American Honey: Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I sat there staring out at the dark turquoise colored sky; there were faint hints of red in the skyline, giving it an eerie glow.

I tried not to relish on the fact that I had chosen a flight that had to make stops in New Mexico and then Arkansas before heading to Tennessee. From there we would land in Nashville, where I would drive the remaining way to Myersville.

I was so nervous and everyone around me seemed so calm. I looked around the plane. The other passengers around me were quiet; trying to fight off bouts of sleep. It was just approaching ten o’ clock and there was about two and a half hours left. I was just ready to get there. I constantly had to fight the urge not to run up to the cockpit and demand that the pilots go faster. I frowned at the thought. That would only result in me embarrassing myself or possibly getting us all killed. Not the risk I wanted to take, especially under these circumstances.

I focused my attention back to where I was. I was sitting between an old fat guy and a woman with a whiny (now asleep) baby. Ironic right?

I admit it was kind of sweet to watch the woman with her baby, sans the old man snoring to the left of me. They both looked so content and it reminded me of the way my mother was with me and so forth. Just seeing the two of them together made me reflect back to my childhood days.

My family and I had lived in my grandfather's childhood home. He had lived there all his life after his parents had died. My grandfather was known for being the town's milk man and horse instructor and trainer. Almost all of my fondest memories were of him.

 Harold Anthony Swan was born August 10 of 1941 to Italian parents who had emigrated from Tuscany. He had worked under my great grandparents who had also run the ranch for nearly 30 years before.

He had met my grandmother Georgia when they were just both five years old. She was the love of his life and he of hers. Less than a year after they were married at eighteen, they welcomed my aunt Annabelle Joy. The next year she bore my uncles; the twins, Marcus and Harold Jr. (Junior for short).  Two years later, my aunt Marty was born and soon there little family was complete.

Much to everyone’s surprise, five years later, my father Charlie was born. She suffered from a very difficult pregnancy and it took a toll on her health. Thus was the end of childbirth for them.

 A couple of years later she was helping my grandfather tend to the horses when she collapsed and fell into unconsciousness. An aneurysm they had told my grandfather, and that there was nothing they could do to save her. Her death was instant. He had fell into a deep bout of depression but soon recovered knowing that he had a family to take care of. My father would always tell me wouldn't be the man he was if it weren't for him.  To raise five kids alone by yourself was enough to run any man crazy.

When my dad left for college my grandfather became lonely and started helping around the town doing various jobs and tasks. He became quickly loved by everyone and that was where he acquired the nickname Poppy.

 My dad was visiting home one weekend, when my grandfather and dad were approached by a police officer. My aunt Annabelle and her husband were hit by a drunk driver and killed instantly. My grandfather and family had experienced loss once again. It was one thing to lose a child but to lose a grandchild as well. My aunt was seven months pregnant with a baby girl and all three of them had perished.

No child should ever die before their parent and my grandfather became sad for a time. He grieved for his daughter and sin in law but most importantly for the granddaughter he would never get to know.  Seeing my grandfather’s depressed state, most of my relatives moved back home with their respective others.

When my dad finally graduated from college, he returned home and that’s where he met my mother Renee. They fell in love, married, and after a few difficult tries became pregnant with me.

I was born Isabella Marie Swan in namesake of my aunt. The first and only girl of all seven of my cousins. To say my grandfather was ecstatic was in understatement. I can vaguely remember the day when my mom had showed me the video, that never made me take my grandfather for granted ever again and how much he truly loved me. I was six and I was mad at my grandfather for not letting me help him tend the horses. All my cousins were allowed to but I couldn’t because I was too small. I remember being extremely angry at him and telling him that I hated him.

Flashback….

"Mommy, I want to go play." I moaned, as my mother pulled me into the living room.

"Now, now Bella. You're going to sit in here for a while. How could you say such a horrible thing to your grandfather?" my mom asked.

"He never lets me do anything; he treats me like a baby." I pouted and she laughed.

"My silly Bee. Come sit on the couch, I want to show you something." she grinned.

"Mom!" I moaned.

"Please." She pushed, walking over and putting a tape into the VCR.

"Mom really" I huffed. "Just watch." she laughed as she went into the kitchen to wash dishes.

