Shout Out

She browsed through the store, grabbing odds and ends. Some toilet paper, more milk and some fresh fruit, filled her cart. The phone call left her far from hungry. Then she remembered she invited Fred, Liz and what's his name to lunch. She couldn't believe she had forgotten their nephews name. It'd come back to her.

As she was stewing over his name, and trying to figure out what to fix for lunch, someone called her name. Unsure that someone actually said her name, she continued grabbing and dumping.Maddie jumped as the caller shouted out her name even louder. Not recognizing the caller's voice, she turned hesitantly. There stood Liz's nephew. Great here she was thinking about him wondering what the heck his name was, and there he stood.

Standing with his button fly 501 jeans, with a nicely fitted navy blue t-shirt that brought out the blue in his eyes. The florescent lights bounced off the sun kissed high lights of his dark blond hair. For just a brief moment she stared at him."Hey, how are you doing?" she said as she worked on remembering his name. "Steve, no Bill? Gosh what is his name" she thought to herself. "I guess I could ask him again, but I don't really want to be flaky." she continued the conversation in her head.

Will interrupted with "I'm doing fine thanks, just picking up a few things for Aunt Liz that Uncle Fred forgot last night."

"Oh that is nice of you." She said as she noticed she was holding a Tampax box in her hand. The red in her cheeks probably was as bright as the noon day sun. Quickly discarding the box into the cart, she fumbled to find the words to fill the ever so eternal moment of awkward silence.

Tea Cups and Happiness

"Oh that is nice of you." She said as she noticed she was holding a Tampax box in her hand. The red in her cheeks probably was as bright as the noon day sun. Quickly discarding the box into the cart, she fumbled to find the words to fill the ever so eternal moment of awkward silence. A million things ran through her head, and not one of them made their way to her tongue. She felt more like a deer in headlights than an adult in a grocery store. Luckily for her Will had his own plans to bring some happiness to the situation.

"Hey I hear we are coming over for lunch. Is there anything I can do to help? I make a mean steak on the grill." Ok so he was totally diverting the situation and maturely acting. Score one for Will.

"You know I was just headed over to the meat department to pick up some steaks. I guess great minds think alike." She said as she turned her cart in the other direction and Will followed suit.


After checking out, the bagger loaded her car. She said thanks to him and waved to Will as she got in her car. As she put her hands on the steering wheel, she let out a sigh of relief. It wasn't that bad of a trip. Sitting in the car with her head down, thinking about all she was going to do for lunch prep, a car behind her began to honk, bringing her to attention. At some point she had put the car in reverse, and an eager shopper was awaiting her spot.
Lifting her hand to wave the driver as a "thanks, I'm headed out" she backed out of her spot.

Driving up the mountain roads calmed Maddie. A sense of serenity and calm engulfed her. She surprised herself at how excited she was getting for her lunch guests. She put her foot to the gas pedal a little harder, so she could arrive home a little sooner. As she was winding around the last bend her cell phone rang. "Crap." came out of her mouth, she had forgotten to change her number while in town. Oh well there was always tomorrow.

"Hello" she answered.

"Hey Maddie it's Liz. How are you doing?"

"Great thanks. Are you still planning on coming over for lunch?"

"Yes I was calling to see what time and what we can bring. We hate to improach upon you being that you have only been here a day."

"Oh I look so forward to the company. I will see you at one. And don't worry about bringing anything, unless you are in the mood to make some more cookies. I finished those off last night."

"Sounds good we will see you then."

Maddie pulled up in the driveway. As she got out, grabbing the few bags, she took a deep breath, soaking in the fresh mountain air. The trees canopied the house. The fresh flowers growing in the front beds seemed to greet her with a smile. Life is good she thought.

She unlocked the front door, headed towards the kitchen, and set the bags on the old white speckled Formica counters. As quickly as she could she put the groceries away. She pulled out the tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, olives and onions to make a green salad. Chopping away, she heard a knock on the door. Wiping her hands on a towel, she looked to see who it could be. She put the towel by the sink and headed towards the door.

"Coming."

She reached for the door, but before opening she decided to take a peek out the peep hole. There stood Will, holding some flowers and charcoal. Quite a combination she thought.

"Hey how are you? You are early." she said to him as she greeted him in. "Come in."

