The Guest Book: A Novel of Acadia

By Caroline D. Grimm

A vacation cottage for rent, a strange request to fulfill, a mysterious host, and guests who come with burdened hearts seeking peace. Set in the beauty of Acadia National Park and Mount Desert Island on the stunning coast of Maine.

"The impact of the crash woke her, panic clutching at her heart, squeezing her throat. She sat bolt upright in her bed, gasping for breath, eyes wide with horror. The early morning light touched the dark corners of the room, landed gently on the brightly colored quilt wrapped in confused contours around her legs. She looked around the room, trying to calm her night terrors. All was familiar and far from the horror she’d seen in her dreams. She felt the peace returning, creeping quietly like the mist over Seal Cove. She reached for her silk robe, soft peach, sliding its shimmering lightness over her back and arms, hiding the ugliness of the scars that would never fade. Much to be done, she reminded herself with gentle sternness. Folks are coming."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Caroline D. Grimm
• Release date: Jan 5, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370515325

Caroline D. Grimm

Caroline Grimm moved to Bridgton, Maine with her family when she was seven years old. She grew up surrounded by historic houses, steeped in stories of the past, and her curiosity got the better of her. She immersed herself in local history for the sheer joy of uncovering the past lives of neighbors long gone. She wrote her first paper on the topic in high school. Since that time, she is often found haunting cemeteries, poring over fragile letters, reading crumbling newspapers, tramping across far flung battlefields, and traveling down forgotten roads. Her neighbors sum up her odd behavior by shaking their heads and saying, "She writes."

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The Guest Book:

A Novel of Acadia

Caroline D. Grimm

Copyright © 2016 Caroline D. Grimm

All rights reserved.

Distributed by Smashwords

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this ebook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

ISBN: 1540482251

ISBN-13: 978-1540482259

Ebook formatting by www.ebooklaunch.com

DEDICATION

For Michael Scott Corthell

Who is my proof that the universe must always be in balance.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This is not my book, per se. Yes, my hands are the hands that typed it, and it sprang to life through me. But, books are strange creatures. Sometimes they take control of a writer in some weird other-worldly manner. That’s what happened with this one. It came out of nowhere and made some serious demands on my time and energy. When all is said and done, I can only claim the role of medium for this one. The real story teller is Dominique and all the others who you will meet here in these pages.

The book came to life with the help of some earthly angels as well. Many thanks to my husband, alpha reader, and publicist, Michael Corthell. This book would not be what it is without all three of those roles. Thanks also to Cynthia Grimm of The Comma-dore Professional Editing for once again making my writing look better than it is. Thank you to my mother, Esther Grimm, who was gracious enough to fall for my thinly veiled praise of her handwriting. Thanks to Anne Krieg for her insights on island nomenclature. Thank you most of all to my friends who are so enthusiastically waiting to read the story I’ve been talking about. Enjoy.

For all of you who have ever experienced pain and loss, which is to say all of us, this book is for you. May you find the peace you are looking for.

Caroline D. Grimm

Lark’s Haven

Bridgton, Maine

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Part One: Courtney & Jeremy

Part Two: David, Lily, & Violet

Part Three: Lorna

Part Four: Henry & Susan

Part Five: Dominique & James, Henry & Susan

A Note From The Author

About The Author

Part One

Courtney & Jeremy

Courtney and Jeremy

She had been stashing money away for nearly a year. All her loose change, and Jeremy’s when he left it in his pants pocket in the laundry. Scrimping on her food budget, buying store brands, and getting her cleaning supplies at the dollar store. The birthday check from her parents. Forgoing the lattes and shopping trips her friends always seemed to have cash for.

Courtney was past the frivolities of youth. At the age of 33, she had but one goal in mind: starting her family. Being a mother was always on her mind. Five years ago she was ready to start trying, but Jeremy always seemed to have a reason why they should wait. Wait until he got a promotion at the restaurant. Wait until they had a new car with room for a car seat. Wait until they had money in savings. Wait until they could afford for Courtney to quit her job at the bank. Always some reason to delay.

Meanwhile, her sisters both had kids. They always talked of morning sickness, baby’s first fluttering kick, the difficulties of breastfeeding, teething, endless diapers. Courtney longed for every bit of it. She ached to feel a life growing safe in her womb. Yearned for the sweet tug of a babe at her breast. Longed for the warmth of an infant snuggled in her arms. She wondered what her children would look like as they grew. Maybe a sturdy little boy with Jeremy’s blue twinkling eyes. Or a little girl with curly red hair like hers. Or one of each and a couple more.

