Lovley Fire

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The rest of the week was pretty much like a repeat of the first two days of school, nothing special, so when I got home on Friday from school Chastity planned to take me to Highlonsome Park to make up for my crappy week. Of course I was looking forward to getting away from the house of boredom and hang out with Chastity but not at Highlonsome Park. The park is a local one and is always as beautiful as ever but that’s where my mother and my father used to go to on Sunday mornings every day after church. It’s where my mother and I used to pick what I call ‘Wishing Flowers’ and make a wish together with our fingers crossed and then blew on the flower, hoping our wish comes true. That park was one of our most favorite places in town, and also one of the most treasured.

“Hurry up girl! Daylight’s fading!” Chastity yelled as she pulled up in her brother’s car. I wondered if she stole it or actually asked for permission to take the car this time. The car was just a small truck but good enough for a new car, especially if you just got your license like Jay. I still have four months before I get my license due to birthday and date problems and mistakes, but I still know how to drive.

“So, what are we going to do at the park?” I said looking at her trying to put up a joyful voice. She tilted her head to the side to think.

“Oh I don’t know, maybe walk around or you know, enjoy the beauty of this wonderful day. Maybe we can go to your favorite candy shop downtown. I’m in the mood for a sugar rush.” I don’t know that Chastity needs any sugar considering how ecstatically hyper she already is today but there is no stopping Chastity when it came to candy. Maybe having some candy wasn’t such a bad idea, maybe it’ll cheer me up.

When we pulled into the candy shop called Oh So Sweet I could already smell the sweet, sugary scents of sugar rocks, lollipops, mouthwatering chocolate, and sour taffy. As soon as we walked into the shop all of the scents hit me like a punch in the face, but a happy punch. I smiled just thinking of the sweet taste of chocolate and sugar. We were surrounded by rows and shelves of all kinds of candy just taunting me to try them. Mr. Charles or as I call him Charlie was bent down near a shelf of candy, eating some himself. Charlie is a close family friend and has always been such a good friend. I and my mother used to always come down here and visit him. He was just as devastated as me to hear about their deaths and is also still healing.

I put my hands on my hip and watched him stuff his mouth with Twizzlers. “Charlie, really?” I said. He jumped at the sound of my voice and smiled nervously, a Twizzler hanging out of his mouth. He swallowed the Twizzler and put up his hand as if to tell me to wait. Very professional he put out a hand and bowed in greeting.

“Nice to see you again Emrey, you to Mrs. Hart,” he said. Chastity smiled at him. I walked towards him and observed him. He still looked the same as the last time I visited him a few months ago. He was still the plump little man I always knew with his ‘Candy Apron’ as he calls it. He had obviously been going through all of the candy as there were chocolate and Pixi Stix stains spotted all over his apron. The forest is my heaven, but this shop is Charlie’s heaven.

“You’ve been eating all of the candy haven’t you?” I said with a grin with my arms folded. He smiled and wiped his hands on his apron. He hurried to the counter and rung the bell on the counter top that costumers ring when they are getting Charlie’s attention.

“You rang the bell Mrs.? Now, what shall you like? We have all kinds of candy to choose from.” Now he was acting like I was a normal costumer.  He hooked his arm around Chastity’s as she chuckled realizing how small he was compared to the both of us. He led her over to the chocolate isle where you could find chocolate shipped in from any country you could imagine.