Finding Home by Alicia Jackson (the little red hen read aloud TXT) 📕

face lit up again, and this time so did mine. "How about six?" he laughed. "Sounds good" I said. He stood and threw $26 on the table. "Charlie no", I started, his bill had only been $8 and though his dad usually left a good tip I couldn't take this. "I'll see you at six was all he said oh and dress up", and then he was gone. After he'd walked out of sight I stared at the money on the table and decided that I wouldn't let him pay for my dinner. Now the hard thing would be finding something to wear, dress up? I had nothing to dress up in and no matter what I wore I would look like I didn't belong with him.

When he picked me up I was pleasantly surprised to see that he drove a Ford pick up. I had never seen him drive before, this town is so small that pretty much everyone walks where they need to go. I remembered seeing his dad's Lexus and thinking how silly I would look if Charlie had a car like that and people saw me getting out of it. Thankfully my dad hadn't gotten home yet when Charlie got there. He strolled up to the door wearing khaki dress pants and a button down. I wore the nicest thing I owned, a black dress that Mrs. Anderson had surprised me with after lunch in the city one Sunday. My hair is naturally curly so I had just let it air dry after my shower, and then brushed it a bit. He walked up to the door as I peaked out at him from behind the curtain, all I could do was drink in the sight of him. His white shirt had the sleeves rolled up and the first three buttons at the top were undone. He looked great and I was self conscious all of a sudden. "Wow, you look beautiful" he said after I opened the door. He opened the car door for me and I let out a small laugh when I caught him starring at me. We ate at some fancy place in the city, the food was delicious and I had a lot of fun talking and laughing with him. When the check came I refused to let him pay for my meal but he slipped the waiter a card and told me that it wouldn't count as a date if I had paid for myself, so eventually I let it go. The car ride home however was weird, neither of us said a word. The conversation at the restaurant had been light for the most part until he asked about my father again but I had done a good job deflecting it. When we pulled up to my house he pulled up to the curb and shut off the car. "You didn't have a good time." he said looking over at me. "No I did." I replied shaking my head. "But?" he prompted. I was hesitant to answer. "Well, it's just that I feel bad, I mean going on this date with you, letting you pay the $100 bill and tip the waiter after you left so much money at the diner this afternoon. I'm not used to this, it just all seems absurd really." "Oh" he said looking shocked. No, that's not the way I had wanted that to come out, I was sure he thought I was ungrateful. "I'm sorry I really did enjoy myself." I said my eyes on my interlaced fingers in my lap. To my surprise he covered my hands with his own. "Well we will just eat in next time" he said. My eyes shot up. "Next time?" I said. How could he possibly want to go out with me again after I sat here and complained about a perfectly wonderful dinner. I could see that worry in his eyes again as he moved his hand back to his own lap. He opened his mouth to speak but I spoke first. "Next time" I said with an assuring voice. We just sat there for a minute smiling at each other, I could look at that boy smile all night, but he opened his door and came around to open mine. I wasn't ready to leave as he walked me to the porch. I could hear my dad stirring upstairs when I opened the door so I gave Charlie a quick smile, thanked him for the wonderful evening, and said goodnight.