I nonchalantly glanced at screen in discontent. The screen was of a hospital room where my mother lay in bed tired, but with obvious joy in her eyes as my father sat next to her with a heartwarming smile on his face.

The screen suddenly shifted and I saw that it was my grandfather sitting in a chair with a small bundle in his arms, which I figured to be me. I could hear my uncle Marcus’s voice in the background so I figured he was the one holding the camera.

"Come on sweet girl. Open them eyes for Poppy." he cooed at me. Until that moment my eyes hadn't changed color and still had a slight blue hue when he first saw me. I slowly opened my eyes and gazed up at him and he smiled down at me. I was looking at him curiously when he burst out in laughter.

"My god, Charlie, Renee! She has their eyes. Such beautiful brown eyes." he laughed, which was true. I indeed had my grandmother's and aunts brown eyes. Strangely enough my father had inherited my grandfather's blue eyes respectively while my mother had green. To say that this was a strange occurrence was beyond me.  My aunt and uncles had blue eyes, not even my cousins managed to inherit them besides my aunt Annabelle.

I gazed back at the television screen and looked over at my infant self. I gazed back up at the man before me; wrinkles crinkled at the eyes and mouth, with a grey wispy mustache and beard. He brushed his callused fingers against my cheek as I grabbed one of his fingers with my small hand. He laughed and I grinned my first toothless grin at him. The camera zoomed in onto his face as he looked back down at me.

"Our sweet Bella." Our beautiful little girl. "You just don't know how much we love you." he cooed kissing my cheek snuggling me into his arms.

From that day on I knew a bond had ensued between the two of us. I was the granddaughter and daughter he lost, the spinning image of my grandmother and aunt as they constantly told me. I had become a part of something that made his life worth living. The screen flickered but I could remember the last words at the end of the video.

"My sweet Isabella, I love you so much and let no one tell you otherwise." The screen faded to just a flicker of black and white static. Tears beginning to build up in my eyes, I ran out the front door in search of him. He was brushing the one of the horse's coats with my cousin Demetri when I saw him.

"Poppy!" I screamed as I ran towards him, nearly tackling him whilst I grasped a hold of his leg, the only part I could reach of his 6'3 frame. He picked me up and settled me onto his hip. I grasped my hands around his neck.

"What's this all about?" He laughed as he tried to release my death grip on him.

"I'm sorry. I could never hate you. I love you so much." I cried. His chest shook with rambunctious laughter.

"Oh I know my silly Honey Bee. I love you too." he smiled kissing my forehead.

End Flashback….

Smiling to myself, I was pulled from my thoughts when the flight attendant asked me if I wanted a drink. My stomach was still in knots, so I settled for a soft ginger ale. I let my mind wander back to another fond memory of mine as I remembered making my first set of friends.

Flashback…

I was nine and I walking down the long road walking Buttons; my grandfather's basset hound. I had named him Buttons because he had some strange infatuation with chewing buttons off of clothing. It was a hot summer day, and I was gazing out at the familiar scenery; cows grazing in the fields, the subtle but sweet scent of honey in the air.

 I noticed Buttons was nowhere to be found. For such a small dog he was really quick and disappeared easily.

"Buttons…Buttons!" I hollered, searching frantically for him. I heard laughter coming from the clearing by the lake. I strained my eyes to see two families enjoying a picnic and my dog tugging onto a boy’s shirt, trying to grasp a button off the boy’s shirt with his tiny teeth. The boy had reddish brown colored hair and his eyes were framed by glasses. He was laughing hysterically and his friends looked on amusedly while the parents looked on with worried gazes.

"Buttons, stop that this instant." I hollered. Buttons jumped off the boys lap and ran to me, his tail wagging eagerly in excitement. The family looked at me curiously as I slowly approached them to mumble an apology. They all stood to greet me.

"Sorry about Buttons." I said sheepishly. "He just loves people."

"It's okay; this little dog made our day." A short blonde haired girl said who looked about my age.

"I'm Alice Cullen, and this is my brother Edward. These are our friends Rosalie and Jasper." she smiled.

"Isabella Swan, but I prefer Bella." I waved the four adults looked at me curiously.

"You're Harold Swan's granddaughter?" the blond haired man asked.

"Yep, that's my Poppy." I beamed.

"Well I'll be." The reddish haired woman said.

