Maid for the family

A new beginning

It wasn't that horrible to be living in a tent. Penny brushed her long brown hair out of her face and knelt down on her sleeping bag. It was her first full day living in the tent. She had woken up to the sunbeams and birds singing. Her sleeping bag had been toasty warm and the morning air had been chilly. It was the perfect way to wake up.

She had spent the day looking for work, but no one was hiring an eighteen year old with a GED. She forced herself to smile and think of what her mom would say. She would tell her to not give up because everything will get better. She wanted to be like her mom. She had always smiled and looked at the bright side of things. Even when she was dying of cancer, she was still smiling.

Penny was wearing a black above the knee skirt and a pink button down blouse. Spread out in front of her was her dinner. She had blackberries and an apple that she had picked wild from the forest and a pop tart. She was really lucky to have found the wild fruit.

She popped a blackberry in her mouth and closed her eyes. Delicious! After her dinner she quickly changed into pajamas and climbed into her sleeping bag. It got darker sooner in the woods and she didn't want to waste the batteries in the lantern. She snuggled into the sleeping bag and smiled. Tomorrow would be better.

The next morning she walked to the little creek near her tent and quickly washed her face. It was bracingly cold and felt refreshing on her skin. Cold water was better than coffee in the mornings.

She dressed in the same skirt and a white top. She really hoped today she found a job. She was running really low on funds. Even though a lot of bad things had happened to Penny, she had hope that things would improve. She finished getting ready and then straightened up her tent. At least she had her tent, a creek nearby, the beautiful forest, and her health.
She was richer than some.

She walked out of her tent, carefully zipping the flap, and faced the day. Today would be a good one, she smiled in the light breeze and let the sun warm her face.

She heard a twig snap, followed by some voices. She froze and stared with wide eyes in that direction. She was shy around others, never knowing what to say. Should she try to hide from the people coming her way?

She firmed her shoulders and forced herself not to hide. She wouldn't allow herself to cower out of fear. Her mom had taught her to enjoy life, not run from it.

Three very handsome men walked into the clearing and stopped to stare at her. There was a tall, big man with kind eyes and muscles that just looked yummy. He was one of those guys that made women want to swoon at his feet. His chocolate colored skin was lickable.

Penny blushed at her thoughts about him. She wasn't usually like that, but the thoughts just popped into her head without her consent. Nature's instinct just loved big strong men. They were hunters and protectors- everything that nature said she needed.

The second man was a little shorter with brown hair and really light blue eyes. They twinkled with a constant humor and were very striking. He looked like he was a laid back kind of guy. His laugh lines around his eyes made him look even more handsome.

The last guy was more emo. He was wearing skinny jeans, black shirt and a hoody. His bright red and black hair was a little bit messy and he was wearing eyeliner. He smirked at her and said, "You're pretty cute for a trespasser."

The first man stepped forward and looked at her tent. "What are you doing camping by yourself, baby girl?"

She prickled a little at being called baby girl, but she brushed it aside. She was the trespasser here. "Umm I'm sorry, I didn't know you owned this land. I'll gladly pay you whatever I have left for using this clearing. I just needed a place to stay. My mom died recently and I lost the apartment because I couldn't afford rent. This spot was perfect, but I'll find somewhere else. Thank you," she rambled nervously.