Chapter 1

I glanced up with a distracted smile when a plate of amazing looking sushi was slid in front of me. Having been completely absorbed in the book claiming it could give anyone a green thumb; I hadn’t noticed anyone approaching me. The bartender didn’t return my smile. She had that sour look of someone that had spent too long in customer service. The makeup she had caked on gave her an aging barfly look. Watching her she strutted back to the corner of the bar beside the pickup window. Thinking no one was looking, she fired up a cigarette, blowing the smoke out the window. After three drags, she put it out. Shaking my head about the waste of money, I tried one of the rice lined rolls on the plate in front of me.  The red tobiko on top made it very colorful.

“MMMMM” The delightful combo of shrimp tempura, avocado, and cucumber was tantalizing on my tongue. Self-consciously I looked around to see if anyone had noticed my orgasmic moment with my dinner. Thankfully the other dinners in the sushi/Thai restaurant all seemed to be focusing on their own meals. I switched to a crab cheese wonton while I people watched in the mirror over the bar. My eyes were first drawn to the blue-eyed woman with bright red streaks in her blonde hair. She was wearing a blue open weave sweater over a purple lace trimmed cami. The round purple stone medallion dangling from the sliver chain complimented the cami. Dang, I looked cute. I glanced over at the empty seat next to me. Eating alone didn’t bother me normally. However, the room seemed to be filled with happy couples. It had been almost two years since I broke up with my last boyfriend. Unquestionably I was better off without him, but I’d started to be lonely lately. Occasionally I thought about dipping my toe back in the dating pool but, best I could tell that pool hadn’t been cleaned in a while. Returning to my book, I ate while trying to learn why I killed all my plants.

“Vivienne!” An older looking man dressed in the traditional garb of someone who created sushi called. Seeing me raise my hand, he brought me the to go bag of egg rolls. Knowing myself well, I was going to be looking for a midnight snack. Might as well have something tasty on hand. After paying my bill I walked down the steps to my rental car. My friend had told me a vacation would help shake me out of my funk. She swore a trip to Helen Georgia was just what I needed. Apparently, they had the most amazing candy shop ever. I’d rolled my eyes at their hyperbole, but went ahead and booked me a vacation cabin.  Driving around the curving streets, I had to wonder why there were so many package stores. How much shipping did these people do?

Ten minutes later, I pulled up to a cute little cabin surrounded by woods. As I pulled to a stop on the gravel drive, I took in my temporary oasis. Gray rounded stones formed a retaining wall that had a stone stairway built into it. Shiny light colored round wooden logs lined the lower half of the exterior. Wood shingles covered the top half. The roof had an overhang with beautiful beams exposed.  Smiling I rolled my purple hardshell case past the outside living space skirting the firepit built in the ground. Comfy looking outdoor sofas were around it. Off the side of the house was a deck with shiny wood that was accessed via a gleaming wooden staircase. Given the awning over the door at the end of the stone staircase, I decided it was probably the front door. Thankful I had packed light; I carried my case up the perfectly level steps.

Gleaming hardwood floors allowed my case to roll smoothly as I gawked at the interior. More gleaming wood created built-ins with white plaster above them, with a dark wood trim, on the wall across from the door. A floor to ceiling gray stone fireplace sat between them. To the left was a wall of glass that looked out over the mountain. Leaving my case behind, I quickly went to ohhh and aww at the view. It was gorgeous. Reds, browns, and oranges covered the trees as the leaves had changed but not yet dropped. Fading softly, the sun disappeared behind the fire-colored foliage. I watched until the pinks and purple of the fading sun faded.

Turning from the wall of glass, I noticed the kitchen tucked along the far wall. Marble countertops set on gray cabinets. Upper cabinets were only on the interior wall. The exterior wall was glass from countertop to ceiling. A large marble topped island sat in the middle. My focus was on the back door. Looking through its window, I could see the deck that I seen on the way in. More cozy looking furniture was arranged near a patio table. Through the only other door was a half bathroom. Turning I inspected the curving carved staircase that stood between the kitchen and the living space.

It was gorgeous. The wood curved around like it was bent into shape. The etched spindles filled the space between the banister and steps. Grabbing my case, I carried it carefully up the gently curving work of art. At the top I found the bedroom. It was completely open to the floor below facing the glass wall. I couldn’t wait to wake up to the view of the trees gently lit by the raising sun. Also relieved that whoever built this place didn’t want the sun rising to wake them and put the glass wall to the west and not the east.

Back downstairs, with my book and a fancy strawberry drink I found in the fridge, I snuggled into the lounge on the deck. Surrounded by the fauna of the Appalachians with the ambient noise of being in the woods, I hoped to truly absorb the gift of not killing every plant I brought home. No matter how hardy, I could kill it. Any time I mentioned I’d gotten a new plant, my family and friends started referring to it as my latest victim.