Chapter One
Six weeks later ...
The two weeks prior to her move had been a mess. In the end Sasha managed to rent her furnished town house and give notice at Ernie Pyle Elementary that she would not be back to teach in the fall. Everything she needed to start her new life was packed in a small U-Haul trailer when she crossed the seven-mile bridge that spanned the Keys.
But once she'd arrived, settling in on Magic Key was easy. It was a quiet place that felt far removed from the larger neighboring island, Big Pine. If it hadn't been for the occasional passing of vehicles on a distant road, Sasha could have envisioned she was alone there.
A wall of forests that surrounded her property on three sides heightened her feeling of isolation. It was a welcomed feeling for the time being, for the five-room house and the land had been maintained with tender loving care. She could feel that care emanating from the pastel-shaded furniture, the unique decorations, and the pruned key lime orchard.
Florida agreed with Sasha. In one week her skin had evened to a smooth, maple syrup brown, and her natural shoulder-length hair seemed to thrive in the tropical environment. There was plenty of physical work to do, and Sasha believed she could not help but firm up and become stronger.
An exuberant sun had shown its face every day, but that didn't stop Sasha from spending her time clearing the land around the spring. Her vision of a bottled water business consumed her, it was her future and her inspiration. As she worked in the heat, it was hard for Sasha to imagine how her ancestors were able to stay in the fields from sunup to sundown. Hers was a labor of love, but without technology and the occasional breaks under a tree with some ice-cold lemonade, Sasha didn't believe she could have done it.
Now, at the day's end, she stood at her front door and looked up at the setting sun. Her body ached and her hands were sore, and all she could think about was a nice, cool shower. She was halfway to the bathroom when the knock came.
"Yes?" She peered out the door to see an elderly man standing on her stoop.
"Are you the person who lives here now?" He tried to look around Sasha into the house.
"Yes, I am."
"This was stuck in your mailbox." He handed her a piece of paper.
"Thank you." Sasha glanced at the flyer advertising a local attorney, then up at the man who remained where he stood. "Can I help you?" She noticed the envelope in his pocket.
"I was told to give you this."
"What is it?" Sasha took it and turned it over.
"I don't know, ma'am. I was just told to give it to the person living in the Bethel House."
Sasha opened the envelope and looked over the letter that was addressed "To Whom It May Concern--: "You are being asked to cease all land-altering activity at 340 Bimini Lane. This letter officially summons you to Guana Manor." She stopped. That name was familiar. Then Sasha recalled that Guana Manor III was the name of the sloop she saw during her first visit to Magic Key. "Look, I don't know what this is, but I think you've got the wrong house. This is three-forty Route Nine."
"That's what it used to be until Hazel allowed Precious to turn the Bethel House into her special place. No, ma'am, I don't have the wrong address."
"Precious?" Sasha looked puzzled and shook her head. "Who is Precious?"
They stared at one another.
"So, I'm sorry." Sasha refolded the letter and placed it back into the envelope before handing it to the man. "There's been some kind of mistake. This might have been Precious's ... place, but it isn't anymore.
He accepted the envelope but continued to stand on the stoop.
"I've got to go now," Sasha said as she closed the door. "Have a good day." How strange, she thought as she walked toward the bathroom, where she began to remove her clothes.
Sasha treasured the early-morning hours. It was a peaceful, quiet time when she sipped coffee and listened to the sounds of dawn. And at Bethel House she finally felt as if she'd come home. She didn't know how to explain it, but there was something comforting about the house that made her feel as if she was not alone. Maybe because she was surrounded by the possessions of her Aunt Hazel Bethel. Sasha had not expected to feel so comforted. After living with her mother for so many years she had feared living alone would be lonely. But nothing was further from the truth. The house itself seemed to waken with the prisms of sunlight that reached through the windows every dawn.
In spite of her contentment, Sasha was keenly aware of how uncertain her future was. She knew the inheritance would carry her only so far, and she wondered where she would be in five years. Would her bottled water business be thriving? Would she still be alone, if not lonely? She hoped not as she closed her eyes, but the thoughtful moment was disturbed by another knock on her front door. Sasha was astonished to discover that the man from the day before had returned.
"Good morning," he said with a slight smile.
Sasha was so outdone she didn't know if she should speak or shut the door in his face.