"I figured you could use some help and the company." Will smiled and winked at her, handing her the spring bouquet of flowers. How presumptuous Maddie thought, yet was very flattered. She nodded a thank you and took them. RUmmaging through the cupboards to find a vase, she noticed Will looking around. After finding the lilac vase she filled it with water. Then placed the flowers in and set them in the center of the table.

"What a view you have. This is really a great house." Will commented, as his deep dark eyes met Maddie's.

"Thank you. I really love it here. And thank you for the flowers. I am just getting the salad ready. If you don't mind, the BBQ is out the patio door, you could start the coals." pointing with a knife towards the patio door, she tried to urge him outside. She wasn't really up to conversation at the moment.

"I would be happy to." He opened the patio door with one hand while juggling the coals in the other. After setting the bag down on the table, he picked up her breakfast smoothie glass and headed back in the door. With out saying anything about the cup, he set it in the sink. Then he turned towards Maddie and asked "Do you have a light?" then he chuckled. "Sorry that was kind of cheesy wasn't it. Though I have always wanted to say that to a girl and light up a cigarette. I don't smoke but it always seems so romantic and charming on the big screens."

Maddie giggled, opened up the drawer next to the stove and pulled out a box of matches. "Here you go sir." As he grabbed them from her, their hands brushed together, sending chills down Maddie's back. Her hand recoiled. Will didn't notice. Or at least he pretended not to. "Thanks, I'll get the fire going." Maddie thought to herself "You already have."

As Will was attending to the fire, she began to set the table. She opened the hutch filled with her Grandmother's china, not her fine china but her more everyday china. That lady had enough place sets to use a different setting everyday of the week and not repeat. She loved her set that was pale blue with white ribbons rimming the plates. She pulled down the tea cups that matched and decided she'd use them to serve some ice cream in. So she pulled those down with the dinner plates and salad plates.

As she was setting the table, there was another knock at the door. Feeling comfortable in her situation she called "Come in." She assumed it was Liz and Fred. She was wrong. As the door flung open, she gasped and dropped one of her tea cups with a crash, shattering to pieces across the wood floor.

Maddie's Curfew- continued from some posts below

Ring. Ring. Ring. "You have reached 345-5512 please leave a message after the beep." the automated voice said.

"Hey Grandmother its me. I am here. Safe. Call me. I love you." She hung up the phone and headed into the market, unaware of the blue chevy that pulled up next to her little red Accord.

The town center clock chimed. Maddie startled at the first cling, then began to count them. Nine. Knowing she left the house in a hurry she was still surprised to be out and about at such an early hour. Glad that the store opened at the early hour of five AM. She entered as a princes with the doors moving away for her, welcoming her in. Off to her right lined up well rested shopping carts. Grabbing one, she placed her purse in the seat where a young child should rest. Placing the purse on the little red seat she remembered that late last night she received a call.

She pressed one, then talk. The automated phone lady told her "You have one new message. You have three saved message. To listen to your new message press on." She followed the prompt.

"New message from 555-345-8811. Hey Maddie, why aren't you answering your phone. I know you are awake." the voice of Tim, left her standing still. Back in the not so good ol' days, she if ever was let to leave the house had to be in by her even earlier than high school curfew of 9 PM. He would always call her promptly at 8:45 to make sure she was on her way home. If she wasn't he always left a nasty message, and greeted her with his fists. She shuttered at the thought that he was checking up on her. Which reminded her that today would be a good day to get a new number.

She browsed through the store, grabbing odds and ends. Some toilet paper, more milk and some fresh fruit, filled her cart. The phone call left her far from hungry. Then she remembered she invited Fred, Liz and what's his name to lunch. She couldn't believe she had forgotten their nephews name. It'd come back to her. As she was stewing over his name, and trying to figure out what to fix for lunch, someone called her name.

Police Car

"Oh mommy look what I drew." eagerly said Gregory as he ran across the room to show his mom who was seated in a chair rocking her newborn.

'My goodness did you do this all by yourself? It is beautiful. I love how you did the colorful square border. And your police car is the best car I think by far that you have painted. You are quite the artist." she gushed over her young son's art.

"I worked really hard on it in art. Ms. Spurlock said I was her best student she has had in a long time."

"I'd have to agree with that."

"Thanks mom."

"You are welcome. So how was your day at school." she said as she lifted her drowsy new baby boy to her shoulder to burp him.