She daydreamed about taking her kids to the playground and listening to their shouts and laughter. In the evenings, she longed to see her children fresh from their bath, their skin glowing clean and healthy, decked out in their footie pajamas, and begging for a bedtime story. She would read them their favorite books over and over until she had them memorized. She would tuck them in with their favorite stuffed animal, maybe a rabbit with floppy ears, or a sweet-faced puppy. And speaking of puppies, they would beg her for a real one. She could see their sweet, pleading faces, and hear their empty promises to take care of the little mite.

But before all that came to be, she impatiently waited for Jeremy. With each passing year, the hunger grew stronger. She had begun to lose hope in her dream coming true. Between her day job at the bank and his night job at the restaurant, they saw little of each other. Their only chance to connect was weekend mornings and his one night off a week. But Jeremy always slept in after his late weekend shifts. In truth, he slept in every morning. She rushed through her morning routine as quietly as she could so as not to wake him. She ate breakfast in the car rather than face a solitary breakfast table.

On his night off from the restaurant, she tried to make it a special night for just the two of them, but Jeremy was resistant to that, preferring to spend his time online playing some ridiculous game with virtual strangers. When he wasn’t at work, she knew he spent most of his time either sleeping or gaming.

Courtney longed for the days when she felt connected to Jeremy, when she felt important to him. But that was college and a whole different world. Once they graduated, their lives become a series of low paying jobs, student loan payments, rusted out cars, and crappy apartments.

They both worked hard to build a life together. She had worked part-time as a teller in college. Once she had her degree in Business, she had gone on full-time at the bank and worked her way up to Head Teller. The pay wasn’t much, but she was well-respected and had room for advancement. The biggest plus was the health insurance and paid time off. They would need that for when the babies came.

Jeremy had bounced around a lot since college. With his degree in Culinary Arts, he had worked in a variety of positions at different restaurants. He had worked his way to Assistant Chef at a local hot spot. It was a job he loved, but he’d had the rug pulled out from under him when the owner was busted for payroll tax fraud, and the restaurant closed.

With money being tight, he took the first job he could find. He went to work for a pizza delivery chain, working as an assistant manager. It was supposed to be a temporary job until he found another professional chef job, but he never seemed to make the effort to job hunt. Courtney saw a change in him after he started at the pizza place. He became friends with a guy he worked with, and soon got sucked into the world of online gaming. He seemed content to make just enough money to get by with the least amount of effort. The rest of his time was split between sleeping and gaming. She suspected he stayed in bed, alternating between dozing off and gaming until it was time for his shift at the restaurant. He certainly didn’t seem to have time to pick up around the apartment or cart a basket of dirty clothes down to the laundry room in the basement of the apartment building.

At first, Courtney was patient, but as months turned to years, she could hear the edge in her voice when she spoke to Jeremy. When she turned 30, she could see that edge turning into a wide gulf between them.

Now three more years had passed, and she was no closer to motherhood. In fact, she was farther away than ever. With their opposite schedules and lack of intimacy, Courtney feared they would never become parents. Every morning she washed down her birth control bill with her orange juice. Every pill she swallowed felt like a betrayal of her dreams, like she was denying her children their very creation. She had thought about just stopping the pill and not telling Jeremy, but she couldn’t find it in herself to be that woman. So, every day she took the pill, and every day she died a little inside.

If only she could make Jeremy listen, make him understand. If she could just get him away from his usual routine, maybe she could get through to him. Maybe she could find that closeness between them again. And so, she hatched a plan. If she could just get them back to Acadia where they had spent their honeymoon, maybe they could find each other again. Maybe all they needed was a change of scenery, some fresh sea air.

And so, she saved. Saved every spare bit of change, going without all the lotions and potions and treatments, all the spa dates and retail therapy sessions that she had once enjoyed with her friends. With every dollar she put away, she grew more certain that the beauty of Acadia National Park would somehow be the key to clear the path to motherhood for her.

So sure was she that she started focusing on her health. She started taking a multivitamin every day and choosing salads over pizza, baby carrots over potato chips. She stopped drinking diet soda, opting for water. She went for walks on her lunch breaks. Gradually, she could see her body changing. She started to lose the muffin top that plagued nearly every office worker she knew.

If Jeremy noticed the change in her, he never mentioned it. Her male customers (and some of the female ones, too) noticed the changes. Sometimes on her lunch walks around Portsmouth, she would catch a construction worker giving her the once over. But the only one she wanted to be noticed by was her husband, and he seemed completely unaware of her.

