Spring Beginnings

“The beautiful spring came, and when nature resumes her loveliness,

the human soul is apt to revive also.”

-Harriet Ann Jacobs

The sun peeks in through small crevices in the thick, out-dated curtains, refusing to be ignored. “It's time,” Lucy announces to the empty bedroom. She's been holed up for months in the quaint little house that she'd bought, sight unseen, in a desperate attempt to escape from a bad situation. An aftershock, of sorts, she'd shut down entirely and spent her days hiding under the covers. It was as though she'd forgotten how to live. Besides the antique four-poster bed, she hadn't bothered to uncover any of the furnishings that were part of the sale. The only rooms in the house that showed signs of life were the bedroom and bathroom (and the refrigerator). She had yet to meet anyone in town, save for the cable guy who set up her internet and phone. With the internet, came delivery services and she was able to make it the entire season without leaving the house. Like a bear, groundhog, or bumblebee, she'd hibernated for the winter.

She probably should have expected it. After all, she'd had no idea what she was going to do once she was free; no real planning went into her decision beyond her escape. It was painfully typical of her not to think things through. “Jump in” had been a major theme of her life thus far and had lead to one problem to another. Perhaps that would've been the best place to start making changes. But, this time, it wasn't her fault. An opportunity to get out presented itself and she grabbed it. Though not ideal, it was better to spend the time safe in bed than where she had been, even with the agonizing mix of grief, regret, and a pinch of hopelessness that had held her captive these past months.

But now, just as Lucy was starting to believe she'd never come out of it, something grabs hold of her. The sunshine calls from beyond the drapes and she finds that she can't stay in bed a minute longer. Inexplicably, she feels ready to explore the little town, and what's more, she knows exactly how she wants to do it. She's going to dip her toe in, so to speak, in the way she feels most comfortable: a run. She rummages through the suitcases and bags that are spread across the bedroom floor to find her running shoes and athletic clothes, then once more for her baseball cap, sunglasses, and earphones. As she searches, she wonders why the idea hasn't occurred to her sooner. It seems so clearly the perfect way to begin. For the first time in a long time, Lucy's heart feels light and her mind is clear.

Her renewed spirit doesn't stop the nervous butterflies from fluttering around in her stomach as she nears the front door, but she ignores them. She's ready to get out and explore; no more fear. Her ex is all the way on the other side of the continent, he can't hurt her anymore. It's time to do what she likes for a change. She shoves the front door open boldly, only to jump as it slams against the house and springs back towards her. She catches it with her hands, then laughs at herself. As she does, some of her tension dissipates. She hadn't been able to find her sunglasses, so she tugs on the brim of her cap to shield her eyes from the bright sun, then moves down the steps towards the sidewalk.

The feel of the sun kissing her skin provides her with another boost. She can almost feel the cobwebs of isolation clearing away. Somewhere in the distance, birds chirp a sweet song that sounds like spring. She listens to the upbeat tune as she pulls out her phone, opens her favorite running app, and starts to browse the local routes. She settles on one that will take her on a loop through the main part of town; perfect. She slips in her earphones, taps the “start” button, then heads left.

Lucy runs past a string of houses and beyond to a small stretch of beach. She teeters back and forth on the sidewalk, gawking at the awe-inspiring view that can't be more than 6 minutes from her house. Back in the city, where she'd lived her whole life, anything to do with nature was at least a half-hour drive away and that was in light traffic. There is a seafood restaurant at the end of the beach with a “We're Hiring” sign in the window and she makes note of it. She can't live off of her father's inheritance forever. The money was the sole reason she'd been able to save herself from a relationship that would have likely killed her, and she'd spent a good chunk of it on the house. Seeing the check in the mail had been as much of a shock as his sudden death. Her father hadn't spoken to her in two years and, honestly, she would have expected him to leave it to...well, anyone other than her. But he hadn't. She'd probably spend the rest of her life wondering why; what with the way he'd so abruptly shut her out of his life.

Lucy wipes the sweat from her brow. All of the time spent indoors is taking its toll and she slows her pace a bit. She sees a large wooded area coming up on her right that looks like it might be a park. As she gets closer, she comes to a sign that reads “Shoreline Community College” and she's intrigued. Maybe she should stop in some time to see what programs they offer. She'd skipped college at her ex's request, just one of many things she'd missed out on as part of the toxic relationship. She wonders how she didn't see it sooner but already knows the answer. She'd grown dependent on him while her mother was battling cancer. It grew even worse after her mother passed, and Lucy's father suddenly changed. He turned all of his attention to his business so she barely even saw him, when she did, he wouldn't speak to her or acknowledge her in any way. It felt like she didn't even exist. She couldn't bear it, so she ran to Brandon, her ex, who had always been so kind, loving, and supportive. It didn't take long after they moved in together for her to see that he was also manipulative, controlling, and unforgiving. He'd slowly taken everything from her but, somehow, it was still not enough. He'd grown increasingly demanding, and, on occasion, violent.

