Chapter 3
Bonnie leaned over the railing of her balcony, looking down out at the sun peeking up over the mountains, lighting up the valley below her. She hoped none of the paparazzi had followed her home last night, waiting for a "good morning" shot. A picture of her in old pajama pants and a ratty sweatshirt appearing on the front cover of some magazine was drama she did not need right now. It had taken almost two hours and her promising to at least look over the script that Spielberg had sent over a week ago to let her agent travel to Fell's Church alone, and to cover for her. Damage control for a picture would set her right back to square one and Scarlett, her manager, would insist on coming alo0ng with her.
Any other time Bonnie would have welcomed Scarlett's companionship, but she knew this was something she had to do on her own. It wouldn't be easy and it sure as hell wouldn't be fun, but Meredith was counting on her; so she would go, because even after eight years in California her closest and virtually only real friend lived over 200 miles away.
Bonnie sighed as she moved away from the railing and made her way into the safety of her house. Shutting the screen door behind her she looked around and was once again hit with a pang of loneliness. Bonnie shook her head and reminded herself that she was surrounded by people. Sure they all worked for her and she couldn't understand most of them because she'd French instead of Spanish… 'I should really look into that dog.' Bonnie thought to herself, and with that she went to her room to prepare for her trip back to Fell's Church.
Bonnie stepped out of the taxi and was instantly greeted by the hot muggy air of Virginia's long summers. 'I forgot how awful the weather was here' Bonnie thought in disgust. After grabbing her luggage from the trunk and paying the taxi driver she turned around and looked up at the big white house looming in front of her. For a brief moment Bonnie thought about turning right back around and running back to California. 'Stop this' She reprimanded herself. 'Just grab your stuff walk up there. They're going to be happy to see you. They're you're-' Bonnie's thoughts were interrupted though by the loud bang of the screen door closing. Bonnie looked up at the porch and saw a woman standing in front of the screen door. She walked away from her luggage and towards the steps, clacking all the way to the top her Jimmy Choos. When she reached the top she stood a few feet away from the woman, taking in the shock evident in her eyes.
"Hey mom" Bonnie whispered, and she watched the shock fade from her mother's to be replaced with love. And she watched the smile spread across her features, making her seem younger than she had looked seconds before.
"Oh Bonnie" her mother said just as quietly as she wrapped her arms around Bonnie, and drawing her in close for an overdue hug. Bonnie buried her face in her mother's shoulder and let the tear's that had been building inside of her since she stepped out of the taxi spill over as she smelled her mother's familiar jasmine perfume surround her.