The Other Year by Rea Frey

Author:Rea Frey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harper Muse
Published: 2023-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

Ten

Early the next day, I make myself a quick cup of coffee and hit the road.

I don’t linger on the steps or stare longingly out the window as I drive out of Nashville. Instead, immense relief floods every cell as I move farther away from my old life, my familiar pain, and the reminders of an existence without my daughter.

The sharp agony seizes me for the millionth time, and for a moment, I am paralyzed by my spontaneity. Is this really what Olivia would want me to do? I let up on the gas, hesitate, and almost turn around. Am I simply running away?

I try to imagine going back into my home, to the container that held all our memories as a family—our wins, our losses, our frustrations, our joys. I can’t face the absence of Olivia even one more day.

I step harder on the gas. This is what I am doing for work. This is what I must do to move on, to survive. Four hours pass quickly to a slew of clashing thoughts as I navigate the congested I-24 interstate and finally pull off the exit, bumping through farmland and briefly wondering if I should have created some sort of code word with Jason and my mother in case this does turn out to be a cult. Despite the gorgeous trees and sprawling farmland, the surrounding area is overshadowed by shoddy trailers, abandoned lots, and conservative signs with even more conservative candidates skewering front yards.

I double-check the directions to make sure I’m going the right way. Finally, at the end of a long, curvy road, I see a copper sign that reads Serenbe. I turn left, under an awning snaked with vines and bright leaves. A small gravel lot sits to the right. I pull in, park, and stretch my legs, eager to settle into my rental for the next two weeks. Once I’ve done what I need to do for work, I’ll decide if I want to stay longer.

I walk down a lovely, landscaped path. An in-ground trampoline tosses a young boy and girl into the air. Up ahead, there’s a wooden swing that reminds me of Liv’s, a basketball hoop with a man and a woman engaging in competitive banter—which instantly makes me miss Jason—and the inn’s outdoor pool, which glitters untouched in the cooler weather. Beyond, there’s a sprawling farm and a petting zoo. White and orange pumpkins rest on stocky hay bales. I take it all in.

Olivia would love it here.

I enter the converted barn. The Farmhouse restaurant sits behind the main building, serving traditional American fare for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I am greeted, checked in, and asked if I would like to reserve a golf cart for my stay. I say no, retrieve my skeleton key attached to a cowbell, and open the map to the Selborne neighborhood, one of three hamlets on the property.

In my research about Serenbe, I discovered that the creator, Steve Nygren, modeled this place after New York, though, upon arrival, it feels nothing like Manhattan.

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