North of May

Was it a dream? Was it magic? It was certainly more than coincidence or chance. Perhaps serendipity. Whatever it was, it changed peoples’ lives in miraculous ways. That’s part of what gave this place its charm and fame… and yet, to many locals, it was a secret.

Jessica had just moved to Vermont fleeing from an abusive relationship and judgmental family members in her native California. Her best friend would be the only one missed.

Vermont offered lush green surroundings, far less people, and the opportunity for a new start. However, her high-powered design skills, honed in Los Angeles, weren’t needed in the small town of Newport, something Jessica hadn’t expected. She settled for a retail position at a gift store hoping she might assist with marketing.

The Derby Line Village Inn was quaint and comfortable. Jessica didn’t mind staying there longer than expected since house-hunting proved challenging. Most houses were far too large for a single working woman to manage. The realtor suggested she take a roommate. Jessica wanted privacy, but her impatience ultimately convinced her to purchase a medium-sized ranch house with a separate guest house – rental income optional.

The gift store was just off Main St. in town. Their wide variety of craft supplies augmented their gift assortment drawing tourists as well as local artisans to the store. Jessica immediately clicked with Jean, the store owner, who also owned a branch store 30 minutes south in Barton. Jean’s other two employees worked weekends and evenings such that the flex time schedule worked well for everyone. Jessica settled right into the flow and soon began to feel some level of normalcy again.

Jean was in her fifties and very perceptive. She knew Jessica had made big changes to move here, but also noticed her aloofness. One day she asked, “How are things going, Jessica? Everything okay?”

“Sure. Why do you ask?” Jessica denied herself any concerns and hoped it wasn’t obvious.

Jean chose her words carefully. “Well, you’re new here. I suspect Newport is quite a change from Los Angeles. I just wanted to make sure things were settling well with you.”

“I’m fine.” Jessica responded without hesitation. “You’ve been very kind and your friendship is important to me. I enjoy working here.”

“I’m glad!” Still, Jean saw through Jessica’s veneer. “Say, I host a cribbage game for my friends on Thursday nights. You are welcome to join us if you like.”

Jessica hesitated: volleying with her emotions: favoring her comfort zone and wanting to decline.

“You can think about it and let me know later.” Jean didn’t want to pressure her.

Jessica felt defensive, “I don’t know anything about cribbage.” She knew that was a lame excuse the moment the words left her lips. No way to retract it now.

Jean raised a comical eyebrow, thinking the same thing. “You know we’ll teach you.”

Jessica nodded in agreement and ultimately accepted Jean’s invitation.

As the weeks passed, Jessica realized how much she enjoyed the companionship and began socializing with a couple of the women as their friendships grew. Newport was gaining a sweet spot in her heart and life felt fun again. Homesickness was fading, but something deeper fed on her like a parasite she struggled to deny. An emptiness held her captive. “I need more time” she coached herself.

The last few days of April hung beneath overcast skies. Jessica was tired of snow, which still lay in patches on the ground. She heard that Spring started in March, but the seasons here weren’t like any she’d ever experienced. The rains came and melted the snow – not nearly quick enough for her liking!

One morning Jean asked Jessica to deliver some items to their sister store in Barton. The drive was lovely, through fields and forests. Jessica had made the trip twice before on similar errands and was happy to go again. She had traveled 20 minutes down Interstate 91 the first time and followed US-5 through Coventry on her last trip. This time, she decided to go on the surface streets. It would take a little longer, but she loved new adventures. Jean suggested she stop for a moment at Willoughby Falls, just outside of Orleans if she went that way.

By 10:30 a.m. she was driving east on Main Street into Mt. Vernon and then south along Pine Hill Road. Traffic was light – the radio turned down, enjoying the sights. Jessica soon caught herself in the vibe of introspection.

“Vermont is lovely!” She mused, “The weather takes some getting used to. My job is easier than the one I had in LA. The people are friendly. Lynsey is funny, witty. Erin and I have a lot in common. Jean is easy to talk to.” She dug deeper, “But, I’ve changed: I’m less outgoing, less assertive. I’m calmer here.” Jessica couldn’t decide if that was better or not. She wanted to be all she had been as well as all she could become. Something felt hallow inside.

On Coventry Station Road, she hit dirt and began paying closer attention to her driving. At some point she thought Willoughby Falls should be nearby. She checked her GPS in time to park alongside the road. Following the roar of the water beneath the road, she located the foot path and down to the water’s edge. Snow-sourced water splashed and broke into mist. Jessica dipped her hand into its liveliness. Chills rippled across her shoulders making her shake. “Whew, that’s cold!”. She giggled at the joy of it.

“Excitement. That’s what she was missing!” A wake-up call sounded. Her life was serene without the adventure of her former life. The thought chased her back to her car as she instinctively headed towards Barton, half-mindless of her actions. Pulling into the parking area near the gift store, Jessica grabbed the package on the seat beside her. She wasn’t fully present until the bell above the shop door rang when she entered.

