‘Why are you making me go back there, Mama?’ I whined as Mama helped fold my clothes in a massive floral suitcase.

She raised her brows then threw her head back and laughed. ‘Honey I’m not making you do anything.’

I grumbled. I loved my grandfather and I jumped at the opportunity to take care of him then I remembered where he lived. I fell back on my bed that was dressed in pink covers.

Mama and I were in my bedroom helping me move back to my home town. My tummy churned just thinking about Chester Springs. I was doing it for Grandpa Comrade Connor.

‘Everything will be fine Addie. I’m sure it’ll be nice to see Andrin and Maybelle again. After such a long time.’ Mom smiled with so much pain.

When Mom left Chester Springs a couple months after Daddy died, she was practically run out of town by Andrin her own son! My brother. Andrin and some Uncle of mine denied Mama claim of the house and Daddy’s auto mobile shop. They kept the money that was supposed to go to her and I.

Mama pleaded with him to let her at least keep the house. Andrin kicked her out and moved in his girlfriend and child— a child he had with a different woman. He kicked us both out, but I had my ex-fiancé Matthias to fall back on. We planned on moving in together anyway. That’s a story for a little later.

A lot of people didn’t do anything to stop Andrin and my wicked Uncle. The church ladies did all they could taking her in and comforting her. Then she made up her mind and decided to start over. She moved to the next town and then I followed her. Her story’s better than mine.

‘I wish you’d come with me.’ I whispered.

She smiled. Camille Winchester had amber eyes like mine with healthy laugh lines and chestnut hair that ran down her back. Her family was European, she only moved here when she was four. My Dad was her only love.

‘I’d love to come with you my love. I—I just feel it would cause a lot of drama and I’m not ready for that.’

I nodded, I understand as well. I knew my presence in Chester Springs after three years would cause some drama. It made my heart race thinking about it.

When the time came for my departure I hugged my teary eyed Mother and got onto the evening bus to Chester Springs. Mama cried as she watched the bus take me away. I wished for ease to consume my heart but I was full of fear. There was a reason I took the evening bus. I didn’t want people to know I was back. They’d frown, scrawl, snarl, roar even throw stones!

The people of Chester Springs are extremely trusting and many are closely related some way some how. What happened three years ago, hurt many people me included.

I was engaged to Matthias Hadley for two years and after Mama left Chester Springs I moved in with him and his family. His Mother, brother and sister. Everything was fine until I was accused of stealing a priceless family heirloom that I’d only laid eyes on when it was found it my suitcase along with all my stuff packed.

I didn’t steal the golden goblet with red rubies on the outside. I hadn’t packed my belongings ready to leave Matthias either. I was arrested and spent the night in jail. His Mother wanted them to throw away the key. Sharon was always cautious around me, fake smiles and less than pleasant introductions. I always felt she thought Matthias could have done better.

It damaged our relationship. He thought I was a gold digger about to leave him and everything we planned to do. To his credit he stopped his Mother from pressing charges. He broke off our engagement. Sharon came to snatch the wedding ring from me herself another family heirloom.

I cried myself to sleep every night. I went from sweet George Winchester's daughter to the gold digger, the heart breaker, the liar in the shortest space of time. My brother and his wife Lexa barely let me stay, Grandpa Connor was the only one that wrapped his arm around me.

I flinched when I remembered I went to Matthias’ house to state my innocence. There was no way I was letting my life die so easily. At first they wouldn’t let me in. I had to break in through the downstairs bathroom window. I had to break a bar. I still got stuck then Matthias had to help me out. He obviously didn’t want to see me.

Then the rest of his family showed up, hurling insults at me. I shrunk back like a scared deer. Rebecca— Matthias' sister laughed and shoved me. I shut my eyes and swallowed the lump in my throat. She shoved me all the way to the front door. I’d never felt so low, so unworthy. My family was well to do not better than the Hadley’s though. But even if we weren’t I didn’t deserve to be treated like that.

I remember Rebecca and her Mother pointing at me. I slapped Rebecca’s hand out of my face. It was the first time I defended myself. Her face blazed like an open flame. She shoved me against the wall. Bruised my arm too. Before she could do anything else and before I could think it through my fist slammed into Rebecca’s nose.

They called the police and once again I was taken away. Arrested for trespassing! The story blew up. Thanks to Matthias charges weren’t pressed against me. Andrin wanted me gone as soon as possible. No one in town wanted anything to do with me expect my best friend Amber Rayne and Grandpa Conner. There was only one place I could go and that was to my Mama.

I watched the forest zip by. Chester Springs was a couple hours away. I dreaded the feelings that awaited me. When a home turned to an enemy. How could I enjoy the familiarity of an Uncle Jay’s burger without the heat of a thousand glares?

I couldn’t go by the old library Daddy used to walk me to every Saturday to borrow books without thinking about the night I spent at the station just a few minutes away. I couldn’t even go to my house, that still had most of my things because my brother hated me.

I sniffled. I thought I had forgiven, I thought I’d let go of the pain. It seemed I opened the door to let the pain back in. I stared it in the eye and it reminded me how weak I was. Mama had given me great books that encouraged me to forgive the hurt that had been inflicted on me. Yet fear consumed me. I wanted to turn the bus around.

Still my Grandfather needed me. He couldn’t work, he was hurt and needed someone to take care of him. Andrin told him he couldn’t do much. Mama insisted on bringing him to live with us but Chester Springs was his home where his son — my Father— and wife were buried.

I wouldn’t abandon him. Maybe I’d convince him to move eventually.

Then there was Matthias. Tears filled in my eyes when I went back to the day his family humiliated me again at his house. He didn’t do anything. I thought when you loved someone you believed them, cared for them, protected them, forgave them. I didn’t even get the benefit of the doubt. After three years, Matthias still played in my head at night.

I may have stalked him and come up empty handed. His accounts everywhere were private or dry! I knew he worked for the FBI now. Hopefully he wasn’t in Chester Springs often. After my Dad and Grandpa he was the other man to take up residence in my soul. It was true people did take a piece of your soul and Matthias took a chunk of mine.