They had been driving for hours with the help of road maps, Mapquest directions and meaningless advice from gas pumpers. They were all tired and worn out, especially the mother, who had not had a single dose of rest for the past week.
I guess that's assumable. After all, moving from an entirely different continent to America can be a stressful thing. Especially when you have no money, very little to work for and even less to receive. And it's even more of a bother when the blood red sun is slicing directly into your eyes.
The mother, her silver hair sparkling in the golden light of the sky, looked over to see her son sleeping quietly in the passenger seat. She sighed and gripped the steering wheel of the Honda CRV a little tighter. With only a couple hours to go, an hour if they were lucky, the Scottish family of 3 would arrive at their new home.
The mother kept her eyes focused on the bleak and busy highway in front of her. Sadly, there was no scenery to keep her tired eyes occupied; the occasional billboard and outstretch of buildings was nothing compared to the crisp, fresh forests and mountains of Scotland. Oh, how I miss it... She thought to herself as she flicked on her turn signal to swerve to an exit.
Maybe a little bit of music will help sooth things a little. She went to press the radio power button with her finger, but stopped. I don't want to wake up my lass, now do I? She turned her head to the back seat of the car to find her 5 year old daughter, Willow, in a slightly chaotic sleeping position. With a smirk, the mother decided not to interrupt her child's dreams.
About 2 and a half hours later, the woman decided to stop at a local Wal Mart just 20 minutes from her new home. She couldn't bare to hold off her hunger for another mere 20 miles. She effortlessly parked near the front of the store and took the keys out of the ignition. Hmm, I bet the kids are hungry. Hesitantly, she gently shook her son by the shoulder.
"Eddward...? Eddward, dear?" The mother examined her son with her olive green eyes.
The teenager groaned and turned away. "Ugh..." he mumbled.
"Are you hungry?" the woman asked. "Eddward, do you want something to eat-"
"No..." Eddward's voice was barely heard. But his mother knew why her son wouldn't speak.
The mother frowned, letting her hand slide down her son's back to the armrest connected to his seat.
She shuffled around to the backseat of the car and opened the door. She elevated her daughter's head and stroked her cheek. "Willow? Come on, honey... wake up." After a few more seconds of calling her name, the little girl's eyes fluttered open.
"Mommy?" she asked with little strength.
"Are you hungry?" the mother asked, cooing as gentle as a dove.
"Yes..." Willow yawned.
"What do you want, dearest?" The older female's accent rolled off her tongue.
"A banana." Willow answered.
"A banana. That's it?" The mother tilted her head at her child.
"Mmm hmm..." Willow turned her head away from her mother. "Can I sleep now?"
"Of course." She tucked Willow under her cotton jacket and shut the car door. She peered in the passenger window of the front seat. I wish he would just... The woman shook her head and glided to the store's entrance.
Once she made her way through the automatic doors of the shopping center, her heart stopped. "Oh my..."
Wal Mart was packed! There must have been at least 600 people in the food aisles alone. What a place this was to a young woman from a foreign country who, bleakly, was a little naive on social skills. She twirled herself slowly among the carts and aisles, shelves and counters, employees and check out centers. While she was scanning the amount of frosting containers, she accidentally bumped into a man carrying many small brown paper bags.
"Oh! I'm terribly sorry I didn't-" She was cut off by the man's thick, dry voice.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, just watch where you're goin', lady." He growled under his breath and continued to walk through the aisle.
The mother's eyes widened. She placed her hand on her chest. She had never ever experienced such rudeness in her life! Well! I'll be! She thought to herself as she angrily turned around and went in search of the fruit section.
Some people just have no manners, now do they?! She marched across the dairy section, shoving through shoppers. How do YOU like it?! She pushed a certain old woman, who was looking at the different puddings, so hard that she wobbled for a few seconds then crashed to the floor.
The mother gasped and flipped around, her thin hair whirling around her. "Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry are- are you alright?" She bent down and grabbed the lady's arm, hoisting her up to her feet.
The old woman began brushing off the dust on her floppy green raincoat. "Now you look it, ma'am! You betta watch where yourself is goin'! Don't wanna trip yourself I reckon!" The woman flicked a fat finger in the mother's face.
"I'm so terribly sorry I... I had an encounter in the baking aisle that apparently set off my anger. Are you hurt or...?" She placed her hands on the old lady's arm.
"Naw, I'm alright, I'm alright." The lady shook her head. "You be talkin' funny. Where you from?"
The mother blushed. "Well, I'm from Scotland. Me and my family just moved here. I'm buying my daughter a banana. We've been traveling for hours."
"Scotland?! What are you doin' in this godforsaken continent?!" Unintentionally, the old woman (who seemed a little bit crazy) started walking off.
The mother decided to follow her. "W-Well, there were certain complications with, erm, my behavior-"
"Oh, so yous be a trouble makin' girl. Hmm, I see, I see..."
