Fresh start
1206 Words
Ester ran her hand through her hair for the tenth time that minute. Her suitcase had been shamelessly shoved, rammed, and battered into the back of the taxi by the driver. Much like how Ester had packed her clothes in, she thought with a smirk. She’ll definitely need to learn how to iron.
“Ester, you know you can still stay. You don’t have to go!” Penny, her sister pleaded once again.
Ester pinned a smile to her face and rolled her eyes, “Penny, I want to go… Need to really” She said the last part quietly, but Penny still caught the words.
She waited a moment, and then she was pulling Ester towards her, wrapping her up. “I know”, Penny murmured, her voice heavy with emotion, “I know, I’m just going to miss you that’s all.”
Ester hugged her back. Any response dissolved in her mouth. Did she have to go, really? Wouldn’t life be easier if she stayed?
No, no she had to go. She'd run out of patience. There were so many answers she needed.
Eventually Penny pulled away, her eyes red, her lip quivering “Always wear your seatbelt. Never wear wet clothes off the heater that haven’t finished drying, and for goodness sake, charge your phone overnight, please!”
Ester nodded, stray blonde hairs falling into her face “Always do, Ok I’ll try. Aaaaaaand we shall see” She smiles again, this time more sincerely “I’ll be fine. I’m a big girl.” One more hug. “Love you”
“Love you too”. Penny's voice cracked at the end.
And just like that, Ester folded herself into the back of the taxi, behind the driver. He pulled away, and they leave her sister on the pavement getting smaller and smaller, underneath a brooding sky. Ester ran her hand through her hair again, as nerves began to hatch in the pit of her stomach.
The moon had begun to rise by the time they got to the airport. The clouds tenderly shielded the stars from the earth, and Ester found herself thinking about Penny again. Sensible, organised, protective Penny. What would she do without her to keep in line? What would Ester do without Penny?
The hours of travel drippled on monotonously. The moon and the sun both making appearances out of the aeroplane windows.
Once she landed in Yellow Stone, she stopped in front of a window, and cringed at her reflection; her face was peppered with sleep deprivation, her hair limp and unhappy looking. So she scrunched her hair into a bun, threw on her sweatshirt and crammed her sunglasses onto her face. Be gone under-eye bags!
Ester turned her phone on, 3 missed calls – all Penny. 5 texts – 4 from Penny, 1 from Rebecca from work.
Just has she was about to exit, she saw her name. Her name! On a sign held by a man – Ester Croft. How had this…?
Penny. She grinned to herself. Her sister was still protecting her from across the pond.
“Hi, I’m Ester” She looked up into his face, and stopped abruptly. Tall, toned, blonde and topped off with a cow boy head. Did people actually wear cow boy hats for real?
“Nice to meet you Ester, I’m Stevie” He smiled brightly, pulling his bag off her shoulder. Big blue eyes, noted Ester. He was the kind of guy you'd see on the cover of a romance novel about a cowboys in American, perhaps being clutched gingerly by an old granny in the isles of a bookshop.
“Oh”
“We’ve got quite a drive to get there, so if you need to pee, I’d do it now” She looked at him for a moment and frowned. “I’m not joking” He chuckled after a moment on silent.
“I’ve just been, but thanks for your concern… I guess”
“So holidaying, or visiting friends?” He asked as they reached his taxi.
“Actually neither, I’ve just got a new job in Lightwood Lakes”
He stopped, raising his brow unconvinced, “Huh, really? Where at?”
“At the surgery” Ester stated “I’m the new nurse there.”
“Really? That’s awesome! My aunt’s the doctor.”
“Doctor Collins?”
“The very same” he grinned, his eyes stayed on hers for a moment, taking her in.
“Although the shades will have to go, makes you look like you’re hiding a hangover” He laughed, “Get in” he commanded before she could object.
“So, you’re from Lightwood Lakes?” She asked from the back.
“Uh-hu” he affirmed. “Buckle up”
“Why is everyone always going on about seatbelts” She muttered under her breath.
“What’s that?” He looked at her in the review mirror.
“Nothing. So, what’s it like, Lightwood Lakes?”
“Locals just call it Lightwood. Have you not done your homework on your new… home?”
“Umm, I’m more of a seat of the pants kind of person”
“Huh – well I’ll warn you, Aunt Collins isn’t… Buuuut Lightwood is great. Small, everyone knows everyone around Lightwood.”
“That sounds nice”
“A blessing and a curse. People are a close-knit community, but also, everyone knows everyone if you catch my meaning”
Ester nodded, but wasn’t quite following – people didn’t let others in? Were people nosey? She sat back, leaning her face against the window. The cold bled through her face, her breath painting the glass opaque in front of her.
They sat in silence for most of the way. Stevie occasionally pointing something out, or checking a toilet stop wasn’t needed. Before long Ester fell into an uncomfortable sleep, mouth open against the window.
“Wake up sleepy head! You’re catching flies!”
Ester jerked awake. Outside the car window, Stevie's grin loomed above her.
They’d arrived outside a quaint little lodge. Either side and behind, the trees crept around, keeping the lodge company. The sky was now bruise coloured and full of foreboding. A breeze rippled through the long grass in front.
Stevie took out her suitcase “It’s a little…”
“- it’s perfect!” Ester beamed. She shoved the money into his hands and with her suitcase trailing behind her, she gracelessly galloped to the front door.
“Ok, I guess I’ll see you around?”
“Yes!” Ester shouted across the lawn “And thank you Stevie, see you around!”.
Somewhere in the not too distant woods, a wolf howled towards the moon.
She’d unknowingly returned.
- Writer
