The Turning Point

CHAPTER TEN- WELCOME TO CLEARWATER

Heloyse

As we entered the town, a large sign adorned with the silhouette of a cowboy greeted us with the words "Welcome to Clearwater." The name, painted in rustic letters, gave me the feeling of entering a picturesque place.
A wave of joy filled my heart as we crossed the city limits, bringing with it a sense of warmth and welcome.
Soon after, we arrived at a vast farm. At first glance, Thom’s house was beautiful and aesthetically rural. Though it wasn’t lavish, it was large. The walls, dressed in soft tones, reflected the weak sunlight that was slowly fading.
I got out of the truck, and a short lady came out of the house, walking toward him.
"You took too long, man," she said, hugging him.
"I missed you too, Cielo."
The two made a lovely couple. Thom was a very presentable gentleman despite his age, and Katherine, a slender lady with large blue eyes and blonde hair.
After hugging her husband, she sized me up and then gave me a broad smile, which I returned.
"And who is this young lady, Thom?"
"This is Heloyse. I found her on the road last night and gave her a ride."
"Welcome, Heloyse!"
"Thank you!"
"And you brought her...?" Katherine asked, waiting for her husband’s response.
"I brought her because she was trying to sort out some issues, and I thought she could clear her head here. Trust me, she needs it."
"You don’t need to worry. I’ll be leaving tomorrow."
"Who’s sending you away, dear? I trust Thom. He never makes mistakes. Sometimes I think God speaks in this man’s ear. And if he brought you here, then you’re my guest too. Stay!"
"I appreciate it, but..."
"Come now! I’ll make a little snack while you take a shower. You look visibly tired. Megan will show you to a room. She’s inside."
Megan was a twenty-five-year-old young woman with sun-kissed skin, eyes like her mother’s, and shoulder-length blonde, curly hair. The freckles on her face made her even more charming.
"You can put your things in this space in the closet. Make yourself at home."
She had a slight Texan accent, unlike Thom and Katherine, who anyone could tell were from Texas.
"Thank you, and I’m sorry for the trouble I’m causing."
"It’s no trouble at all. Actually, I’m kind of happy to have someone here to keep my mom company. I’m going back to college next week. I took two weeks off to take care of an allergy, and decided to stay here with my parents. I missed them."
"What do you study?"
"Engineering."
"Do you like it here?"
"I was born here, and I love this place. But there’s also Jeremy, my fiancé, back there. When I’m there, I miss this place. When I’m here, I miss there."
"I can imagine," I said, smiling.
She returned the smile warmly and handed me a towel.
"So, where are you from?"
"I live in Boston and I was born in California."
"How cool!" she said, walking toward the door and then stopping. "I don’t know what you came looking for, but I hope you find it."
"I think I’m trying to find myself."
"You will, dear. Now, go take your shower."
A shower was all I needed.
Under the gentle cascade of the shower, I let the warm water flow over my body, closing my eyes and allowing myself a rare moment of introspection. How had everything happened so quickly? Here I was, under the roof of people I hardly knew, but who welcomed me with such generosity and warmth. Were there really people like that, capable of offering so much without expecting anything in return?
What was most surprising was the sense of comfort that enveloped me. For a moment, I felt like I was part of something bigger, as if, after years of solitude, I had found refuge in a home. For a few precious moments, the pain I carried dissipated, making way for a peace I hadn’t felt in a long time.
I stepped out of the shower feeling renewed, with a lighter body, but my mind still betrayed me. Thoughts of Michael invaded me, bringing a flood of memories. Where was he now? Was he thinking of me? Of us? I tried to shake off those thoughts by shaking my head, as if I could disperse the storm brewing in my mind.
I got dressed, and in an attempt to find some relief, I headed to the kitchen, searching for the simple familiarity of a conversation or the comfort of a warm drink.
"The shower did you good, Lisy. Sit down! Cielo will serve you."
"Thank you!"
"You can call me Cielo, Lisy. Thom gave me that nickname when we were young, and everyone calls me that."
"It’s a beautiful nickname."
"I was quite the charmer back then," Thom commented.
"That’s true, dear. And now you’re just a very noisy old man."
"And you still think I’m handsome!"
The jokes continued as we ate our snacks. Megan talked about her college friends, her studies, and her fiancé.
"What made you go out with a backpack like that?" she asked with interest.
"I don’t think it’s polite to snoop."
"Oh, Dad, I’m not! I just asked a question. If she wants to answer, that’s fine, if not, no problem."
"There’s no problem at all," they both looked at me attentively while I tried to find the words to explain what led me to make that decision. "I... I just wanted to disappear for a while."
"I think we all want to disappear at some point in life."
I looked at Cielo and nodded.
"I think so. Well, I needed to get away from someone. He was my boyfriend of nine years. He reconnected with an ex-girlfriend who had left fifteen years ago, and he also found out they had a child together. So, he chose to have the family with her that he never had with me."
Everyone fell silent. The silence was broken only when Thom cleared his throat.
"Lisy, you don’t have to talk about it. I know how hard it is..."
"No! I want to talk, Thom. At some point, I have to come to terms with the situation."
I told them the whole story, from the death of my family, my relationship with Michael, about Alice, and about how I was going crazy living near him. They were supportive.
It was also a relief for them, because even though Thom trusted me, I knew there was fear in taking in a stranger. I had that fear ever since I accepted the ride, but all along, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had to take the risk.
They listened to every word I said. They gave me words of support, and it felt so good. It was the first time I was able to talk about it and not shed a tear.

Cielo: Sky