In a Town Called Blooming Orchid

Chapter Three: Polka Dots and Polaroids

     Heather, Garret, Robin, and Byron went to a little sandwich restaurant for lunch. They were eating and chatting about various topics.

     "I need to use the bathroom," Heather said.

     "Same," Garret added. The two stood up and walked off, leaving Robin and Byron alone.

     "So uh... how long have you been playing the flute?" Robin asked breaking the awkward silence.

     "Since the 8th grade. I used to live in the Philippines, and that year my parents passed away and my sister, brother, and I moved to the states," Byron said, picking at his food. "I picked it up and joined the school band, and it turned out to be my calling,".

     "Oh. I'm sorry," Robin said softly.

     "It's fine, it was a long time ago," Byron said, he gave a weak smile. Robin regretted asking.

     "So where have you been living? I assume you just moved here," Robin asked, changing the subject.

     "Actually I live in Topeka. Knightley knows me because he dated my sister," Byron replied. "I was thinking of renting an apartment but, yeah I'm gonna have to drive all the way back as of now,".

     "Byron that's so far away! Hey, dude, if you need to stay the night with us that's alright," Robin offered. "Plus you won't have to take a bus or whatever to get back,".

     "That's really nice of you, but I don't want to impose," Byron said shaking his head.

     "Come on. You seem really nice, I would feel bad if you had to take the bus all the way to Topeka. At least let me pay for a hotel room. There aren't any hotel rooms nearby, they're out in the bigger cities, but I'll take you to one if you want! Way closer than Topeka," Robin replied. Byron laughed.

     "You are too kind, Robin," Byron shook his head. Garret returned, followed shortly by Heather.

     "Why is he too kind?" Garret asked. He took a crumb of a potato chip and popped it in his mouth.

     "Well, Byron lives all the way out in Topeka. So Knightley came and got him and now he has nowhere to stay, and no car. So I offered to let him crash at our place," Robin explained.

     "Sounds fine to me," Garret shrugged. Byron smiled. The boys said their goodbyes to Heather, and Byron rode home with Garret and Robin in Robin's truck.

     Meanwhile, the police had just shown up to the parking lot of the concert hall. Everybody there had left except for Anthony and his dog. They were looking at the case and the picture left in the car.

     "Well, we'll have to take this evidence," said the sheriff to Anthony. "You can drive home for now but we may be asking you some questions tomorrow," He sighed as a deputy placed the photo and the flute case into a large plastic bag, carefully.

     "Thank you Sheriff Nguyen," said Anthony. He was staring into the distance with an understandably distraught expression.

     "Ok then, drive safe, Mr. McGregor," Sheriff Nguyen said. He patted Anthony's dog Tinkerbell on the head and then he and the other officers went back to the station with the evidence.

     Anthony and Tinkerbell got in the car and drove back to Anthony's Aunt's house, where he'd begun staying since he came back.

     Jewel's younger sister Jennifer McGregor also lived in Blooming Orchid with her only daughter, Suzy. Suzy and Anthony were practically siblings. Jen's ex-husband left her way before Suzy was born, and Anthony's father as well as Jewel's husband abandoned them and moved up to New York. So Jewel and Jen lived together for a while and raised their kids together. When Anthony moved out, Jewel got her own place.