I added to my fictional story today. My wings are clipped since my car is in the shop until tomorrow, but I enjoyed staying at home, curled up with the pups, and writing to my heart’s content.

Here’s a small portion of what I added…

Pine Creek

I exited the bus at Pine Creek Square and looked around the small mountain town. The large fountain graced the plaza’s center, just as I had remembered. Some children sat on the edge with their feet dangling into the cool water. I smiled as I remembered how Dallas, Jayden, and I would sit around the fountain. Sometimes we would throw in spare change and make a wish, and we always believed that, eventually, those wishes would come true.

It was just a few minutes past 4:00; I knew I would have to hurry to my grandmother’s flower shop before it closed for the day. It was nearby, for the town’s main street jutted to the west of the town’s square. I stayed in the back of the line as travelers waited for the driver to pull luggage from the undercarriage bin. People gave me sideway glances and sympathetic stares. My swollen eye looked painful, and the bruises even made me gasp when I first looked in a mirror. I tugged at my hoodie, trying to block the stares around me. I sighed since I just wanted to get home. Home, the thought made me smile. I could not wait to see Gram and move back to the little cottage that had brought me so much joy over the years.

As I lingered, I silently rehearsed what I would say to my grandmother. I hadn’t seen the woman since I was thirteen years old. It had been over four years, and I wondered how she would react when I showed up on her doorstep unannounced. 

Gram and Mama had a falling out the last summer we visited. Mama never told me what had transpired. I just knew Mama walked away and never looked back. Before we left, Gram hugged me close and whispered that she had slipped something into my bag. Later, I found a floral notecard and the locket her grandmother gave her when Gram was just a girl. She had placed five one hundred dollar bills inside the card and told me to save the money for an emergency. I pulled the note from my bag and unfolded the worn card. The ink had faded, but the love from my grandmother still made its mark. Tears welled in my eyes when I read; Your room will always be ready when you decide to find your way home.

Instinctively, I reached for the locket I had worn over the years. I ran my fingers over the worn antique pendant. I could feel the raised edges of the mother bird swooping in to sit on her nest of bird eggs. Inside the antique locket was a picture of my Gram and her grandmother, Anna. It made me smile. From the moment I opened it, I treasured this token from my grandmother. It was a constant reminder of her love.

Staring around Pine Creek’s plaza, I remembered all the times Gram and I ventured into the shops and cafes of this quaint mountain town. When I looked at the mountains, I recalled our hikes and picnics. I deeply breathed in the cool mountain air, catching a hint of pine. For the first time in a long time, I relaxed. Soon, I would once again return to the only real home I had ever known.

Photo by JC Bonassin on Unsplash