Summer Under the Southern Sky

Synopsis: Mercedes visits her grandfather in Georgia for the first time since she was seven years old and runs into her childhood best best friend Sam.

"Call us when you land, understand?" Farrah Jones said to her daughter Mercedes.

"Moma, this isn't my first time taking a flight alone. I'm sixteen not six, I got this!" She replied, earning a smile from both of her parents.

"We know but this is the first time you're going down there without us and we won't even be spending your birthday with you this year."

"I know but I'll send pictures, plus I wanted to go see Pop Pop… it's been so long since I've been in Georgia."

"Flight 3745 to Savannah, Georgia now boarding!" They heard over the intercom.

"Alright, give us a hug." Her dad Vince said, pulling her into a tight bear hug. "Here's a little extra spending money, I know my dad won't like that you are using your own money but I'll be happy knowing that you have spare cash."

"Thanks daddy. I gotta go but I promise to call." Mercedes said, hugging her mother before waving and walking towards the gate.

"What are we going to do with her gone for two months?" Farrah asked, tearing up.

"We'll figure something out." Vince said, hugging his wife and waving at Mercedes when she gave them a final glance. Mercedes boarded and sent one final text to her parents letting them know she loved them before shutting it off and looking out the window excited to spend her summer with her grandpa.

…

Three and half hours later, she landed and was immediately greeted by her waiting grandfather. Hudson Jones was old but very spry and he adored his granddaughter.

"Hey little songbird." Hudson said, looking at Mercedes before pulling her into a hug. "You've grown a lot."

"Hey pop pop! So have you." She replied, patting his stomach. "Getting a little round too." She teased.

Hudson laughed. "Well that's because all these women keep trying to stuff me up."

"Eww, I don't want to hear about your women Pop!" She said giggling.

"Come on, let's get you to the house and settled. We can figure out some lunch, why your parents sent you so early I'll never know." He replied, shaking his hands and leading her out to his truck.

"Oo! Can I drive?" Mercedes asked and he looked at her for a moment before shaking his head.

"Your dad told me about your skills, I'd like to make it another year." He joked.

"I ran over one bike and now I'm a bad driver." She said pouting.

"I think it has more to do with you trying to get the bike from under the car by driving over it again." Mercedes giggled because at the time she thought it was a good idea but her car was still in the shop getting repaired.

"Fair enough." She said, "But can I drive nana's car while I'm here?" She asked, looking at him hopefully. Her grandmother had a 1965 off white convertible mustang and she'd always wanted to drive it at least once.

"I think we squeeze in some driving lessons with Lena's car." Hudson replied, pulling out of the parking garage.

The drive back to her grandfather's house was the same as it always had been, they talked about everything that was going on with her and her parents in Columbus, how school was going and he told her about all the new places that were around for them to go to.

She always loved riding down the country roads and seeing the other side of Savannah, which was half city, half countryside. Her grandfather lived in the same place, which made her happy because there were so many memories of summers staying with him and her grandmother.

After her grandmother passed, her dad found it hard to come back so her grandfather would come and stay with them a week out of the summer. She begged her parents to let her come back this year and they finally agreed after she promised to be on her best behavior, not that she was a bad child or anything but her grandfather was older so she understood.

"Have you been in touch with the Evans?" She asked when they passed their house, remembering her time running around and playing with their kids.

Hudson shook his head as he pulled into his driveway. "They moved about nine years ago but I think they came down to stay during the summers."

"Oh, is Ms. Ida still around?"

"She is, I told her you were coming down and she said she expects a song or two from you." He replied as they got out.

Mercedes smiled, happy to hear that she was okay and wanted to see her. They walked inside and he led her to her old room, being the only grandchild came with those benefits. She expected her room to look like it did when she was younger but surprisingly it had been updated.

"Figured a twin bed wouldn't do, I had Ida's granddaughter pick out some things you might like and we painted it purple. Your mom said it was still your favorite color." Hudson explained and Mercedes couldn't help the wide grin that formed on her face.

Her room was nicely decorated with soft purple painted walls, white furniture, her bedding was ombre purple with a touch of blue. He added a built-in bookshelf that was filled to the brim with books, in the center was a flat screen tv and in the corner with a large beanbag nestled against the wall was her nana's record player and records. He placed a few of their family pictures on the walls along with some posters she knew for a fact wasn't picked out by him.

"It's amazing!" She said admiring everything before giving him a hug. "Thanks."

He hugged her back. "I put your grandmother's record player and records in here, she would've wanted you to have them."

"Do you miss nana?"

