Hearthway Hollow

Angelo

I'm usually not one for grand adventures or even spontaneity. I have lived in the same place all my life. I grew up in Baltimore, never wanting much else outside of that life. For the most part, I was happy. I had a nice job in a bakery that was consistent and paid well. I had also found someone I thought was the love of my life. Well, things aren't always black and white. Turns out, love is not a one-way street. It is not paved in gold and the signs are not always glaring red flags. Also, when you're wearing rose-tinted glasses, the red flags just look like flags.

I had a son and at that moment I knew true love. I have never loved something so much in my entire life as I love that boy. He came out the same deep chocolate color as me. If you pressed our arms together you couldn't tell we were separate people. The nurses would coo and murmur over him, admiring how pretty his skin was. It was also when Michael was born that I started realizing how much better the two of us deserved. His father barely paid him any attention, which to me, was insane. Couldn't he see what a remarkable boy Michael was?

I tried leaving him several times but for some reason, I always went back. I suppose I felt guilty. I held hopes it would get better and that he would turn around. But one day, I finally had enough. He came home drunk and demanded things from me. I fought him though and that night I took Michael and me out of that home. For a while, I stayed with my family who had a nice place in the country. Michael loved it. He loved chasing fireflies at night and he would scream any time she saw a squirrel he was so excited. It was then I knew what my next move was.

With some help from my family, we found a house for sale. We traveled there to look at it and talk with the realtor. The town it was in was called Hearthway Hollow, needless to say, I fell in love with that place at first sight. I suppose love, at first sight, isn't such a fairy tale after all.

Downtown was as picturesque as you could get. All the buildings were made from red brick and there were flowers and plants everywhere. There was a massive park with an exceptional playground. I researched the school while I was there and met with the principal to ask questions. Michael and I then went on to have lunch at a charming little deli. The man behind the counter looked like some damn angel. He gave Michael a coupon for a free ice cream cone at the shop next door.

"Are you vacationing?" He asked as he wrapped up our leftovers.

I smile down at Michael who is bouncing in extreme excitement at the prospect of free ice cream. "We're actually meeting a realtor today," I reply with a smile. I've seen many a good looking man before, but this Adam was quite the cookie. "We're hoping to move here."

Adam's eyes widen and he breaks into a great big smile. I'm not sure if it's possible, but I was almost certain Adam had been a dog at some point in his life. "That's great! Do you mind if I ask what brought you here?"

I smile at Michael who is happily singing to his ice cream coupon. "Fate," I say.

Adam tilts his head. "Really?" He's still smiling. If he didn't have a wedding ring I would have asked him for his number.

"I'm not sure what it was," I say as I glance out the window. "But as soon as we stepped into this place it just felt so right."

"I get it," Adam says. "Fate is strange. You may not understand it but it knows what it's doing." He winks at you. "If you do move here, please let me know. I want to be the first one to welcome you."

I then chuckle. "Is everyone here so nice?"

"We try. But watch out for Big Billy, he loves kids but he can be scary," he winks.

I then take Michael to the ice cream parlor. The man behind the counter was just as pretty as Adam. I was starting to grow suspicious. It ain't right that this town has so many good-looking people in it.