Women Visiting

"Did you see the dress she was wearing last night?" asked Margie

"I know I can't believe she even squeezed her self into that." replied Suzzette as she reached down to grab her napkin from her lap and dab the corners of her mouth ever so daintily.

"What was she thinking?"

"I am not sure, but all those gentlemen didn't seem to mind seeing her plunging neckline,and her bum nearly poking out the other end."

"Oh well, anyway did you have fun?" Margie asked trying to change the topic. Whenever she and Suzzette got together they tended to gossip and harp on their common friend Natalia. After all if it weren't for Natalia the two of them would have never met and become best friends. Natalia lived in their same apartment complex. Other than her keen inability to dress appropriately for her age and her size, she was a fun ball of energy that drew people to her. They enjoyed being around her for the same reasons they could only handle small amounts of her. But none the less, she was their friend, and they needed to be more kind in their remarks.

"I had a good time. You know kind of hard to know exactly where to stand, who to talk to, or what to do at those neighborhood meet and mingle things. Usually everyone talks with those they already know. And being a single gal, makes it even harder to mingle with those children crazed stay at home moms. I mean really how many times can I hear stories about 'sweet Johnny' and smile and say 'how darling', making it believable that I am even interested. I did meet a very charming man named Daniel."

"I noticed you talking with him. How did it go? Where does he live? What does he do?" asked Margie.

"Well he happens to live on my same floor. Can you believe it, I haven't ever seen him before and he has been living here for two years. Anyway, he is attending the U and grew up here. His family doesn't live to far away. Didn't he have the greatest butt in those jeans?" Suzzette wiped a little drool that dribbled out of the corner of her mouth as she thought of how handsome her new found love was. Well he wasn't quite her love, but her newest fascination, that she just couldn't wait to get her hands on.

"So are y'all going to be going out?"

"He invited me and a guest, care to join me? to go sailing this weekend in the Bay. It should be a lot of fun. He said he was planning on going out with his buddy Mike. Not sure what Mike is like, but it might be a lot of fun. Where is our food? I am starving. Though this raspberry lemonade is rather refreshing.

"I will think about it."

"Oh come on. Don't leave me alone on the seas with two handsome men."

"You can handle yourself I am sure. I'd like to but I just don't know if I am ready to start dating again."

"You got to be kidding me. It's been five months since you broke up with what's his face." Suzzette said not even wanting to mention Jeff's name, for fear of opening up the flood gates. Man was that a bad break up.

"I know but some days I just really miss him and can't even imagine loving anyone else." Margie and Jeff met in junior high, started dating their junior year of high school and had been inseparable for the last few years. Everyone thought they were going to get married, but Jeff just all of a sudden told her he was done, and moved to Mexico to join the Peace Corps. Must have been some mid twenties life crisis or something. No one quite understood why. Rumor has it though that he had been dating his family's nanny on the side and when she moved back home, he followed shortly after. But that is all rumors and gossip.

"I didn't ask you to fall in love with the guy, I just asked you to join us for some sun, fun, food and summer sea breeze. Come on what does a girl have to do to get you to come? If not for you what about me? Please? I will do your laundry for a week."

"How about a month?" Margie began to bargain.

"All right but only washing, no folding and putting away." Suzzette settled.

"Ok...oh look here comes our food."

"Finally."

Knowledge

Knowledge can be

gained as well as lost.

Taught and shared

with those we love.

Knowledge can not

be seen or really heard.

Ever expanding,

never limited.

A struggle to gain,

a treasure to keep.

Helpful

Insightful

replenishable

Important to nurture it

Only thing we take with us.

Scenic Mountain

The snow cap mountains began to shed their skin, dripping fresh water in the neighboring streams. Dressed in fresh pink blossoms and light green leaves, the trees blew in the breeze. Sweet smell of roses filled the air. Out with the winter sweaters and on with the shorts and tees. Maddy couldn't wait to head out to the family cabin nestled between the rockies. This was her favorite time of year, sitting by the pond with journal in hand sketching the surrounding beauty.

As she drove the winding roads, the life she left behind grew further and further away, driving her closer to the fresh start she needed and planned. It is amazing though how life doesn't always go as one plans. Maddy had met the man of her dreams, or so she thought. Their courtship was too short, sure to not last so all had commented and sadly had come true. She had just received the divorce papers. It was official.

She thought of Tim with fondness and bitterness all rolled up in one. It had only been three short year, but by far the longest three years of her life. She should have seen the signs those first few months they were dating before they were to wed. He just swept her off her feet, only to drop her flat on her face. It began to become hard to hide the bruises the last few months before she finally decided to file for divorce.

