Journey's Child

9

By the time I got back to the cottage it was after 1:00 pm. The fog had burned away leaving a pale blue sky dotted with light puffy clouds. Looking out the picture window at the beach, I thought to myself that the black and white view from this morning was now slowly being colorized by the sun's brushstrokes.

"Mom," I yelled down the hall. I waited for an answer but was greeted with silence. I stomped back to her bedroom and looked in, "Mom?" I questioned. She had her back to the door and didn't move, so I raised my voice, "Mom?"

She moaned and rolled over looking at me, but I didn't think she actually saw me. Her expression was dazed and painful. "Gilly? What time is it?" she asked as she tried to sit up.

"We were supposed to go shopping," I said glaring at her. "You just slept all day!" With that, I turned and walked to the kitchen to get something to eat. I didn't want to hear what she was going to say.

"I'm getting up. Let's go now, just give me a minute to get ready," she called after me.

I grabbed a soda from the fridge as I thought, it will take more than a few minutes for you to get yourself together...

I waited in the living room, sitting on the itchy threadbare couch. I was surprised that she got herself ready pretty fast. She seemed to be a little embarrassed, which also surprised me.

"Okay, I'm ready, let's go."

I checked her out with a quick glance. She looked good. I couldn't figure out how she did it.

"What?" she asked. "Do I look alright?"

"You look okay," I said, still too angry with her to say she looked great.

"Well let's go," she said opening the door. "What have you been doing this morning?" she asked on our way to the car.

*

Our first stop was to Drake's Harbor Emporium. The store looked like it was run by a 'hoarder'. Snacks, clothes and hair items were mixed together randomly. Trail mix sat beside shampoo and socks nestled next to toothbrushes.

"Well this is going to take some work," my mother said as she grabbed a hand basket.

I separated from her and did my own browsing. I stopped to check out some blank journals in the front of the store, when I was distracted by a man walking on the other side of the street. He didn't fit. It was the way he was dressed and his quick strides, with his face tipped down not looking at anything around him. The few people who he passed paid him no attention. I found that weird because he wore a hat like in 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' and a long black duster like in a cowboy movie. He was at least a head taller than the two men he passed making him stand out even more. He had a beard and his dark blond hair crept down his neck past his collar. There was a tan and black dog walking with him, keeping his pace. The dog had a long square head and his ears stood up then flopped over like an envelope. His bushy eyebrows matched the goatee on his chin.

I felt the journal in my hand start to slip making me jerk my attention away from the window for a minute. When I looked back, the man and the dog were turning the corner and heading towards the beach. Now this was getting interesting.

"Gilly!"

I jumped as my mother's voice startled me.

"You haven't picked out one thing," she complained.

"Here," I said, grabbing the journal and tossing it in the basket.

"Is that all you want?" she said, sounding irritated.

"For now," I replied, walking to the register.

I would have bought out half the store if I hadn't been distracted. I had a new purpose. I wanted, no needed to find out about the strange man and his dog. I wanted to know who he was and what he did and most important why he was here. Something told me we were soul mates; strangers in a strange land so to speak. I couldn't wait to start my investigation.

*

Before we went back to the cottage, we made another stop at the grocery store.

"I just need a few things, Gilly," my mother said when I started to protest.

Grabbing a cart she started walking towards the wine. I shook my head, figures.

I decided to check out the candy section. I stopped dead in my tracks. There in front of me was Debbie and her crew.

"Oh hey guys, look its Gilly."

I didn't like the way she said, Gilly.

"Hi," I replied trying to back step out of the aisle.

"How's the cottages? Bet you can't wait to get back there," Debbie spat sarcastically,

"Gilly, let's go."

I jumped at hearing my mother's voice right behind me.

"Okay," I said, turning to follow her to the checkout.

"Bye Gilly," Debbie's voice came at me in a threatening, sing-song taunt. "See you soon."

On our way back to the cottage my mom asked me if I had made some friends.

"Not exactly," I told her. "They live here."

My mother looked over, giving me a halfhearted smile, "So do you, Gilly. For the summer at least."

I nodded, then looked out the window. I felt like a caged animal.