My booking for Loveday Inn was confirmed. I remember being excited about it, but I had to wait for a couple of days for some guests to check out because they were staying in my room.

I started packing my bags, and while doing that, my mom was in my case once again via video call. "You are going to stay at an inn?" She asked.

"Yes, Mom," I said to her while folding my clothes properly.

"If you want a different environment? Why not move back here with me, or... Oh! I have this seminar in England, you can go there with me?"

"Because I want to go to work. I won't be able to do that if I'm in the city or England."

"Alright," She sighed like she was throwing in the towels. "But please, visit me one of these days."

"I will, Mom. I'll just finish packing. Bye, Mom. Love you." Then I gave her a flying kiss as she ended the call.

Gosh, I wish I did do that instead of staying in the Loveday Inn. It was a good idea at that time to just stay somewhere within Barcon and still do my job as a photographer in my own studio.

The next morning, I went to work and continued helping my fellow photographers with editing since they were in the middle of a shoot. All of a sudden, I heard someone entering through the front door.

"Hello, my Lovelies!" It was Emmy.

"Hi! Emmy," Mav said.

"Hey, Emmy," I greeted

She noticed me sitting by the front desk with Mav. "Pepsi, you're here. I didn't know you were back at work. How are you?"

Here we go again. "I'm fine. So what brings you here?" I asked her.

"Oh, I have a magazine cover to shoot," Emmy answered. "But since you're here, can you be the one doing the shoot? Pweeesh...." She even had these puppy dog eyes to convince me.

"I would, but I'm helping Mav with editing."

"No, that's okay, Pepsi," My front-desk person interrupted. "You've done enough anyway. You can do the shoot if you want to."

"I'll do it. Let me just get my camera."

My old college roommate had assistance working with her as they set up the light, and the models had to have their hair and make-up done. I helped Emmy steam the clothes that were going to be used for the shoot.

"You know, lovely, I'm glad that you're okay now," she expressed to me.

"Me too," I sighed to him.

"You need the fresh air, but you still have to take it easy on yourself."

"I know, I just can't stand being in the house and curling up on the sofa. Which reminds me, I'm staying at this inn on the north side of Barcon."

Emmy became surprised. "Loveday Inn?"

"Yup, that," I confirmed.

"I heard about it. One of my interior designer friend's family owned that place. I haven't been there, but I heard it's nice and fun."

"I can't wait to be there. Anything to get away from my house."

About a little later, I began taking pictures. Good thing I got my instincts because I was afraid of being rusty during my grieving period. However, I was able to forget my sadness when I was clicking away.

Once we were done, we had lunch together, and we usually did it in the dining area of the studio since it was a house. Imagine five people eating lunch in the banquette hall.

That time, it was Mavs turn to make us something to eat, and she made us a vegan tuna sandwich.

Whilst we were waiting, we just minded our business until I remember Linus reacted on an Instagram post he saw. "No way," He mumbled, yet we all heard him.

So our attention was on him. "What?" Jo asked since she sat next to him that time.

"Oh! sorry, it's nothing. I was just checking out a story from this travel blogger I followed," He explained. "He's coming to Barcon."

"Really? What's the name of the blogger?"

"His username is TravelRoy."

"Pfft... how original," Mav chuckled. She was listening while making the sandwiches.

"But his name is Roy Arias," Linus answered.

"Hmmph... Can I see his account?" Emmy asked. Linus handed his phone to her. She and I took a look at this blogger's account.

I was impressed. From the looks of his posts, it was like he went everywhere in the globe. "Wow! He went to Antarctica. I wonder how he did that?"

"Oh, his Dad is a scientist there," our only male photographer mentioned.

"That's such a cool perk." Emmy admired, then continued scrolling down. "Look, he went to the Pyramids of Giza."

"Cool." I took the phone from her hand and checked out the other photos. I scrolled down more until I noticed something odd. Maybe not odd per se. "Hmm... He has no photos of him."

Linus shrugged as I returned his phone. "I just thought that he's camera shy."

"Hmm... Maybe." Didn't think much of it that time.

It was great to have friends eating together and joking together. "Wow, you make a vegan tuna sandwich that tastes like an actual tuna sandwich," Jo said.

"That's the idea," Mav replied while chewing on the food she made. "But sorry, Peps, I have to say, I miss the jams that Topher's mom made."

"Me too," Emmy agreed.

"Yeah, they were great," I replied. "I miss them too. I wish they didn't have to leave."

"I remembered how Topher would bring them directly to us, and he would make the most delicious beef stew that he learned from Europe." Jo began to reminisce with us.

"Oh! And that Argentinian pork ribs," Linus added. I swore I saw his mouth watered just picturing it. It was very good.

"That was my favorite," I giggled. "He's the only one who cooks between us."

"Topher was so great," Jo sighed. "I miss him."

"We all miss him," Emmy moaned. "He was such a great guy and a great friend to all of us. He's hard to forget."

"To Topher." Linus raised a glass of juice like he was giving a toast. "Wherever he is now, I know he'll watch over us."

So we all did the same. "To Topher."

