Timeless

Chapter 3

The air whipped my face gently through the open windows as I drove through long, green fields of grass with animals grazing in them. The drive was long but in this heat, with the breeze and such beautiful scenery of long, country back roads, it was pleasant to say the least. Music played in the speakers and the sound of the cat and wind combined drowned out my singing.

Hotel California - Eagles

What's Up - 4 Non Blondes

Bohemian Rapsody - Queen

You know, the good stuff. I revelled in the smells of the fresh air and the heat combined. The journey was a few hours back home.

Home was in Vergennes, Vermont. A small town where everyone knew everything about everyone's business which was the only downside to living in a town with a population around 2,500. I pulled up to the house and left my luggage in the car. I hadn't told them I was coming, I decided to keep it a surprise. As I walked up the path and crept around the porch I shuddered and the creeks under my feet. I knocked on the door and waited a few moments. After a few short seconds my mom appeared at the door and as she opened it and looked at me, her face lit up.

"Oh, Evelyn, my baby!" she cried as she pulled me in for a hug. My mother and I were around the same height so we fit well. She had barely changed in the time we hadn't seen each other. She still looked young for her age with short, dark hair framing her face. I had her big, round green eyes and full lips and as she held me I could feel her tears wet my shoulder. Just as my dad popped to the door to see what was going on, his face curled into a great smile and he pulled me into his great arms. His smell was woody and masculine because his job was to preserve animals in the surrounding forests. I felt his heart beat faster under his grey, v-neck t-shirt. He was around a foot taller than me so my head laid exactly on his chest. I was a daddy's girl through and through. They pulled me in the house and it felt so good to be home. As soon as my feet hit the hardwood floors I slipped out of my flip-flops and pressed my feet against the dark varnish of the wooden boards beneath me. I took a deep breath in... cinnamon buns baking. I was home.

To my right was the staircase. White stairs with mahogany tops and white spindles with mahogany bannisters. At the bottom of the stairs was a door leading through to the dining room. Ahead of me was the entrance to the cheery yellow, white and baby blue cottage-style kitchen and finally to the left of me was the archway that opened up into the front room where dad was situating himself into the beige armchair, paper in hand, putting his feet up on the mahogany coffee table. Above him was a gallery wall of pictures of us all. As I made my way to the kitchen I ran my fingers along the wall of the hallway eventually plonking myself on a stool at the breakfast bar when I got there. Mom handed me a cup of English tea and a hot cinnamon bun, fresh from the oven and so steamy hot that the drizzle was melting away from it too quickly. I instantly felt the worries of school leave with as my shoulders released the tension they'd been holding.

After a while of talking, I heard the door open and Will shouted hello from the hallway, marching straight toward the kitchen. He was still wearing his gear from the gym where he was a personal instructor. Oblivious to me, he walked straight to the counter behind us and started looking through the day's mail. When he was satisfied, he turned and spotted me.

"Little bug?!" he shouted. He always called me bug on account of my big, bug-like eyes. I smiled and he scooped me into a big hug and held me there. He stunk of sweat but also of his sweet cologne that he always wore. Citrus and the gym... charming. I almost passed out he squeezed me so hard.

"When did you get home?" he asked.

"Around an hour ago" I replied.

"Well, let me just have a shower and I'll take you out to the bar tonight" he said, excitedly. I chuckled as he strode away happily. Will was 24 and with me just turning 21, this was the first year he could take me out.

* * * * * *

I rubbed the smooth lipstick on my lips and pressed them together as I fluffed my hair up. I'd opted for a little mascara and liner instead of a bunch of eyeshadow and figured what goes better with a wing than a red lip? I walked out of the bathroom and picked up my leather jacket before going downstairs. Dad had helped me bring all my bags in earlier. My blonde hair was curled in large ringlets around my fave and I had tied the top quarter up into a bun. I waited for Will, who was worse for getting ready than me. I stood in my stonewashed, distressed, blue jeans, fitted white vest and ankle boots, tapping my feet. Finally he came down and after saying goodbye to mom and dad we climbed into his old school mustang and drove to the local bar, The 9 Ball.