In March, on a chilly Saturday morning, she climbed back into bed, snuggling into Jeremy’s warm back, her bare flesh pressed against his. He shifted away impatiently, grumbling. Taking a deep breath, Courtney touched his shoulder, saying, Jeremy, I need to talk to you.

With an exasperated sigh, he flipped over and looked at her blearily. What? he said in a sulky teenage boy voice.

She plunged in, I want us to go to Acadia this summer, back to where we spent our honeymoon. She paused.

He broke in, We can’t afford to do that! I’d have to take time off without pay. I don’t get paid vacation like you do!

You don’t have to worry about that, she said. I’ve been saving for months. I’ve saved almost enough to cover the vacation and your week’s pay.

He looked at her suspiciously. Why do you want to go there? Why don’t we go someplace closer? You know Bar Harbor is really expensive. And it’s really crowded in the summer.

Courtney replied, We don’t have to stay in Bar Harbor. If we stay on the Quiet Side of the island, it won’t be so crowded. And I heard about this website where people rent out their homes. We can find a place in Seal Cove that’s not too expensive. And it will have a kitchen so we can cook our meals and save on eating out.

She rushed on before he could resist further. It will be like when we went on our honeymoon. We can go to all the tourist sights and walk around Bar Harbor like we did then. She paused. I miss you, Jay. I miss us. She felt tears welling up in her eyes. She tried to blink them away. But once she said out loud how much she missed their closeness, the tears flowed freely.

Jeremy did what any man does when confronted by a woman’s tears. He sought the quickest path to making the tears stop. Okay, he said. We’ll go. Courtney’s eyes lit up and she threw her arms around him, kissing his face enthusiastically until he laughed out loud.

