"Where've you been?" He sat in the chair, positioned in the corner of the room as Alex entered, catching her off guard. She jumped, swallowing nervously as he closed the door behind her. She tried to make herself small as she approached Ronnie, searching her brain for an answer. "I called you."
"I'm sorry," she said. "My phone died. I was out with a friend."
"Convenient," he replied, shaking his head at Alex. "Always an excuse with you. So, what friend?" he asked, standing up and walking over to Alex. He lifted his hand and Alex flinched, expecting a slap or something but all he did was brush a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Sharon," she answered, ignoring his first comment about her always having an excuse. She didn't want to annoy him, not this late at night. "We went shopping. I didn't get anything, though. Didn't find anything I liked."
"Hm," Ronnie replied, dropping his hand as he thought over what she said. "Shame. You could use a wardrobe update. You're starting to dress lazily," he added, looking her over in her faded jeans and baggy shirt. Alex looked up at him and glared for a split second, then wiped her face so it was emotionless. Ronnie was about to walk away when his eyes narrowed at Alex. "I smell cigarettes and cologne. Were you two alone?" he asked.
Alex hesitated, unsure whether or not to tell him they'd run into Sharon's brother, who was visiting his sister while on leave from the military. At her hesitation, Ronnie shook his head and grew bitter. "I should've known," he said, right before slapping her.
At that point in the dream, Alex startled awake, her temple pressed against the cool glass of the bus. She swallowed hard like she had in the dream, though it hadn't really been a dream. It had happened not too long ago. Her rapid breathing slowed down, though her head still hurt. She closed her eyes, squeezing them shut for several moments before opening them again and looking out the window. The sun was rising, it's warm yellow glow warming the window and her face. She wasn't sure where she was, but it was beautiful outside. There were never-ending fields of wildflowers, all vibrant colors – blue, red, purple, yellow and white – and the ice from the cold morning was slowly melting as the sun rose higher and higher.
Sighing, Alex finally looked away from the field and around the bus, lowering her legs – which had been tucked against her chest – to the floor. She reached into her bag and pulled out her cell phone, checking the time. Almost seven in the morning, she noted, before putting her phone in her pocket. She sat back against her seat, resting her head against the window again and wrapping her arms around herself.
She had run away four days ago and so far she'd been on five or six different buses. Her goal was to get as far away from New Jersey as possible. How it had taken her so long to leave, she wasn't sure. She didn't know why she'd left sooner. No, scratch that. She did. She'd been scared. And she'd also felt like a part of her deserved the abuse and that she couldn't do better. Alex had finally had the last straw, though. She'd finally broken. What happened that night was still vivid and in her mind, not letting her rest or relax. She was on guard constantly.
When the bus started to slow down and make a turn, Alex looked ahead and saw they were stopping at a general store. She took a deep breath and began to run her fingers through her hair, fixing it so she didn't look like some homeless bum. She did, though. At least, she thought so. She hadn't had much time to pack, so she'd only taken the essentials. She hated that she'd left almost all of her makeup and good dresses behind. All she had in terms of cosmetics was the little travel sized bag she always carried with her on her bag – powder foundation, chap stick, her favorite eye shadow, and a mini bottle of moisturizer. And she could really use a shower. It'd been a couple days since she'd felt hot water on her body.
When the bus pulled up in front of the general store, Alex waited until most everyone had vacated their seats before she got up and joined the others, taking her only luggage with her – her messenger bag. Everything she currently owned was in it and she didn't want to take any chances. As she stretched after getting off the bus, she looked around and at the license plates. There were a few different states listed on them, so they weren't much help. However, there were more California license plates than any other, so she safely bet that's where she was. When someone bumped into her, she jumped and stepped away, making herself small as she hurried into the general store. She slipped past a couple she recognized from the bus and went up to the register. "Excuse me," she said, getting the attention of the employee. When he turned around, he smiled at her and she blushed slightly. He was good looking, tall, very well built. He was a lot better looking than Ronnie. "Um, where's the restroom?" she asked.
"Back there," he said, pointing towards the back of the general store. Alex nodded and thanked him, then hurried in that direction. He watched her go, studying her curiously before his attention was required by another customer.
Alex slipped into the bathroom and checked under the stalls, relieved she had the bathroom to herself. For now, at least. She set her bag down on the ground under the sink and turned the faucet on, cupping her hands underneath the cold water and then splashing her face with it. She sighed, feeling rejuvenated already as she wet her face a second time. She grabbed a towel from the dispenser and dried her face, then dug around in her bag for a brush. She quickly brushed her hair and then tied it up, partially satisfied at how collected she looked. She took a deep breath as she studied herself in the mirror, the bruise around her eye now showing since she'd washed her face. Sighing, Alex dug out her powder foundation from her bag and started to press the powder around her eye and face, trying to make everything blend as she hid the bruise. She'd have to buy some foundation here, if there was any.
