Chapter I

JOURNEY

August 2007

Santa Carla, California

It was a few hours past sunrise and the summer heat was unforgiving on this scorching Friday morning. The light breeze had ceased and the humid air clung like a blanket on anyone who dared to venture outside. Even the seagulls sought refuge in the shade of the tall trees that grew nearby. It was eight am and the parking lot of the Santa Carla Mall was empty.

Journey Emerson sat in the driver's seat of the aging Honda Accord. Even with the A/C set on high, beads of perspiration formed under the messy ponytail she'd fastened at the base of her neck. She wore a pair of cut-off plaid shorts and a black tank top in an effort to stay cool. Her mother, Star, sat anxiously in the passenger seat with her seatbelt fastened tightly across her chest. Her deep brown eyes set with worry as she glanced at the teenager who sat beside her. It was Journey's first driving lesson.

Star folded her hands in her lap then unfolded them only to fold them once more. She crossed her legs at the ankles, knocking over her paisley tote in the process. A few cosmetics spilled out onto the floor, and she leaned over scooping them back into her bag.

"Can we start now?" Journey asked impatiently as she tapped her thumbs on the steering wheel.

"In a second," Star replied taking a moment to breathe. She mentally prepared herself for the stomach ulcer she knew she would have by the time this lesson was over. She gazed lovingly at the young lady who sat next to her. Her daughter reminded Star of herself at that age.

People often thought they were sisters. Their long oval faces were framed by long dark curly locks. Their doe-like eyes spoke volumes with a single look. Star stood only an inch taller than her daughter who had been quickly closing the gap over the last year. Journey's childish form had transformed as well and she now had curves of her own. Her new figure attracted the attention of quite a few teenage boys, adding to her mother's overprotective paranoia.

"Which one is the brake?" Star asked her daughter for the fourth time that morning.

"The one on the left," Journey replied as she gripped the steering wheel tightly. "Can I have the keys?"

"One thing at a time sweetheart," Star replied as she sucked in one last deep breath. She couldn't believe her baby was learning to drive. It seemed like just yesterday they brought her home from the hospital. A tiny infant wrapped in a little pink and white checkered blanket. Michael called the small bundle his "baby burrito". That was sixteen years ago and so much had changed since then.

Star tried not to dwell on the past, but more and more she found herself traveling back in time. Thinking of all the good times she and Michael had together. Despite everything that happened between them, she still loved him.

"Mom. Keys." Journey held her hand out toward her mother. Star began to place the keychain into her daughter's hand when Journey's fist closed around the ring and tugged the keys out of her mother's grip.

The teenage girl eagerly stuck the key in the ignition and fired up the engine. She pressed down on the brake and shifted the car into drive. With her hands at two and ten o'clock she pressed her foot on the gas pedal and the Honda shot forward.

"Whoa!" Journey hit the brake quickly causing the car to stop suddenly. Both she and her mother were thrown forward and then backward in their seats with the vehicle's momentum.

Star pressed both hands to her chest. "I think that's enough for today. Why don't you put it back in park and we'll switch seats?"

"MOM!" Journey slammed the transmission into park. "At this rate I'll be sixty before I get my license."

"We'll try again next Saturday," Star got out of the car and shut the door behind her. She took a moment to smooth the back of her tan skirt, before walking around behind the car. The Honda suddenly lurched forward and sped through the parking lot.

"JOURNEY!" Star screamed loudly as she started to chase after her daughter, the three inch heels of her shoes clicking against the paved asphalt. "I don't believe this," she shook her fist angrily. "YOU'RE GROUNDED!" she shouted but the car was already at the other end of the parking lot.

Star watched the Honda's brake lights flash as it made a very slow U- turn. She was concentrating so hard on watching Journey she didn't hear the SUV pull up behind her.

"Letting her go solo already huh?" the guy said as he leaned out his window.

"What?" Star said as she turned around. "No. That was all her," she shook her head. "She's just like her father, Sam."

