2. Chapter 2

two

On a bleak, rainy Sunday afternoon a few weeks later, Harper answered her phone, attempting to sound animated. "Gina! How nice to hear from you!" She had always thought fondly of this former coworker. Since her dinner at the Mulhennys', she had admitted to herself that she was depressed. Maybe a lively chat with lighthearted Gina Merriweather would lift her outlook.

As expected, Nora had called her—concerned, sure, but also angry—the day after the dinner party. "We were all so worried! How could you leave without saying goodbye? It ruined the party." Nora yammered on, giving her whiplash from the turns she took between caring and chastising. She even suggested Harper call Jason to apologize. Harper hadn't argued, but neither had she written down his phone number.

She knew she hadn't handled it well, but Harper was still angry at having been set up like a socially inept teenager. Getting up and walking out may have been rude, she told herself, but it was better than tossing her wine in his face. No, she didn't regret leaving like she did, and she no longer felt obligated to feign a close friendship with the Mulhennys.

She turned her attention to Gina. "It's been a while since we've talked, Harper. Everyone at work misses you. I've been hoping you'd call me. I wondered how you've been, but I didn't want to intrude. I figured you knew you could call me if you wanted to talk."

"I know, Gina. I'm holding up okay." Harper raised her eyes to gaze through the small study's doorway into the living room with its cathedral ceiling, home to a smattering of impersonal furniture. The massive black marble fireplace, as usual, stood cold and empty.

"Hum." Gina hesitated, sounding unconvinced. "Listen, I know this is out of the blue. You probably already have plans for Thanksgiving. But Jim and I planned to go to Whippoorwill Gap—you know, the mountain tourist town out near the Blue Ridge Parkway? We planned a trip out there for the holiday. Last summer, we reserved a room in a B it was a mausoleum of memories or a stage-set where her life had been frozen in time. And now movement, either forward or backward, seemed impossible.

Harper and Tim had spent most of their married life there. Just before they'd bought this house, and before Olivia was born, Harper had finished her Master of English degree, and Tim had gone into business.

Tim and Bob's idea for a communications and online advertising service for surgeons had sounded farfetched to her, but it had taken off like a turbojet. Even so, buying this massive house had struck her as an insane risk, but Tim's confidence carried the day. And he had been right—about the money, at any rate.

Harper climbed the stairs to the guest bedroom suite she had lived in since Olivia was a toddler. She'd been recuperating in the hospital after giving birth to Olivia when she'd discovered Tim's affair. It had been such a shock. When a dozen roses were delivered to her at the hospital, she'd been touched and pleased. But those feelings evaporated when she read the card written in Tim's careful script.

Melissa—

Our time in Cancun was amazing. I can't wait to see you again.

—Tim

Evidently the florist had mixed up the delivery addresses. Harper felt gutted. Who was Melissa? She and Tim had never had a passionate relationship, but it never occurred to her that he was unhappy, much less that he was seeing someone else. How could he do this while we were expecting our first child ?

Back at home, when Harper confronted him with the note, he claimed that Melissa was merely a secretary who went on a business trip with him. He'd been trying to cheer her up, poor thing—she was going through a tough time. Harper had gaped at him in disbelief, a cold, quiet rage building inside that she would never get over.

"When did you have time to go to Cancun? The only trip you've told me about lately was a business trip to Chicago, and you told me it was miserable."

Tim had hung his head. "I'm sorry, Harper. I've just been so overwhelmed at work, and you've been so preoccupied with having this baby … Look, I made a mistake. It will never happen again."

Harper had picked up the vase of wilting flowers and thrown it at his feet, where the vase shattered on the kitchen's stone floor. Then she withdrew to Olivia, who had slept peacefully through the whole confrontation in her second floor nursery.

She moved in with Olivia and had her clothes and other belongings relocated to one of the guest suites. Perhaps she should have left him, but she ultimately decided she and Olivia would be better off staying. How could she take care of a newborn baby on her own? She had no family to help. Even if he paid alimony and child support, she'd probably need to get a job. She had done nothing wrong. And he'd sworn it would never happen again. She didn't believe him, but it gave her some dignity. Yet from that time on, even though they were married and had a child, she'd felt like a kept woman. In some ways, she was ashamed of her cowardice.

