Neon Moon

Ch. 16 The Long Way Around

AN: Just wanted to give you all a heads up this chapter is a little shorter, but it's setting stuff up. Also chapter 17 will be out soon. Already almost done with it. Enjoy!
Love, Liz

P.s. the two songs in the chapter were written by Brandi Carlile and Kacey Musgrave. I am no song writer and want to give credit where credits is due.

~

The next morning you were up way too early trying to work everything out as quickly as possible. Avoiding everything Owen related, the first thing you did was call the storage unit place. The owners were a nice middle aged couple who gave you a great 6 month deal which you were 2 months late on now, when you hit the road what felt like forever ago. They understood your predicament when you explained the situation. Agreeing to not call Owen anymore and let you have the rest of the week to come get what you wanted from your unit.

Next thing was to find someone to cover your shifts at the diner. You had a good idea of who because she really owed you by this point, Jenny. You called her and explained the situation without going into detail because you didn't need news of your ex floating around town. She agreed and you felt much better.

Now that everything was taken care of you just needed to talk to Clyde to make a game plan on when you'll leave and such. Looking at the time it was still early. You hated the thought of waking him up, but you knew your mind was too busy to go back to sleep. So instead you grab your notebook with the pen stuck in the side and your new guitar Clyde gave you for christmas and headed to your front porch.

The sun was a bright orange blossom over the overgrown fields that surrounded your little trailer. It wasn't top tier living but it was yours and you loved it. The mornings were still cool but once that sun came out you could feel the southern warmth start to settle in for spring. This little town was already holding a very special place in your heart and you had a feeling that once spring hit it was going to become even more beautiful with wildflowers everywhere. You were having a hard time thinking of being anywhere else when that was the constant growing up. But now you felt like you had actually settled and had roots somewhere. Actually a home. Your home. A home you'd hope Clyde always wanted to be a part of.

The Gretsch jet black electric guitar has become your favorite go to recently. Anytime you had a gig at the bar or wanted to practice something it was the first thing you picked up. Now with the thousands of thoughts, feelings, and old memories running through your head you had to let some of it out. Settling on the old wooden bench you crack open your notebook and start plucking away a few different melodies to fit the idea you had written a couple days before.

"I haven't seen my father in some time

But his face is always staring back at me

His heavy hands hang at the ends of my arms

And my colors change like the sea"

You strummed the strings over and over again, nothing sounded right. Trying different keys and different arrangements, It still didn't fit right. You grab your notebook and start to hum to yourself as you tap the end of your pen against your bottom lip. Words started to mingle and swirl in your mind. You started to write again.

"But I don't worry much about time lost

I'm not gunning for the dreams I couldn't find

'Cause he taught me how to walk the best that I can

On the road I've left behind"

Clyde slept for a little longer but once that coolness started to spread from your side of the bed he knew he was alone. After being with you he really hated waking up alone. His arm stretched out to make sure you hadn't scooted up on the edge of the bed. With a grunt he thought, no Sunshine. This caused his eyes to pop open trying to gather his thoughts. Willing his muscles to move he got up and plucked his Bob Segar shirt out of your little closet. He pulled it over his head and smiled at how it smelled like you.