While I’d never be the whimsical fairy figure skater from before, something a reporter had coined after a flawless performance, for an hour every week, I could pretend.
And that had to be good enough to guide me through the darkness.
CHAPTER 5
Christine
I was a simple girl who preferred simple things.
Did I have an evil streak running through me?
You bet I did. I’d learned it was necessary while dealing with my parents, who were real pieces of work.
However, I was the cautious one, a woman who never took any chances. I rarely tempted fate and preferred living my life simply, without complications.
I had my little house in a cheap, albeit decent part of town. While a rental, I’d been lucky to find such a gem on short notice and for a price I could afford. In the months of living in Tampa, I’d finally begun to feel as if I was able to live my life the way I wanted.
Away from my treacherous family.
While my parents’ house was a little over three hours away in driving distance, it was just far enough my mother wouldn’tsuddenly drop in on me. Besides, I’d yet to provide my address even after six months.
With a chuckle on my lips and a lemonade in my hand, I headed out the front door. I also lived on a cul-de-sac with only six other homes located on my street, which was also nice except the freeway was way too close, bringing constant traffic noise. But I’d learned to ignore it, enjoying the peace that being away from a crowded apartment allowed.
With my little short shorts and tank top on, my hair up in a bun and wearing a sunhat and dark glasses, I was ready to tackle the heat of the afternoon. Besides, I’d freeze my butt off later when I went to the rink. At least it was something to look forward to.
My music selection made, a little Spanish salsa music, I was already in a much better mood.
I sat down on the front step, studying the flowers I’d stopped off at Lowe’s to purchase on the way home. Flowers were my treat, both the scents and vivid colors allowing a smile no matter what kind of mood I was in. Today, I’d needed a pick me up. Not because of school or even because my father had called not once but twice.
As usual, he hadn’t left a message because he expected me to be Johnny on the spot returning his call. I refused. Whatever he wanted, he could either text or leave me a message like normal people did.
As if my father was normal.
He’d deemed himself a hunter these last few months, acting as if he’d taken on the hand of God in deciding what kind of creatures were allowed to walk the earth.
Why was I even thinking about him? He’d driven me crazy my entire life, pushing me in directions I didn’t want to go. So the quiet little girl who up until a couple of years ago had never pushed back was pushing hard now.
I was finished with being a pawn in anyone’s game.
The lemonade was refreshing and I was thankful for the beautiful wispy clouds and blue sky. While it was humid as usual, I could almost detect an ocean breeze. Even after growing up in a house on a private beach, I still loved the ocean.
After a few more sips and placing the covered bottle on the porch, I grabbed my bag of garden utensils and the flat of flowers and headed to the little area I’d already painstakingly carved out next to the driveway. With a gorgeous bush as the backdrop, all that was needed were a few purple and fuchsia flowers.
I had my hanging baskets and a couple of other pots full of flowers and this would finally allow the little house to seem more like home.
Even if it desperately needed a paint job.
Maybe I could convince my landlord at some point.
And maybe pigs would learn to fly too.
Chuckling, I set out to plant every container, filling the area full of the bright petals. For a long time, I hadn’t been able to smell or touch any foliage. Too dangerous. Maybe that’s why I’d spent too much money at the local big box hardware store.
I had dirt all over me, but I didn’t care.
When I was finished, I struggled with the huge bag of mulch, getting more mulch on me than I did on the flower bed, butfinally, I managed to maneuver the heavy bag. After patting everything into place, I broke into a smile.
Time to get everything watered.
