The Summer of Broken Daisies

Chapter One- First Stop!:

"Hey, kid! Get up."

I groaned and rubbed an eye.

"Mum, where are we?" I yawned.

"I'm not your Ma, kid. Get off of me, you're droolin'," an older man's voice growled down at me. At that I sat up instantly to realize I was on a Greyhound bus, and not at home. Also that I had been leaning on the man, while asleep. I looked over at the old man mumbling my apologies and looking out the window as my face started to flush.

"We are in Carter, half a mile out of Stack's Creek, by the way," the man hissed.

"Thanks," I replied and looked back over in his direction. Right as I did the driver made an announcement:

"Ladies and gentlemen, we were stopping at a gas station for a fill up, you may get off at the Bus Stop right next to it if need be. Or if you need anything. We will be reloading in about seven minutes though, thank you." His gravely voice said over the speakers. I grabbed my stuff, and headed towards the front of the bus, excusing myself as I bumped into people on the way. I hopped off, filing out behind people, and walked towards an idling taxi car to knock on the window.

The man inside had a brown goatee that was flaked with gray, and big bifocals. He looked up and rolled down his window.

"May I help ya Miss?" He said with a light county accent.

"Yeah, can you get me to Armellies Creek?" I asked with two of my suitcases starting to get heavy.

"Hop right on in," he smiled. He was missing some teeth here and there, a few others having decayed. I popped the trunk and set in my stuff, walking around the back and sliding in the backseat. He drove right as soon as I closed my door.

•••

The roads were bumpy, and obviously needed repairing, but Mr. Edmonds, as he later told me, was a fair driver. He didn't talk too much, which was perfectly fine with me, but liked his country station.

"May I ask why you're coming down here to A Creek?" He asked, drawing out his words a bit.

"I'm spending the summer with my aunt," I stated simply. I stared out the window, even though there wasn't much to look at. Both sides of the road were surrounded with close trees.

"Who's your aunt?"

"Ashley Rue, sir." At that he looked into the rear view mirror grinning. I swear if he could've, he would've slapped his knee.

"Aw, shoo. I know her, whole town does!" He shook his head, still smiling, but turned his attention back to the road.

"Really? I haven't seen her in over 11 years...family kind of fell out, I guess you could say," I mumbled the last part.

"Never knew she had any family. I mean, she did pretty much adopt every single kid in A Creek, but never knew she had any real blood," he stated, glancing every so often into the mirror. "Well, you sure are lucky. Look a lot like her, ya do too. Very pretty might I say," at that he grinned.

"Thanks," I muttered, and pressed my warm cheeks to the window of the cab. I never knew how to take compliments too well. I also didn't know how to take a compliment comparing me to someone I barely remembered. We fell into silence again, winding down the bumpy road. When I was least expecting it Mr. Edmonds spoke:

"Welcome to Armellies Creek, my dear!"

I turned to look at the sign up the road to see a big sign with chipped paint wrote on it.