Of the Sea

Chapter Five

Her name was Celine West, and she came on a Thursday. Astrid was in the process of cleaning out the deep freezer, holding a handkerchief over her nose to keep from gagging, when she arrived. The dogs sounded the alarm as the gray haired woman arrived in her classic Mercedes convertible, a scarf wrapped tightly around her head. She pulled to a stop in front of the carport, and spotted Astrid immediately.

Astrid expected her to step out in heels and a skirt, done up like the man had been, but the woman removed the scarf and stepped out in a pair of rain boots and jeans. Astrid didn't feel quite so under dressed in her overalls anymore, and put down the decaying lobster she held in her hand. She hastily wiped her hands off and moved to greet the woman.

"Oh, the house is just lovely." The woman then turned her attention to the ocean just over the cliff. "And what a spectacular view."

"Thank you, Ma'am." Astrid held her hand out to her. "I'm Astrid."

"Celine West. Call me Celine." She said as she shook Astrid's hand. Celine had the prettiest brown eyes, and the softest wrinkles to compliment them when she smiled. "I hear you have a lighthouse that needs work."

Astrid nodded and lead her to the lighthouse just over the hill, the black dog trailing them as they went. "I don't understand why they are making such a fuss about it. Lighthouses aren't needed much anymore thanks to a little invention called GPS."

Astrid shrugged. "The man said we had signed a contract."

"I'll show you basic maintenance. That's all they want you to do." Celine assured. "So where are your parents?"

"Work." Astrid lied. "They have long hours during the week."

"I understand." Celine nodded. "Have you got a key for the door?"

Astrid had always hidden the key next to the stoop, under a patch of weeds. She wasn't too concerned about anyone breaking in to a lighthouse.

"You'll probably want to weed eat around the base of it, just to keep the officials happy. Damn nuisance they are." Celine hissed.

Astrid looked up at her inquisitively. "Are you not an official?"

"Me? Oh Lord no. I use to live here."

Astrid raised her eyebrows, taken aback. "Really? In that house?" She indicated to her home.

"Yes ma'am. For twenty two years." Celine did not smile, like someone normally would when reminiscing. Instead she directed a scowl towards the ocean.

"Was there a reason you moved away?" She fiddled with the lock, pretending to be uninterested so as not to seem too nosy.

"My brother was drowned out here."

Astrid almost dropped the key. "Drowned?"

"Was drowned. I don't care what the police reports say, something drowned him in that water." Celine turned back to Astrid. "I don't mean to scare you."

"No, don't worry. I don't swim anyway." Astrid assured her.

"I love swimming, but not in these waters." Celine said. "We had a Labrador that loved the water, but not even she would swim out there."

"That's funny, because after my mom drowned, our old Newfoundland wouldn't-" Astrid stopped upon hearing herself. She bit the inside of her lip, afraid of what Celine might say. "The key is jammed." She quickly said, giving her reason to forget what she was about to say.

"You have to push the door and then turn the key." Celine either hadn't heard her, or was just too kind to say anything. She pushed the door open and ascended the stairs. "I would come a sweep about once a month." She noted once she saw all the dirt that had piled up at the base of the steps. "Might want someone to come and work on these stairs, too." She said as she wiggled the railing. "Looks a bit loose."