01/01/2024
The Innkeeper smiled as he watched the old woman slowly make her way to the counter. Leaning heavily on her crooked cane, she carefully placed one foot in front of the other until she stood smiling up at the younger man.
“Good morning,” the Innkeeper said brightly. “How can I help you this morning?”
“Oh, good morning, my dear,” the old woman replied in her thin, frail voice. “I’m here to check out, please. It’s time for me to leave.”
“Well, I hope you enjoyed your stay with us. You’ve been here quite a while.”
“I have. You’ve all been lovely. So very kind.” The woman’s wrinkled face smiled up at him across the counter. “I will miss all of you.”
“We’re going to miss you too! You’re one of the family, you know.” He smiled back at her. Her hazel eyes twinkled blue sparks today and held his gaze for a moment. He was sure they were green flecks when she had arrived. “Did you join the party last night?”
“Oh, I surely did!” She sounded excited at the thought. “It was such fun, wasn’t it? You were there. I’m sure I saw you dancing with that pretty young lady.”
He smiled and blushed. She had been one of his favorite guests from the day she’d arrived. She was always there to cheer at every celebration or offer a tissue or wise advice when things didn’t go so well. In fact, she had been a part of pretty much everything since the moment she’d arrived.
“I was and, yes, I was on the dance floor a lot.” He wondered if he should tell his old friend what had happened later. Taking a deep breath, he continued. “I asked her to marry me last night… and she said yes.”
“Ohhh. How wonderful!”, she exclaimed. Her face could barely contain her joy at the news. “I love new beginnings,” she sighed. “They bring such excitement and hope and joy to everyone. Like that little one they were carrying around last night. Wasn’t he beautiful? Babies are the ultimate new beginning, aren’t they?”
“They are,” he nodded, “so many possibilities for them. Your receipt.” He held out the single sheet of paper for the woman’s thin hand to take. She looked at the words “Paid in Full” written across the blank page.
“What’s this?” she asked. “I’ve been here a long time.”
“We are all delighted to have had you join us here. It’s our way of saying thank you for all the little things you’ve done for us. You know you’re welcome to stay.”
“Oh, no.” she replied, shaking her head. “It’s time for me to move on.”
“Where will you go?”
“Someplace quiet and calm, I think,” she answered softly. “A place where I can rest and remember our time together. A place where the good outweighs the bad.”
“I will miss you,” the man whispered. He could feel sadness gently gripping him as he recognized her melancholy gaze. “Promise to visit if you’re ever back this way.”
“I don’t think that will be possible,” she sighed. “Never fear. With so many kind and generous people to remember me, I’ll live forever. Thank you for everything you’ve done… even the hard stuff.”
The man walked around the end of the counter and leaned down. Wrapping his arms around her frail form, he gently hugged her and kissed her cheek. There were tears in her eyes as she patted his cheek and let him go.
“Take good care,” she said softly. “May all your days be new beginnings full of wonderful things and fresh experiences that become happy memories. May all your challenges be easily overcome, and their lessons learned quickly. May all your very best dreams come true.”
She turned, crooked cane in hand, and toddled toward the front door without another word. Pausing, she greeted the woman carrying the infant from the party. They spent a moment or two chatting about the challenges of newborns. The older lady leaned toward the child.
“It’s your turn now,” she whispered. With a bright green sparkle in his hazel eyes, he smiled.
Happy New Year! Welcome 2024.
