Escaping to a New Life (Book One)

Chapter 1

Please brave souls reading my story give it a chance. The fun starts going in chapter 3 then kicks up a notch in chapter 7. The rest is good. Well I think so but it is my story. The action really gets going in chapter 7. So please give it a chance;)

Hattie's POV

I started this train ride scared out of my mind. I left everything I’ve ever known just to get away from my mom and her condemnation. Once the train crossed over the state line into New York I started getting excited, like I was coming home instead of leaving it. I was finally away from my parents, well mostly my mom but I am done thinking about her for as long as I can manage it. So no more worrying about what mom would say. I am going to do what I think is best.

The trees rushed by as I waited for my stop. Which I knew was coming soon as the train was starting to slow down. An announcement said “Now arriving in Utica NY.” I wrestled my only bag from under my seat and got ready to get off the train. I waited for the train to come to a complete stop and as I got up and made my way out of the train station I took a look around. It was late September on a Monday and I thought it would be colder here in NY, it felt close to 70 and it was as sunny as can be. I looked both ways trying to decide which way to go. Left I thought to myself and started walking with a small smile.

Leaving may have been the easy way out of my problems with my parents but there was no way I could tell them what had happened. My mom would have called me a floozy or something and would have blamed me for what happened. My Dad wouldn’t have even cared. He would have told my mom to deal with it. Well that didn’t last long I am already thinking about her again. Now I really mean it no more mom thoughts.

I just started walking hoping I would find a help wanted sign along the way. I had been walking around for about two hours when I came across a bakery near the edge of town. My feet were spent and I was ready to call in quits for the day so the sight of the help wanted sign in the window was heaven to my eyes. It’s in an old farm house that was painted a sunny yellow with black shutters. I just left a job in a bakery and here I find the perfect job for me right when I need it. Perfect!

Taking a deep breath for courage I opened the door and the bell over the door chimed. I love stores with bells over the door they always seem more welcoming to me like they really want to know every person that comes in the door. As walked in I looked around and loved how open the floor plan is. They must have had the whole place gutted and redone. There was a glass case to the left of the door with different baked goods on display. The display looked more like art though. It was amazing the way everything was decorated they didn’t look man made but like a computer design. The old fashioned cash register was at the end of the counter near the back of the shop with a swinging door behind it where I am guessing the baking is done. The right side had a small desk with a filing cabinet next to it, both in a dark wood finish. There were pictures all along the wall of different cakes and baked good trays. They were displayed and looked like art instead of examples of what you could order. It was amazing how this is obviously a bakery but made to feel more like art than sweets and bread.

"Can I help you?" the woman behind the counter said with a smile. She was dressed in a red and white striped button down shirt with black pants. Of course with a black apron as well. I guessed her age to be about 40 give or take a few years but she was still pretty with dark blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Yes I am here to apply for the baker position." I said returning her smile.

"Wonderful! I am Sally and part owner of this shop. Have you ever worked in a bakery before?" she asked fishing for something on a shelf under the cash register.

I walked over to Sally and extended my hand. "It is nice to meet you Sally.” She returned the hand shake. “I am Hattie Jenkens and yes I was the morning baker for the past year at a bakery in south Illinois. I baked anything from bread to cakes. I just started training on cake decorating when I left last week."