He pulled her to him and returned her kisses. They made love for the first time in months. She fell asleep in his arms as the morning sun shone through the window, bathing them in honey-toned light.

~~~~

Courtney threw herself down in the ratty recliner they had found two years ago at the thrift shop run by the local animal shelter. She struggled with the lever on the chair, finally getting the chair to open so she could put her aching feet up. What a day! She hated when the first day of the month coincided with Friday payday at the bank. She had barely had time to breathe all day. This particularly busy day was made more difficult by Mary being out sick. Add to that the customer who had become abusive over his overdrawn checking account, as though it were her fault he hadn’t recorded his ATM withdrawals! She had been able to calm the man down and reduce the overdraft charges on his account, but he took a toll on her and the other employees.

With Jeremy at work, she had a long, lonely evening ahead of her. She thought about calling her best friend, Jessie, but remembered she was having date night with her new boyfriend. Courtney shook her head, Date night, she muttered. Enjoy it while it lasts, girl.

Since agreeing to go to Acadia, Jeremy had become even more distant than before. Whenever she brought up the trip, he changed the subject. If she asked him a question about where he wanted to stay, he would reply, Wherever. You decide.

Things had come to a head last weekend. She had screwed up her courage and brought up the topic of starting a family. Again. Jeremy tried to change the subject, and she pressed him on it, saying, Jeremy, I’m 33 years old. How much longer are we going to wait?

He got defensive and angry, yelling at her, Stop pressuring me!

I’m not trying to pressure you. I just need to know.

He glared at her. Why can’t you understand that I’m not ready for kids yet?!

She snapped back at him, Well, I am! I’ve been waiting for you to be ready for years! By the time you’re ready, I’ll be too old!

He snapped back, Well, why don’t you find someone else to knock you up?

She sat back, stunned, feeling like he had slapped her in the face. I can’t believe you would say that to me!

His face red with anger, Jeremy shouted, That’s all you seem to want is a sperm donor. You don’t care what I want! I’m sick of having this discussion! He stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

The next morning, Courtney took the last birth control pill in the pack. She didn’t call the doctor’s office for a refill.

Now, sitting in the old recliner, she picked up her laptop, flipping open the cover. She typed in the vacation rental website address. She entered her chosen vacation dates for the first week of June and started looking at listed ads for the towns on the Quiet Side of Mount Desert Island.

An hour later, she had narrowed down her choices to two. As she wavered back and forth between the two, another place caught her eye. Romantic getaway cottage overlooking Seal Cove. She clicked the link to read the description. Peaceful, charming cottage surrounded by beach roses and overlooking Seal Cove on the Quiet Side of Mount Desert Island. Easy access to Bar Harbor and all the sights of Acadia National Park. Fully appointed kitchen perfect for preparing everything from gourmet meals to picnic fare. Enjoy a romantic dinner on the back deck and take a stroll along the cove. Perfect getaway for a couple or family looking to reconnect and rekindle. All guests must fulfill one request before checking out.

Courtney clicked through each picture for the rental. It really was adorable. The pictures showed the roses in full, riotous bloom, a feast of fuchsia flowers against deep green leaves. That must smell amazing, she thought. The place looked really clean and comfortable. She noted happily that there was no WiFi. No gaming for Jeremy. For an entire week she would have his attention. By the time they came back, she could even be pregnant. Conceiving a baby in a romantic getaway cottage overlooking Seal Cove? That would be quite a memory.

Well, she was getting ahead of herself. She hadn’t even booked the place yet. She read through the description again, pausing when she read the last line again. Hmmm, I wonder what this request is. Hopefully it’s nothing too weird. She scrolled down through the reviews left by other renters. Every one of the reviews had positive things to say about the cottage and about the owner, Dominique. Dominique could not have been a lovelier host. Dominique gave me great advice. Dominique is one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. Thanks, Dominique, for sharing your wisdom. Each review ended with the phrase, Request fulfilled.

Curious about the mysterious request, Courtney wondered what it could possibly be. It couldn’t be anything too weird. All the reviews were positive and everyone else had fulfilled the request. It was probably just some silly thing like cleaning up the kitchen or something. Some pet peeve on the owner’s part.

Courtney turned her attention back to the pictures. She could just see Jeremy cooking some delicious dish for her in that kitchen, like he used to do in college when he was trying new recipes on her. He would put a plate of something delicious in front of her and hover around her, waiting to see if she liked it. She looked at the picture of the back deck. They would sit out there on a sunny day at that cute round table with the colorful umbrella. They would eat some delicious food of Jeremy’s creation while they held hands and talked about their adventures.

She clicked over to the picture of the bedroom. They would climb into that bed at the end of a day spent exploring the island. They would hold each other, talking for hours, and making love. Maybe even making a baby. She clicked the Book Now button, entered her information, and hit Send.

Dominique

Dominique pushed open the door of the cottage. She paused on the threshold, opening herself to the energy in the room. Peaceful. Good. Not much work to do for the turnaround. The couple from Vermont had left the place spotless. Everything tidy and in its place: the basket of towels and sheets ready for the laundry, counters wiped down, dishes neatly put away. All that was left for her to do was wipe down the bathroom, put out fresh towels, and make the bed. Oh, and the fresh flowers needed replacing. Beach roses on the dining table. A few daisies in the vase on the bathroom counter.

She stepped over to the coffee table and picked up the guest book, a plain spiral bound book. She read the entry the Vermont couple had written. She nodded approvingly. Yes, that was sure to serve the purpose. She flipped back through the pages. So many lovely people from throughout the world had come and gone. Each one leaving behind some part of themselves in these pages. She put the book back on the coffee table, making sure the pen was still there, ready for the next guest.

She moved gently through the cottage, tending it lovingly, humming quietly. Her neighbor, Alicia, was forever telling her she needed to hire a turnaround service like the other people on the island who rented out did. But Dominique loved these in between times. A turnaround service would only tend to the tasks at hand. Clean the bathroom, make the bed. Who would change the spirit of the cottage after it had housed an unhappy soul or an angry presence? She could not have a new guest enter a house with an impure energy. No, this was too important a job to hand over to anyone who thought a turnaround was all about the household tasks.

She finished her ministrations to the cottage, giving it a final once over—straightening towels, changing the placement of a daisy, neatening the activity binder. On the table she lay one sheet of paper. On it was written the one request she asked all of her guests. Then, pressing her hands in prayer, she bowed her head. Breathing deeply, she centered herself, sinking more deeply into the peaceful calm at her core, she prayed. She prayed for the Vermont couple on their way, grateful for the peace they took with them. She prayed for the new couple soon to arrive. She probed outward, sensing. They would bring trouble with them. All her guests did. And somehow through God’s grace, they would leave having found the peace they did not know they needed. She offered one final prayer, the prayer that always in her heart—for the lost ones, the ones she could not save. Satisfied that all was ready, she left the cottage, heading back to her own house through the beach rose hedge.

Courtney & Jeremy

Courtney’s nerves were already frayed. Just leaving home in Portsmouth had been stressful enough. Jeremy was sullen and grumpy over a hurried breakfast, not used to being awake at such an early hour. Courtney offered to drive the first leg of the journey so he could get some sleep. The restaurant had been busy, and he had been short a delivery driver which meant he had to fill in when things got busy.

Courtney had tiptoed around Jeremy trying not to upset him more. She washed and dried the breakfast dishes and got herself ready to go. While Jeremy was in the shower, she loaded the car. They got underway more or less on time. Jeremy strapped himself into the passenger