtatious tone.
“Hello, Ms. Bonaventure,” I say.
“Oh, call me Nana. Everyone else does. Or plain old Barbara.”
“Yes ma’am.”
“We’re off, Nana,” says Micah. “Do you need anything?”
“No, sugar bug. Y’all have fun.”
“We will.”
I open the door for Micah and show her to my car.
“She seems good,” I say once we pull out of the driveway.
“She doesn’t have any energy,” she says. “We have an appointment with a cardiologist in Mobile in a few weeks, but I’ve been able to keep her blood sugar stable, so that’s good.”
“You do a great job taking care of her,” I say. Again, I’m reminded of what a wonderful mother Micah would make and I feel guilty, but I push this thought away. She’s assured me she doesn’t want kids, and I have to take her word for it.
“Thank you,” she says. “It’s a lot, but I owe her.”
“Does your mother know she was in the hospital?”
“I texted her, and she texted back a few times to check on things, but she didn’t come or call. She has this way of doing the bare minimum so she doesn’t feel like a completely horrible person.”
“I’m sorry, Micah. That’s a lot.”
“It’s okay.” She takes my hand, and I feel a jolt of electricity run up my arm and straight to my heart. She has no idea how magnetic she is. My whole body reacts like I’m being struck by lightning when I’m around her.
