Southern Attraction (2 page)

             
“Sure, come in,” she said.  Larry followed Heather to the den and sat next to her on the couch. 

             
“Heather, I have been organizing your parents financial estate and I have some bad news,” he said. 

             
“What?  Go ahead and tell me.  Nothing can be worse than what I’ve already been through,” she replied.

             
“Heather, your parents expenses out weigh their assets.” 

             
“What does that mean, exactly?” she inquired. 

             
“Your father was in debt.  The mortgage on this house is over seven hundred thousand dollars.  With the economy the way it is, the house is only worth part of that.  Your father’s bank account will cover some of his bills, but there is nothing left over to live on.  I’m sorry, but the house is going to be sold by the bank, and you are going to have to move,” he said while trying to break it to her gently. 

             
“Didn’t my dad have a fund set up for me?  Did he have money put back for college or something like that?” she asked. 

             
“Heather, all your dad’s money is gone.  He had a small amount of money put into a savings account, but that money is going to be used to pay his expenses.  You will be able to keep your car.  It was paid off and put in your name, but that is all.” 

             
“I don’t have anyone else to stay with.  Where am I suppose to go?” she asked. 

             
“Heather, I hate to tell you this, but your going to have to go live with your uncle Mick in Huckleburg.” 

             
“I knew dad had a brother, but I’ve never met him.  They weren’t close at all.  How am I suppose to go to live with someone I barely know? Where is this place Huckleburg, anyway?” she inquired. 

             
“Huckleburg is in Alabama.  I know the transition is going to be difficult for you, but I do not think you have a choice.  I’m sorry Heather, but you have to have a place to live.  Technically, you are not eighteen and you have to have a guardian.  I spoke to your uncle Mick.  He was listed as your dad’s next of kin.  He knows  what happened to your parents, and he is expecting you.  I informed him that I was going to pay for your bus fare to get there,” Larry said.

             
“Your kidding right?  Bus Fare? Why can’t I fly there?” she asked.  “Huckleburg doesn’t have an airport, and the closest airport is over two hundred miles away.  The fare would be over three hundred dollars, and you would have to travel by bus anyway the rest of the distance.  I know this is going to be a change for you, but this is how it has to be right now,” Larry explained.

             
“How am I suppose to get my car?  Can’t I just drive it to Huckleburg?” she asked. 

             
“Heather, I don’t think you are in any kind of position to drive to Huckleburg.  It is too far for you to drive.  I will have it delivered to you.  I’m sorry for everything that you are going through.  I wish things could be different, but this is the way everything is.  I have to be going now.  I’m on my lunch break, and I need to get back to the office.  My secretary will call you with all the details,” Larry replied as he walked to the front door.  Heather didn’t escort him out.  She was a little upset and stunned at the news that she had heard.

             
“After everything that has happened, I didn’t think it could get any worse and now this.  He expects me to go to some little hick town and live with some country bumpkin in some shack in the woods.  I can’t believe this.  I can’t go live with some weirdo,” she mumbled as she tried to decide on another way out of the situation.  She knew he was right.  She had nothing left here, and Mick was her only family. 
Maybe he is not what I expected.  Maybe he will be nice and have a large house, like I am accustomed to.  I guess I’m going to have to give this a try.  What other choice do I have
, she thought to herself.   

Chapter Three

             
The Greyhound bus rode into Huckleburg at noon.  Heather was not impressed by the size of town.  Huckleburg had one high school, one general store, a diner and a town hall.  She read a sign while the bus drove into town that read: Population five thousand.  Farms lined the roads.  They were mostly dirt roads.  Heather raised her eye brows at the awful smell. 

             
“That’s either cow or horse droppins,” a man blurted out. 

             
“No, that’s chicken poop.  I can tell chicken poop from anything else.  It’s got the worst odor,” a lady replied. 
They are definitely country bumpkins
, Heather thought to herself as she rolled her eyes. 

             
As Heather got off the bus, a man in coveralls and dirty sneakers approached her. 

             
“You must be Heather.  I’m your uncle Mick.  Mark sent me some pictures of ya when you wuz little.  You sure have grown up.”  Heather didn’t know whether to shake the man’s hand or run.  He was a scruffy looking man with a five o’clock. 

             
“Yes, I’m Heather.  You have to be Mick, right,” she asked. 

             
“Sure am.  I bet yer starving.  Come on, and I’ll  grab your bags.  We can get us some grub at Sally’s diner before we head back to the house.”  Heather tried to smile at the man, but couldn’t.  She tried to understand why all of this was happening to her. 
Why didn’t her parents plan on a situation like this?  Why did they leave her to the wolves?  Living with complete strangers in a cow pasture of a town was the worse thing that could happen to her
, she thought. 

             
“Hello Mick, who’s your friend?” Sally asked. 

             
“This is my little niece, she’s going to be staying with me for a while,” Mick replied. 

             
“Hello, I’m Sally and your name is?” 

             
“Hi,  I’m Heather.” 

             
“Well it sure is good to meet ya.  What can I get ya to eat?” Sally asked. 

             
“I’ll have a hamburger and fries,” Heather replied. 

             
“What about you Mick, what do you wont?” Sally asked.

             
“I’ll take some fried okra, turnip greens and a pork chop,” Mick said as he looked at Heather and gave her a wink. 

