Part One.
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I blinked once, taking in all of the scents that floated through the air like the thickest of fog on a cold, fall night. That's what I loved about Spring in Kentucky- all of the markets opened back up and I could buy fresh Strawberries- my favorite. I smiled, pulling the Recycled bag further up my shoulder as I strode along the sidewalk to the fruit stand.
"Howdy there, Pressi!" Old man Burly called out to me from his seat on his porch. I grinned up at him, tipping my hat down.
"Hello there, Mr. Burly, how've you been up there in that house of yours?" I asked, looking at all of the flowers Beth had planted. Old Man Burly had always been a kindly man with the warmest of hearts, but things hadn't been the same since Faith, his beautiful wife, died back in '07. His smile had begun to fade, and he was slowly losing his ability to see. Beth, his 36 year old daughter came 'round from Pennsylvania every year for 2 months to take care of her sick father and plant flowers with the help of her 13 year old daughter, Petunia, like her mother once had. Still so, Mr. Burly spent his days up on his high porch, making friendly conversation with everyone who crossed his path.
"It's lonely, but I've learned it's better to be alone, then to have to nag someone to do everything for you, you 'ere? I shouldn't be nagging you, though. I know you haven't had the chance to nag anyone in years, yeah? How's your ma doing?" He asked, chewing at the straw hanging out his mouth. There it was- the question everyone seemed to have to ask every day. I don't mind, of course. They were only trying to be polite, because they were our neighbors, and a concerned neighbor is a good neighbor. When ma was told she was hit with lung cancer, word spread faster than wild fire, and everyone knew by the next morning, what had happened. I shrugged.
"Still breathin'. At least we have 'er for now, and that's what we can thank the lord for." I said, grinning. He chuckled, nodding.
"Yes, you're dern right!" He exclaimed, clapping his large hand down on his knee and chuckling. "C'mere," He demanded, motioning me over with his hands. I nodded, striding up the steps easily and smiling down at him once I'd reached the top.
He took my hand in his, opening the palm and placing a small gem with a chain attached, in. "Keep this, you hear? It was Faith's, and I want you to have it because you've been a strong woman for so long, taking care of all your brothers and sisters when your mom wasn't able to. I want you to keep this, because I have complete and utter faith in you, and I think you can carry on, doing just as great as you are now." He said, closing my hand and patting it gently. I smiled, sniffling and wiping furiously at my eyes.
"Thank you," I said quietly, pressing a soft kiss to his wrinkled cheek. He smiled up at me, shooing me off. I sighed, lifting my hair and hooking the necklace around it. Oh, how I wish it were that easy. I wish it was that easy to just take care of 11 young kids and a sick mother who was so sick, that she was made stay in bed, no matter how much she longed to leave it.
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"So, how's Kentucky honey?" Mum asked through the phone. I shrugged, shoving my hand into my pocket. We were all back at the hotel watching movies when I decided I just needed to get out for a breather and look around the almost empty streets of Kentucky. It was a warm Spring day, but I'd never felt colder, just walking down the street alone. So I called my mum back in Ireland to see what she was doing.
"It's okay... I just wish I could come home already. We've only been on tour a week or so, but so far, it feels like the longest tour we've had yet," I said, kicking a pebble down the walk with the edge of my shoe as I continued on. She sighed.
"Honey, you can't hold onto it forever. She was one girl in a world full of beautiful girls!" She exclaimed. "If she left, she obviously wasn't a fit match to be able to deal with you and how special you are. You have to believe there is someone out there that is going to love you just as much as you will love them,"
I shook my head. "No, mum. Look, I have to go. Bye, mum. See you in a couple of months. I love you," I said, hanging up and shoving my phone back into my pocket. She thinks she knows how I feel, but she doesn't, and that's what aggravates me. I don't wish she could understand me or the way I think sometimes, in fact, I wish she would let the subject of Jade be and just have a civilized conversation with me, like a normal mother. But it seems every time we talk, she has to come up with an excuse to scold me on how 'there are other fish in the sea' or some other crap like that. Like shit I don't know that! I don't want to get over her, and no one in this world can convince me that I do.
I sighed, running a shaky hand through my short blonde hair. I turned on my heel, making my way back to the hotel. I didn't know where I was, but I knew I was going to come back to this path some time. It was nice, with all of the greenery and fresh air. It reminded me of Ireland, minus the fact that here, there were more fields and cows.
"Oh my lord! Watch out!" Someone screamed from behind me. I heard a faint padding growing closer and closer, and I realized something. It was a horse. I turned around, nearly being run over by the large brown thing, and saw a cute red head with a lot of freckles chasing after it. She might have been about 17 or 18, by the looks of it, and she rushed past me in a flash of red flame. I laughed, watching her chase it down the field.
"I don't think he's coming back to you," I yelled out to her, cupping my hands around my mouth. She turned to me, grinning tiredly.
"I don't think he is either, but it's not my horse," She yelled back. I smiled, motioning her over with the wave of my hand. She jogged up to me breathlessly, sliding a rubber off of her wrist and tying her hair up in a bun.
"Howdy," She greeted, shoving her hand out at me. "I'm Elaine,"
I smiled, shaking her hand lightly. "I'm Niall. Are you from around here?" I asked, biting my lip. She laughed slightly, and I couldn't help but find her accent adorable.
"Yeah, this right here, that we're standin' on, is my property. My house it left and up the hill," She directed, pointing in the direction of her home. I nodded. She shoved her hands in her back pockets. "So, what're you doin' 'round here?"
"Oh... Um, I was just looking around. I didn't mean to come onto your property, I guess I just wandered here..." I trailed off, scratching the back of my neck. She laughed, hooking her arm around mine and guiding me up the hill.
"C'mon. Let's go meet the others."