"Am I missing something?" I asked confusedly.

"Oh sorry, let me introduce ourselves. I'm Esme Cullen and this is my husband Carlisle and these are our friends Charlotte Hale and her husband Matthew." she smiled.

"Hello." I timidly waved.

"We grew up with your dad and your aunts and uncles. How are they by the way?" Mrs. Hale asked.

"Um my dad's okay. My aunt Annabelle died a while back. I'm named for her." I said looking at the ground. It was awkward talking about someone you didn't know. From what I was told I was just like her, quiet and a major bookworm.

"Well I'm sorry to hear that." Mr. Hale said apologetically. Suddenly I heard a trilling bell chime pierce the air that signaled that it was time for lunch and that I had to return home.

"Um, I'm sorry I must be going. The bell just rang and it’s time for lunch. My parents and my Poppy are probably wondering where I am.

"Do you mind if we come?" I would love to catch up with Charlie and your grandfather." Mr. Cullen asked. I eyed them warily. Rule number one that my Poppy told me: Never go off with strangers no matter what.

"Sure but we must hurry." I answered carefully. Seeing my uneasiness, the reddish haired woman spoke up.

"Okay. Kids how about you and Bella walk ahead of us, and we will meet you there. Are you guys still living at the ranch?" she asked and I nodded my head. They began packing up and I lead the other back up the old dust road. We walked in awkward silence until Alice spoke up.

"Bella I have a feeling, we're going to be the best of friends." she squealed.

"How can you be so sure?" I asked.

"Trust, she knows these things." the boy said who I figured was Edward. I noticed his eyes were a pretty grass green. He was smiling at me amusedly.

"So you guys just moved here?" I asked.

"Yeah our parents grew up here and decided to move back.” Edward smiled at me.

"Well you're no stranger to Myersville then." I laughed.

"Yeah. Our mom is an interior designer while our dad is the hospital's new doctor.

"Well good, your dad's is going to be seeing a lot of me then." they looked at me confused.

"I'm exceptionally clumsy." I answered, and to prove my point I tripped over air, sending me crashing into Edward. They all laughed

"See what I mean?" I winced, helping Edward up. He came out unscathed, but I had a lovely scrape on my elbow.

"Just peachy!" I mumbled under my breath as we continued walking.

"So are you guys ready for school?" I asked Rosalie, she was relatively quiet the duration of our walk.

"Sort of. Jasper, Rose, and I are going to be in the fourth grade while Edward is going to be in the third grade. He’s the baby." she responded.

"Me too." I said and Edward high fived my hand." I’m glad. I'll have someone to talk to." He beamed. We quickly arrived to the ranch and they looked at me astonished.

"You live here?" They all said. I laughed and nodded my head. Moments after we got to the porch the Cullen’s and Hales pulled up in their respective cars.

"Honey Bee where are you" I heard my grandfather call.

"Poppy!" I hollered. He came out from inside the house and stopped in the doorway. His gaze fell on me.

"My dear Bella what have you done?" he asked, looking at my elbow.

"Nothing new Poppy. Look I brought some new friends." I pointed out.

"Well if it isn't the lost boys and the sugar babes." he said. “Carlisle my boy and dear old Mattie boy." He grinned hugging them before kissing Esme and Charlotte on the cheek. While he called mom and dad out to talk, I grabbed the five of us some popsicles, before settling outside under the tree while we rambled on about countless things.

I soon realized I had a lot in common with all of them and was relieved to find out they lived next door to each other just down the road. We became fast friends and did numerous activities together. Soon my grandfather had taken a liking to them calling them his other grandchildren, meaning that he would never miss a birthday or school event. I could back handily say that, that summer was the best time of my life.

End Flashback…..

They were my friends ever since…well until I left junior year. I had missed them and wondered if they still lived there. I felt guilty. When I left, I had no intentions of ever looking back. I admit I have no regrets when it came to my job and the life it provided for me, but I did regret not staying in touch with them and my family.

 I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew the flight attendant was shaking me awake. "Sorry miss, but we're about to land." she smiled before moving to awake another sleeping passenger. I rolled my neck from side to side to ease the tense nerves that seemed to strain every time I moved.

Securing my seat belt I settled in my seat bracing myself for landing, saying a silent prayer as the wheels touched the ground.