Bed & Breakfast

Ch 1. New Arrivals

"H-hello?" A timid voice called, making me jump a little. They were early if this was the new renters.

I stood up and removed my rubber gloves. I yanked my hair out of the messy bun that I'd thrown up and dug my phone out of my back pocket. They hadn't called. Probably saw the car in the drive and all the windows wide open. It was a beautiful day, unseasonably warm for this time of year.

A baby started crying, followed by a crash. I rushed out of the master bathroom and hurried towards the ruckus. The sight was pitiful. A woman, who looked like she hadn't slept in days, was trying to cradle a screaming infant while scolding two older children who guiltily stood over a broken pitcher that had been holding a bouquet of fresh flowers.

The children looked at me with wide eyes as I entered the room, eyeing the broken milk-glass and the pretty wildflowers now sitting in a puddle on the barnwood floors. The woman realized the children's attention was no longer on her as she turned and met my eye. There was something hidden in her eyes that told me there was more to their story than this first impression.

She grimaced, deep lines cutting across her face. "I'm so sorry. They've been cooped up in the car for hours. I'll cover the cost."

I wasn't about to tell her that the pitcher was a family heirloom. It would add insult to injury. I pushed a sympathetic smile to my lips and waved my hand. "I'll get it cleaned up. Where are y'all coming from?"

I wasn't expecting the look of panic that crossed the woman's face, but the girl, who looked to be about fourteen or fifteen, chimed in. "We drove straight here from Tennessee."

"Wow, that's a long drive." I responded.

"We didn't drive straight here. We stopped along the way." The boy, probably a year or two younger, interjected.

"Not overnight." The girl countered. The boy made a face and gave her a little pinch. She hissed a threat at him and smacked his hands away.

"Enough!" The woman, who was clearly exhausted, barked at them pushing her wrist against her forehead and shooting me an apologetic look.

"Checking in?"

"Yes, please. I know we're ahead of check-in but I was hoping we could get in." She explained.

"I was just finishing up. Why don't you grab your bags, I'll get this little mess cleaned up, and then I can check you in?" I offered.

"Um, yeah. Kids, can you bring in the luggage while I nurse?" She addressed the kids who were still quarreling.

The girl stood up straighter. "We can do that.  Come on, Parker."

The boy seemed less inclined but he begrudgingly followed the girl out the front door. I gestured to the hallway. "If you want privacy, go right ahead."

"I actually could stand some adult contact if you don't mind." She commented.

"Oh yeah, uh sure. I'm Andrea. I go by Andie." I introduced myself.

"I'm Paula. This is Wilson. The two outside are Parker and Riley." She introduced herself. Her name didn't sound familiar from the reservations log but I didn't want to stress her out literally as she was popping her tit out to feed the little guy.