Lost in her thoughts, Lucy doesn't notice that she's coming to an intersection or that a man is standing in her path, waiting to cross the street. It's only at the last minute that she spots him and yells, “Look out!” but neither she nor the man can move quickly enough to avoid the collision. He is tall and bulky, and Lucy bounces off of him like a rag doll while he grunts from the impact. She almost falls to the ground but is able to catch herself with her hands and save some of her dignity.

“Are you all right?” The man asks as she is still perched precariously on all fours. His voice is gentle and filled with concern.

“Mm-hmm,” she murmurs as she rights herself and wipes the dirt and small bits of gravel from her hands. She pulls out her earphones and lets them hang around her neck before turning to face him with red cheeks.

“I'm fine, thank you. I'm so sorry to run into you like that. I spaced out and didn't see you until it was too late,” she babbles nervously. “I'm new to the area and haven't quite learned the lay of the land just yet. Clearly, I need to pay better attention.” She offers an awkward smile. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees the stoplight switch to green. The walk signal flashes next to it, but the man doesn't seem to notice either occurrence. He's still studying her inquisitively. He looked about 10 years her elder, give or take a few, and has the warmest eyes Lucy has ever seen.

“New, eh? I don't suppose you're the one who bought the house on Cherry Avenue?” Lucy pauses for a second, taken aback by his accuracy, but then she remembers that it's a small town. That's how they are- everyone knows everything. At least that's what she's heard and this seems to prove it. It's nothing like she's used to, but is kind of nice.

“Yeah, that was me. I moved in a few months ago,” she replies. As soon as the words leave her mouth, she worries that he'll ask why no one has seen her in all that time, but thankfully, he doesn't.

“That's a great place. I laid out the hardwood floors and replaced some of the sidings for the previous owner a few years back. I'm the local handyman. Name's Carl, by the way,” he reaches out his hand and she takes it. His skin is surprisingly soft for someone who works with their hands all day.

“Lucy,” she says quietly, shy to share her name, “it's nice to meet you.”

“Well, if you ever need anything, my building is over on Everett Street,” he tells her. “If I can't help, I'll at least point you to someone who can.”

“That's so nice, thank you, Carl,” she glances to the traffic light, which, after completing another cycle, is green once more. She takes a step towards the street and slides her earphones back in place, “I'd better get going. I'll see you around, okay?”

“All right! Bye, Lucy,” he replies but she is already halfway across the intersection.

Lucy soon finds herself running through the main street in town, eyeing the shops and townspeople curiously as she goes by. The route leads her back into rows of houses and she passes a small, man-made pond set back in a grassy field with houses lining the sides and far end. She spots a pair of geese swimming in the water together and is reminded once again of the magic of spring. It's just barely begun, the flowers are not yet blooming, the trees are still bare, but all the birds are back again and there is something in the air.

As Lucy approaches the final mile, the thought occurs to her that she's been hiding away for a very long time, much longer than the cold winter months she'd spent tucked away in her house. It went on well before her relationship turned sour, before her father's abandonment, even her mother's death. She sees now, with certainty, that it was her mother's cancer diagnosis that triggered the reaction. From that point on, she'd started living a half-life; existing, but nothing more. She'd run from the terrifying reality as fast as she could, and chose to hide in the worst place possible. It's a mistake she never wants to make again. No more hiding away when things get hard, she doesn't want to waste her life that way. She wants to live it.

When she arrives back home, Lucy stops to study the exterior of the small house before going in. It's even cuter than she remembered. It really is a great little place, a good fit too. So is the town, at least, it makes a wonderful first impression. She heads inside, showers, and makes herself a sandwich. As she eats, she stands in the doorway facing the small living room, observing the still-drawn curtains and the covered furniture that make it look as though it is still vacant. She sets down her plate, with her half-eaten sandwich still resting upon it, and moves through the house with purpose, pulling open the curtains and ripping the covers off of every last piece of furniture. Once she finishes, she stands back to examine the result. A little old-fashioned, but I can work with this, she muses. Glancing out the window, her mind ventures back out to the town that is now her home. Everything she'd seen on her run was beautiful, the opportunities were equally exciting. But her favorite part, without a doubt, was the strong sense of community she'd felt in just a short time. Yes, I can definitely work with this.