Fly
Away
With
Me
Chapter
One
Sometimes
when I'm sad or upset about something, or I just need to be
alone, I drive. I just drive through the winding roads - avoiding
the busy highways and industrial parks - and just take in the
scenary. The trees. The open fields. The neat, tidy houses with
square yards.
That was how I found the small inn on the corner of two
residential streets. One was newer, all the houses with matching
porches, and the other old Victorians and trees and swings.
It was called Come On Inn, and was a three story
building with white slats and a roof with green shingles. They
had a small garden mostly filled with tomato plants and gardenias
and a large sign planted front and center.
"COME ON IN." It read. "VACANCY. ALWAYS OPEN FOR A
HOT MEAL. BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER."
It was cold and wet and it was late at night. I had stormed out
of the house at dinner after some blowout with my sister. What it
was about, I can't remember now.
My stomach growled and complained. I couldn't go back now
until everyone was asleep, meaning about another hour.
So right about then it seemed like a good place to be, that inn.
The front lights were on and the smell of something baking wafted
through the open windows and towards me, where I lingered near
the hood of my car.
Nervously, and wondering if anyone was still awake, I walked up
to the door and knocked, stepping back as soon as my hand touched
the door.
There was a steady thump-thump-thump as someone walked
over to get the door. It swung open, revealing a middle aged
woman with straight gray-blonde hair. Her apron had happy pigs on
it and she was smiling wide.
"Why don't you come on in, sweetheart?"
The woman's name was Marianne. She used to own a bakery, but
she sold it after her parents left her the inn in their will.
She'd been running it ever since.
"Sounds like a good life." I remarked, sipping my
coffee.
Marianne smiled. "I wouldn't want to live any other
life. So yes, I think that does make it a good one."
I nodded, contemplating this. "You didn't say anything
about a husband. Or children."
She laughed. "Oh, Danny. I don't need a husband or
children to live the life I love. I have my inn, and my
customers, and my cats. And a niece. That's all I really want
in life."
"You have such a way with people. I'm suprised you
wouldn't have one of those huge families with twenty
kids."
"Me? Have a way with people?"
"Marianne, please. I've been sitting here for half an
hour and already it's like I've known you all my
life."
Marianne shook her head over her slice of pie. "All I did
was ask you to come in and share my pie. Then I asked you sbout
your family. You told me. You asked me about mine. We laughed. We
shared jokes. Just basic human interaction."
I ate my pie for a minute, not talking. Slowly, I said, "If
more people were like you, Marianne, then I think this worold
would be a better place."
"I'm flattered. Now, sonny, you better get home before
your parents get worried." her voice went stern and
motherly, so I had to comply.
As I was leaving, she asked me, "Danny, you'll come
back, won't you?"
I promised, and came back the next day. And then the next.
There was something about Marianne you couldn't help
but love.
Author's
Note
I hope you like it. It's a little boring right now, but it
gets better! I promise!