"Well, not exactly. Certain lads didn't agree with me – my, opinions on how the country should have been run. I was the head of the Scottish government-"
"Wow! You're a big girl aren't ya? Yeah. Honey I'm afraid to tell your sweet self but, our government here is a damn volcano. Always sprouting with lava and brimstone. Really unpleasant."
The mother rested her chin on her finger, thinking. "Hmm. I see..."
The African American locked their arms together and continued walking through the store's bakery. "You haven't seen nuthin, honey. Nothing yet. Now, for a little payback, lets see how good your eyes are. You gonna help me find some of my favorite crispy bread. Mmm... that stuff is good..."
The mother traveled through the various stacks of bagged bread with the old lady until they came to a wooden shelf of boxed pastries. "Hmm..." the old woman leaned forward, her gold shell shaped earrings swinging back and forth.
"What exactly are we looking for?" The mother flicked her eyes back and forth between the brown boxes. She could see decorated cookies and glazed cinnamon rolls underneath the plastic see-through tarp on the lids of the boxes. Her stomach growled. She didn't realize how hungry she was.
"Keep on talkin'. It entertains me."
The mother didn't know if the old woman complimented her or insulted her. "Uh-"
"Here." The woman dropped 2 boxes of sugar cookies in the mother's arms. "Now next we need to find some cinnamon rolls. The jumbo kind..."
The mother shook her head. This lady is interesting! I don't know what to think! She noticed that the woman was leaning against a glass refrigerator of cakes chatting with an employee. The mother jogged up next to her, gladly sitting the pastries down on the smooth tile.
The old woman turned to look at her. "What be's your name, honey?"
"Shiloh Palmer." The mother smiled. "What is yours?"
"Wynona Greene. Y'all can call me Windy. That's how everyone goes." The old woman held out her hand.
Shiloh took it. "Glad to meet you."
"Well, we actually met about 5 minutes ago but, all the same obliged." Windy chuckled deeply. A young Asian employee came to the counter and held out a cake. Windy shooed him away before Shiloh got the chance to see what was engraved on the top in pink frosting.
"What's that, lassie?" Shiloh tilted her head like a dog.
"Oh, just a little something for y'all new folks." The employee came back a moment later with the same cake, only this time it had purple flowers piped along the edges.
Windy took the cake gingerly. "Thanks, Ron." The employee nodded at her then at Shiloh. He smiled like a schoolgirl and hurried away.
"Probably thinks your pretty." Windy assured. She ejected the cake to Shiloh. "Here ya go! On the house!"
Shiloh stared at the cake. Piped on the top it said, Welcome to the USA! She was lost for words. This old woman was giving her a cake? For what cause? They were only acquaintances. They had met in a busy Wal Mart not half an hour before! This woman may be crazy... but she sure is generous.
"T-This? For me?" Shiloh's mouth gaped.
"No, for your family. For movin'. I figured you'd want something sweet. Don't ya?"
"Well, yes but I can't accept this."
"You don't need to. Accept it or not, you gonna have that cake." Windy smiled furtively.
Shiloh giggled. "Thank you, madame."
Windy rolled her eyes. "My great-grandmother is "madame". Now, let's get you to your car."
Windy escorted Shiloh back outside to the parking lot. She suddenly stopped and conveniently, pulled out a piece of paper and a pen. The piece of paper seemed to be an old receipt.
"What's your new address, honey?" She pondered Shiloh.
"Um, 593 Bernest Avenue. Why?"
"I'm gonna drop by tomorrow. I'll bring my son along. He can help y'all with unpacking and stuff. I bet you folks have a lot to take care of before school starts." Windy winked.
Shiloh forgot all about her children. That's right... School. "Well, I don't know about any of the education programs here, Wynona. I haven't looked into schooling the children yet..."
"Windy, please. And that's A-OK. When I come over tomorrow, I can set ya up on getting the kids in school. And besides, it don't start for another month or so."
Shiloh smiled. One, for having something better than a banana for her daughter and two, finding a new friend – even if she was a little crazy. "Thank you so much... Windy." Shiloh blushed.
"Baby, your cheeks be getting red. Why don't you get on over to your vehicle and I'll see y'all at 10 AM tomorrow?" Windy tapped the oversized watch on her wrist.
Shiloh nodded. "Yes, ma'am. Well, I'll see you tomorrow then, lass."
"You take care, girly." Windy shook her birch bark cane and walked off.
Shiloh sighed. She looked at the cake. "Don't worry now. You'll be eaten quicker than Eddward's flying arrow."
Shiloh hurried to the car where her children were sound asleep. She opened up the trunk and moved around a few pieces of luggage, setting the cake in between a few boxes nice and snug. She gasped when she saw her son's bow and arrow hanging limply from a bag's zipper. "Oh, dear. This shouldn't be like this..." She took the equipment, struggling with its weight, and sat it in the backseat where nothing could harm it. No one messed with that bow and arrow. No one.
The now tired mother slid herself into the front seat. She put her keys in the car's ignition, and waited till the engine roared to life. Carefully, she backed out of her parking space and started off towards the store's exit. On her way she happened to see Windy standing next to a cream colored Toyota fumbling with what was probably car keys. Shiloh honked her horn and waved. Windy held her cane up in the air in return. Shiloh grunted with approval and flipped on her turning signal. Only 20 minutes away... she thought to herself.