"Every second of every day." He answered, smiling down at her. "You look exactly like her… your father would never admit it but I think that's why he stopped you from coming down here for so long."

Mercedes looked at him confused. "Why do you think that?" She asked.

"It was rough for me, it was easier for me to come when I was ready then it was to have you all here. I had to remodel because… I tore this place apart." He answered letting out a deep sigh.

"Well it's amazing." She said letting out a yawn.

"Get some settled and get some rest, I'll have dinner ready for you when you wake." He said. "I am happy that you're here, songbird."

"Me too Pop pop, me too." She replied before he walked out and closed the door behind him. She looked around her room and squealed because admittedly it was cooler than the one at home.

She made sure to unpack her things and put them in her dresser before calling her parents and letting them know everything was going good and that she was going to sleep off her jetlag.

…

Mercedes woke up a few hours later feeling well rested and hungry, judging by the smells coming from the kitchen, dinner was being prepared. She got up and walked into there and saw her grandfather and a woman smiling and cooking together.

"Hey there, did you sleep well?" Husdon asked Mercedes and she nodded.

"I did…" She said looking at the older woman then back at him. "That smells delicious."

"Well you can thank my sous chef, Mercedes this is Camille, Cam this is my beautiful granddaughter Mercedes."

"Well she certainly is beautiful. Nice to meet you sweetheart, Hudson has been gushing over you coming for weeks now." The older woman said and Mercedes smiled.

"Nice to meet you too." She said shyly. "Anything I can do?" She asked.

"You can set the table, songbird." Her grandfather said and she went off to do just that.

"She's adorable." Camille whispered and Hudson beamed with pride.

"She's the best thing." Hudson said as they carried the food they prepared to the table.

Over dinner Mercedes learned that Camille was a retired nurse that moved to Savannah a few years ago after her husband passed away. She also learned that she and her grandfather met at church six months agos and have been enjoying evenings together since then. She learned that Camille had three children who were all scattered all over, she had six grandchildren who were all coming to visit her in the next month.

"Your grandfather tells me you're quite the singer." Camillie said.

"I think he's biased but I'm my school's choir." She answered.

"She's a very talented singer, she started singing when she was a baby and we couldn't get her to stop after that." Hudson bragged.

"Well I do hope to get to hear you sing one day." Camille said, smiling at her.

"Is it okay if I go down to the lake?" Mercedes asked. "I know it will be getting dark soon but it's been in so long." She added with a smile.

Hudson looked at his watch and nodded. "Sun'll be down soon so just hurry back and be safe." He replied."

"I will! Thanks, see you again soon Ms. Camille!" Mercedes said excitedly. She cleared her spot before going to put her shoes on and heading out the backdoor.

"She has you wrapped around her little finger." Camille teased.

"She does huh?" Hudson asked, chuckling. "She's a good kid."

The best part about her grandfather's property was that there was a lake at the far end of it. He lived on several acres of land and managed the upkeep on his own. She used to love going out there to swing, play and lay on the lush grass until it was time to go.

She smiled when she noticed the trail was still marked with stones she'd made with her grandmother that had different shapes in the center of them. She looked at them as she made her trek to the lake, noticing ones with her tiny hands, one with her parents' names and ones with her grandparents' names in them. She even saw the one she'd made with her childhood friend Sam, the stone had her name and his with a butterfly in the center.

She was obsessed with them as a child and rightfully so because they would always land on her whenever they were around. As she neared the lake, she saw that he'd added a dock that led out half to the lake. She kicked her shoes off and walked the rest of the way before rolling her pant legs up and sitting with her feet dangling above the water.

She loved how calm and peaceful it still was out here, it wasn't dark but it was getting close, she noticed a pale and looked inside seeing that there were smooth stones inside. She smiled as grabbed a few and started to try to skip them. After a few tries she realized this was never her thing because she still couldn't get them to skip after all these years.

"You were never really good at that." She heard someone say but didn't see anyone.

"Who's there?" Mercedes asked.

"It's been a long time, butterfly girl." They said and moved closer. She looked at the boy standing there, he was tall with sandy blonde hair and green eyes.

"Butterfly girl." She repeated, she hadn't been called that in forever. "Sam I am?" She asked as she looked him over again and saw pieces of the little boy she remembered.

"And I don't like green eggs and ham." He replied and she couldn't help smiling.

"Hi… what are you doing here?" She asked.

"We're here for the summer. You?" He replied.

"Same, visiting my grandpa."

"SAM, DINNER!"

"I guess I'll see you around, butterfly girl." He said before walking away and she found herself suddenly blushing as she waved goodbye.

dun dun dunnnnn!