Done in the bathroom, Alex grabbed her bag and joined everyone else in the store. She browsed the aisles, grabbing some chips, a package of ho-ho's, and a bottle of water. She found a small section for makeup and looked at it in dismay. There wasn't much. Everything in this store seemed more for, well... there wasn't much personal items in the store. She didn't want to waste what little money she had, so Alex passed on the poor collection of cosmetics and went to stand in line to pay for her items. As she was waiting in line, a dog suddenly appeared and began sniffing her. She looked down, a bit nervous but at the same time amused. The dog was pretty, she thought, as she reached down and pet him. She straightened and took a few steps forward as the line got shorter and the dog followed her, apparently deciding she was his new friend.
The black and white border collie sat down and stared up at Alex, his tail sweeping back and forth on the floor. Alex let out a laugh and shook her head. "Zeus," she heard someone say to the dog, but the dog didn't react. He continued to sit there, staring at Alex. At the sound of a whistle, Alex turned her head to see that the person talking to the dog was the cashier. The cute cashier. "Zeus, come on, boy. Leave the young lady be. She's got nothing for you."
Alex looked back at the dog – Zeus – and Zeus looked at her as if to ask if she had something for him or not. When she shook her head with a regretful look on her face, Zeus got up and ran to his owner behind the counter. "And here I thought you liked me for me," she said to the dog, going to stand at the counter since it was now her turn to pay.
"Sorry," the owner apologized, counting up her expense for her purchases. "He's like that with everyone, especially the pretty girls." He grinned at Alex and then looked down, grabbing a bag for her things.
"Like owner, like dog?" she asked, grinning and then looking down as well.
He looked back up at her, laughing at her words. When she looked up and saw his smile, Alex couldn't help but to smile as well. It was infectious, his laughter, and his smile was nice. It reached his eyes, a rare thing to see nowadays. "Something like that. Um, that'll be 8.50," he added, taking a ten from Alex and giving her her change back.
Alex chuckled a bit and then handed her money over and accepted the change. She took the bag from him, putting it in her own messenger bag. "Bye, Zeus," she said to the dog, and he barked back at her. She laughed, nodding goodbye to the cashier and then headed outside, unaware the dog's owner was watching her.
Looking around, Alex decided to go stand on the pier and gazed out at the ocean in front of her. When a slight breeze blew through, rusting her hair and tickling the back of her neck, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She heard the murmur of people talking and laughing, heard a car horn honk, heard some canine barking. When she opened her eyes, she got this weird sensation that this just might be the place to stay. It was silly, really. She wanted to stay in a place she didn't even know the name of. It was just one of those things, though. She was starting to feel like this was the right place. Also, she was sick of being on the bus and not getting to shower or eat real food. She'd been eating chips and other junk food for days.
Turning around and leaning against the pier with her arms crossed, she studied the surrounding area. Everyone she saw looked like locals, just by the way they dressed and acted. She could pin point the tourists and the people from the bus. Everyone looked nice, but were they truly nice? There was only one way to find out, she thought.
"Five minutes!" shouted the bus driver, and Alex glanced at the bus. She chewed on her bottom lip, contemplating on whether to stay or get back on the bus. Another minute passed, then another and another. This was a seemingly nice place. And it was California. It'd be expensive here, but she could make it work. She wasn't the superfluous spending type. She only bought what she needed and splurged once, like, every six months.
Another minute.
She'd heard people talk about California, how perfect the weather is here. Not too hot, not too cold. It was only unbearably hot one day out of the year and the rest of the time it was nice and cool. People she knew also said it was one of the most gorgeous states. She'd always wanted to live by the water, too. Maybe she could find a nice beach side apartment for rent.
Another minute. Thirty seconds. Fifteen seconds. Five seconds.
Not realizing it, Alex held her breath and dug her fingertips into the wooden railing of the pier, watching as everyone boarded the bus again. Ever so slowly, it pulled out of the parking lot and got back on the highway. When it was gone, Alex let out a heavy breath and smiled. Turning around, she looked back out at the water. "Home sweet home," she said.
Pushing herself away from the pier, Alex went back to the general store. Outside, she saw a stand with some free maps and travel guides, so she took one of each and started walking. She walked until she came across a small but reasonably looking, well-kept motel. It was better than sleeping outside, and much better than a bus.
