• "Honey, you are gone make a fine business woman." My mama smiled up at me proudly. I stood outside my childhood home, the only home I had ever known, in dusty Apple Veil, Texas. It was only 8'o clock in the morning, and already the sun was beating down so hot it could blister your skin. My Daddy walked out onto the porch, an old, brown, leather suitcase in either hand. The screen door slammed behind him. He sighed and looked down at me.

    "Well, Kadence, this is the last of it." He sniffed, holding back the tears he thought no one could see. His little girl was finally leaving the nest. Mama touched him on the shoulder.

    “You gone be alright, dear?" She smiled back at me with her lovely hazel eyes. My stomach was in knots. I had waited forever for this day. I was finally free. Free from the dusty old farm, free from the stuffy house, free from this old town. But, still, this was home. I pulled at the pink ribbon of my bonnet nervously. Daddy looked down quick and came jostling down the stairs towards my beat up old car. I looked back at my mama; she stood so tall, so proud of her daughter.

    I lifted my skirt and carefully climbed the wooden porch steps to give her a peck on the cheek. She smiled softly. “You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. You're gone do all of us here in old Apple Veil proud, Kady. I just know it." She pulled me into a tight hug. When she let go, she dusted off my blouse and tightened my bonnet. We locked arms and walked slowly to my car where daddy had just finished loading everything into the trunk. I looked up at him and smiled. He smiled back and sniffed again. He held out his arms and I raced into them.

    I whispered into his broad shoulder, “I’m gonna miss you both so much." I was on the verge of tears when he broke the embrace.

    He reached for my gloved hand. “Now, don't forget to call, write, and come visit as soon as you get the chance. Be brave, honey." I wiped a stray tear from the corner of my eye and smiled. As I drove off down the dusty road, I could see tears streaming from my daddy's eyes.
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    The drive from Texas to North Carolina was the most agonizing experience of my entire life. Every time the car jostled on the bumpy road I thought for sure it'd break down and I'd be stranded. I gripped the steering wheel and focused on the road ahead. In the back of my mind, doubts were banging on the walls of my brain. You won't make it out here, they said. You're gonna fail. What will your mama say? What will your daddy say?

    I squeezed my eyes closed for a second and turned the knob on the radio. An old blues song was playing on a fuzzy station. I sighed as the skies grew darker and day turned into night.

    From the day that I turned 6 years old, I was fascinated with books. I read all of the little books we had in the nursery before I could even use the toilet. Mama was so proud of me. I could be found reading the big chapter books in my daddy's study day and night. Our live- in maid Myrna would often catch me asleep underneath daddy's big oak desk with a book open on my lap and scoff, waking me and sending me to bed.

    Daddy was a farmer, but he would tell me that his true passion was to be a big business man up in New York City. Mama said he was a silly dreamer, but I was fascinated. The study was filled with all kinds of business books. I read every single one. Daddy barely got through 3. When I came home from school one day and told my mama that I was gonna be a big business lady when I grew up, she bent down and looked me in the eyes and said "I know you wanna be like your daddy, honey, but I don't want you to dream too big. You're much to pretty to have your hopes dashed." I shook my head thinking about it. I had always been told I was too pretty to do a lot of things. You’re much too pretty to play volleyball. You’re much to pretty to play in the mud. You’re much to pretty to whine all the time. I knew I was pretty, but I didn’t like to admit it. My long, shiny, brown hair, soft, green eyes, and radiant complexion had always been the envy of all of my friends. Girls flocked to me like a moth to a flame, wanting to know what my secret was. But, I didn’t have a secret. I was just born that way.

    Reflecting on what my mama had told me almost 16 years ago made me nostalgic. My heart ached to turn around and drive back home. I wanted to look Mama in her eye and tell her, you were right, I am too pretty. What if they don’t take me seriously? But, no. I shook my head again and parked my car outside of a rickety old motel. I was too tired to drive the rest of the way and decided to stop for some rest. I grabbed my night bag from the passenger side and slowly walked towards the front entrance. A dim light shone through the window. Behind the front desk was a young man, in his twenties. He had a full head of thick, blonde hair and his eyes were the color of the night sky. A bell on the door tinkled as I stepped inside. He looked up from the newspaper he had been reading and smiled at me.

    “Howdy, Ma’am. What can I do ya for tonight?” I smiled back and placed my pocket book on the counter.

    “I’m in need of a room for the night. Something cheap if you will.” He nodded and pulled a large notepad out of the desk drawer. He scratched something into it with his pen and pulled a small key off of the hook behind him. He stretched out his hand to give it to me. I plucked it from his palm and rummaged through my pocketbook for some cash. “Well,” I said, still looking down. “How much?”
    “No charge.”

    I looked up at him. “No charge? What do ya mean? I’ve got a 20 dollar bill here, take it.” I put the bill on the counter and pushed it towards him. He smirked at me and pushed it back.

    “No charge, Ma’am.” He pushed back in his chair and walked off towards a room in the corner with his newspaper in hand. I looked around nervously, fiddling with the ribbon of my bonnet. I bit my lower lip a minute before finally tucking the 20 dollars inside the notebook that was left on the desk.

    The plastic tag on the key read RM. 15. I turned down a small hallway lined with potted plants before coming to a door. I looked up at the rusted metal numbers nailed to the top. Room number 15. I stuck the key in the lock and turned. It smelled of must inside the room and it was bitterly cold. A single spring bed and small television set with antenna were squeezed into the main room. The bathroom was across the hall. I sighed and flopped down onto the mattress. I already missed home.

    I woke up the next morning still fully clothed. I yawned and stretched out my bones. My hands were frozen, despite the thick white dress gloves. I yanked at my bonnet and tossed it on the bed. I took my night bag with me across the hall to shower. The water was freezing and smelled like rust and the sink was leaking all over the tiled floor. This place was a pitiful mess. I sniffed and rubbed my chilled nose with the back of my hand. My stomach rumbled. I had no idea where I was going to get something to eat, but I doubted it would be around this dump. I carefully poked my head around the corner and into the lobby. I spotted the handsome man immediately. His nose was once again buried in the newspaper. I did my best to tiptoe to the desk in heels, but he caught me. I smiled sheepishly and set down my key. He frowned up at me.

    “I believe this belongs to you.” He said, my 20 dollar bill grasped in his hand. I shook my head fiercely.

    “No sir, it’s yours.” Inside I wanted to grab the money and storm out, saying something along the lines of, you could use it to clean this dump up a bit, but I bit my tongue. He sighed and stuffed the bill in his pocket.

    “Fine, I can see there won’t be any arguin’ with you.”

    I put my hands on my hips. Just what did he mean by that?

    “No, no! I didn’t mean it in a bad way. I’s just sayin’, you seem like a strong-headed lady. You stick to yer guns.”

    I scoffed at him and walked out the door. I couldn’t help feel sorry for storming out though. I knew karma would come back to haunt me.
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