Mark of the Moon

Chapter 13 - The Scarlett Letter

Chapter 13: The Scarlett Letter 

  "Thank you very much," I said beaming as a guy stood in the of my front doorway, handing me the keys to my temporarily repaired car. It stood in the driveway, parked in the almost shaded outline of where it always sat. He nodded happily, looking not much younger than me, but happy go lucky, the way a kid always felt their first day on a job-well a job that they chose. Wait until they realized it was going to be hard work. 

  I smiled and closed the door behind him as he walked back down the path, towards the waiting company vehicle. I tossed the keys in the air, the jingle sounding better again. The car had gotten "fixed" just in time, it was Friday and I was supposed to head into the city to celebrate Thanksgiving with my father over the weekend. Even though I hadn't been totally positive whether my car would be done by today or not, I had heard my father's voice and it was like a soft spot in my wall, I had said yes before I thought of any of the problems that were keeping me here.

  But I couldn't keep the smile off my face; he had been gone longer than he said he would be, so going to see my dad would be like a sigh of relief. Sometimes just hearing his voice wasn't enough, you needed the sight in your eyes to make it true, because most of the time, your eyes didn't lie, the ears could be tricked.

  I looked around the house, making sure it seemed fit to be left empty for the weekend, the sink not having anything rotting away in it; the dishwasher and laundry all clean and empty. My room as per usual was impeccably clean; it never was used much except for when I slept in the bed. The living room was tidy enough; it's not as if someone would be in here when I was gone.

  I snatched the keys out of mid-air, breaking the pattern of me casually tossing them up and catching them as I pondered. I slid on my jacket and locked the door behind me as I made my way to the car, my duffel bag slung over my shoulder the same way I would a backpack.

  I tossed the bag into the back seat, and shut the door before getting into the driver's side. I started the car, the smell of fading cologne on the seats, my nose wrinkled in distaste. Great. The guy who drove my car home must have had a bath in Axe cologne before driving my car. Opening the windows, despite my hate for the cold, I let the scent try and get its way out of my car, which had practically soaked it into its very seams.

  If you would have asked me how to get to the Everdeen's house after that first time I visited, I would have told you it would be easier to find El Dorado, the Lost City of Gold. But now I could get there, with my eyes blindfolded and both hands tied behind my back. Granted someone else would have to drive if I was put into that situation, but you get the point.

  The spot where I normally parked the grass dull and dying from the cold, was flattened by the unique impression of my tires. The window that showed the kitchen glowed a warm glow, the kind that promised Mrs. Everdeen was concocting up something delicious for dinner, probably expecting me to come and join them like always.

  I sighed and got out, the grass feeling different in the sneakers that I didn't normally wear in this cold of weather, in fear of having the slush of mist seep through to my socks, but the long drive hopefully ahead of me didn't sound all to comfortable wearing boots. I walked to the porch briskly, the mist that was spitting overhead threatening to douse my skin with a thin layer of moisture.

  Not even having to knock, I just walked into the house, and had the same urge I always did to call out "Mom, I'm Home!" but always halted myself before I got too much into thinking about it.

  Mrs. Everdeen was just setting the table as something was roasting in the oven, "Hello, dear, how was your day?" she asked without looking up and I smiled easily.