The next few weeks weeks had been perfect and the next months even better. The first time I met his mom had been a week into our relationship, they had invited me over for dinner. His mom was kind and warm, she reminded me a lot of my own mother. A car door slammed forcing me again from my memories. I hadn't realized that I was crying again until a tear fell on my hand. I wiped my face and went into the gas station that I had pulled into. I had noticed a sign on the marquee advertising a burger, chips and a drink for $5 so I decided this would be a good place to stop. I went in purchased my meal, and asked the cashier for directions to the nearest motel. He said that it was about forty minutes down the road so I took my time with my burger and then filled my tank. This was my first stop and I had already spent $35, I decided I would have to ration more carefully. When I got to the motel the clerk told me that it would be $56 a night, I hadn't slept in two days and now I was full with the burger so I decided this would have to do because I didn't know how much further I could drive without falling asleep. I paid for the night and then ventured to find my room. It didn't take long to find room number 38 and as soon as I entered I dropped my bag and fell into bed and before I knew it I was dreaming of Charlie's brown eyes. I woke up feeling like I'd been hit by a freight train, I felt heavy and disoriented like I had slept too long. I sat up slowly and looked over to the clock in the nightstand, it was 3:00 in the afternoon, the next day! Not only had I slept all of yesterday but also half of today! I hopped off of the bed, I hadn't planned on staying here for a full day and definitely not two. I tried to move quickly but I stood up to fast and was a little dizzy and had to sit back down. When I finally got my self together I hurried down to the front desk. When I got there the clerk tried to make me pay for two nights. "But the day isn't quite over and I swear I will leave right now if you just......" There was a lady at the counter being waited in by another clerk not even pretending not to listen to our argument. I was just about to cave when she stepped over and introduced herself. "Hi, I'm Julie Ann Porter" she said extending her hand. "Savannah" I said shaking her hand. "Hey Daniel just let her go, I'll cover it, she looks like shes had it rough." Did I? I mean I imagine so, I hadn't stopped to check the mirror in my haste to leave the room. "My husband and I own the place" she said turning to me. "Thank you" I said grateful but unsure as to why she had done it. I was just about to walk away when she started to say something else. "Savannah, why don't you come with me, I can put you up at my house for free as long as you need." I looked at her confused, I couldn't believe she'd just said that, I mean it was nice but she was a complete stranger to me, and I to her. "No, I'm sorry I can't accept your offer." said shaking my head half afraid that she was some pshyco trying to lure me into a trap. She must have sensed my suspicion because she tried harder. "Look you must have driven here right?" I nodded. "Well I live in a suburb essentially follow me to my house and if you feel unsafe drive away." I couldn't be sure but she seemed to be telling the truth, I took a couple of minutes to think about it. I really needed what she was offering but what if she was some crazy person trying to murder me. I decided that I would follow her and if anything seemed sketchy I would hightail it out of there but just in case I had a plan of my own. "Ok I said walking back over to the counter, but first I need to call my dad he's a cop, we had a fight and I'm not ready to go back there but I should let him know that I'm ok, I kind of snuck out on him. After a day he can come and get me." I didn't plan on staying at her place very long either, even if it were safe. I went to my car and pulled out the small Nokia phone from my glove compartment. Charlie had given it to me for my Eighteenth birthday, he had been annoyed that I didn't have a cell phone and I had been annoyed that he had spent money on something that I would probably never use. At the time I pretended to love it, I smiled but I think he saw past my front, he usually did. However in this moment I was absolutely elated that I had it. I put it to my ear as Julie walked out the door of the motel. I mouthed some gibberish and occasionally threw in dad. She stopped and watched for a moment and then seemed convinced and proceeded to walk over to her car. When she was out of sight I breathed a sigh of relief and reached to put the phone back in the glove compartment but noticed that it was lit up. I had twelve missed calls, all of them from Charlie. My heart raced and my stomach dropped in my silent panic. He was already looking for me? It was harder now to resist driving right back into his arms. I threw the phone on to the seat desperate to forget about him. That's what it would take, would have to forget about him to ever be able to move on. I knew what I was giving up when I left and now I had to face the realization of it. Julie drove around the corner then and stopped behind my car. She rolled down her window and yelled out to me. "Ok just follow me." I was still concerned about the danger I might have been putting myself into, but I was no longer hesitant. I needed a distraction desperately, and the further from home I got the less chance there was that I would go back.


WELL THERE IS CHAPTER TWO, HOPE YOU ENJOY IT!! WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT SAVANNAH'S PREDICAMENT? YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW INTERESTING THIS REALLY WILL BE FOR HER. LEAVE ME YOUR COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS PLEASE, I REALLY APPRECIATE THEM! THANKS FOR READING!