After hearing them, it made me realize that even though it was hard on me that he was gone, seeing these people around me missing Topher just as much as I do seemed very touching to know that there were so many people who loved him.

----

The day finally came when I had to leave for the inn. I carried my weekend bag to my Vespa. I locked the doors first, put on my helmet for safety, then got on the scooter and drove off.

On my way, I passed by the blueberry farm. It was the farm where Ariel got her jams. Topher would help her whenever he was in town, and I would come along too to pick the berries. It was one of the happiest times that I love to remember.

The view of the field was stunning as I rode the quiet highway. So I decided to stop the scooter and took out my camera to take a picture of the scenery. It was like a painting that came to life.

As I took a photo of the farm, it made me wonder. Was this how Topher was when he stopped everything to just take a photo of this breathtaking scene?

I decided to just stay for a little longer because I was not expected to arrive at the inn for another hour.

That time, I wished I was an artist just sitting there with a canvas and easel with a palette on one hand and brush on the other, but I'm not.

Photography is the same thing anyway, except instead of the long process, we wait for the right lighting and movement, then click!

Anyway, I took my time admiring the view with the fresh mountain breeze blowing at me as I watched the farmers picking the blueberries. I waved at them since I knew some of them.

I remember I decided to take more and more pictures, then I shifted my view a little bit downward to get an aerial view the best way I could.

That was when I saw him.

You see, there was another highway across the highway where I stood with the blueberry farmland in the middle. I noticed a car stopped like I did, and the window from the backseat was pulled down.

After that, a guy's head emerged, and I kid you not, that I nearly lost my grip when I saw his face through the lenses.

That... that caramel-colored bowl-cut hair, and that... nose.

I think I even uttered, "Topher?"

I froze as I watched him take out his phone to picture the farm. Oh my Gosh! He had that same smile of content just like Topher when he was finished. He went back inside, then pulled the window up and drove away.

My eyes could pop out of the socket, and my mouth dropped to the ground.

I even fell to my knees, and my chest was tightening from the overwhelming shock at that time.

I was able to get back to my senses after taking a few deep breaths.

I thought my mind was playing tricks on me.

It happens.

I remember after my Dad passed away, it was a very sad time for me that I saw every Dad look like mine.

I guess everyone goes through that, especially when they are grieving. Right?

A minute later, I shook that image off my head, then got on the scooter again and left the farm. However, when I was riding up a hill, I still could not shake it off completely.

It was like my brain was arguing with my heart while I was on my way to the inn.

My brain was like, "No, it's not Topher."

My heart was like, "That's Topher."

"No, Topher is dead."

"No, he's not."

"I saw the body."

"But, why was he standing over there?"

STOP IT!!

My mind was right. That was not Topher, and I might think that I had seen him because I miss him so badly.

About ten minutes later, I arrived at the stunning Tudor-like house, and the garden in the front yard was full of flowers with the signage at the front. There was a gardener with a friendly face watering them. Also, he looked like Mario with that mustache, hat, and overalls. "Good day," he greeted. "Are you going to stay in the inn?"

"Yes, I am," I answered as I got off my scooter and carried my bag.

"Ms. Regis," the man called out as he stopped working and walked towards me. "Here, let me carry your bags."

"Thank you."

"Coming!" I heard the voice of a woman chiming from the inside of the house. A second later, a woman with big curly hair, taller around my height, a little younger than my mother, slimmer, and wearing a linen maxi dress came out from the front door. "Welcome to Loveday Inn."

"It's lovely," I said to her.

"Come inside, it's getting cold out here. I'm Ms. Regis, I am the manager of the Loveday Inn."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Audrey Picardi."

When we came inside, the gardener put my bags down so he could go back to work.

It was the coziest place I had ever been in my own life. It had its old-timey structure with a modern touch.

"By the way, Rosy Blaire was a classmate of mine in Durnam. Is she around?" I asked while I was checking in for the room I booked.

"No, she's out of town for a project," Ms. Regis answered.

"Oh! that's too bad."

Suddenly, a young staff member popped by coming from the dining area. "I can't believe Roy Arias will be staying here," He expressed his excitement to the manager.

I didn't mean to listen as I wrote down my details in the record book, but I couldn't help it since my friends were talking about it a few days ago.

"Who?" The manager asked and weirdly looked at him.

"The travel blogger," the guy reminded. "It's funny because his IG stories say he's already here when he has to check in two days."

"I don't know, and will you excuse me, I need to check in this guest first." Ms. Regis was referring to me.

I saw him look embarrassed. "Sorry."

"Also, can you please help the nice lady with her bags?" Then the woman turned to me. "Here's your keys."

"On it." He turned to me. "Hi! I'm Barry, I'm the bellboy and waiter." He lifted my weekender bag and went up the stairs as I followed behind him.

We got to my room, and Barry put my bags at the side. I gave him a tip and then thanked me before leaving.

The room was not as flamboyant as my grandparents', but in a good way. Plain cream walls, wood accents on the ceiling, a wide window bay, and a queen-size bed with black frames.

I looked out the window to see that my view was the backyard and the hiking trails. Afterward, I dropped myself on the bed to take a short nap before exploring the place a bit.