From her perspective, their marriage had been an empty shell. Why else would he have done something like this? Later, she viewed their whole setup as a business arrangement. He took care of her and their daughter financially. And she served as a hostess and domestic manager for him. This was why she'd never tried to make the house suit her own preferences. It was Tim's house, after all, not hers.

She'd fulfilled her role perfectly, she thought now—she kept her weight under control and dyed her hair the pale honey color he liked best until he passed away. She'd attended the events he needed her to. She was faultlessly polite to him and all his associates, and she let him make most of the decisions about Olivia. In many ways, it had been a very easy, if emotionally empty life.

Harper often wondered how things would have turned out had she left. There was no way to know. She'd made her decision to stay with him and had made the best of it, telling herself it was better for Olivia. She never examined that assumption too closely.

When Tim contracted cancer, Harper began to rethink their life together. She knew in her heart that, while her husband had messed up in a big way, perhaps she could have been more forgiving. She didn't have the heart to leave his care entirely to paid nurses. So Harper took charge and made sure he was as comfortable as possible in the master bedroom suite. And Tim was grateful. Their relationship had ended as friends. She was glad for that.

Looking around, she realized her husband had never really inhabited this house either. It was a backdrop, not a home. It was tasteful, elegant, luxurious, and completely lacking in heart.

At the top of the stairs, she caught her reflection in one of the house's infinite mirrors and stopped. That's what I've become: tasteful, elegant, and completely lacking in heart. Well, at least she had been elegant. The Harper looking back at her now appeared gaunt, unkempt, and colorless.

This wouldn't do. She needed to get herself polished up for this trip, at least the parts that showed. She couldn't have Gina asking embarrassing questions. The last thing she wanted was pity. Tomorrow, she would call her salon to get her hair done. Gray was streaking the natural blonde hair that she had refused to dye since the funeral, and while she didn't mind the gray, the style needed to be trimmed and shaped. She'd see if they could work her in for a facial, too. And maybe she'd buy some new makeup. The dry, dull feelings she'd lived with for years were evident in her face.

She pulled her suitcase from the closet, laid it open on the bed, and sat down. Suddenly, she was hit by a sadness so profound her chest felt in danger of collapsing to its smoky core. Friends and acquaintances seemed to agree that she and Tim had the perfect marriage. And if looked at from the outside, that made sense. But now Harper, with a dart of pain piercing her heart, confronted the fact that she'd never given Tim a chance to make up for his mistake, though she knew he'd tried. And now it was too late.

In some ways, Harper had been proud of Tim. He had worked hard. He was a good father to Olivia. He'd never put pressure on Harper to work, though goodness knows they didn't need extra income. But when Olivia started kindergarten, Harper had wanted to start her own career. She wanted an accomplishment that was hers alone, something to distract her from her mind-numbing homelife. So she accepted a full-time job as an English and creative writing instructor at the nearby community college. It seemed the perfect way to show off her skills and gain a bit of independence.

But between the job, keeping up with Olivia, and managing the house, she had been so busy that she hadn't realized how little she saw of Tim until Olivia left home. She thought of her parents' cold, lonely house in Winterfield, the year before her dad left her and her mother. Now it seemed her adult life with her own family had continued the tradition. This house was grander, but the relationships were just as distant. She agreed to marry Tim because he'd made her feel safe. Had it been worth it? It didn't really matter. It was too late to start over now.

Harper went to the closet and began to pull out perfectly tailored pants, sweaters, and jackets for the trip. As she examined each piece of clothing, she was confronted with the fact that she didn't even like her clothes. Now that Tim was gone and she no longer needed to impress his associates, it seemed everything she owned belonged to a well-polished mirage, not to her. That's one thing I can work on , she thought. When I get back from this trip, I'm getting rid of these clothes and buying clothes I like … clothes that make me happy.

On Wednesday, Harper enjoyed the ride to Whippoorwill Gap in Gina's bright green compact SUV. The weather was cold and cloudy, but Gina cranked up a New Wave playlist that transported Harper back to happier times. And she found herself enjoying Gina's stories about their former coworkers. The same people that had annoyed Harper were still annoying Gina. But coming from her good-humored friend, it all sounded like an amusing sitcom instead of a tragedy.

As they left the Piedmont behind and began climbing the foothills to the Blue Ridge, Gina paused from talking, grinned mischievously, and glanced over at her friend. "Doesn't all this excitement and drama make you want to come back to work?"

