Hey whoever's still out there! Hope you're well. This plot bunny got in my head and wouldn't leave.
I'm still working on my other stories but this overtook them a bit.
Sorry about any editing or awkward writing moments (still getting back into the swing of things).
Plot may take a little while to get going but this is definitely gonna be a romance :) at least that's my hope lol.
Please let me know what you think!
Chapter One – Gone
"… Look at you, out to make a deal.
You try to be appealing, but you lose your appeal.
And what about those shoes you're in today?
They'll do no good, on the bridges you burnt along the way..."
– Jack Johnson
Gwendolyn Aurora Barker the Second.
It was really quite cute actually.
She still remembered making a big stink about why her brother had a third after his name and why got stuck with nothing after hers. Even though her mother was Gwendolyn too.
He'd clapped his hands together in front his wide smiling face and declared that it wasn't fair and that from now on Gwen would be referred to as 'Gwendolyn Aurora Barker the Second'.
Gwen had taken such pleasure in that announcement at the time, but eventually she had grown out of it unfortunately her father had not.
Gwen sighed. Of course her father would make a big deal out of it.
Apparently, Gwendolyn Aurora Barker the Second was having a long awaited recital in the front living room at 7pm sharp.
She played with the edge of the heavy embossed card the invite had been printed on.
'Only the best.' She smiled down at the card thinking of her father's warm brown eyes.
She caught a glimpse of herself in her bedroom mirror and quickly wiped the smile off her face.
She knew 'good girls' weren't meant to openly happy about expensive and luxury items. 'Good girls' were meant to be humble and modest about their gifts and possessions.
True, Gwen didn't have many nice things but what she had made her feel amazing and she had a hard time remembering to be a good girl and hide that... sometimes.
Most of the time her mother's voice rang in her ears and reminded Gwen of how she was supposed to behave.
Prim and proper. Her brother used to tease her. 'Daddy's little princess.'
Gwen's glanced at the clock on her bedside table. 6:55pm. She straightened the delicate blue ribbon holding back her dark brown hair.
When he said 7pm he meant 7pm.
She barely let herself register the tick at the corner of her mouth, before she widened her lips into a full out smile. Clapping her hands together she cracked her knuckles and winked at her reflection. "Better get to it!"
The sound of crashing keys and screeching metal clawed their way out of her head and caused Gwen to jolt out of her hazy memory.
She blinked water from her light brown eyes.
"Go away. Go away. Go away." She muttered to herself putting the gas pump she'd been using back in its cradle. She discreetly wiped her nose and turned back to look over the top of her car at the gorgeous pink sky. The sun was setting, sinking down past the rows of beach front houses that sat further down the pine covered slopes beneath the road where she was standing.
It had felt so real.
Sniffing Gwen ignored the lump in her throat and the fact that these memories seemed to be hitting her harder and with increasing frequency.
'It's meant to be getting better with time.'
That's what Dr. Nerow had said when she'd told him she wasn't going to be finishing college.
Gwen scuffed her well-worn open toe sandals at the tire of her father's car. She thought of her mother's approving eye at the cinched green velvet over her feet and the ties of the sandal wound up and knotted in a bow just above her ankle.
She had changed a few miles back and hoped that the effort would be appreciated. It was strange how comfortable the new Gwen had felt when she'd slipped her old clothes back on.
It was cold but why should that matter? As her mother would say.
These shoes had lasted years. Much long than any reasonable person would expect. But Gwen had been very particular about her possessions. 'Especially now.' She thought of the boxes and suitcase piled in the back seat and trunk of the car.
Good girls don't drop out her mother's voice had whispered through her mind when Gwen had spoken with Dr. Nerow. Maybe that's why Gwen had let herself be talked into a yearlong program at a community college.
'Yes, poor you Gwen.' She bit the inside of her cheek. She really should have been grateful for all the opportunities that had been held out in front of her.
She had turned down a partial scholarship to a highly regarded school and somehow had managed to still get some sort of post-secondary certification. She had gotten what she'd deserved after everything.
'Boo hoo for you Gwenie.' Her brother's smirking face filled her head.
She wondered if he was smiling wherever he was now.
She hoped he was. The thought caused a small smile to flicker at the edges of her mouth.
"You all right Miss?"
Gwen spun on her heel, causing the skirt of her floral dress to billow out. Gwen quickly moved to ensure it stayed down, her heart briefly thumping at the fabric lifting to high and showing what was hidden so carefully underneath.
She saw the gas station attendant standing in the doorway of the station's shop.
She didn't recognize him and wondered for a moment if she should ask about old Bill Johnson who owned the place and would never once leave the station in the hands of another person.
'Unless he doesn't own it anymore…' a little stab of uncertainty hit at her heart. She should have realized when she had paid on the automated pump instead of inside the store. How much else had changed?
As the young red haired attendant watch her waiting, she felt like a stupid little girl for even coming back.
