Because of Fate (Book 1 of Because of Series)

Chapter 1- Margaret

I clenched the steering wheel of my old beat up Ford while I stared at the winding road in front of me. All I could see was miles and miles of a white, wooden fence, and I was getting sick and tired of it. There seemed to be no end of it, with no town in sight. I was getting antsy and tired, ready to get out of the car and try to find a job.

"Mags?" the voice of my ten-year-old brother asked, and I glanced back at him in question. His brown eyes were filled with this tortured look that I hoped I could get rid of.

Like me, our parents didn't really care about him, and I couldn't help but wonder if it was because I had gotten him interested in a sport that they detested. Or if it was because he wasn't "special" enough like my twin sister.

"Ya?" I asked, moving my eyes back on the road. I pursed my lips to see that the white fence was there, but this time there were cattle in the pastures. "What is it, Bud?" I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel, the soft sound of static filling the car as my old truck tried to pick up a radio station.

"Can we stop for a bit? I think the horses and dogs need to stretch out their legs," he said. He huffed and looked out the window, and I could tell that he was getting tired of the fence, also. He had been quiet on most of the ride, and for that, I was grateful, even though I hated the silence.

I smirked when I looked at the ten-year-old, knowing that he was just as bored as me and wanted to get out. "You can't explore," I said, glancing back on the road. I flicked my eyes this way and that, making sure that nothing was in the way while I reduced my speed. I had no idea what was going to pop out, and I really did not want to hurt my truck. "Not unless we find a place to settle."

My brother, Travis, groaned, being careful not to wake up my four-year-old daughter. He slammed his head against the back of his seat, not hurting himself. "But, Maggie," he said pouting. "I love exploring."

"Which is why I have you and your parents don't," I replied. "And, because they haven't done a good job of taking care of you." I narrowed my eyes in disgust. I hated them for always comparing me to my sister, even though she wasn't all that special.

Travis shrugged. He didn't say a word about me commenting on "his" parents and not saying that they were mine. He understood what I meant, and I hated how he had to go through what I had. "Does that mean yes, we can pull over?"

"Wake up your niece but be careful of that stupid cat. I do not want you to get bitten," I said. I glanced through the rearview mirror to see the messed up looking cat looking at me. I narrowed my eyes and pursed my lips in disgust. I liked dogs better, which was why I had rescued five dogs of my own.

"Mama, why did Travis wake me up?" I heard my daughter grumble. There was a small smack, and I knew that she slapped her uncle. "I want to go back to sleep."

I looked at the back to see my daughter, Maybelle, rubbing her eyes and pouting.

The cat was fuming and glaring at my poor brother, who was nursing his face.

"Well, do you want to get out? We are going to stop for a bit so the horses can get out."

Maybelle perked up and looked outside. "Can we let the doggies out?" she asked excitedly. "And Pickle?"

"Pickle is not going to get out of the truck. That cat is going to be jumping around and will not come when you call. The dogs, yes, they can come out."

"Well, maybe if you trained the cat to come when I call, then she will come," my daughter said. She placed her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow at me, a trick she had inherited from her father.