"Hello?" she called out, knocking on the door as she stepped inside. It was actually kind of cute, she realized, as she looked around. It looked like it was kept by a woman, and she only hope she was right. She didn't want to end up owing money to a typically sleezy motel manager. "Anyone here?" she called out again, walking over to a wall covered with pictures. Alex studied them and smiled at the old woman in all of them. Well, not old, per se. She looked to be in her mid-sixties.
"Taken last year," came a voice behind Alex, which startled her and made her gasp and jump. She burst out laughing a second later, feeling stupid for being so easily spooked. She wrapped her arms around herself and took a step back, studying the woman before her and realizing it was the same woman in all the photos on the wall. "Sorry to startle you, dear," the woman added. She had graying hair tied up in a bun, wearing a light-looking white sundress and a cardigan. She looked like everyone's dream grandmother. All sweet and kind and loving. She instantly felt jealous of this woman's own kids and grandchildren.
"No, it's fine, um, I'm just tired. I was hoping you have a room available?" she asked, getting straight to the point.
"Ah, you're in luck," she said, her features forming into a grin and her whole visage springing to life. "I've one room left and it is yours," she added, placing her frail hand gently on Alex's arm and gesturing for her to follow. "I'm Annette, by the way," the old woman said, as she went behind the counter and found the room key for Alex.
"Alex," she replied, smiling. Annette, she said over in her head. She would've pegged her for a Sarah or Margaret, not sure why. She liked Annette, though. "And thank you." Alex smiled gratefully as Annette handed the room key over and then studied Alex.
"You're new here, aren't you?" she asked. "I haven't seen you here before and I have a damn good memory for an old geezer."
Alex laughed, shrugging. "Yeah, I'm new. I came with the bus that just recently stopped at the general store," she said, making sure she didn't ramble on.
"Ah, I see. Well, welcome to Mendocino. It's a pleasure to see a pretty new face." Annette studied Alex further, eventually frowning as she focused on the spot around Alex's eye, which caused Alex to shift uncomfortably and then look down.
"Um, so how much is it?" Alex asked, looking back up as she dug her wallet out of her bag.
"Oh, don't you even think about it," Annette replied, waving her hand at Alex. "First night is free. You look like you could use a warm shower and some sleep, so you go right on in and get settled in. I'll come around with towels in a few minutes."
"Thank you so much," Alex said, surprised by her kindness. It was strange to her, for someone who didn't even know her to give her a free room for one night. Nonetheless, she was deeply thankful and didn't waste a moment to go find her room and fall back on the bed.
Staring up at the ceiling, Alex smiled to herself and then sat up a moment later. She looked around, admiring the cozy little room. It was a typical motel room, but there were personal touches here and there to make it look more than that. She loved it. She wanted to take a shower, but waited until Annette stopped by with the towels. As soon as she did, Alex thanked her again and then hopped in the shower.
When the warm water hit her skin, Alex lifted her hands to her chest and laughed, closing her eyes as she turned around and dipped her head forward, sighing with relief as the warm water hit her neck and soothed her aching muscles. She took her time in the shower, enjoying the fresh water. Once she was done, she got out and wrapped a towel around herself, wringing her hair out with her hands. She thought about getting it cut, wondering if there was a cheap but good place in town.
Before she thought about that, though, she'd have to find a job so she could afford more than just a motel room. She needed clothes, food, and other things a woman needed. Things any normal human being needed. She was already embracing her new life, making plans.
Dumping the contents of her bag onto the bed, Alex placed her hands on her hips and bit her bottom lip. "Well, that won't do," she murmured. She only had one pair of jeans, one pair of shorts, five changes of panties, two bras, no socks, only the sandals she was wearing. And then there was the stuff she'd gotten at the general store.
Getting dressed again, Alex left her room and made sure it was locked, going back to the main building to find Annette. "Annette?" Alex called out, and the old lady poked her head around the corner, smiling at Alex.
"Everything okay, dear?" she asked, walking up to Alex.
"Yeah, everything's perfect. I was just wondering, I don't want to stay here forever so I was hoping you might know of some cheap places for rent here?" she asked, biting her lip again.
"Hmm, not much around here is cheap, unfortunately. However," she continued, a light bulb going off in her head. "My son-in-law recently fixed up my old family cabin nearby. It's only the two of us now and he's moved back to New York, so the cabin is mine basically. I don't need it, though. Have a place of my own plus I can't be too far from here. It's yours, if you want it."
