February DOTM | A Day in the Life

 

I thought about splitting this into two parts but there's really no point because we're halfway through Februay already and I've missed three Saturdays already XD So instead of making lame excuses about school and rain and family and such, I'm not gonna apologize for my inconsistency and so I'll just dump a bunch of posts for y'all. XD Enjoy!

A Day in the Life

I stashed my bag beneath the bench on the sidewalk of a suburban street and collapsed on the hard wood. Running across the country for a good two days proved itself challenging, especially when everybody and their sister recognized you.

I sighed and almost reached for an instrument when I realized I didn't have anything to play. Music was my therapy, and I didn't have any with me. My phone was officially dead and my credit card was canceled by my manager.

My mind tried to replay everything that had happened in the past few days, in the past few weeks, in the past few months. Could I please just not overthink everything for a minute? Dead exhausted, I leaned back and stared up at the sky.

“Hey, hey, are you okay?” I blinked rapidly, being tapped by a stranger. “Oh, oh, good, you’re alive.” 

“Yeah, yeah, I’m alive,” I mumbled, shifting positions. Everything ached, my throat was parched from dehydration, my stomach growled at me. 

“Are you alright?” I rubbed my eyes and looked up at the owner of the voice. Through blurry vision, I assumed she wasn’t much older than me. And was that the sun heading down toward the horizon? Had I napped all afternoon?!

“Uh, yeah, I’m… I’m fine.” I stretched for a second and moved to get up.

“I’ve never seen you in these parts before,” she gave me a curious look and barked.

No, wait, she didn't bark. It was the dog next to her. Right. My brain was still turned off.

“Yeah, I’m… I’m not really from around here. Actually-” I glanced around. “Where am I?”

“Oh, are you lost?”

Good alternative answer, and she practically handed it to me on a silver platter.

“Very. My Uber dropped me off at the wrong spot last night and my phone is dead and-” I employed every acting skill I had to play out my little lie. 

“Oh no, that’s awful!” she genuinely looked concerned for me, a stranger. She told me the exact location, which meant literally nothing except that it was in the deep South. “Where were you supposed to go?”

“Well, I was supposed to be visiting my cousin. And I could tell you the address if my battery hadn’t given out on me.” Mentally, I was already fabricating an imaginary cousin. Just so long as she didn't turn me in to the police.

“Hey, come home with me, you can charge your phone, get some food and water, rest a little, and let your cousin know. I’m sure she’s worried sick about you.”

Right, like all caring Southern people. For all I knew, no one cared about me, really. Just my money. 

“Really?” I stood up. “Won’t people mind?”

“Of course not! My home is always welcome to anyone who needs a place. No one will mind at all! Come on.”

“Thanks.” I shrugged my bags over my shoulders.

“This is Honey,” she reached down and patted her dog. “Do you have any pets?”

“Heh, no,” I kept my distance from the animal. 

“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry. I’m Elly,” she stuck out her hand awkwardly. “I completely forgot to introduce myself.”

“No problem,” We exchanged a firm handshake. “I’m Hope.”

“So nice to meet you! My sisters will love having you.”

“Sisters? How many do you have?”

“Eight!” 

I nearly choked. “Eight?!”

“Josi, Jules, me, Madi, Mia, Kat, Kit, Sam, Amy.”

“Goodness.”

“Do you have any siblings?”

“Nope… just me. Only child.”

“You poor dear!”

Poor dear? Right, the South. I’d seen plenty of stereotypical TV shows and movies about it.

“Where are you from?”

Good question, one I didn't know the answer to. 

“Hawaii.” I gave my birthplace, easy enough. Make it more convincing. Right, the deal of a lie is in the details. “I was supposed to spend a couple months with my cousin.”

“Well, you can definitely hang out at my house until we contact your cousin.” Elly strode ahead and I continued to follow, keeping a good distance of personal space. 

She led the way into a nice building that seemed rather inviting. I heard several voices blending into a colorful sound that made the house seem full and happy. What a nice idea. Idealistic, but nice.

“Hmm, I don’t know where everyone is. Let me go check, make yourself at home. There’s an outlet if you’d like to charge your phone.”

“That’d be great, thanks,” I murmur, digging through my bags.

“Just picked up Kat from volleyball, dropped off Mia at dance, Kit is tutoring, Amy’s up in her room drawing, Sam and Madi are writing, Jules is probably making another TikTok instead of doing homework-” a dark headed girl dropped the keys on the table and checked a chart on the wall. “I think that’s everyone. Where have you been, Elly?”

“Josi, this is Hope!” Elly announced, causing Josi to turn around.

“Oh, hi! Friend from school?”

“Um, actually-” I placed my phone on the side table. 

“New friend that I just met, she’s lost and on her way to her cousin’s house but-”

“Uber dropped me off at the wrong spot, I’m really directionally challenged and I’ve been traveling for several days and jetlagged.” I interjected. 

“Oh no, that’s not good. Where does your cousin live?” Josi questioned.

“As soon as my phone will turn on, I can tell you. Like I said, I’m awful with directions and even worse with memorizing addresses.”

“Totally fine.” Elly reassured me.

“I’m so sorry, you’re crazy busy and I hate to intrude and waste your time, if I can just get my phone to work I’ll be on my way-”

“No, no,” Josi exclaimed. “Don’t worry about it. We’re always happy to have someone new here. Elly’s the best at bringing in stray puppies and kittens and new friends in need of assistance. She has a huge heart full of compassion.” Elly blushed a little and dipped her head.