"I think you mean she's just like her mother," Sam replied as he leaned out the window, wearing his trademark cocky smile.

Star glared but didn't contest the statement.

"Look out, it's Danica Patrick," Sam warned as the Honda sped toward them.

Journey slammed on the brakes as she approached her mother and uncle, letting the car slow to a crawl. The Honda crept forward, stopping then rolling forward a few feet before stopping again. Her face was full of concentration as she brought the car to a complete stop.

"You're taking up two spaces," Sam teased her.

"Hey Uncle Sam," Journey said happily as she leaned out the window. The Honda began to drift forward again.

"Hit the brake!" Star yelled at her daughter.

Journey's foot came down hard on the pedal. The brakes squealed as the car came to an abrupt halt.

"Put in park," Star told her daughter. "And get out of the car."

"But Mom," Journey whined.

"I don't want to hear it. That stunt just cost you TWO Saturdays of driving." Star said heatedly as her daughter got out of the car.

"But school starts next week and I wanted to have my license already," Journey's head dropped back as she gave her mother a forlorn look.

"We'll talk about this later. I have to go to work." Star took her daughter's place behind the wheel. "How late are you working today?" she asked her daughter as she rolled down the window.

"I don't know. How late am I working today?" Journey turned to her Uncle Sam who was busy trying to learn how to use his new iPhone.

"Sorry, what?" he glanced over at them.

"How late is Journey working tonight?" Star repeated.

"I might need her to close tonight." Sam replied.

"Close? No. Absolutely not," Star said furiously.

"Star…"

"Sam, we talked about this. I want her home before dark."

"We have a dozen auctions ending tonight. I can't watch them and the store. I'm only one person!"

"What about Alan? Or Clark? Why can't they close with you?"

"Alan's taking Clark and the rest of his boys survival camping this weekend," Sam explained.

Star pressed her lips together.

"Then I guess you better call Edgar because I'm picking Journey up at 8pm." She hastily rolled the window up before he could argue further.

"Star!" Sam yelled, but she wasn't listening. "Hey! Hey!" He banged on the window of the Honda but had to jump back as Star made a sharp turn, nearly running him over as she sped toward the exit.

"Ugh!" Sam cried out in frustration as he punched the air.

"See? She's a bitch," Journey stated matter-of-factly.

"You shouldn't talk about your mom like that," Sam replied. "She's just trying to protect you."

"Yeah, well, there are ten year olds with later curfews. Maybe she could protect some of them instead."

Sam knew that Journey had a valid complaint. Over the years Star had gotten stricter and stricter about her daughter's post-sunset activities, but he also knew the reason behind it. One day Journey would too.

"How am I supposed to have any kind of social life if I'm not allowed out at night?" Journey complained as she climbed into her uncle's Explorer.

"You're a smart girl, I'm sure you'll figure out something." Sam told her as he began to text on his phone.

"You shouldn't text and drive. It's distracting and you're 23 times as likely to get into an accident," Journey lectured him, imitating her mother's voice.

Sam chuckled as he opened his door and slid out of the driver's seat. "That was subtle J." He shuffled around the front of the car, continuing to text one of his many girlfriends.

Journey climbed over the center console and into the driver's seat as her uncle took her place in the passenger seat. He kicked his feet up on the dashboard, letting his flips flops hang from his toes. He was wearing his normal attire; faded cargo shorts, a vintage Superman tee shirt and completing the look was a brightly colored Hawaiian shirt that he left unbuttoned. A pair of Ray Ban sunglasses sat on top of his head buried in his messy chestnut brown hair.

"So about this curfew thing, what would you do if you were me?" Journey asked as she moved the seat forward and adjusted the mirrors.

"Do you even have to ask?" His lopsided grin was all the encouragement she needed. Uncle Sam was the master of sneaking around and not getting caught.

Reviews are always appreciated :)

Gemma