             
Surely this redneck is not coming on to me.  After all I am his niece
. 
I heard rumors of people in the south marrying their cousins.  Maybe they were right
, she thought.  She felt very uncomfortable when she saw him wink at Sally and almost all the ladies in the diner. 

             
He has to be a pervert or something.  He’s a dirty old man,
she thought.

             
Heather tried to eat her lunch, but the hamburgers were greasy.  She saw Sally prepare one of the hamburgers.  She took one of the hamburger patties out of a vat of oil, and it was dripping with it.  The hamburger patty dripped as Sally put it on a bun.

             
These people are going to die early with heart problems,
she thought.  Mick smacked as he gobbled down his food in less than a couple of minutes.  He didn’t care how he acted or how he ate.  He had no idea what table etiquette was.  Nobody else in the restaurant did either, for that matter.

             
Heather heard a bell ring as people entered the front door to the diner.  A small bell hung over the door.  The bell sounded every time the door opened.  It was annoying to hear the bell while she was trying to eat.  Everyone stopped in their tracks, and they looked at the door as people entered. 

             
“Hey, come on in,” Sally said to greet them.  Heather thought that was nice.  Sally took time to greet every customer with a smile.  She thought that was completely different than Manhattan.  No one ever took time to say hello or to address anyone by name.  This town was more relaxed, and people didn’t care how they acted.  They didn’t care what people thought of them, either.

             
After Heather and Mick were finished eating, Heather grabbed her purse while Mick grabbed her two suitcases, and they headed out of the diner.  As they were leaving, Heather caught a glimpse of a young man around her age.  He was getting out of his pickup truck.  He was very nice looking with brown hair and brown eyes.  His skin was tanned and he was very muscular.  She was attracted to him at first sight.  She smiled at him as he glanced at her.  He didn’t smile back, and she thought that was rude.  He stared at her as he passed by and then entered the diner without a hello or a smile. 

             
“Who was that boy?” Heather asked. 

             
“Oh that’s Jake, farmer John’s boy.  Why do ya want to know?” 

             
“I was just wondering,” she replied.  Mick smiled realizing that she must have liked him. 

             
Heather followed Mick as he walked over to a weird looking motorcycle with three wheels.  Heather’s mouth dropped when she realized that the motorcycle was going to be their transportation.

             
“I’m not getting on that thing,” she said.

             
“Why not, it’s completely safe.  Trust me.   I’m not going to let anything happen to ya,” Mick replied.  Heather rolled her eyes and hesitated for a few seconds watching Mick tie the suitcases to a metal plate behind the seat.  Then he threw his leg over the seat to sit down.  Realizing she had no choice, she jumped on to the back of the motorcycle.  “Here’s ya a helmet,” Mick said as he handed her a old white helmet.  Heather tried to put the helmet on, but it was a little snug.  Mick hit the top of the helmet with his fist to make the helmet go down onto her head. 

             
“Now hold on to me tight.  We’ll be there in four shakes,” Mick said as he turned the key to crank the motorcycle. 

             
The  engine had a loud thundering sound as he turned the handle to give it some gas, then off they went, speeding down the road.  Heather liked the feel of the cool wind against her face.  It felt exhilarating.  She had never been on a motorcycle,  and it was fun.  Mick tried to talk to her, but she couldn’t hear a word over the noise of the Harley Davidson trike. 

             
Heather noticed the small wooden houses as they rode down the dirt road.  Finally, Mick approached an older looking farm house, and he turned off the motor.                “We’re here,” he said.  Heather took off her helmet and jumped off the back of the trike. 

             
“This is my farm and now yours too.  Make yourself at home and look around,” he said. 

             
Heather turned around and saw goats and chickens roaming around. 
Now this is strange
, she thought.  She looked to the right and saw horses galloping behind a barbed wire.  She walked toward them, and one of the horses approached the fence.  He stuck his long neck over the fence.  It startled her, so she quickly backed away.  “He’s not going to bite ya.  He’s friendly.  Just feed him some grass and he’ll love ya forever,” Mick hollered as he walked into the house.
              “What a strange place this is?  Chickens walking around free.  Goats eating flowers from the flowerbed.  What am I going to see next?  Pigs flying around with wings or dogs driving sports cars,” she said to herself as she shook her head side to side.  She walked around the house to see what she could see.  Suddenly, she caught a big whiff of something stagnant.  She pinched her nose as she hurried to the front door of the house to go inside.

             
“Heather come on over and take a seat,” Mick said as he pulled out a chair.  Heather walked toward the table and sat down. 

             
“I just wanted to talk to ya fer a bit.  I’m sorry bout your dad and mom passin.  Mark was a real nice fellar.  Well, I didn’t know yer mom that well, but she seemed real nice, too.” 

             
“Thanks.  Why didn’t you visit us?  Or why haven’t I ever met you before?” she asked.

             
“I don’t know.  I guess cause I don’t care too much for the big city.  Your dad and me kinda grew a part over the years,” Mick replied.

             
“I really appreciate you allowing me to live here.  I’ll try to help out around the house as much as I can,” Heather replied. 

             
“Well, I don’t expect too much from ya.  Maybe you can help me out a little with the chores.  I’ll tell ya later bout what you can do fer me.  Just make yourself at home tonight, and don’t worry.  Everything will work itself out later, I promise,” Mick replied. 

             
“Uncle Mick, they are suppose to be sending my car and my clothes tomorrow,” she said.