Chapter 24: Violet

To dissect us from this conversation, I turned away and continued to look at the cabin. A door under the stairs led to a bathroom that had a claw foot tub with a shower attached. Subway tiles covered the bathroom from floor to ceiling.

I closed the door, wandered around, and looked at the built-in shelves that sat on each side of the fireplace. I could decorate these shelves with a collection of books and some knickknacks. I climbed the stairs up to the loft that opened down to the living room. A wood banister was built across for safety. A huge king-sized bed was against the far wall, facing the window that looked out to the lake. In the morning, I would wake up to this amazing view. I could imagine it being foggy and quiet. I could drink coffee and enjoy this stillness.

I climbed down the stairs and stood next to Wilber. “I’m in love. I’ll take it.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Wilber said as he clapped his hands together. “Shall we make our way back to the diner?”

“I think we shall.” I smiled at him and made my way back to my jeep. A chipmunk that was sitting in the middle of the dirt road skittered off into the forest. I could feel the animals of the forest hidden around me, wild and free. Maybe one of them was my familiar.

Wilber pulled his truck around and started to head back to the diner. I hopped into my jeep and followed him. For however long I was going to stay here, this was going to be my home. And if felt good, I couldn’t help but smile. I was finally going to have a home that I could feel safe in after so long of being a prisoner.

I parked in the same spot I parked before, I grabbed the stack of cash that was in my glove compartment and stuffed it into my sweater pocket. I walked to the diner. Wilber was already there and had a file in front of him as he sat in one of the front booths. He had a pair of small glasses that were perched on the end of his nose. He looked up at me over his glasses and smiled and waved his and to the seat across from him. I sat down and looked at the papers in front of him.

“Now, I like to do everything legally.” He started to say.

Madge who stood behind the counter laughed. Wilber looked over at her and cleared his throat, she tried to stifle her laughter.

“Like I was saying, I like to do everything legally.” He stopped and looked over at Madge who still laughed to herself. “Well, as legally as possible. How long were you wanting this lease for?”

“I’m not really sure. Can I start with three months and then see where I am after that?”

“I think I can do that.” He said as he started to put something down on the paper in front of him. “I will need a deposit and first month’s rent up front and then monthly on the first of the month. Do you have an ID and I can look at?”

“Oh, uh no.” I never needed to get a driver’s license. When I turned sixteen, the coven was under the rule of Eli and anything that was in the modern ages was strictly forbidden.

“Hmmm, no form of identification?”

“Unfortunately, no. The coven I was in, the so-called leader was batshit crazy and rejected all modern-day advances. No chance to get one.”

“You’re driving without a license?”

I started to get a little nervous. “Yeah, but I’m very careful.” I bit my lip.

“Oh, come on, don’t be a crotchety old man. She obviously had a challenging past, don’t go digging in it.” Madge said as she hit him with the towel she was holding.

“It’s my place, Madge and I want to make sure that the person who is renting it won’t destroy it.”

“You’re lucky she’s interested in it. That cabin hasn’t been rented out in over five years.”

“Still, I don’t want to have it destroyed.”

“I promise I won’t destroy it! That’s the perfect cabin for me.” I dug into my pocket. “I would be happy to pay for the deposit and three months’ rent up front if you would like.” I put the stack of cash on the table.

Madge and Wilber looked at the money and then back at me.

“Dear, where did you get that kind of cash?” Madge said, surprised. “Don’t tell me you stole it.”

“God, no!” I said loudly. “A friend that helped me escape the coven gave me a duffle bag full of cash to help me get to safety. I would never steal.”

“That’s comforting.” Wilber said and took a breath.

“Like I said, I’m happy to pay upfront and in cash. I just don’t have any documentation to show you.”

“I think we can work something out.” Wilber said as he put the papers into a pile and back into the folder.

“Really?”

“Yeah, it seems that you have had a rough go of things and the very least I can do is help you out.” He smiled at me.

“That’s so great.” I took the stack of cash and counted out sixteen-hundred-dollar bills and handed it to Wilber. “After three months, I will have a better idea of what I am doing. And if I can stay longer. I hope I can stay longer; this place just calls to me for some reason.”

“That’s good dear.” Madge said as she gave my shoulder a squeeze. “Now was that so hard?” She hit Wilber with her towel again.

He shook his head at her and smiled. He leaned over and dug into his pockets. “I hope you take better care of that cabin than I have.” He took a key off his key ring and handed it to me.

I took the key, “I will take great care of it.”

“Are you hungry?”

“Starving!” I said, I didn’t get to eat breakfast and it was almost lunch time.

Wilber got up and went back to the kitchen and started to cook. A few people wandered in, stopped a moment to look at me before they moved along and took a seat. I looked down at my new house key. It was all mine. I could check out of that crappy hotel and move in today. Of course, it would take a little work, but it was mine.

“Here you go dear.” Madge sat down a plate full of food in front of me. “You ordered the western omelet and here it is!”

The smell of the omelet was amazing, my mouth was watering as I looked at the golden hashbrowns and sausage links on the side. I dug in. Every bite was as delicious as the last. Before long the plate was empty, and my stomach was full.

“How was it?” Madge asked as she took the plate away.

“So good!”

“Can I interest you in some dessert?”

“I don’t think I could eat another bite.” I said and leaned back against the booth.

“One of these days you will need to save some room and eat a piece of my world-famous sweet potato pie.”

“I definitely will have to. I’m going to be here for a bit so I will have many chances.”

“Good! Now that you have found a place to live, what will you do with the rest of your day?”

“I am going to pack up my hotel room, clean up the cabin and enjoy my new home.”

“That sounds like a lovely day.”

“Can I get the check please?”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s on the house.” Madge said and winked at me.

“What? Why?”

“Just a welcome to Dark Forest Falls present.”

“You’re terrible.” I said and shook my head.

“I know.” Madge walked away to talk to another table about their meal.

I pulled out a hundred and left it on the table. I walked to the door and turned around, “Thank you, really!”

“Have a good one!” I heard Wilber yell from the kitchen. I looked over at Madge and she winked at me while she was talking to that same table.

I made it to my jeep feeling sluggish after the huge meal I just ate. I dug around my glove compartment looking for a pen and a piece of paper. The pen I found but the best I could do for paper was the back of a vehicle inspection that happened over a decade ago. I wrote over the printed information, and I could see the list I was about to make. I wanted to make sure I got everything I needed to clean the place up.

In the kitchen I would need: towels, dishes, and a coffee maker for sure. The living room was pretty set up, I could possibly add a blanket to make it cozier and a couple decorative pillows. The bathroom I would only need a towel and toilet paper. The bedroom I would need sheets, pillows, and a comforter. I wrote down cleaning supplies in large letters at the end of the list.

I looked over everything I wrote. That would get me started for now and if I needed anything else I could always go back. I drove to Target and walked in, I grabbed a big red cart and looked down at my list.