Shiloh drove in a stop-and-go fashion down her street as she tried to find her family's new house. She squinted. 590, 591, 592... 593! The car's tires skidded as the driver sharply turned into the duplex's long, paved driveway. With the car still running, Shiloh quickly hopped out with a clack of her high heeled leather boots. She jogged over to the white garage and pushed open the sliding door. She strutted back to the car, got in, pulled into the garage, and took the keys out of the ignition.
Finally.
Shiloh edged herself forward to the steering wheel and rested her head. She sighed. We're here. A new home. A new life. She exhaled with a smile and looked at her son. Eddward hadn't moved at all ever since she entered Wal Mart. Shiloh frowned. "Edd..." she whispered, touching one of the white stripes on Eddward's beanie. "Edd...? Eddward...?" She gently scratched the boy's beanie, pressing her finger into his head.
The tennager came to life. Quietly, he moaned while shifting his slender legs into a balled up position. "No..."
"We're here, darling. Wake up," Shiloh coaxed.
Eddward's eyes opened. He turned to look at his mother. A flurry of hatred spun around his stomach. He opened his mouth to speak then closed it. He didn't have anything to say to her.
"Can you pull out the sleeping bags from the trunk? I'll wake up your sister. Go inside and unroll the sleeping bags in the living room. Or anywhere with space." Shiloh smiled remembering that the rooms hadn't been defined yet.
Eddward narrowed his crimson eyes. Without a word, he got out of the car and made his way to the trunk. His thin fingers grabbed the 3 sleeping bags that were tightly rolled to avoid undoing. His all-black converse shoes clicked and clacked as he made his way to the back door, swinging it open and letting it slam closed by itself.
Shiloh's eyes grew heavy. Why does he hate me so?
Willow's breath was shaggy as she awoke. "Mommy, are we there yet?"
Shiloh maneuvered to the back seat and opened Willow's door. "Yes, sweetie, we're here," she answered.
"I'll take in my sleeping bag..." Willow offered, rubbing her eyes.
"Your brother has that taken care off," Shiloh assured. "Let's get you inside." Shiloh picked up her daughter and walked to the back door. With one hand on her daughter's back and the other on the door knob, she breathed in. Please, Lord... Please. She walked in the house.
It was dark inside their half of the duplex. Shiloh whipped her head around and tried to feel for a light switch on the plaster wall. She soon gave up after the first minute or so and began to walk around the room.
"Ow!" Her hip bumped into a sharp corner of a counter. Shiloh blindly felt around the room, curiously finding the textures of the different objects changing quite frequently. Counter... cupboard... faucet- sink... oven... This must be the kitchen.
"Owww..." Willow sniffled as Shiloh carelessly dragged the 5 year old's head underneath a rough corner of a cupboard.
"Oh, honey! I'm so sorry! Are you OK?" Shiloh caressed her daughter's thick hair as the child calmed down.
Shiloh made her way through the kitchen doorway. Her heels slightly sank into the carpet of the next room. She turned to see a vast window at the other end of the room facing her with a blank expression. The window was letting in the pale moonlight which seemed milky as it lightened the gold carpet of the house floor. It almost looked eerie. Shiloh shuddered. Interesting...
"Edd- oh!" Shiloh felt a sharp tap on her shoulder and flipped around to see Eddward staring at her. His ebony hair shaded his eyes, although the light from the window reflected off of his red rimmed glasses. He didn't speak. His finger was thrown down to the neatly laid sleeping bags, the tips folded back for entrance.
Shiloh exhaled. "Thank you, Eddward."
She knelt down and wrapped willow in her sleeping back. The princess pattern on the blanket smiled at Shiloh, but she did not smile back. Instead, she loomed over her daughter and sweetly kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, angle."
Shiloh unzipped her knee-high boots and chucked them on the floor. She happily sighed when her toes finally found their relief. She scrunched them in the carpet a few times and laughed. "Hmm, that's nice," she chirped.
Shiloh eased herself into her hunter green sleeping bag, not bothering to zip it up. She closed her eyes as her imagination started to run. Everything was already planned out in her perfect fantasy: she would be able to meet her kindly neighbors, move in comfortably with the help of Windy and her son, find a good paying job with humble coworkers, enroll Willow into a fun school bustling with education, send Eddward to the appropriate high school, watch him succeed with new friends...
She frowned and opened her eyes. Would it all come to happen?
She turned her head to see Eddward. His back was turned. She sniffled. Did she really want to cry that badly? Surely her son didn't hate her... surely everything was going to be OK between them... But whatever her mind told her, Shiloh's hopes for a better relationship seemed to wash away.
"Goodnight, Eddward. I wish you luck." Shiloh turned and faced Willow, who was already in another uncomfortable looking position. Shiloh chuckled to herself then soon was fast asleep.
Eddward opened his dark eyes.
"I wish you death."