Leaving Town

The wind blew through the window of the little red car, whipping Honey's hair around her face. Gathering it with one hand, she balanced the steering wheel with her knees and looked for a clip to hold it back.

On the passenger seat sat an envelope and a map, New York circled in red. In the back, pale pink leather suitcases gleamed in the early morning light. Giving up on the clip, Honey let her hair go and turned up the radio.

The road stretched before her. She refused to look in the rearview mirror at the house that had been both her prison and her home for almost thirty years.

Taped to the dashboard, a note flapped in the breeze. The black ink scrawled across paper that was worn and creased. Her mother's handwriting had lost none of its strength in the final days.

Be happy, Honey. You deserve the best out of life.

She set her arm on the window frame, tapping her pink tipped fingers to the beat of the music while she stared out at the clear blue sky. In less than a week, that sky would be filled with buildings. A thrill coursed through her. Finally.

There was just one thing she needed to do.

She slowed down as the turn approached. The paved road gave way to hard packed dirt and gravel. She drove past the creek tumbling merrily between its banks. In the distance, she saw the ribbon of black continue, leading to the big house. For a moment, she could see the white shutters peek from behind the trees, and then they too disappeared from sight.

How many times had she driven this road to see him?

Too many.

Honey slowed the car as she approached the snug little house set back from the road by a wide green lawn. It was quiet. A lonely blue Honda sat in the drive. Todd wasn't home.

Good.

Honey parked her car and got out, grabbing the envelope off the seat. Her long legs ate the short distance between the car and house. On the porch, she paused, chewing her lip. Taking a deep breath, she laid the envelope against the door and rapped sharply on the window.

Turning, she walked back to her car, got in and drove away.

She didn't see the door open and Carrie walk out, her terry cloth robe hanging crooked on her frame while she stared at the cloud of disappearing dust in confusion. She didn't see Carrie pick up the envelope and frown, pushing a piece of dirty hair behind her ear while she pulled out the packet of papers. She didn't see Carrie fall into the rocker, anger slowly bringing a flush of life back to her cheeks.

She didn't have to. Honey knew exactly what was in the envelope.


This piece of fiction was inspired by the Red Dress Club Prompt: write a scene that includes a happy ending. While this isn't the end of Honey's story - in some ways it's the beginning - I wanted her to finally get her chance to go to the big city.

This is part of a story that takes place after Bad Decisions.

For the rest of the story, visit Fictional Mandyland.