Postcard Princess

Ch. 1

Wiping down the counter, Bellamy looked out across the diner. The small town his family had moved to three years ago was working out better than he had expected. Except maybe the fact that his sister had been dating someone closer to his age than hers.

"Bellamy," his boss, Indra, called. "Run and check the mail?"

"Expecting anything?" He smiled, knowing full and well that she was in fact expecting something. A post card.

Every so often, a striking blonde girl, apparently named Clarke, would send Indra a post card from where ever was currently. Indra had covered the back kitchen wall with the cards after filling her office first.

"They're sporadic," Indra replied. "But, I'm always hoping."

Bellamy walked through the diner, nodding and smiling pleasantly at everyone he passed. The sun was bright and hot as he walked down to the mailbox. He didn't realize he was holding his breath, until he released it all at once. There was a post card. As if he couldn't help it, which he couldn't, Bellamy turned the card over in his hands, and there she was.

Clarke was standing on a boat in the picture, a white sun dress blowing in the wind with her hair. Her blue eyes were covered with sunglasses this time.

"Indra," it read. "I'm still doing well, though I miss you as always. I'm leaving Greece tonight, not sure where I'll go next. Love Baby Blue!"

Bellamy looked once more at the printed picture, envious of the girl. Her post cards were proof that she had been all over, visited so many places. It must be nice.

Back in the diner, he passed the card along to Indra, heading over to the dishwasher so she could read it in private.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Indra asked.

"She's very pretty," Bellamy responded, the understatement of the year.

"You two would have probably gotten along very well," she said, hanging the card. "You're both so stubborn," she laughed.

"Well, when she gets back in town, we can meet and irritate you together," Bellamy teased.

Bellamy looked over all of the cards again. He knew that Indra lived for those cards, he knew that Clarke was an important person in her life. He knew Indra had been in Clarke's life since day one, and that Indra missed her terribly. He just didn't know why Clarke never paid Indra a visit.

"Has she called thus month?" Bellamy asked. "Maybe you could ask her to swing by?" He suggested again, as he had suggested several times over the past three years.

Indra shook her head. "No. I can't do that, Bellamy. She needs this," she sighed. "She'll come back when she's ready. She's only been out of the States for a year, maybe there's more she needs to see."

Bellamy remained silent, just nodding. Clarke was the only topic that ever made Indra soften. She was always friendly, but she was so tough and strong, until it came to Clarke. He could feel Indra's sadness.