Harper smiled and shook her head. No, it didn't, but it made her happy all the same.

That night, after a delicious dinner at an elegant winery on Main Street, of grilled pork chops with mashed potatoes and shiraz for Gina and mushroom risotto and chardonnay for Harper, they settled in for the evening at the Will O' the Wisp, the cozy little B she'd never been to the top of the famed mountain, and she'd like to see it.

By the next day, the skies had cleared up. It was a sunny forty-five degrees when they left the town behind. But when they drove out to find the spot where her grandma's car had left the road, Harper was disappointed to discover the highway had completely changed. The site of the accident was only a little over a mile outside of town, but the entire area had been filled in and flattened to make way for more traffic. The section of rural road with the horrifying gap in the guardrail that Harper had been traumatized by as a child was obliterated.

That night, for Thanksgiving dinner, Harper and Gina dined with the other guests in the Will O' the Wisp's dining room. The owners, Terry and Shelly, had made a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with turkey, homemade stuffing with cranberries and chestnuts, glazed Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie with homemade whipped cream. They even had Tofurky for the vegetarians. They washed it all down with local wine. The eclectic group of guests, happy to be on holiday, kept the conversation flowing effortlessly while they enjoyed the tasty dishes.

After the dinner, Harper found herself feeling relaxed for the first time in years. That night, she dreamed she was flying through the sky in the company of a great horned owl. It was so vivid; she woke up exhilarated the next morning.

Each year, on the Friday after Thanksgiving, Whippoorwill Gap held its annual Christmas Parade which was scheduled to begin at two in the afternoon. Harper and Gina decided to skip the parade for a morning of hiking and a leisurely afternoon of naps and reading. After getting dressed, they grabbed breakfast in the dining room, then hiked the six-mile paved trail hugging the Ayotte River, which wound in and around the city. The route was known for its natural beauty, and for the shops and watering holes interspersed along the way. They began and ended on the trail's entrance in Puckett's Park, which was tucked into a corner of downtown, across the street from the Birdsong Theater's parking lot.

When they arrived at the park to begin their trek around 9:00 am, they were startled by a loud hooting down by the trailhead. Looking up, they saw a magnificent great horned owl in a tree near the river. It looked to be at least two feet in length, with fierce round eyes and enormous claws. Harper was disconcerted. After her dream the night before, this seemed too coincidental for comfort.

Gina tilted her head back in amazement. "Would you look at that? I didn't know owls come out during the day."

Harper looked at it nervously. It looked her straight in the eye as it ruffled its feathers. "They don't attack people, do they?"

Gina laughed. "I've never heard of that happening, but I guess there's a first time for everything." She stepped on the trail. "Let's just keep moving and hope for the best."

Their hike was gorgeous. The river was wide but shallow, and rolled over and around large rocks with a satisfying series of gurgles and roars. With the leaves gone from the trees, they had an excellent view of the water and its occasional falls. They made steady progress, but even without stopping at any shops, the hike took three hours. By the time they made it back to the park, both were hungry.

As they approached the trailhead, they were surprised to find the owl still sitting in the tree. They bid it a friendly, if tired, hello, then headed to Divine Coffee, the first shop on the street, for lunch. Since the afternoon parade was set to start in a couple of hours, the shop was busy. They ordered their lunch at the counter and took their cups of steaming chai to the only vacant table in the spacious shop.

Gina looked thoughtful. "I wonder if seeing an owl is an omen. We'll have to look that up."

Intrigued by the thought, Harper said, "Look up robins, too. Have you ever seen so many? I thought they had all flown south by this time of year."

"They don't migrate south, but they do change their behavior, so people don't see them as often in the fall and winter." Gina held her phone out so she could read about it.

Harper glanced at the screen and handed it back. "That explains why I've never noticed one this time of year before. But it doesn't explain why they're out today."

After they had rested their feet and finished their lunches of vegetable beef soup for Gina and corn chowder for Harper, with both enjoying pumpkin bread for dessert, the women decided they had enough energy to explore some of the town's shops before the parade.

As they left Divine Coffee and headed up the hill towards Main Street, the first storefront they passed was a forlorn shop with dark windows and a rusted metal sign above the door reading, "The Robin's Nest." A "For Sale" sign was posted on the door. Harper placed her hands around her face and peered inside.