'It's only been two years Gwen.' She breathed holding on to Dr. Nerow's words on how to ground herself. 'Thing's will have changed. But it's not the end of the world.'
Realizing she had been silent for a good minute and a half since the attendant had asked his question, Gwen cleared her throat.
"Sorry," she gave him a charming smile that her mother would have been proud of, "I'm just a little lost in thought."
The attendant grinned in response. "No problem. Just wanted to make sure you were ok."
Gwen tried to keep her skin from bristling at that comment. Apparently everyone seemed to think she needed checking up on. Even complete strangers.
"I'm fine thanks." She responded smile still in place and doing her best not to sound sharp. "Is Bill around?" Gwen asked quickly before she could really think.
The attendant frowned for a moment. "You know him?"
"I used to live in the area. He'd always let me swipe a few extra gummy worms." She gave a genuine smile at that memory.
"He's doing ok. I'm watching the place for a couple of weeks. He headed out to Sacramento his daughter's getting married."
"June's getting married?" Gwen gaped. Her mind reeling off to what felt like a flood of memories. June.
They had been inseparable at during school. They'd braided each other's hair, gone to Brownies together, they stayed up all night talking during sleepovers. They discussed in detail their plans to get married as soon as they were able so that they settle down to start making babies who would be best friends with each other too.
June. With her black hair and blue eyes. Of course June was getting married. Now.
Gwen tried not to let her emotions show, but she was having a difficult time figuring out what she was feeling let alone how to control it.
The attendant didn't seem to notice. He was rambling on about something to do with the guy June was marrying, while Gwen tried to work out how to feel.
Was this grief? Was this anger? Happiness for her friend? Betrayal? Hate?
Gwen clung to her grounding techniques as she saw all the dreams she'd had for life only a few years ago flash before her eyes.
Her feet firmly planted, she focused on the feeling of her toes curling against the hard flat soles of her shoes.
June was getting married. And Gwen had no idea. A stranger was telling her.
'Can you blame her Gwen?'
She had to admit that she hadn't really been the best friend after high school. In all honesty she had shut everyone out.
June had tried for a few months but clearly they had been headed in opposite directions.
'Sort of.' Gwen whistled out a breath.
It dawned on her that the young red head had stopped talking and that the glow of the sunset was rapidly dimming.
Gluing the smile back on her face, Gwen spoke with put on glee. "Well, that's just great!"
"Yeah…" the boy eyed her wearily. "Bill usually calls every night before closing did you want me to tell him you stopped by?"
A little jolted of panic coursed through her, "No." Gwen shook her head. "That's all right. I wanna come back and surprise him." Gwen lied in an attempt to quell the attendant's obvious concern.
"Ok…"
"Thanks for checking on me." She flashed him a bright smile and waved as she opened the driver side door of her dad's Cutlass.
"Anytime." He was grinning once again.
Gwen shut the door as soon as she was seated.
She had to maintain her composure. He was still standing in the doorway of the gas station's storefront.
Turning her key in the ignition Gwen did her best to not feel like the stupid little girl she knew that she still was.
She turned off on to the winding highway.
It was darker now. 'I won't make it.' Gwen shook her head and lightly hit the steering wheel with the palm of her hand. 'Should've called him.' She chided herself.
Gwen knew it wasn't completely her fault. She had taken more bathroom and stretching breaks then she had planned for. Those couldn't be helped. But more than that she'd been distracted and had to have taken a wrong turn somewhere. It had been so long and everything looked different in the night.
The familiar rattle of her father's car was comforting as the road grew darker and stars came out above her.
She thought that she recognized the road was hoping that her memory was serving her right.
"It's still gotta be here…" she bit her lip her wide mossy eyes scanning the road for the sign she remembered.
That thought sent her back to thinking of June and how much things had changed. 'And are going to keep changing.' Her stomach lurched.
"Go away. Go away. Go away. Go… Ahhh!"
Gwen slammed down on the break pedal of her father's car. There was a loud squeal as the car came to a halt.
She had almost missed it.
'The Seafairer Motel.'
Gwen sighed with relief. She peered out of her passenger side window to the lights were still on up at the house though the motel sign itself was not lit. But that wasn't too out of the ordinary. The Summers' rarely lit the thing even when business had been fair.
Her dad used to say it was because they couldn't afford to keep it lit.
Gwen never asked her dad how her had known that, but looking at the state of the place she could tell that it was in some seriously bad shape. Worse than when she had left town which was hard to conceive.
Pulling into the gravel covered driveway her headlights flashed to show a short haired blonde woman exiting and locking the door to the office of the motel.
The woman covered her eyes with her arm against the glare of the headlights.
Gwen quickly parked and turned off the car, she hopped out to address the woman. "Hi! How are you?"
"Nearly blind," the woman said with a light kind laugh, "but other than that fine thank you. How can I help you?"
"Oh sorry! I was hoping to get a room for the night." Gwen smiled at the woman.
"Oh well… we're not open right now."
"Oh…" Gwen's smile fell.
