Dream Catcher

Chapter Two: On the Radio

Chapter Two: On the Radio

            “That last song you hear is the hit single ‘Hurricane’ by River Wolfe! And if you have no idea who River is, then you must have been living under a rock for the past six months! River is the hottest thing to happen since Justin Bieber and Michael Jackson! So keep an ear out for this kid, he’s going places.”

            Ms. Clare pressed the knob to the radio and frowned. I shifted uncomfortably trying to let the silence soak up the room, but Clare wouldn’t let it.

            “Why do you torture yourself?” She asked letting her tone harden at the word ‘torture’. I gave a dull shrug of my shoulders trying not to meet her condemning stare. “Ellison, look at me. This isn’t fair to you. Why haven’t you tried contacting him? Don’t you think he wants to hear from you just as badly as you want to hear from him?”

            “He’s a big star now.” I murmured. I dropped my gaze to my hands. They were trembling, each finger nervously spazzing at my own misery. I curled them into my palms and forced a smile. “Besides, I’m sure he’s forgotten about little old me. I’d only slow him down anyways.”

            “What makes you so sure?” She pressed. Her voice dripped with an urgency I couldn’t quite grasp. I tilted my head back to her. She leaned forward, touching her torso to the counter I was resting at. I resisted the urge to flee. “Ellie, what’s the worst that could happen?”

            “Rejection.” I hissed. She flinched. Her perfect bun let loose a few runaway wisps of golden hair. She gracefully smoothed them back into place and shook her head.

            “Rejection? Rejection makes us that much stronger, and I don’t know about you, but I’d gladly take that over the unknown any day.”

            I nodded thoughtfully at the statement. In truth, I’d been trying to get in touch with River since the day he left nearly ten years ago. I’d been following him, watching his music and praying that one day his dreams might come true and at least one of us might eventually be happy. But this wasn’t a cliché over the top Cinderella story. While River was off doing great things, I was stuck in this town looking after Tracy and Clare. I told myself I was happy, but I knew better than that. I wouldn’t be happy until I faced my fears and reunited with my long lost friend.           

            I took a long, deep breath and tried smiling at Miss Clare again.

            “I met someone today.” I murmured. My daintly little legs dangled over the stool as I propped my elbows up on the marble counter top. Miss Clare looked at my curiously. In all the time that I’d been living with her, she’d never seen me socialize with anyone before. I hardly even spoke of the people in the town. Not that I didn’t like them or anything like that, I guess-I guess I was just shy. “A girl.” I finished. “She said her name was Misty.”

            “Misty?” I read Miss Clare’s face and tried not to laugh. It was overpowered by a combination of shock, horror, and relief. “Misty Donovan, I presume.” She said in her sweetest Southern Bell accent. I watched her glide to the stool next to me and plop down in the chair. As soon as all of her weight was stable, she grunted out an exaggerated sigh. “I ran into the Mr. and Mrs. Today at the market. I’m guessing this Misty jus’ ‘bout talked your ear off as well?”

            “Yes, ma’am!” I chuckled. “I guess the apple doesn’t fall from the tree?”

            “You have no idea.” She groaned pulling at her bun. “Man oh man, dahlin’, you have got your hands full with that one. Why can’t you jus’ meet another nice boy like River? Oh, the stories you tell Tracy! This mornin’ she told me she was gonna marry that boy! Can you imagine?”