Pinon Hallow Mall
Adel stood tall in the summer morning sunshine as the automated doors of the mall opened for her. Chad and Kip were both following behind. Kip would look over at his brother, rolling his eyes occasionally.
Pinon Hallow Mall
The building was locked up tight as the evening drew to a close. Customers had long since finished their shopping. For now, all that was left were the closing shift employees of the various food vendors and retail shops. In another hour or so the janitorial staff would come through cleaning up the floors, preparing for another day of shoppers.
Past the food court, just down the east wing of the building was Film Magic Video. Next door was Imagination Clothing.
As the lights inside Imagination turned off, the door opened to a young blond woman. She adjusted the bag on her shoulder before locking the door, and pulling down the security gate. Just as she clicked the lock into place the door of Film Magic clicked closed.
He fumbled with his keys, trying not to let her see that he was watching her. “Have a busy day today Maggie?”
She watched him with a smile on her lips as he pulled down his gate, “Oh definitely, it seems that all the new mothers of Pinon Hallow decided that they needed to buy baby clothes today. How was your day Conner?”
“Oh you know, everyone wants to rent the save DVD or get the same camera so they can start their start a YouTube channel and be some sort of sensation.” He tossed his keys in the air, barely catching them.
Maggie shifted on her feet for a moment before looking at him directly in the eyes, “Have a good-night Conner.”
“You too Maggie!” His voice echoed in the empty hall as he watched her go towards the employee exit.
Pinon Hallow Country Club
Adel Davis sat in the dining room, studying the menu. Her foot rocked back and forth each second agitating her more than the one before.
“Evening Mother, sorry I’m late.” Kip slipped into the seat across from her.
“Where the hell have you been?” Her voice was low yet harsh.
He sighed, “I was checking things at the mall Mother. I wanted to see how things were coming with the renovation of the new department store. Didn’t you get the message I left on your voice mail?”
She put her menu down and looked at her son sadly, “Chad would never be late.”
He knew she said stuff like this to motivate him, to get him to focus. Each time hurt, “Chad never wanted to be your lackey though.”
“Is that what you think you are?” She leaned forward, her chestnut curls falling over her shoulders, “Kip, you are my protégé. I’m trying to get you ready for the future. To make sure that when I’m ready to step down from my part in Davis Industries, that you’ll be ready to take over.”
Pinon Peaks Apt. B2
As Pam Mitchell entered her apartment she dropped her bag next to the futon before flopping down on it. She looked up at the ceiling where one evening she had night sky in a fit of creativity.
She closed her eyes, letting herself think about earlier this evening when he’d stopped by the coffee shop.
If she let herself imagine for just a moment, she could feel his hands holding hers, the hazel of his eyes gazing into her own. She could feel his lips against hers, in a kiss fit only on a movie screen.
Her eyes opened startled by the reality of where she was. Alone, Kip Davis was nowhere to be found and probably barely knew she existed.
She stood up, stretching her arms and back.
She peeled off her uniform shirt and unzipped her khaki shorts as she walked towards the bathroom, turning the shower on.
Just as she was unhooking her bra, she heard the doorbell. She quickly pulled her robe on, shutting the water off before going to find out who was just dropping by.
She checked the peephole, seeing nothing but flowers. Opening the door, she smiled when she saw him. “What are these, leftovers?”
“Nope, they’re for you.” He handed her the arrangement.
“Thank you.” She took them, studying them as she looked for a card. “Who sent these?”
“Check the card.” He followed her in, he had saved this for last since it was in his building as well.
She placed the flowers on the kitchen counter, plucking the tiny cream envelope that was almost hidden from view.
Pam, when I see you each day at the Java Jet, you always take my breath away.
“Are you sure you didn’t send these?” She looked at him with a smile.
He put his hands up in the air, “Not me, I swear. Looks like you’ve got a secret admirer.”
She sighed, “Looks that way, doesn’t it? I guess I’m just going to have to wait for more clues on who it could be.”
“Any theories?” He asked as he moved towards the door to leave.
She thought for a moment as a theory formed, “I have an idea.”
He laughed, “Well, I’ll see you later.”
“See ya.” She called out before waiting for the click of the closing door before dropping her robe as she went back into the bathroom starting the shower once more as she tried to find a way to prove Kip Davis was the man that sent her flowers.
Pinon Peaks Apt. C3
“Lysistrata McKay, I told you to go to bed!” Conner called to his daughter as he heard her moving around her room.
“Fine!” The twelve year old’s voice called out as she stomped her feet in her room.
He leaned back against his couch, rubbing his forehead as he tried to zone out for just a little bit before he went to bed. He wasn’t even sure what he was watching, it looked to be some sort of treasure hunters program.
