My Own Personal Hell

By: LightHope1

I have been obsessed with the new CW show Hart of Dixie.

Feel free to leave me comments (good and bad) and any advice or story direction. I have a path of where I'd like to see this to go but I am always open to suggestions

Things I own: New comfortable socks!

Things I don't own: Hart of Dixie

Chapter 2: Small Victories

Zoe let her feet dangle in the cool pond water as she watched the sun set against the Alabama tree line. She had spent the majority of her day in the water; it was the surest way to beat the heat.

"It really can be pretty here." She said to the puppy that lay next her on the old pond dock.

The tranquil moment was broken by a car door slam. Zoe jerked her head in the direction of the noise and watched her father walk towards the house. He looked upset and frustrated just by the way his shoulders sank to the ground like he had the burden of the world.

She remained on the dock and waited for him to come out onto the back porch. The sun crept closer to the earth and her father never came out.

Zoe sighed, shook her feet and walked towards the house with the puppy at her heels.

"You got to stay here" she said while pointing at the puppy to stay on the porch.

The house was dark for the exception of the study room light. Zoe walked in on her father with his face in his hands. Medical books and Wade's mother, Rebecca, file lay open on his desk.

Zoe lightly knocked on the ajar door and waited for her father's response. He waved her in and pointed to the chair across from his desk.

Harvey looked up his daughter and tried to smile. His mind was swarmed with millions of thoughts of if only Rebecca had come to him earlier than now.

"Will Mrs. Rebecca be okay?" Zoe asked while dragging one of the medical books into her lap.

"Zoe, Mrs. Rebecca isn't well and I don't know what I can do to help her." He said quietly.

Zoe let her fingers trace the outline of words that spelled out early onset of dementia and potential heart failure.

Tears nearly brim the edges of Zoe's eyes; she tried to control her emotions from overwhelming her.

"You have to fix Ms. Rebecca. You can fix anything but a broken heart."

Harvey sighed and grabbed his daughter's hand from across the desk.

"I will try everything in my power to help her."

Zoe searched desperately for reassurance. She thought of Wade, his father, and all the other people in Bluebell that loved Ms. Rebecca.

"Does Wade know?" Zoe asked.

"No he does not and Mrs. Rebecca wants to be the one to tell him."

Zoe bit her lower lip and looks back down at the medical books.

"You'll find a way dad." Zoe smiled at her father in that moment. "How about you keep searching the books and I'll order us some pizza."

Wade's mother played an important role in keeping Zoe sanity. She had a way about her that was unforgettable. When Rebecca entered a room all eyes went to her. Zoe couldn't imagine life without her because in many ways Mrs. Rebecca was her lifeline to the city.

Ms. Rebecca had been raised in Chicago and met Wade's father in college. As the story goes, the first day in Bluebell changed her forever and Bluebell changed because of her.

"Zoe, that sounds good."

Zoe stood up and walked outside of study to call in the pizza. As she walked into the kitchen, she watched the puppy sit patiently at the porch door. She called in the pizza and then opened the back porch and scooped up the puppy.

"Let's see what my dad thinks. Don't worry puppy you'll have a home here." Zoe said to the puppy as she walked towards the study.

She cracked open the door and scooted the puppy into the room and then walked in.

Harvey looked up from books to the sight of his daughter and the puppy.

"What is that puppy doing in here?" he asked.

"Well, I found him today. He got into the house and then he spent the afternoon with me. I thought I should ask you if we could keep him?" she asked hopefully.

He sighed and smiled.

"Zoe if that puppy makes you happy than keep him but you have to take care of him."

Zoe grinned and walked over to her father and hugged him. It had been the first sincere hug he'd received since she'd moved in three months before.

"So what's the puppy's name?"

"It's going to be Hurley."

"Good choice." Harvey said while focusing back on his papers.

"The pizza should be here soon." Zoe said while picking up Hurley and walking out of the study.

Hours later, Zoe lay wide awake staring up at the ceiling fan. Sweat dripped from her hairline and she could not sleep wink. She wasn't sure if she was ready to start school in Bluebell in the morning. She knew most of the kids in her grade already from previous summers but it was still a new school and she would be the new girl.

Zoe turned onto her side and looked at sleeping Hurley.

"I wish I could sleep like you. I feel so helpless." She whispered to the puppy.

Then her mind wondered to the fact of how she would face Wade in the morning. She was a horrible liar and everything showed on her face. Then she thought about Mrs. Rebecca and how unfair this was. Zoe's body began to shake and she let the tears finally come. Betweens the tears and sadness, Zoe Hart fell asleep.

The early morning light streamed into her window and Zoe stretched. This was the first day of the rest of her high school career. Today was going to be better than the last. That was a promise.

Zoe stretched and sat cross legged in front her mirror. She fixed her hair, makeup and clothes.

As she came down the stairs she watched her father walk out of his study.

"Did you stay up all night Dad?" Zoe asked while pouring a cup of coffee in the kitchen.

He nodded.

"Any progress?" Zoe asked hopefully

Harvey smiled at his daughter. "We shall find a way to help her."

Zoe watched her father pours a cup of Joe and grab a piece of toast taking in all the details.

"Off to the office, have a great first day Zoe." He said abruptly.

Zoe nodded, grabbed her backpack and followed him to the front door.

He turned around and grabbed two sets of keys from the two hooks.

"Zoe, take the old truck. I know you wanted to have some wheels this year and this is a start."

She was speechless.

For over a month, Zoe had begged to drive a car to school. She harped on how in the social world it was essential to have a car. Her father had given in.

Zoe smiled and dashed outside before her father would change his mind.

The heat hit her like a brick wall. Zoe opened the garage to be greeted by her father's old ford truck.

She touched the edge of the driver's door. This had been the very car that Harvey had driven in the first time they met. She inwardly smiled and hopped into the truck.

She had wheels and that's all that mattered.

"Small victories, that's what will get me by." She said to herself while turning on key in the ignition.