With both hands on the wheel, her mind stewing over the divorce, her eyes caught the glimpse of a doe and her fawn in a meadow nibbling on the new foliage. This was a pleasant sight, and one that brought her deep thoughts back to the present moment. "Three years were long enough to stew over him. Time to enjoy the here and now" she told her self, as she began to really enjoy the beauty around her.

Traveling up the tree lined road, she smiled realizing she was free. As the spring brings a fresh look to the earth, so is this move to the family cabin. As she went around the last bend her heart skipped a beat to see the cabin sitting in its little valley. She pulled into the dirt drive, parked the car and opened the door. Looking back in the car at all her personal belongings, she decided to leave them until she looked through the cabin and cleaned out the dust. It had been over a year since anyone had been in there.

She walked to the door, to find that it was open partially. No one was suppose to have been there. No one she knew had the keys. Leary of entering, she pulled out her cell phone pressed 9-1-1, not pressing talk yet, but just in case she was ready. She hated that she always lived in fear. That is what happens when you have been married to a monster for so many years.

Open Door

Her heart began to race a little faster as she rested her shaking palm on the front door, giving it a little push. "Hello, is someone in here?" whispering slightly kind of in hopes that no one would hear her. With the door just a little more open she peeked her head in. Nothing appeared to be disturbed other than the fact that a few lights were on and the dust sheets were off of the couches and chairs. A blanket of safety en wrapped her as the scent of home made cookies greeted her. "Hello" she said with a bit more confidence and sound.

"Hello Maddie. Welcome home." Auntie Liz said as she greeted Maddie. "Oh I am so glad to see you made it here before dark. I was trying to hurry and clean everything up for you before you got here. I didn't want you to arrive and have to get things settled. I hope you don't mind. Your mother called me and told me you were coming and nothing could have kept me from prepping the place."

"I didn't see your car." Maddie knew that although they were neighbors, the four miles of woods that separated them weren't a quick or easy little walk.

"Oh I know. Fred had to run to town to pick some things up and he dropped me off before he went. He should be back here shortly. As a matter of fact one of the "Things" he is picking up is my nephew William, a nice fellow, charming and just finished graduate school." Auntie Liz mentioned.

Maddie ignored the comments about that guy because the last thing she wanted in her life right now was a single man. "How is Uncle Fred doing?" He really wasn't her uncle nor was Liz her Aunt, but they could of been, all the summers they spent together playing with their kids, family dinners. Oh the memories, those were good times, she thought to her self.

"Well you know he is getting on in years and his diabetes is getting the best of him. We have tried hard to watch our diet and well anyway I don't need to bother you with that information. He is doing well. You will see." Auntie Liz said as she pulled the fresh baked chocolate chip cookies out of the oven and began to put them on a cooling rack.

"Oh it is no bother. You know I love you guys. Sorry I didn't keep in better touch. Life has, well taken me for a ride that I never really thought I'd go on." Maddie said as she looked around at her old and comfortable family home. Her eyes stopped at the picture hanging over the fire place. It brought a smile to her face and a bit of warmth to her heart. In the photograph stood her great grandparents- who gazed at each other in such love, almost as if they were all alone, paying no attention to their four kids on the front porch of the cabin- on the day they moved in. Her grandmother was about five, wearing un-traditionally for her time, short alls. She was practically running off the picture in a blur. The girl couldn't hold still then and now for that matter. Oh her grandmother sure was a fiery lady. Maddie then remembered she needed to call her and let her know she arrived safely. Her thoughts stopped when she heard Liz say something.

"I'm sorry Liz, my mind was drifting down memory lane. " replied Maddie.

"I'm happy to see you smile. Your mom mentioned to me all the heartache you have been through and I am so sorry. I'm just glad you are here and safe. Would you like a cookie." Liz said as she handed the plate full of hot fresh yumminess.

As Liz took off her apron, hanging it on the pantry door, her attention drew to the sound of tires on the gravel driveway. "That must be Fred and William."

Maddie looked at the back wall into the mirror, noticing it needed some dusting and also noticed

her "I've been driving for several hours" hair. Brushing it with her fingers, she turned and headed towards the door with Liz limping behind her.