“The story of the romance of King Ronaldo and Lady Arcelia goes back about two hundred years. As it goes, in this small kingdom that King Ronaldo, fell in love with a woman that was not his wife.” The voice was smooth, collected as the woman speaking told the tale of these tortured lovers, and the missing ring it was said he gave her.
Conner stared at the television screen, amazed to be seeing his ex-wife. The mother of his daughter, on television.
He pushed himself off the couch, marching towards the fridge. He searched for a beer, which he knew he didn’t have much of. Finally finding one, he snapped the can open. The long satisfying sip calmed him long enough that he no longer wanted to curse Bethany out.
He slammed the can down on the counter, a few drops sloshing out on impact. “I hope you’re having fun on this adventure.”
He closed his eyes for a moment, wondering what his daughter would think if she knew her mother was being interviewed on television instead of here, with her. Lysistrata wasn’t a little girl anymore, most of the time she preferred to be called Lysa instead.
He picked his beer can up once more look out towards the television, “Hope this is worth it Bethany.”
Hallow Hills
The house was dark, if he didn’t know any better he would think it was deserted. He tossed his well-traveled duffle bag towards the stairs before walking into the living room and laying down on the couch.
He figured it wouldn’t be long until someone arrived home. He might as well enjoy the quiet before the storm.
“Wait, you want me to date who?” The voice of his younger brother hit his ears, causing him to smile. Grateful that he wasn’t the one his mother was trying to set up—at least not yet.
“I think you and Carolyn would be a perfectly suitable couple. That’s all I’m saying.” Adel explained before flipping the light switch.
Adel let out a startled screech, which caused Kip to jump before he started to laugh when he saw it was just his older brother Chad laying on the couch.
“Hey Mom, Skipper.” Chad propped himself on her forearms. “Miss me?”
Kip rolled his eyes, “Great. I’m going out.”
“Kip, no you are not!” Adel commanded.
He laughed, “I’m nineteen Mom, I’m going out. Don’t worry I won’t be late for work.”
“I’m sorry I called you Skipper!” Chad watched his brother sulk out the front door before he felt his mother’s arms around him. Hugging him tightly as though she hadn’t seen him in a decade, it hadn’t been that long a few months, no it had been over a year. “Hey Mom.”
“Where the hell have you been?” She studied her son, his face in need of a good clean shave. His dark almost black hair falling into his crystal blue eyes. Nothing she could see told her she should’ve worried the way she had.
Chad pulled away from his mother as he stood up, “I’ve been working, and I had to travel. I was undercover for a piece I was working on. I couldn’t call home, it would’ve put me in danger.”
Adel shook her head as she walked towards the fireplace, staring at a picture of Chad on the afternoon of his High School graduation. “Come work for Davis Industries. You can be in the marketing division.”
Chad shook his head, “That’s not what I want Mom. This story I just finished working on, this could win me a Pulitzer Prize.”
“Chadwick, what do I have to do, to get you to stay here in Pinon Hallow?”
He took a few steps towards the stairs picking up his bag, “I don’t think there is anything you could do, to keep me in town. As soon as the next story comes up, I’ll be out of here. Like always.”
As she sat on the armchair, all Adel could do was hope she could find a reason for her son to stick around.
Pinon Peaks Apt. D5
Maggie closed her laptop, frustrated that all the blogs and articles she’d been reading lately appeared to be rejected articles from Cosmopolitan.
She stood up from her kitchen counter, stretching her body as she went to get a glass of milk from the fridge.
She studied her nails as she took a sip, realizing it was probably about time to get a fill done. Maybe she could wait a few more days until her younger sister was in town for a visit. It was always a good girly thing to do together.
She took her drink with her into the living room, where she turned the television on to some ABC Family Romantic Comedy.
It was predictable, but that was okay. She wasn’t in the mood to really think about anything. She wanted to get lost in the idea of a romance that wasn’t easy. Something that would make her heart race, fill her with desire. So far the closest she had gotten to that was a minor flirtation with Conner. They were really more friends than anything else.
She picked the remote up flipping through the guide before turning the television off. She had to get out of this humdrum routine she’d fallen into. She could go put on a short skirt, and that turquoise halter top she’d gotten a few weeks ago to Moonlight until she saw how late it was.
She would have to open the store in the morning. A shipment of the latest in toddler styles would be arriving, just in time for next week’s sale.
Tonight she would have to stick to the humdrum routine, she wouldn’t for long though. She could feel the energy around her changing. Things were shifting, tomorrow would be a new day with new possibilities ahead.
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