Ansel Westbrook

I watch the doctor leave form my bedroom window. I ran to my room after he had left with Ms. Maudie for the kitchen. I watched him open the door to his Porsche and speed off. I don't understand, he’s supposed to be the best but even he can't help Elios or Mama. I took my shirt off and went to my wardrobe to get a different one. This one had been stained when Jacob “accidentally” spilled ketchup on it.

 I looked at my options which in all honesty were not that many, but I guess that's what happens when when you have almost no money. I grabbed a yellow shirt but not the ugly yellow, the type of yellow that made you want to smile. The summer day kind of yellow, I love this shirt. I always wear it at home because I am too worried it will get ruined if I wear it to school because of Jacob. 

Mom got me this shirt a year ago for Christmas. She said she had saved enough to get me a gift but we both knew she had to sell her pair of silver earrings in order to get the shirt and good food we had had for Christmas that year. Even though she did that we were both happy. I don't care about not having much as long as I have her, but now she's going to leave me and I was alone. I shook my head and gently slapped my cheeks, no negative thoughts, be happy for Mom. I pulled the shirt on, walked into the hallway. 

Ms. Maudie technically owned an inn but instead of giving it to tourists she let people rent out the rooms. The only thing was she mostly rented the rooms to people who needed help like me or people who needed to get away from the cities’ criticisms. 

The house was a three story house; the downstairs consisted of a big kitchen, dining room, living room, bathroom, and Ms. Maudie's bedroom and office. Then there were two staircases leading up to the second story. One in the living room which was a spiral staircase which lead to two hallways. One hallway lead to library and the window seat. The other lead to my room and then past mine, Dr. Eric. Past Eric’s room was the other stairs which also led to my hallway along with another hall which led to an empty room and the master bath along with the stairs leading to the third level.

 I started down the spiral staircase to the living room. The third story was accessed by “my” stairs and another staircase by the master bath. My stairs led to a hallway which lead to Lyira’s room and a hallway. In that hallway was Mom and Elios’s rooms on one side, and a bathroom, green house slash meditation room of sorts, and another door to Lyira’s room. By the meditation room there was another hallway which lead to the other staircase by second story bathroom. 

I had explored the house the second day Ms. Maudie let me stay at the inn. I guess you could say it's a big house, but it's also kinda lonely, considering the people that live here are usually gone. Lyira was a nurse and got home around six. Dr. Eric was a neurosurgeon and tended to be gone at emergencies and his shift. And then there was Mom and Elios but they almost never even moved or much less talked. Of course there's Maudie, I thought to myself i'm not completely alone. 

Maudie, she was like the perfect example of a dream grandma with her snow white hair that was normally tied back in a ponytail and she always seemed to make me smile. 

I had made my way to the kitchen without thinking about it and jumped when Miss. Maudie asked, “Ansel dear can you run to the convenience and grocery store and get me some things?” I looked at her, “Oh, sure do you have a list?” I asked politely. “Yes it's on the fridge I combined my two lists to make it easier on you.” she said. “Oh thanks” I say and grab the list. 

It was fairly common for me to do chores like this because someone has to be home with Mom and Elios, and I told Maudie when she let me and Mom live here that I could do chores to pay for letting us stay for free. So I usually did things like this or I would run Ms. Maudie's flower shop when she or Max weren't there. Max was her only employee and he loved his job. Sometimes he comes over for dinner too.

 I went to the door and pulled my tennis shoes on. Maudie walked over and handed me a fifty “That should be enough for the things on the list plus a treat for yourself” she said smiling. I said thanks and left the house. The town was about half a mile away and we lived away from the other homes. Ms Maudie's house kind of was in the middle of a meadow and forest area but I don't mind I liked the walk under the trees, on the dirt road. 

After about ten minutes I was on the outskirts of the town. I walked through a couple streets with homes and then into the area where all the shops are. The town was not too big, about four miles by four miles. It had rich areas and poor areas like any normal town. From Maudie's house it takes about half a hour to forty minutes to walk to the center of the town. 

The grocery store is first. I walked in, grabbed a cart and looked at Maudie's list. Bread, carrots, bananas, chocolate chips, and dish washer soap. I smiled she must have purposely made the list short so I would not have to carry too much home. I walked my way around the store and slowly grab everything on the list. then I went to the checkout line and paid. All the things together cost about fifteen dollars. She gave me way too much money. I grabbed the bag of groceries and walked another block to the convenience store. 

Maudie wanted me to pick up Mom and Elios’s medicine. I walked up to the the man running the store. “Hello, you here for Mira and Elios’s meds?” He asked. Yes I replied. “One moment.” He went to the back and I walked to one of the aisles and saw primrose seeds. I walked over to them and picked one up. I thought of Maudie and decided I would buy a packet, Maudie was always looking for flowers for inside or outside the house, and I knew she didn't have these yet. I knew she would be happy. 

“Man he’s such a sissy. I know. Did you see how he looked like he was about to cry? I know. Bet it was nothing to the way Ashley was begging me.” Voices and familiar ones I ran to the end of the aisle just as Jacob, Nick, and some of their friends walked by. Please god I prayed from behind the aisle. Don't let them see me. I slowly and carefully sneaked up the aisle and rushed to the man who ran the store. His name tag said Dan. “Here you are.” And he handed me a small bag I handed him the primrose seeds and the rest of my money.

Ah primroses are very beautiful. Did you know they have medicinal uses too? Dan asked, and continued to talk but I was not paying attention as I notice Nick was walking toward me. He didn't seem to notice me yet but if he was coming so was Jacob. “Oh that's great.” I interrupted Dan. “I really have to go Ms. Maudie told me not to take too long I lied.” "Alrighty" Dan said handing me the bag with my seeds in them. I speed towards the doors. “ Have a good night.” Dan yelled after me. I turned and saw that Jacob, Nick, and their friends all turned to look at me. Shit, I thought to myself. “You too” I called back and ran out of the store.