Liz grew up as an only girl in a family of five boys. She kept up with the best of them. Long before paint balling was around, she and her brothers would go in the woods and shoot tin cans with their BB guns. Once as she was bending over to re-stack the cans one of her brother's friends thought her rear end made a good target, leaving her with a permanent limp. It didn't stop her much though.

Heart Break

As Maddie and Liz walked towards the front door, Maddie stopped dead in her steps. She was unsure why all of a sudden her feet would no longer walk. Her heart began to beat faster. She faked an itchy foot and shooed Aunty Liz out the door, encouraging she would be right behind her. "Take a deep breath." She told herself as she expelled a bunch of air. Filling her lungs with a deep breath through her nostrils she headed out the weathered wood door only to stop there on the porch.

Standing beside the car stood Fred who was talking a mile a minute to Liz about his adventure to town. Fred could always out talk the best of them. Mid sentence he stopped looked up, noticing Maddie halted in the door frame and said "Maddie! Come here you. My you get prettier every time I see you." with waving open arms. "How are you doing?"

Maddie picked up her pace, and landed in the open arms. Planting a kiss on his cheek she said "Oh it is so good to see you," still holding on to him. Tears welded up in her eyes. Embarrassed that she began to cry, she began to blink to make them go away. Tilting her head to her shoulder she wiped the stray tears on her sleeve. "I must of got a little dust in my eye." she commented trying to get the attention off of her.

Uncle Fred could always hit her soft spots. Maybe it is because she lost her father at such a young age, and he seemed to fill the gaps in her father less life. Maybe it was because he truly cared for her and really loved her. It is the first time in a long time, that she actually felt love from a warm embrace. Leaving his grasp, she backed away, putting her hand out to William, who had stood there quietly during this warm homecoming.

"I'm Maddie" she greeted him as cheerfully as she could muster, trying to not make her voice all shaky from nerves and emotions.

"Will is what most my friends call me. Beautiful place you have here."

"Thanks, it is nice to meet you too. I'd show you around, but I just got here myself and it was a long drive. If y'all excuse me, I think I need to go and shower up and take a rest. Thanks again Aunty. So good to see you Fred. Let's do lunch tomorrow ok? And thanks again for cleaning up for me. Nice meeting you Will" Maddie said as she headed to the house, trying not to let them stop her.Her pace was quick and before any of them could finish saying good night the door shut behind her.

Maddie fell against the door, slid down and sat with her back against her door, hugged her knees, resting her chin on them and sobbed. She sat like that for hours, was it really hours? She actually was uncertain, but by the time she composed herself and got up, it was pitch black outside. Seeing Uncle Fred and hearing the love and concern in his voice, seemed to have opened the flood of gates. She had become callous towards the end of her marriage. Tears didn't come so easily anymore. Her heart was so broken. It felt good to just let it all go.

She headed towards the bathroom, which was just off the family room through the master guest bedroom. The room tiled in blue and green glass brought a feeling of serenity. One she hadn't felt in years. In the corner, surrounded by windows rested the original claw foot white tub, modernized with a shower head and curtain. Tonight was a bath night. She lite some candles to not just bring light but scent and symbolically burn away the bad feelings. Reaching her hand under the faucet to check the temperature caused her body to goose bump from the warmth. She eased her body into the water, letting her head fall below blanketing out the world around her.

The Phone Call

Asleep with her head against the back of the tub, the candles burnt out, water less than warm, Maddie was awakened by the sound of her cell phone alerting her to a new voice message. "Wow I must have been exhausted to have missed that call" she said out loud as if someone else was in the room with her. She grabbed the teal blue bath sheet hanging on the steel rod. Wrapping it around her wet body, she stepped out of the tub carefully watching her step as to not slip on the wet tile. Holding the top of the two ends together she ran to her night stand where her phone lay charging.

She flipped the phone open, to reveal two annonymous missed calls, one new voice message and the time of 11:45 PM. Seeing the hour, she passed on even listening to the message and instead left the phone to charge. Shivering from the cold crisp mountain air, she headed to her suitcase resting on an antique trunk on the other side of the room. She unzipped the suitcase, pulled out her underwear, her favorite black tap pants and the U t-shirt she had since her freshman orientation of college. Bending over she flipped her hair over, wrapped it in the towel and dressed herself.

Realizing that the only thing she had eaten since lunch was the chocolate chip cookie Liz offered her, she headed to the kitchen to see what she could find to calm her growling belly. Plus she had left every light on in the house she decided it best to turn some off to conserve some energy. Padding her way on the wood floors to the kitchen she switched some lights off.

