Monday Nov 4

Bobbie met Tilsey in the restaurant. She was talking to Mink, who was beside her table. “Good morning Tilsey. Hi Mink, how’s it going? I hope Chase is feeling OK.”

“He’s doing well, He’s excited about his home project. Lorne and Rocco are finishing up. We’ll chat later. Would you like a coffee?”

Bobbie nodded and sat down. “Is it OK that I join you? I was thinking we should head over to Stargazer condos later today.”

“That’s perfect. I just met Mink who is fabulous. I think I’ve seen them on Instagram.”

“I noticed on the reservation website that you are only staying until Thursday. I was hoping you could perform with us at the market on Saturday again.”

“I’m sorry to miss the market. I usually play by myself. My husband teases me and says my songs are all sad and draggy. I’ve tried to play for friends and I think I get worried that they’ll be bored because they say I never finish a whole song. I’ve never really had anyone to play with…”

“Well Tilsey, you can come play with us anytime. Maybe we’ll get together when I build my ranch house. I still have some land near River City.”

“You said want to build a whole ranch with barn and bunkhouse and all that. I don’t usually design houses but maybe I’ll make an exception. My company can help with the surveys, services, permits and do a house and bunkhouse and barn layout too.”

“I need to get started, the two ranchers I have managing my heard are living in a trailer right now.”

“You’ll probably have to come back to River City with me for me to really understand what you want.”

“That is on my list but I just really want to stay home for a little while. With travelling and funerals, I’ve been away non-stop. I’m sorry I have a few things to take care of but would you like to meet me at 10:30 and we can go over to the building site.”

“That sounds great. Maybe I’ll knock on your door and come in and have a look at your apartment.”

“I’ve just got a bit of correspondence to take care of and I’m heading back to my apartment now. You can join me right now if you’d rather.”

“I’d like that.”

Bobbie and Tilsey went out the back door of the restaurant and Bobbie called her elevator.

Tilsey stepped in the elevator. “Wow how do you keep those plants alive in here? If the rest of apartment is as impressive as the elevator; I can’t wait to see it.”

The doors opened and Bobbie could tell that Effie had head been at work already. The kitchen and living room were all tidied up and her travelling clothes were all cleaned, pressed and put away. Bobbie felt a little self conscious. Tilsey was an architect and probably had specific design ideas. She walked into the kitchen and then the dining room at looked out the window at the mountains.

“The mountains remind me of home, a little.” She moved into the living room running her hand along the length of the central book case. “The view from the living room is great too.”

Bobbie explained that the bookcase was the central wall of the apartment and the bedrooms were on the other side.

“There are a lot of long skinny bedrooms; I like the shape and the high windows over the beds are nice.”

“My bedroom and media room are over here. We can go up on the deck through that door. I’ll grab my laptop and we can go out on the deck it’s a sunny morning so it’s probably warm enough.

They went out on the deck and Bobbie lit one of the propane heaters that were set up to warm the seating are. She sat down and turned on her laptop.

Tilsey was leaning on the rail looking over to the sea. She sighed. “I was engaged to Townes once you know. We were really young. I was maybe 18. We were inseparable for the first term of our freshmen year of university. At a new year’s party in River City, we were having a lot of fun and he told me he loved me and wanted to marry me. I said yes. We stayed close all summer, until he went away to college. His Dad wanted to send him to a more prestigious school. Townes was not good at long distance relationships.

That fall I was in my second year and he called me and said he’d met someone else. I was devastated. I allowed myself to be miserable a few days, learned that Bob Dylan song “Don’t Think Twice; it’s Alright.” and was fine. Though for a few months, I felt that every sad song I heard was about me.

“There’s nothing sadder than a heart broken 20-year-old,” sympathized Bobbie.

“The following summer he came home, with his new fiancé and I ran into him in a bar. I was sitting with a new friend that he didn’t know. He was a little drunk and was quite rude. Eventually, I excused myself and left to go home. Townes followed me and pushed me into a corner of an alley and started kissing me. I was over him though. All I could think was somebody must have peed in that alley because it was all I could smell. Remember, it was the eighties, and forcing someone to kiss you was considered passionate.”

“Oh, he was stringing you along.”

“I let him because I wanted him back. We were both mixed up; we couldn’t process our left-over feelings for each other. I saw him years later and it was still a little awkward because he was single and I am happily married. We never really talked until Townes came to me with his condo project. He talked about Crow Harbour, you and your family too. He was very excited”

“I’m glad you got over your heartbreak. Townes and I were together but I never really new that much about his past. I know he dated Melanie. She didn’t think I was good enough for him, until after I sold her his Ranch. I guess he took our relationship seriously because I was in his will. We got close pretty fast.”

“It doesn’t surprise me. That’s how Townes rolled. Can we head over to the job site now?”

“We sure can. I can’t wait for you to see the place. Now that the main construction is finished, is there a project manager to pick the finishing contractors and all that?”

“We have a lot to talk about Bobbie. I think maybe you are the project manager; or do you want to hire somebody?”

“No, that’s what I wondered. I was preparing to be completely overwhelmed but my friends Barb and Trixie are going to help. I’ll be able to organize things. I know the people who rehabbed my motel and also Greg, Trixie’s partner, knows builders. He built the art gallery beside the motel.”

“It sounds like you’ll have lots of help. You have quite a community here Bobbie.”

“Thanks Tilsey, I guess I do. I’ll call my friend Barb and we can go to lunch. Then we can all go see how the Stargazer Condo’s are doing.”