Wildflowers

Chapter 1

The summer of 1970 was one to remember. I was going into my senior year of high school and I felt like everything was perfect. Little did I know things were about to change in the next year, that would change everything forever.

Chapter 1:

It was a bright Saturday morning as I wake up to my clock radio playing "Wouldn't be Nice" by The Beach Boys. As I hit the volume button I stretch. I look around my bedroom. It was fairly large. The walls were painted a cream color and I had a few posters and pictures on the walls. A thick brown carpet covers the floor. In one corner I have a wooden dresser with a mirror that has photos, drawings, poems and concert tickets sticking out of the trim. Tons of jewelry, makeup and random shit cover the top of it. On the other side of the room is two closet doors. There is a large window over looking the front yard with a window bench that has a few mutual colored pillows on it. I have a large stereo and a box of record sitting next to a wooden desk with a matching chair. My bed is a nice double bed with a light blue blanket on it. Surrounding the bed, is a built in head board that has some cabinets and drawers that I keep my underwear and other random stuff in that is painted a cream color. After I finally roll out of bed, I head into the brown carpeted hallway to go to the bathroom. The hallway is lined with family photos from vacations, trips to see our grandparents baby pictures of me and my school photos through the years, some of which are very embarrassing.

The bathroom is right down the hall from my room. I don't have to share it with anyone because I am an only child. There is a glass shower in one corner and a mint green bath tub next to it. There is a good sized sink and counter with a mirror over it. In the other corner, is a large built in linen closet where I keep towels. There are also some shelves built into the wall next to the sink and mirror. There is a small woven rung in front of the shower covering some of the terracotta tiles that cover the floor. I turned the shower on and let the water heat up. I pulled off the oversized tee shirt over my head and stepped in the shower. After about 20 minutes I get out of the shower and grab the fluffy mint green towel from the towel rack and put around me. I brush my long blond hair and then brush my teeth.

I walk back into my bedroom and grab my work outfit. I work at the local Dairy Queen, which I know what you're thinking right, isn't there way cooler places to work? Yes, I know there is but I have been working there since I was a freshman in high school and the pay is great. The boss, Mike is a real nice guy, who values good work. I'm so close to buying a car that I can taste it. I put on the red romper and fumble around my dresser for my name tag. I finally find it and I open the top drawer to find my maroon one piece swim suit and a pair of jean shorts. I get off work early today, so I am going surfing after work. I stuff everything into my leather duffle that was once my dads. I also grab a beach towel and put on my white converse high tops and I run down stairs to see my mother cooking breakfast. My mom is tall and thin, with short almost black hair and is wearing a light blue pant suit with some cream colored heals.

'Hey mom' I say setting down my stuff on a kitchen chair and opening the fridge to grab the orange juice.

'Morning honey, you want some eggs?' She asks grabbing a nearby plate.

'Sure' I smile 'Dad awake?'

'He had a late night stake-out with Willy, so I'm sure he will be out for a while' She said pouring some coffee from the full pot into a mug.

'Did you need something from him, sweetheart?' She asks me.

'No just wondering' I say back, smiling a little and helping myself to some coffee.

My dad works crazy hours because he is a detective, a private investigator. Him and his partner used to work for the LAPD but resigned a few years ago. He doesn't talk about that very often. It's a super hard subject for him. I think something happened but he has never told me what. Sometimes I help him and Uncle Willy answer the phone when I am not working or surfing. It's an awesome life honestly. Tracking people down, following leads and finding the bad guy. How exciting right?