She stood at the open refrigerator expecting something to jump out at her and tell her "eat me." But nothing did. So she settled for a glass of milk and the cookies sitting on the glass jar on the counter top. Over the kitchen sink was a large window with a view of the lush mountain scenery as well as a nice view of the back porch. As she enjoyed her midnight snack, she was interrupted by the sight of something. It appeared to be the shadow of a person peering around the side of the house. She calmed herself by the thought of the many trees and animals that neighbored her. She'd seen enough horror movies and lived her own to know not to go outside and check it out.

Quickly she ran around turning off lights, locking and re locking windows and doors. Before heading into her room, she grabbed a kitchen knife, a book off the shelf, and shut and locked the door. The knife was for possible protection, and the book, to keep her company as she had napped several times already and freaked herself out sufficiently that she most likely wouldn't be sleeping well that night. After she locked the bedroom door she ran and jumped on the bed and under the covers.

After fluffing the pillows and finding a comfortable spot to rest her head, she grabbed the book off the night stand, and opened to chapter one. Somewhere between the first and second page, she fell asleep. The book fell to the floor with a loud crash. She startled up. Looked towards the ground, saw the book resting, turned off the bed side light and fell back to sleep, only to waken again by the crow of the rooster.

A rooster, what was a rooster doing in the mountains? Maddie didn't know that an acre to the side of her a family bought some land and decided to turn it into a farm. She discovered this as she was enjoying her morning shake of fresh berries, milk and ice. As she sat on the back porch again she saw some movement out of the corner of her eye. Same place she noticed it last night. Being braver by the sun light, she set her drink on the glass round table that needed a washing, and headed to the corner. The trees were cleared on that side, which she hadn't noticed driving up because of the angle of the house. Over a little ways was a scarecrow guarding the freshly rowed fields with tiny tips of green poking up. Even further away she saw a young lady, mid twenties, blond hair, wearing a bath robe watering some flowers on her back porch. She caught Maddie's eyes and waved.

Shutting off her hose, she headed towards Maddie. Out of the open porch door came a two year old little girl in a diaper and messed up pig tails. Deciding not to make the poor gal walk all the way over in her house slippers, Maddie started to meet her half way. "Hello" the young mother called. When they reached each other she said "How are you? Excuse my morning attire, not used to neighbors. I'm Chloe and that little one trailing behind me is Jessie." Jessie ran up and grabbed her mom's legs and hid behind them.

"It is nice to meet you. I am Maddie. You have all done a lot since being her not too long." It had been two years since Maddie last visited the family house.

"We have loved it here. The inside of our house is still a work in progress. But we wanted to get the garden and farm going so we could live off of it. I thought I'd be able to do more before Jessie started moving. But the older she gets the less I get done. Oh well, no big hurry. So how long are you visiting for?" Chloe asked.

"I am not sure, but planning on right now this being my permanent address."

"Oh we are so glad to have neighbors. Would you like some eggs? I was just about to go and gather some and there are always more than we can really eat?"

"I'd love some, but maybe another day. I have to run into town and get some things that I put off getting yesterday on my way up because I was so tired. Will you excuse me? It was nice meeting you and I am sure I will see you around."

"Same, have a great day." Chloe commented as she headed back to her red farm house. She put on her garden shoes and headed towards the coop with Jessie shadowing her.

Maddie went inside, forgetting the rest of her shake on the patio. She grabbed the first thing out of her bag, a black tank top dress, pulled it over her head. Put her brown hair up in a twist bun. Grabbed her keys, her phone and purse and headed out the door. Why was she in such a hurry? She really didn't know but just wanted to get out and get some stuff done. It was rare in her past to be able to just pick up and go, so she was taking advantage of that.

When she pulled up the the market she noticed a pay phone. Which reminded her that she hadn't called her grandmother to let her know that she had made it safely to Pleasant Valley. Instead of using her cell phone, she grabbed a few quarters and dialed the number that had been her grandparents for as long as she could pick up a phone.

Ring. Ring. Ring. "You have reached 345-5512 please leave a message after the beep." the automated voice said.

"Hey Grandmother its me. I am here. Safe. Call me. I love you." She hung up the phone and headed into the market, unaware of the blue chevy that pulled up next to her little red Accord.