"Good morning Miss Williams. Your hair looks gorgeous today." Said the doorman in an uplifting and cheerful voice. I always love heading out of the building in the morning and seeing Mr. Garrison. He always starts everybody's day with a positive note.
I responded back with a wide smile, and replied, "Your too kind, my mornings would be so boring without you every day."
"Oh, there you go, looking at me with those beautiful blue eyes. Reminds me of the ocean every time." I gave him another thank you smile and headed out the door. I headed towards the subway to catch the train. My stop was 66th street, just two blocks from the law firm. As I sat on the train, I couldn't help but reminisce about old memories of my aunt.
She was a free spirit, a nature lover, and lover of people. She always tried to instill qualities in me and my cousins to be nice to nature, and she will be nice to you. I loved hanging out with her over summer breaks when my mom would go upstate to visit her. Sometimes I miss when things were so simple. As a kid, you have no worries, you go about life wide-eyed and eager to learn and explore. You really know how to stop and take in things around you.
Before I knew it, I was at my stop. I eagerly got off the train and headed up two blocks and turned right. I found myself standing in front of a double door, with a dark wood frame. It had the name Conrad and Bros, etched into it, and I knew I was at the right place. I rang the buzzer on the door and then heard the door unlatching.
"Come on in, you must be Miss Williams", said the receptionist as she pointed down the hall. "Go on into the door on your right. Mr. Conrad will see you now."
I told her thank you and headed down the long hallway. I knocked on the door before entering and was motioned to take a seat.
Larry Conrad looked like the typical New York City lawyer. He was older and you could tell on the brink of retirement.
"What a beautiful woman. Your aunt was right when she said you were easy on the eyes. She loved you very much. You are here today, by her request," he started to explain. He looked at me, while he put his glasses on to read.
"Dear Brooke, I asked Mr. Conrad to read this to you. I always saw a huge piece of me in you. Your hard work, your determination, has always gotten you far in life. I am so proud of the lady you have become. I want to remind you to always love the world, love what you do, and to take the time to enjoy life. Slow down a little, smell the roses, and just relax. You need to get out of the city occasionally before it sucks you in. I want you to have a balance, so I am leaving my cabin in the woods to you. May it be a place of solace. A place you can unwind and let loose. When you go there think of me as the wind blows your hair, and the fresh mountain air fills your lungs. With much love, your Aunt Maggie."
I lifted my head up and wiped a tear from my cheek. I was so honored that Maggie would leave her cabin to me. I really didn't know what to say. The words thank you, quietly blurted from my mouth.
"If you can sign these papers here, I will give you the keys and you will be on your way," He grabbed a pen and reached across the desk to hand it to me. He slowly pointed to each line as I proudly signed my name on each document.
"Thank you, Miss Williams. Here are the keys, you are all set."
"That's it?" I questioned.
"Yes, pretty simple indeed. Your aunt had everything already prepared to make things seamless. You have a good day." Larry patted me on the shoulder, handed me the paperwork and keys and I was on my way.
As I walked out onto the street. I felt a sense of calm, in the wake of the bustling city around me. The air was filled with many aromas, some good, some bad, I mean we are in the city. It seemed like the landscaping was brighter and the sounds were gentler on my ears. My aunt wanted me to stop and enjoy the simple things, I intended to fulfill her wish.
As I made my way back on the train, I decided I wasn't going in to work. I needed the rest of the day to process what just happened. I hadn't taken a day off in over a year, always wanting to impress the bosses. But in this moment, none of that mattered.
I took the train back to my apartment. Once I arrived I went up the elevator to my place.
I crashed on the plush couch and I dialed Leah, hoping she would answer.
"Hello. Where are you? The boss is super mad that you are not here. What happened at the lawyer's office? "
"Well, I called in sick for the rest of the day. Our boss can deal with it. My aunt left me her cabin upstate. I signed the paperwork and have the keys. The lawyer read a sweet letter that my aunt left and then I was on my way. "
"Wow, I don't know what to say. That was sweet of her. What is a city girl like you going to do with a cabin, though? You could sell it."
Before she could keep talking, I stopped her. "Sell it, are you nuts? I have so many great memories there. I am going to take some time off work and head up there."
"If you take time off right now, the boss is going to flip. We are cutting it close to our deadlines here," Leah pointed out.
"You know what, I have been so obsessed with work lately, I could use a break. I'm taking 2 weeks off and everyone can just deal with it." I was almost shouting at her. A mix of anger towards work and some excitement over this upcoming adventure. It has been a while since I felt such enthusiasm about something. I hadn't had an adventure in years. The fact I had no plan was even more empowering.
"Okay, well just keep in touch, and let me know what you're doing. It's kind of scary to think of you out in the woods all by yourself. Be careful please," Leah pleaded.