Gina pointed at the robins still gathered around. "Well, the name's appropriate."

Harper inspected what she could of the shop's interior. It revealed a dark, abandoned space. But something about it caught her fancy. Inside she could make out shelves and stacks of what looked like old books. If someone wanted to sell it, she wondered, why hadn't they cleaned it out? She could sense that Gina was eager to move on, but Harper was mesmerized.

What sorts of books were they? Why were they still in the shop? She moved to different spots along the windows, straining to see inside. She could make out the doorway to an old staircase going to an upper floor. Something about this shop brought up feelings of … what? Nostalgia? She thought back to the Saturdays she used to spend in libraries and bookstores with Grandma Sophie. She found herself pining to explore the inside.

Gina cleared her throat and Harper turned to the street. "I'm sorry, Gina. You know how I am about books. I'm just wondering why they're still in there and how much they want for the place."

Gina snorted. "Way too much, would be my guess."

Harper nodded. But there was something about this shop. She had an eerie feeling it needed her attention. Without thinking, she pulled her grandma's mirror from her pocket and glanced at it. She shook her head in wonder when she saw that an even greater portion of the surface was clearing of tarnish. After replacing the mirror and pulling out her phone, she took a picture of the realty sign. In the distance, she heard the owl hooting from the park.

Gina looked up from her phone. "There's an open bookstore up on Main Street—Whippoorwill Gap Books. Let's head up there."

Harper pocketed her phone and joined her friend. "That sounds good, Gina. But could we stop in some of these other stores? I'd like to look at the clothes."

Gina eyed her friend's expensive, impeccable hiking ensemble and bobbed her head. "Sounds good to me."

Harper's cheeks turned pink. "I know it sounds silly, but I hate my clothes. I'm in the market for a new look."

"Doesn't sound a bit silly to me. Everyone deserves to be comfortable, and what you wear matters."

They stopped in a couple of shops before arriving at Whippoorwill Gap books. Gina looked at souvenirs and bought a pouch of pipe tobacco for Jim. Harper bought herself a burgundy peasant blouse embroidered with tan and light blue flowers. In the same shop, she picked up a pair of low-heeled gray suede boots. She thought it would be perfect to wear to tomorrow night's concert featuring Johnny Goodfellow and the Plowshares, the up-and-coming Americana band.

The bookstore on Main Street was bustling with people waiting out of the cold for the parade to start. Everything here was new, yet like the rest of the town, it gave off a hip but cozy vibe. Both women bought novels to take back to the Will O' the Wisp to read that afternoon. Gina picked up a paranormal romance while Harper settled on a psychological thriller. The man with the curly black-hair and startling blue eyes who checked them out welcomed them to Whippoorwill Gap before complimenting their choice of reading material.

Harper asked him if he knew anything about the abandoned bookshop downtown. He looked at her intently.

"Yes. It belonged to a friend of mine, Frank Bailies. He passed away while working in the shop one day last fall. We were all sad to see him go. His shop's been empty for almost a year now. It was in rough shape before he passed away. I can't imagine why anyone would want to open it again. Why? Do you know someone who's interested?"

"No," Harper said, looking down at her book. "I just wondered."

As they left the shop, Gina said, "Maybe you should've asked Mr. Hunky back there for a date. He seemed friendly enough with you."

"Please, Gina. He's not my type. I'm surprised you'd even notice with Jazzy Jim to go home to."

"Jazzy Jim?! I'll have to tell him you called him that!" Gina laughed. "Being married doesn't mean my eyes don't work!"

Despite Gina's comments about his friendliness, Harper had instantly disliked the man in the bookstore. Nevertheless, she felt compelled to find out about the closed shop before she left town. Tomorrow was Saturday and they planned to explore antique shops before heading to the concert. Then they would be leaving for Raleigh early on Sunday morning. So she decided to call the realtor today. She waited until Gina became engrossed in her story of shape-shifting wolves to go outside with her phone. It was answered after one ring.

"Migration Realty."

"Hello. My name is Harper Wood. I'm here in town from Raleigh. I'd like to speak to someone about the property you have listed at 1230 Oak Street … That's right, the shop that has a sign that says ‘The Robin's Nest.'"