“Thank you so much,” I smiled and looked down at my phone. “Let’s see if I can find that address…” I opened GoogleMaps and picked the first city that I saw. “How far is Savannah from here?”

“Oh goodness, sweet girl, that’s a good five hours. It’s on the other side of the state.”

“I’d better get going. Let me call an Uber and-”

“No, no, don’t get in an Uber at this time of night, it’s already dark outside. If your cousin is alright with it, we always have a spare bed. You’re actually sitting on the fold out couch. Just spend the night here and head out in the morning.”

“You sure?” I let my fingers hover over my phone, pretending to text my cousin.

“If she needs to call me, I can give you my number,” Josi nodded confidently. “I’m totally sure.”

“She doesn’t really care where I am, no one does,” I shrugged nonchalantly, unaware of how it came across.

“I’m sorry,” Elly gently touched my arm.

“Nah, it’s fine, it’s life, my life,” I shrugged again. “Thank you again. If you’re sure, I’m too tired to refuse your generous offer.”

“Absolutely, you’re probably Jules’s size,” Josi surveyed me. “Elly, grab some pajamas so she doesn’t have to dig through her bags.”

“This is too much, thank you,” I follow Elly down a hall. A couple of the girls mentioned were in some of the rooms, busy working on something or another.

“My pleasure,” she smiled, disappearing into a closet. “Here, try these. Super soft, I’ve borrowed them before.” I returned the grin and followed her directions to a nearby place I could change. When I returned, Elly was also ready for bed. 

“Josi set up the fold-out bed in the living room, I hope that’s alright. Help yourself to any drinks or snacks, there’s leftovers in the fridge.” Elly looked down at her pajamas. “I should probably let the others know it’s time for bed. Maybe you can meet everyone tomorrow morning? Make yourself at home.”

“Thanks,” I nodded, following her instructions. I got water and a snack, brushed my teeth, and then crawled into the inviting bed.

“Good night, Hope,” Josi whispered as she headed upstairs, the house growing quiet.

“Good night, thank you for everything.”

“My pleasure!”

Everything got quiet, pretty much silent. Yet my mind wouldn’t sleep, it needed music. Several hours passed in the darkness, just staring up at the ceiling, tossing and turning.

Finally, giving up hope of sleep, I crept across to the room to the keyboard I had seen earlier. In the dim light shining from the kitchen, I turned the volume down almost as low as it would go and gently set my fingers upon the keys.

Like magic, a new melody drifted softly from the keyboard, each note dissolving some stress and worries for the moment.

For a few minutes, it was just the piano music, but words formed in my head and I couldn’t keep from whisper singing.

“Let me be a part of your world,” I swayed slowly to my song.

“Hope? Hope?” At the mention of my name, I froze, the music halting. My fingers trembled, my heart thudded. Turning around slowly, I couldn’t muster enough courage to meet Josi’s eyes.

“I-I’m sorry I woke you up… I couldn’t sleep and I-”

“No, it’s fine, I needed water.” Josi turned on a lamp and then gasped. “Hope?!”

I sucked in a tight breath when I realized what had been brought to life.

I had completely forgotten about my wig.

"We need to talk."

A few minutes later, after sitting down, Josi handed a mug to me, and looked into my eyes. “I’m concerned, I’m curious, and I’m confused. I want to give you the benefit of the doubt but I don’t know how much to trust you since you lied to me.”

“I’ll tell the truth. Everything. I promise.”

Why? Why was I doing this? She had a sense about her…

“My middle name is Hope. My real name is Lanea Hope.” I paused to check her body language for some sign of recognition but she simply furrowed her brow in more confusion. “I’m running away but please don’t call the police, no one cares about me except for my fame.”

“Fame?”

“I just came from the third awards ceremony this year. I’m a singer and actress and social media influencer.”

“I knew I’d heard the name before.”

“I’m so tired of that life, I just wanted to get away. I know I can’t escape forever. They’ll put a search out once I don’t show up to the show tomorrow.”

“Where’s the show?”

“Heh… California?” I bit my lip. “I-I know… I know you have no reason to trust me but please don’t make me go back, I can’t handle another show, I can’t be abused by my manager anymore, I’m burning out and-”

Her arms gently wrapped around me.

“Lanea, you’re safe here. I’m sure there’s a legal way we can find to let you stay here if you want to.”

“You’d… you’d let me stay here?” I tried to disguise the surprise in my voice.

“Of course, Lanea, this can be your home for as long as you need and for forever.”

“I’ve never been in one place for more than a few months. Usually just a couple days.”

“Lanea, welcome home. You can be you here, we’ll do everything we can to help you.”

“Thank… thank you.” I whispered, choking up. “You don’t know how much this means to me.”

“I think I do. You can meet everyone tomorrow and tell them the truth about who you are. I’ll warn you that Jules will fangirl but the rest should be sensible. And we’ve all come from different backgrounds. You’ll fit into the family perfectly.”

I tried not to tear up. “You’re… giving me a home… and a family?”

“For as long as you want it, to forever and beyond.” Josi smiled. “You’ve had a long few days. Get some rest, okay?”

I nodded and, as though a load had been completely lifted off me, I fell asleep almost instantly. When I wake up… I’ll have a new life to live.