The Urban Princesses: Belle

Chapter 16

Maurice's POV

Tired.

So tired.

Lost.

So lost.

Depressed.

Extremely depressed.

Here I was, on a bus, finally headed home, on the right road. A road that was familiar. The roads have been making me feel so lost lately, I just want to get home and be with her.

My darling daughter.

The roads can't be that confusing, you must think. They weren't. They aren't. But the way I used them was.

*Three weeks earlier*

Walking is a pain.

To add to my problem, I was not it at all fit. I should've listened to Bella when she told me to exercise.

My legs ached, my feet throbbed, my tongue moaned for water. All I had were the clothes on my back.

I hear the low sound of an engine and turn around to see a car coming round the bend. I wave to it, trying to get its attention, but it drives right by me. I walk dismally for another half an hour when I hear another car coming, and this time, stick my thumb out as a hitchhiker's gesture, and this time, the car slows down.

"Where ye headed?" A thick Southern drawl greets me from inside the rusty red pickup truck.

"Six hundred and ninety seven Pine road." I say shakily as the person motions for me to get in the backseat, where I'm surprised to find another homeless looking girl smoking a cigarette, making me crinkle my nose in disgust.

"I'm Randall, that's Luise in the back there, picked her up 'bout a month or so ago. How long ye been travelin'?"

"A-A few hours." I stammer.

"A few hours? Last I checked, Pine road is 'bout a four hour car ride from here."

I was a bit confused, assuming it had only taken me a half an hour by car, but I was tired and grateful I had a nice car to drive me. So I curled up against the grimy windows and closed my eyes.

***

"Let me fix that for you, papa." Bella smiled at me as she fixed my tie. "You should look pristine for your first award ceremony."

I grinned at her as she adjusted the cuff links on my coat. "I told you the BF524 would be a hit." I took a seat on our leather couch and looked around at our colossal home.

"I never doubted you for a second." She planted a warm kiss on my cheek. "After the first one sold, I knew many more sales were to come. And now, we are millionaires! There is no way you aren't winning the greatest idea of the century award."

I blushed.

"Now one last thing, wake up."

"What?"

"You have to wake up." She said, eyebrows furrowed. Her tone grew more lazy and annoyed. "Wake up, old man."

The scene before me disappeared and I found Luise leaned over me in the cab of Randall's truck. "Hey, old man, wake up. We're here."

I sat up quickly and looked around outside, nothing was familiar. Houses that were being held up by only slim poles sat all around the road, their lawns littered with trash, with the occasional RV or tent. It looked like a dump. "Where are we exactly?" I questioned.

Randall came from outside and opened the door where I was sitting. "Pine road." He motioned to a rusty old street sign with "Pine road" scrawled on it in permanent marker over the weathered white words that were once printed on it.