“It’s not ideal,” Ezra admitted. “But I would feel bad canceling so last minute, especially after they hosted us at their house. I just totally forgot. We’ve been so busy trying to get ready for the opening, plus dealing with the added stress of knowing there’s ghosts in our house and worrying that someone dangerous might be targeting us.” He shook his head. “It’s hard to remember anything anymore.”
“I feel the same,” Clara admitted. “I mess up on some of the simplest things lately purely because the stress has become a lot to handle. I’m sure they’d understand if we told them we’ve been too busy with the opening, but I would also feel bad. Do you think you can cook up a decent dinner in an hour?”
“Possibly.” Ezra glanced around the house at the random tools, brushes, clothes, dishes, and general chaos that had taken place while they were distracted by other things. “Do you think you could tidy up the house in an hour?”
“Possibly,” she replied, followed up with a groan. “I don’t want to, but I’ll clean the house if you’ll cook dinner.”
They looked at each other.
Of course we are! See you at six.
Then, they got straight to work.
By the time Brittany and Sam arrived, Clara and Ezra were not at all in the mood for guests. They were both exhausted, but dinner was done, and the house was clean, their clothes were tidy, and their hair was brushed. They looked like a put-together couple, though that was far from how they felt.
“Good evening!” Clara said as she welcomed Brittany and Sam inside. They plastered on smiles and hoped their masks wouldn’t slip. They hoped having guests would ease the strain enough so they wouldn’t have to fake their happiness and high spirits for too long.
Brittany and Sam faltered for a moment and shared a look. Clara wondered if her exhaustion was that plain to see, but they quickly reverted to their normal selves.
“Good evening!” Brittany replied, hugging Clara. “I’m so glad you invited us over. I’m looking forward to seeing the changes you’ve made so far.”
“Well, dinner is almost done,” Ezra said. “But I think you have time for a house tour first.”
“Perfect!”
“Though it is a little different than your house,” Clara warned as she took their coats.
The house had come along exactly as she wanted it to. It looked like a bigger version of a Victorian dollhouse, with each piece carefully chosen to be a replica of an era gone by. It had a distinctly literary feel to it, inspired by their favorite classics. It was unique and Clara was proud of the dream she brought to life.
Yet it was far less flashy than Brittany’s property. It wouldn’t suit everyone’s tastes and she was okay with that. Mostly. She wanted to impress her new friends, especially after all the hard work she’d done. She wasn’t sure they’d find it all that impressive though.
“That’s great,” Brittany said. “We need variety around here, and from what I’ve seen so far, I already love it. I think it’ll draw in the kind of guests you were hoping for. It’ll stand out in a good way.”
“I hope so,” Clara replied, and she continued the house tour with confidence while Ezra finished up dinner.
Brittany and Sam were the perfect guests who seemed to know exactly the right things to say to make Clara proud of all the work she’d done. The house had come a long way since they bought it, and their enthusiasm made her more excited to show it off on opening night.
“You’ve clearly purged the house of its ghosts,” Brittany said as they finished up the tour. “It’s so vastly different from the business Richard and Lyla were running that people will surely stop associating the dark past with it. You’ve carved out your own space here.”
“I hope so,” Clara replied.
Though she knew ridding the house of its ghosts wouldn’t be quite so easy. They were still here, watching. She could feel them occasionally. They never fully left her mind. Despite what Ezra said, she still wasn’t fully comfortable knowing they were there. She just hoped they wouldn’t make an appearance that night. With everything that had already gone wrong since they bought the property, she knew it was only a matter of time before something bad happened.
46
After the house tour, Sam excused himself to use the restroom. Clara and Brittany headed for the dining room, but before they got there, Brittany stopped Clara with a hand on her shoulder.
“Is everything okay?” she asked, keeping her voice low enough so only Clara could hear. “You look exhausted. I know there’s probably a lot going on with opening the bed and breakfast, but you just seem a little… extra drained, I guess. I want to make sure you’re not overdoing it. You don’t want to burn yourself out before business has even begun. This is such an exciting time. I hope you’re enjoying it at least a little.”
The concern on Brittany’s face dispelled all the notions Clara had that she’d been hiding her stress well. She was exhausted. Though she and Ezra had chosen to go about their everyday lives while they tried to figure out how to solve their murder mystery, life hadn’t exactly reverted to normal for them. She hadn’t been sleeping well thanks to nightmares, and she was constantly on guard. She was always waiting for something bad to happen.
“Everything’s fine,” Clara assured her. “I am enjoying it; I’m having fun setting everything up. There’s still a lot of pressure though. Like you said, there’s just a lot going on with the opening. There’s a lot to do, which leaves less time for sleep. Once that’s settled, I’ll be feeling much better. I just need a good night’s rest is all.”
“You definitely should get some sleep. It’s so important to rest, and it’ll help you be far more effective.
