Baggage

{Chapter Three}

"Turn left."

"I'm not allowed to, Miss."

"I said that you should be turning left."

"I said that it's illegal for me to turn left on this road."

"Well, I said that you should."

Violet, once parked at the stoplight, rubbed her temple. Although her up-most desire would be to exit out of the driver's seat of her taxi, march over to the back of the car, and push the whiny, pre-pubescent girl out of the taxi, her desire to receive her next paycheck overruled that.

As the light above her flashed an olive green, Violet tightened the grip on the wheel and swerved down the road. The road she was driving on was grimy and filled with a myriad of potholes, smoothie cups (from the nearby smoothie place on the block), and trashbags.

"God," the girl screeched behind her, "can you try to limit the amount of bumps that you hit? I'm getting nauseous!"

Violet's teeth gritted. I swear, I'll kick her ass out of this car if she pukes in my car!

Luckily, a bright blue sign sparkled with the name of the girl's desired location on it. Violet gingerly pulled over, ensuring that the ground near the parked car was kempt enough for the princess in the back seat to walk on.

Before Violet could even utter a word, the blonde girl threw a chunk of bills into the front of the car and sprinted out towards a group of other teenagers, dressed in slutty crop tops and shorts.

"Thanks for the tip!" she mumbled to herself, seeing that the brat had given her fifty-cents more than necessary.

How generous! This would go towards Violet's life savings, which weren't much. Despite having a photography degree from a renown university, she had difficulty finding a stable job. She had been a waitress, a personal shopper, a clerk at an arts and craft store, and a taxi driver. Unfortunately, no photography studio was willing to hire the petite blonde with a knack for the camera.

Her job choices had made her blunder financially. Her checking account was losing money rather than gaining money, and sadly, Violet had nowhere to turn to for financial assistance. Her mother would berate her for choosing a career in photography that would lead her to everywhere except the bank; her father would make her beg for a dollar. 

And asking Shannon? Well, Violet didn't even consider that a plausible option. She would never ask her perfect sister for anything. Especially after the Noah situation.

Violet groaned. She couldn't believe that she had agreed to hide the secret for the rest of their lives. Surprisingly, Violet had no trouble talking to Shannon; guilt only occasionally pulled on her heart strings.

"Are you available?"

Violet's head shot up to find a middle-aged man with a face covered in grey and brown scruff. He had one foot in the door and one foot on the street.

"Yeah," Violet replied, "where to?"

Where are you going in your life, Violet? she thought to herself.

Relgion had never been an important aspect in Noah's life. Sure, he went to church here and there, but he was never a devot Catholic. Besides, he had questioned whether there was a God after his father had died such a painful death.

But, here he was, sitting in front of a priest, with his lovely soon-to-be wife beside him. Unlike Noah, Shannon and her parents sought after God's guidance for any decision in life. It was not fate, Shannon had stated, but God's way that ultimately caused them to meet.