"Oh, no, I can't – I mean -" she broke off, once again flustered and taken aback by the woman's kindness. Taking a room from her without charge was one thing, but to live in her family cabin for free? That was another. That was big. "I couldn't. You've already been far too kind to me by giving me one night here for free..."
Alex trailed off and Annette picked up where she left off. "Don't be silly. The truth is, you remind me of my daughter, Caroline." Annette sighed and studied Alex fondly. "Besides, it is my cabin and my choice. And I'd love for you to take it so it's not always so empty. If you don't want to feel useless, I could always come over twice a week and you can cook us dinner. I'm a lonely old lady who could use some company. You'd have to pay the bills, though. How's that?"
Alex hesitated, still unsure if she should accept Annette's proposal. She highly doubted she'd meet any other person this kind, this helpful as Annette. She was one of a kind, one of those rare generous human beings. "I'm not much of a cook," she admitted.
"Well, I am and I can teach you," Annette countered, smiling.
Alex thought it over some more, chewing on her bottom lip and staring at Annette intently, close to saying she'd accept her hospitality. "Deal," she finally said, letting out a breath. Had she just agreed to live in a place she didn't even know the condition of? She didn't think Annette would let her stay in a dilapidated house, though.
"Wonderful," she said, smiling widely. "I'll take you there tomorrow. How's eight sound? Eight in the morning?"
"Sounds good," Alex said. "Thank you. So much. I don't – I really don't know how to repay you," she continued, sighing a bit sadly.
"You're already doing it," she said, smiling knowingly at Alex. "Now go get some sleep or something to eat," she continued, clucking as she looked Alex over. "You're far too thin, my dear." Annette grinned and then turned around and headed to the back once more.
Alex shook her head and went back to her room, eating the bag of chips and the ho-ho's. She took a sip of water and then took her jeans off, getting into bed in just her shirt and underwear. She fell asleep immediately, sinking into the bed and once more into her dreams.
The next morning, she woke up and for a split second forgot where she was. Looking around the motel room, it all came back to her. How she'd left Ronnie, traveled on half a dozen different buses before finally finding Mendocino and meeting Annette.
Annette. Alex quickly sat up and checked the time on the clock. Five minutes to eight. Cursing, Alex flung herself out of bed and threw on yesterday's clothes and brushed her hair. She rinsed her mouth with some water and then hurried to the main building, looking for Annette.
"For a second I thought you'd forgotten our deal," Annette said, smiling when she saw Alex. She slowly stood up, wincing a bit as she did and walked over to Alex.
"No, I just – I was more exhausted than I thought," she said, following Annette outside.
Annette looked her over once they were outside, noticing she was wearing the same clothes as yesterday and also noticing the bags under her eyes as well as the trace of a bruise hidden by makeup. Alex cursed yet again, wishing she'd remembered to put more foundation around her eye. "You drive," Annette said, handing the car keys to Alex.
Alex stopped in her tracks when she saw the car Annette had led them to and started to laugh. "This is yours?" she asked, walking around the Camaro. She ran her fingertips lightly along the car until she reached the driver's seat.
"1967," Annette said, smiling as she watched Alex admire the car. "Cars are my one weakness. I've had this for over thirty years," she continued, petting the hood as she walked over and got in the passenger's seat.
"Lucky," Alex whispered, getting in the driver's seat. She started the ignition, smiling as she heard the engine purr. She was a bit nervous to drive such a classic, so she pulled slowly out of the parking lot and continued to drive cautiously until she got on the road.
"Come on, Alex," Annette chided, shaking her head. "The hood's down and it's a beautiful day. Don't drive like a girl," she added, smirking.
Looking at Annette a bit incredulously, Alex shook her head as well and then did as the old woman suggested. She pressed down on the gas pedal and started driving a bit faster. She stopped at 60 miles per hour. With the hood down, the wind created by the speed of the car whipped Alex's hair around and slapped her awake.
Annette just smiled at Alex and remained quiet until they got to the cabin. It was a good distance away from the motel. It'd be a long, long walk from there into town, Alex thought. Parking the car, Alex got out and stretched as she looked around.
The area was secluded, surrounded by an array of trees. She saw some wildflowers here and there, the same she'd seen in the field. She picked one and sniffed it, holding it against her chest as she walked around the cabin.
"A Redwood Violet," Annette said approvingly as she looked at the wildflower Alex was holding. "They're considered good luck to some women, and to dream of them is a promise of advancement in life," she said, a bit of a nerd when it came to wildflowers. There was a lot more she knew about violets, fun little facts, but she kept quiet, not wanting to bore Alex.
