Laurie's Time (The Fairfield Series) Read Free Page B

phone, developing an instant rapport. The nurse, Carol, would be on duty today, so Laurie decided to spend the night at the hotel and move in the next day.
    Walking into the hotel’s office to check in, she was greeted with a blast of cold air from the air conditioner. Sitting behind the counter was an older, man, who looked up and smiled as she walked over. Standing to greet her, she could see that he was spry and wiry with an energy radiating off of him as though he were getting ready for a race.
    “Helen, we have a new guest!” he shouted into an office behind him.
    “I’m not deaf, Roger. You don’t have to yell down the house.” A pleasant looking woman came out of the office, her face beaming.
    Laurie couldn’t help but think of Mrs. Santa Claus as she looked at Helen. Plump body, hair pulled back into a bun, she absolutely beamed.
    “You must be Laurie Dodd,” she said. “I’m Helen, and this here is my husband, Roger. Welcome to Fairfield!”
    Surprised by the exuberant greeting, she couldn’t help but smile back in return.
    “Your new roommate, Carol, called earlier to say that you would be coming in today. We just weren’t sure when to expect you.” Helen noted Laurie’s look of surprise and just laughed. “Oh, it’s all right, honey. We take care of our own here in Fairfield.”
    Roger leaned over the counter and said conspiratorially, “And my Helen will adopt you right here and now!”
    Laurie laughed at their banter and felt at home. “Thank you. I’m excited to be here!”
    By the time they finished the check in procedure, Laurie realized that Helen and Roger had wriggled a lot of information from her. They now knew that she would be working at the elementary school and that she was single. As she looked at Helen, she could already see the wheels turning in Helen’s mind.
    Roger gazed over at his wife also. “Yep,” he said. “My Helen is already figuring out who she can fix you up with.”
    “Oh hush, you old coot. I just know that there are some very handsome, unattached men in this town who need a beauty to look after.”
    Laurie rushed to explain that she wasn’t looking for anyone yet, but Helen just politely shushed her. “Darlin’, no matter what anyone says, everyone needs someone to take care of and to care for them.”
    Laurie laughed and agreed as she took the room card from Roger. Turning to leave the office, Helen spoke again, this time in seriousness. “You will find it here. You will find who are meant to be. You will find your time.”
    Laurie stared at her in awe, not knowing how to respond.
    Roger, walking around the counter to show Laurie to her room, just patted her arm. “My Helen, she sees things, dear. If she says this is your time, then she is right.” Leaving the cool office, they walked to her room, Roger talking the entire way.
    Settling in for the evening, Laurie called Emma.
    “Hey girl, did you have any problems on the road today? How is Fairfield? Did you get checked in okay?” Emma asked, barely taking a breath.
    Laughing, Laurie answered, “No, great, and yes.”
    “I suppose I was firing questions off too quickly, wasn’t I? I just already miss you, that’s all.”
    “I know, Emma, I miss you too. But I had a great trip and met the hotel owners. They’re a little odd, but really friendly. And I think they are trying to set me up with some guys already!”
    “Sounds like the place to be then,” Emma agreed. “Just make sure to enjoy yourself. You deserve it.”
    Hanging up, Laurie reveled in a long, hot bath before climbing into bed. Realizing she had only been in a hotel one other time years ago with Emma, she thought back to her eighteenth birthday. Finally, chasing memories from the lurking corners of her mind, she slept better that night than she had in a while.
    *
    Waking early, she showered and headed down to the hotel’s little lobby. Helen told her to come down once she was awake, and they would have breakfast there. Walking