“Hi Jessica.” Samantha, the shop manager, was wearing a full-body apron over her sweatshirt and blue jeans; her hair pulled back in long pigtails.

“What are you up to, Sami?” Jessica had not seen her dressed this way.

Sami, looked down at herself and laughed. “Oh! This – well, I’m preparing a special -order table decoration for a 50th-wedding anniversary this weekend. Come and see.”

The two women walked through a curtain and into a large workspace. “Wow! I didn’t know all this was back here,” Jessica sounded impressed.

“Oh yes. We do lots of decorating in this shop. The advantage of working for Jean is that you can offer whatever products or services you wish as long as it serves the customers. Small town, you know.” Sami beamed and then directed Jessica to the centerpiece she was creating. “So, what do you think?”

Jessica eyed the fabulous presentation on the worktable. Two small figurines dressed in formal attire stood atop a paper mâché mountain surrounded by a miniature city covered with gold paint, satin ribbon, and sprinkled with translucent sequins. The man was holding a wire that reached up to the sky.

“I still need to add the moon at the end of the wire, wrap the wire with rope, and add words to the sheet cake that will sit at the base of the mountain. Sami walked to another table as she spoke and brought over a large paper moon. “This will hang on the wall at the end of the rope. The food and punch will sit on either side of the arrangement. The sheet cake will be here, in front of the mountain. The cake will read, ‘I still want to give you the moon.’”

Jessica was speechless. It nearly brought tears to her eyes as she considered 50 years of marriage.

Sami understood. Jean had told her about Jessica’s failed marriage.

“Say. I want to give you something. It’s part local lore. Only special people know about this.” Sami walked to a desk nearby, pulled out a printed map from the drawer, and handed it to Jessica. She then walked over to a display in the front of the store and brought Jessica a small potted flower and trowel wrapped in cellophane. Jessica could see it was a Marigold, one of her mother’s favorites. “Take this with you on your walk. You’ll understand when you get there. Go now. We’ll talk another day.”

Jessica was dumbfounded – and curious. She didn’t know what to say. “Well, okay. Thanks… I guess.”

Sami smiled knowingly. “Thanks for the supplies! Talk to you soon.”

Jessica walked out to her car and sat there a moment to read the map. It seemed simple enough. She pulled out and headed back towards Newport heading north on US-5, the way she had come to town. At the railroad crossing, she turned right onto Eastern Ave, drove 5 miles and turned right on May Pond Road. She drove into a clearing with grassy fields on both sides until she saw the row of trees on the left where the Fish and Wildlife sign marked access to May Pond. She turned left on the access road and parked at the end of the road. It looked kind of large for a pond, she thought.

Exiting the car and locking it, she began walking down the path to her left. “Darn!” She’d forgotten the flowers and went back to get them.

Back on the path, she made her way through dense forest. Fresh rain-scented trees rustled in the afternoon breeze. A smaller footpath branched off to the left. She followed it as the map advised. “What am I looking for?” She wondered. The map simply said, “Follow the trail”. She kept walking.

All of a sudden, the forest canopy opened up. Sunlight illuminated the clearing where a bed of Marigold’s raised their glorious heads to the azure sky above. Jessica’s heart jumped as if something special might happen here. She looked down at the flowers in her hands. “You belong here, don’t you?” She smiled feeling a sense of purpose.

Her eyes were drawn to a vacant spot calling for her attention. Jessica walked over, knelt, pulled the trowel from the potted dirt and proceeded to make a permanent bed for the young plant. The moist dirt smelled inviting. “You should love it here,” she whispers reverently.

As she began to stand up, she thought she heard someone call her name. She looked back towards the path, but saw no one.

“Jessie.”

There it was again. No one in sight. Louder this time.

There was a whistle and she saw a dog running out of the woods, coming straight towards her. Instinctively, Jessica knelt down and called the dog to her. The dog ran to her without hesitation, and allowed Jessica to hold onto its collar.

A man approached them just as the dog rolled over so Jessica could rub his belly.

“Thank you!” The man knelt beside the animal, somewhat out of breath. “Jessie, what’s gotten into you? You don’t run away from me like that!”

Jessica observed, “I doubt he was heading very far. He came right to me in fact.”

“That’s very odd,” the man remarked as he extended his hand inviting Jessica to shake it. “Hi. I’m Mark and this rouge canine here is…”

“Jessie” they both said in unison. They laughed.

“Yes, I gathered that.” Jessica smiled.

Mark snickered. “Yes, I guess you heard me calling him.

She nodded. “I thought someone was calling me. My name is Jessica, but only my best friends call me Jessie.”

Mark stood up, helping her to her feet. “Are you from around here?”

Jessica blushed at his kindness…

So it began, a love story worth telling another time. As the two laughed, getting to know each other, Jessica found time to nod in appreciation towards the little Marigold she embedded in the rich Vermont soil just north of May Hill.