"It's very pretty," she said, looking down at the flower. She lifted it to her face again and rubbed it against her cheek as she studied the cabin. "The cabin is pretty from out here. How's it inside?" she asked, and Annette gestured for Alex to follow.
Leading the way inside, Annette drew the curtains back and opened the windows to air the cabin out. It was bare right now, only containing curtains and a single loveseat, a table, and a bookshelf down here. "You've already got everything you need here," she said. "There's a bed upstairs, a refrigerator in the kitchen. All you need to do is buy some supplies. Food and beverages, you know. I can come by tomorrow with kitchenware if you want. I have some extra pans and spoons I can give you."
"It's perfect," she said, walking from room to room. There was a spot in the kitchen, a wall left unpainted. She knelt down and opened the paint can. Empty. She tipped it back to look at the color, making note of it so she could stop by the general store and see if they had the color. "Thank you so much, Annette," Alex said, joining Annette in the living room again.
"It's my pleasure," she replied, cupping Alex's cheek for a brief second. She didn't miss the flinch as she lifted her hand to cup Alex's face, pretending like she hadn't seen it. "Now come on, I'll treat us to breakfast," she added, slipping her arm around Alex.
At the mention of food, her stomach growled and Alex rubbed her lips together as she followed Annette back out to the car. She drove again, not hesitating to drive fast this time and enjoy the wind in her hair. She followed Annette's directions, going to a diner Annette promised was very good, food and service wise, and had nice people.
Marie's diner was a quaint little building, a sign with Marie's written in a calligraphy script. Alex got out of the car and followed Annette inside, who went straight over to a table by the window. Alex hesitated, but since no one was stopping them she sat across from Annette.
"Get whatever you want," Annette said. "It's on me." Alex opened her mouth to protest, but Annette cut her off. "Don't argue with an old woman," she warned teasingly, smiling at Alex.
Sighing, Alex was reluctant to accept more kindness from her, but she caved in and decided to go with the flow. She'd sneak in a ten for the tip, feeling better about that. She grabbed a menu that was propped up on the table and looked it over for several minutes. Everything sounded so good and since she was starving, she thought she'd eat just about anything.
"Annette, hey," came a male voice. A very familiar male voice. Alex looked up quickly and then back down at her menu. It was the man from the general store. Zeus's owner. For some odd reason, Alex felt awkward and shy. She'd always been awkward and on occasion shy, but not like this. She felt the man's eyes on her, but when she looked up at him again he was looking and smiling at Annette.
"Sean, my dear," Annette said, reaching out with both of her hands and grasping one of Sean's in hers. "It's so good to see you. How's your morning going?" she asked.
"Good to see you, too," Sean said, leaning down to kiss Annette's hands, which earned him a little smile and blush. "My morning is going well. Just finished up eating and am about to go to the general store to open up."
"Good, good," Annette murmured, and then turned to Alex. "Ah, silly me," she said, grinning mischievously. She let go of Sean's hands and then introduced the two young people. "Sean Pierce, this is Alex. A new friend of mine. Alex, dear, this is Sean. He runs-"
"The general store, I know," she said, smiling politely at Sean. "It's nice to meet you again, Sean."
"It's nice to see you again, too," Sean replied, gazing at her in a way that made Alex a bit self-conscious. Shaking some sense into himself, Sean held out his hand and Alex took it after staring at it for a brief moment. As their hands touched, his warm hand closing around hers, an unsettling sensation passed through her. When she let go, her hand still tingled from their contact. "We met yesterday," he explained to Annette, who made a face as she realized this. "So you decided to stay?" he asked, knowing she had been on the bus.
"Yeah, decided to stay. Seemed like a good place," she added, smiling at him.
"Mendocino is wonderful. Lots of great people here." He studied her, admired her more this time around. He noticed certain features of her face he thought were cute, like how pointy the tip of her nose was, her graceful cheekbones, the curve of her lips and neck, her blue eyes. When he realized he was staring again, he took a deep breath and then turned to Annette. "I'll... see you later," he said, and then bid them farewell.
Alex looked away again, playing the frayed edge of her menu as Sean had studied her again, trying not to let her cheeks flush with pleasure. She looked up when he left and then, hunched over in her seat, she turned her head and looked out the window. He was parked right outside, in a spot where she could see him perfectly. She smiled when she saw Zeus in the back of his truck, the dog's tail wagging back and forth with enthusiasm as Sean approached and pet him.
She watched him until he was gone and she was left alone with Annette. Oh boy. This was going to be interesting.
