Peaches

Chapter 1

A grove of unevenly grown trees crowded the yard. The dusty gravel path crunched under her boots as she walked up the drive way. She made her way up the disintegrating stairs and they creeked, even under her light weight.

Setting her vintage style suitcase down, she placed her hand on the old wooden door. The paint felt warm and sticky, she pulled her hand away, expecting it to be outlined with old, creamy paint. Instead, her palm was just sweaty with the Carolina heat. She balanced herself again and pulled off her boot with her remaining hand, shaking the gravel out. She kicked the small rocks and they fell in between the cracks of the old boards.

"Kay! Kay?! Is that you?" A weak but excited and high pitched voice came from the other side of the door.

"Yes, aunty Gladice? It's me Kay."

The old door swung open hesitantly and an orange tabby slipped through the old woman's legs. "Hello, darling! You've grown so much! Is this your only bag?" Her high pitched voice rang with excitement.

"Yes ma'am, I can do laundry here can't I?"

"There's a washer. But you'll have to hang your clothes up to dry."

"Yes ma'am," She said with a smile.

"Brad will show you your room," she slid out of the doorway to reveal a tall, handsome boy walking down the hall.

He had wide shoulders covered by a tight, white, t-shirt covered in oil stains, his medium length hair was dark brown and his eyes were a piercing green. His broad shoulders led down to strong veiny forearms, and warm caloused hands. His muscular bowed legs were wrapped tightly in dark denim. His jeans were frayed at the end and a square shape was indented in his front pocket from a wallet. In the other pocket was a Copenhagen ring. "Actually. It's Riley." A smile escaped from his lips revealing perfect teeth. His southern accent made Kay's knees go weak.

"I can take that bag for you there Miss." He outstretched one of his long tan arms.

"No, Riley. I can handle it myself."

"If you say so Miss."

"It's Katie Annette, or Kay for short."

"Alright Miss Kay!" He said flashing his gorgeous smile again. "Your room is just up the stairs. You sure you don't want me to take your bag? These stairs are mighty steep."

"Alright. Go ahead." She set the bag down and watched his thick muscles engage as he picked it up.

She followed him up the stairs. His butt was perfectly cradled in his tight faded denim. She smiled watching the muscles in his butt twitch as he climbed the stairs. Her hand slid against the banester as she climbed the steep white steps.

"So, is Miss Gladice your gra'ma?" He asked as they turned the corner to find another flight of stairs. "Your room is just on the other side of these."

"She's my aunt. I only met her once when I was around 3."

"Ah, well, here is your room. I sleep just down the hall on. Your aunt sleeps downstairs, the steps are too much for her. The bathroom is directly across the hall. I'll show you the laundry later, and you shouldn't need to know where anything else is. Miss Gladice makes the best biscuits and gravy you ever did have. Supper is served at sundown so that's when you have to be inside."

***

She sat down on the lightly colored quilted bed. The room had glass doorknobs on the drawers as well as the main door. The windows were open and the screens housed families of mummified flies. Some live ones still buzzed around in the bottom of the frame, ignoring the warning of their ancestors. A white and dirtied mirror hung from a thin wire above the chest of drawers.