The woman moved closer to Gwen. Her clear blue eyes scanning her face.
"I'm sorry. I would give you a room but it's just that we only moved in ourselves." She nodded over her shoulder to the decrepit house on the hill behind the motel.
Gwen looked up towards the house and shivered. She definitely remembered that old place and by the looks of it, it had not changed one bit.
She and her friends would torture each other by daring one another to run up the steps alone on cold, dark Halloweens long past.
"The Summers' sold?" Gwen asked, her green eyes falling back down to the woman in front of her.
The woman seemed to be measuring her words before she spoke. "Not exactly. But yeah we're the owners now." Her blue eyes flitted to the house once more, "Me and my son, Norman." She explained. "I'm Norma." She held out her hand to Gwen. "Norma Bates."
"Nice to meet you..." Gwen shook Norma's outstretched hand. "Um… I'm Gwen Barker." Her eyes falling to her dainty wrist watch when she drew her arm back. She'd been up since six in the morning and it was nearing eleven now.
It had been an emotional roller coaster of a day and she was about ready to drop. 'Keep it together Gwen.' She tried not to focus on her achy feet and thighs, 'Your eyes are not watering. They are not.'
"Are you..." Gwen looked up to see the older woman wearing an expression of guarded concern. "Are you okay?"
Gwen plastered that same reliable smile on her face. "Oh… you know." She waved her hands dismissively in front of her face, "I've just been on the road since 6 this morning so I'm tired. But I'm sure I'll find another motel." Gwen tried to sound convincing though judging by the elder woman's expression it hadn't worked.
"Yeah… I don't know how I feel about you driving around looking for a motel if you've been up that long." Norma looked torn for moment before her blue eyes became decisive. "You can stay here… I mean as long as you don't mind musty sheets and questionable mattress springs."
"Really?" Gwen asked suddenly feeling guilty about having pressured the kind woman addressing her. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, why not?" Norma responded with a shrug and an easily smile.
"Thank you!" Gwen resisted the urge to run up to Norma and hug her. Instead she gave her a wide grateful smile.
"Sure thing." Norma made her way back into the motel office, prompting Gwen to follow once she'd grabbed her suitcase out the backseat and unplugged her phone from the AUX jack in the car and stuffed it into her purse. "So what brings you out to White Pine Bay?" Norma asked making friendly conversation, once Gwen had entered the office.
Gwen attempt to keep her voice easy as she responded in the dim lamp light. "Oh… just family things." Watching as the blonde women made a note on a piece of paper on the desk in front of her.
"Just writing down your name. I'll get the rest of your information tomorrow." Norma explained without looking up at Gwen, she continued her affable questioning as she reached for the key to Room 9. "So, you grew up here?"
"Yeah." Gwen gave back as simple reply as she followed Norma out of the office towards the room that the key belonged to.
"That must have been nice." Norma offered with a grin, before opening the creaking door to the motel room and flicking on the light. "Are you going to be staying with your family?"
"Ah… not quite." Gwen picked at the seam on her suitcase handle.
Norma paused and looked at Gwen standing awkwardly in the doorway.
"Um." Gwen's teeth worried her bottom lip as she struggled with what to say, "My grandpa is… was the only left here... he recently passed away."
"Oh! I'm so sorry to hear that." The older woman said with sincere sympathy, "That have been must be so awful."
"It's… it wasn't great." Gwen shrugged, hoping that Norma would move on from the topic.
Clearly the blonde woman had gotten the hint, as she nodded with understanding. "Well hopefully you can get a good night's sleep in this old room. I really am sorry about the condition it's in." Norma looked around the bedroom. With distaste clear on her face she yanked the sheets that were protecting the bed and TV from dust off of their resting places.
'She and mom would've gotten along.' Gwen thought to herself. She had to admit that the sheets hadn't done the best job a guarding the furniture, room had damp odour and carpet was oddly squishy underfoot, but still it wasn't as bad as some of dorms she remembered from college.
She shivered again.
"Oh, look at you." Norma remarked at Gwen's uncomfortable appearance, "You must be exhausted and here I am blathering on and on." Norma gave Gwen's shoulder a gentle squeeze as she passed by her to exit the room. "You let me know if you need anything, sweetheart. And there's no rush in the morning. You sleep in if you need to."
"Thank you. Honestly." Gwen stated sincerely, pushing down the urge to hug this woman once more.
Closing the door behind Norma, Gwen took a moment to exhale and breathe it in.
She was back home… despite everything.
'No going back.' Her mind drifted to her life over the past months. 'I'm gone.'
Gwen didn't wash her face or change her clothes. She didn't even check her thighs. She barely remembered falling on to the bed and patting her growling stomach.
'It'll be ok.' She had thought to herself failing as always to convince herself as she drifted off into that same fitful sleep to dream of screams in the distance, lights in the window and screeching metal.
Hope that was somewhat enjoyable!
Sorry about the editing. Hope to update soon!
Please let me know what you think!