Not A Small Town Girl[1/2]

★。＼｜／。★

VANESSA DAVIS

★。／｜＼。★

The engine sputtered, letting out a high-pitched whine before descending into a series of jarring clunks, each one louder and more ominous than the last. A metallic scraping sound joined the cacophony, like nails on a chalkboard, before the car gave one final, wheezing groan. The momentum ebbed, and with a reluctant shudder, it jerked to a halt, silence settling like a heavy curtain in the aftermath of the mechanical chaos.

“HOLY FUCKING SHIT! WHY NOW? WHY THE FUCK NOW?!” I yelled, banging my head on the steering wheel over and over again. The honking sound didn’t even stop me from freaking out. I’m not even near this stupid godforsaken town. And this piece of crap has given up on me. I hate THIS!

Okay, you might need some backstory to understand why I’m freaking out. This is all the fault of my estranged mother. Two days ago she sent me a letter. In these modern times, she sent me a fucking letter. After twenty years of pure silence, after running out on me and my family, she finally contacted me.

What a fucking bitch!

/TWO DAYS PRIOR/

“Maya, I don’t even understand what the problem is. I got the scoop on that company, they’re facing a three hundred million dollar lawsuit, and we got the first coverage, and we didn’t sell out, so why am I being fired?”

My boss looked at me with despair. At fifty-six she had seen it all in the world of journalism. People are scamming the ill and poor. Celebrity couples tricking their followers to join a cult. But as she once told me, she’d never met a journalist as high maintenance as me.

I don’t even know what that means. As far as I’m concerned, I am not difficult to work with.

“I am not firing you. I said you’ve saved six months of paid vacation that you are obligated to use. You do not have a choice. Six months is the maximum you can save.”

“What am I supposed to do without work?” I countered.

“Go to Florida. Go somewhere. Maybe do what you did the last time we had this conversation.”

I made a disgusted face. “I like Manhattan. It is one of the few places in the world that doesn’t have a pack. Packs suck. This place is modernized, there are electric cars, and no alpha trying to bullshit me, and tell me I have to follow some fucking rule. Why would I go to Florida? There are eight packs there. Eight! That is too fucking much. I refuse. And the last vacation I had, I spent it getting that story from Iraq. I’ve been banned from the country, I cannot return. So I can’t go there.”

I crossed my arms and watched as Maya took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. “Why is everything a fight with you?”

“Why are you being stupid?” I argued back. What the hell am I supposed to do with myself for six whole goddamn months?

“Here are your options, Vanessa. We will pay you twice the amount of what we normally pay, but you have to take eight months off.”

That is even worse.

“Or take six months of regular paid vacation, and we will give you the Madisson case to cover as soon as you’re back.”

My jaw dropped. The Madisson case is huge. Journalists are too scared to cover it because those who tried have disappeared. The story goes that a British Luna from a huge pack in London was invited by her friend to a vampire castle here in Manhattan. She wasn’t seen for two years after that until three months ago her corpse appeared under a bridge looking unrecognizable. The vampire family that owns the castle hasn’t been seen or heard of either, since the Luna disappeared, and their castle remains the one place reporters like myself disappear from when we enter it. Eighteen reporters all vanished and their bodies haven’t been recovered yet. It’s a case that could pit vampires against werewolves like the ancient times.

Or make a reporter wealthy. Or in a perfect world, do both.

But for me, that luna has two children who deserve answers. And people are too chicken shit to go for it.

“Fine. But swear, I will get my lawyer to draft a contract, no one from this agency touches that case.”

“No one would dare. But I’ll have you know, if you disappear a lot of people will be happy.”

I rolled my eyes and picked up my bag. Six months of paid vacation, fuck. I exited the main office and went straight for mine so I could grab my things. On my way there I got a call.

“Hello, Ezra.”

“Are you stopping by the house tonight? It’s Dad’s birthday.”

“I know, I’m his daughter. What do you really want? You never call unless there’s something you want to tell me.”

My older brother sighed, and I could hear Lionel on the other side. Being the only girl in the family is tragic. They are overbearing. My brothers don’t think my job is safe, they want me to find love and settle down. Not for me. Marriage, mates, packs, words I don’t like. Right along with, vacation and small towns.

ew.

Okay, I might be a bit difficult but I just like things the way I like them. Do you know what mates did for my father? It left him heartbroken. I was only five when he got in his accident. A dedicated police officer was shot in the spine. He almost died, and what did he get for recovering and surviving? His wife leaves him a note that says ‘I can’t be tied down to this marriage anymore. I had an affair, and I’m going to be with him.’

That’s all she wrote like the sneaky bitch she was. Why the goddess would pair a man with such a wicked woman, I will never know.

But it won’t be me. It will never be me.

“Are you monologuing about how much you hate commitment?”

I paused. “No.”

“God, Nessa. I need you to stop by Rachel’s and get my son.”

“You mean, her son.”

Ezra sighed. He reminds me of Maya, I wonder why they’re so exasperated—another sign of a failed mating bond. My brother’s mate drunkenly admitted three months ago that she had sex with his best man two weeks before their wedding. Now they’re not sure they can stay married. She’s sorry, he is heartbroken. One-night stands will never do that to you.

“My son. Get Benny on your way. He loves you, and I do too even though you raise my blood pressure.”

I smiled. “I love me too. And you of course. Bye-bye.”

He hung up, and I shoved the phone into my back pocket as I finished packing up my desk. Then I went straight for the lift, ignoring the people watching me intently. One of my coworkers decided to speak up.

“Vacation?”

I snorted a laugh. Even he knows they wouldn’t fire me. “Yep, enjoy your six months without me.”

“Hooray!” Cheers erupted all around the office.

I shook my head. It doesn’t bother me. What bothers me is figuring out what to do for my break.

Once I got to the parking lot, I headed straight for my jeep. I tossed my box into the trunk, and my bag into the passenger seat before getting in. Exhaling, I drove out of the building. Normally I would take the shortest part to my apartment but I have to stop by my best friend's place. The aforementioned Rachel.

God, this gonna be awkward. I’m the one she drunkenly confessed to. I was not happy when she discovered she was mated to my brother, and I was not happy to find out she had an affair. I told Lionel because I wasn’t sure what to do. And he told Ezra after telling me he’ll get back to me.

So she’s also mad at me.

I turned on the radio, clearing my thoughts with a soothing song.

I dialed Rachel’s number on the way. Driving in Manhattan? Not the best thing. But my Jeep is electric so most of the time I don't even feel it. See packs and small towns, they don’t have this luxury. God I love the city. I turned on the auto drive and leaned back.

“Hey.”

“Rachel, could please pack a bag for Benny and bring it downstairs? I don’t want to have to find a place to park, and then go up to your sister’s apartment.”

“This is stupid. Ezra needs to stop avoiding me, Benny is only three. He doesn’t understand why his mommy had to move out of home.”

“Mommy spread her legs for daddy’s friend, tell him that.”

“Vanessa, be my best friend. Do not get all judgemental. I’m family too. I deserve to be at your father’s birthday party, and Ezra needs to talk to me about what happened. The most he’s said to me was over text and he simply typed- Benny, six O’clock.”

Maybe I’ll go to the Dead Sea for my vacation and I won’t have to be in the middle of this.

“Bring Benny, okay maybe you can pack a bag too. I’m going on vacation. You can leave your sister’s place, and stay with me. I live like forty-five minutes from Ezra.”

“Won’t he get mad?” she sniffled.

“He will get mad at me, and you will be fine. I mean you should worry about Lionel, he hates you more than Ezra does. You know how our family feels about cheaters.”

“It was a drunken mistake. I was wasted, I’ve apologized.” Does that excuse the cheating though? I don't think so.

“I’m close by, so start packing.”

I wanna be a good sister and a good friend, but I do not think people should make the ultimate sacrifice of bonding their souls. It can kill to end that bond so why do it? Why even get married too?

After picking up Rachel and Benny, I headed for my apartment to grab my father’s present and drop off my box of office supplies. I’m not sure why I went to the mail slots to check for any mail, but I did.

Bills, an invite to a corporate event, and.... a letter from.... what?

My mother?

I didn’t open it on the ride up to my penthouse, I didn’t open it on the drive to my father’s house. I didn’t open it until the celebrations were done, Benny was asleep, and Rachel was cozied up with my father’s trauma dog and the rest of us were in his game room watching ice hockey.

I opened it there, surrounded by the same people the sender of this letter abandoned.

/Dear Vanessa,

I know I’m the last person you want to speak to right now, but I want a chance to explain why I did what I did all those years ago. Come to 124 Willow Hollow Lane, Dusty Creek, TX 76438. sit with me, I’ll tell you everything./

A long envelope, with this many words. What a bitch.

I threw the piece of paper into the nearest trash can. I don’t even know what a dusty lane is. Creek? Was it Creek or Lane?