Mary Ellen goes home- Part 1
By: Deena Thomson
Tags: Fiction, Novela, Writing, Fiction Writing, Short Story

Short story Fiction

Mary Ellen goes home- Part 1

Photo by willsantt from Pexels

Mary Ellen stepped off the greyhound bus and onto the black hot asphalt. The sun blared into her face blinding her. Everything was too bright and too loud. She rummaged through the purse strung over her shoulder. Searching in vain for her sunglasses.

Squinting she looked around trying to make out the objects and people around her.

Her fingers felt the arm of a pair of glasses. She let out a sigh of relief pulling her sunglasses out of her purse. She placed them gingerly onto her face and with fresh eyes looked around for her sister.

The bus station was empty but for a handful of people. Most fellow passengers from her ride. She wrinkled her brow confused. Her sister said she would meet her at the bus station.

Mary Ellen sighed and walked towards the back of the bus to get the small case she’d brought with her. It didn’t hold much. Enough items to last her through the weekend. That is all she needed. She wouldn’t be staying long.

She walked up to the driver bent over pulling suitcases out of the back compartment. She stood patient wondering if she should try to text or call her sister to see where she was.

Typical Merrily. Never one to count on. Mary Ellen shook her head and then stopped, feeling self-conscious. The driver looked up from the remaining suitcases.

“Which one yours?” his voice was abrupt and a bit impatient. Mary Ellen looked at him. A classic middle-aged man with a round belly and thinning hair. Perspiration stains circled in the pit of his arms. Her nose wrinkled in distaste.

She pointed to the vintage leather valise. A present to herself for her 35th birthday. Ironic she would buy such an extravagant bag. She never traveled, but at the time she hoped it would inspire her to start. He handed her the bag and she took it, enjoying the feel of the leather handle scratching against her palm.

“Thank you” she nodded curtly. The driver looked at her puzzled, his eyebrows cocked. Confused she turned from him. Mary Ellen didn’t have the time or patience to wonder what his problem was.

She clutched her satchel to her side and began to walk towards the building. Hoping against hope her sister was inside waiting.

She stood aside as a tall lean man with a cigarette tucked behind his ear pushed through the door. Mary Ellen reached for the door handle before it shut and was about to walk through when she heard the man speak out.

“Bob?” he hollered out.

Mary Ellen still holding onto the door turned curious to see who he was calling.

The bus driver turned to the man and motioned his head behind the man.

Mary Ellen turned from him, embarrassed. He’d spotted her being nosey.

“She here?” The man said again, stuffing his hands deep into his ratty jeans. Bob, the bus driver motioned his head at him again. His eyes brows rising up and down.

The man turned around and faced her staring at him.

“Merrily?” he said confused.

Mary Ellen stood frozen, rooted to the spot.

“I thought you said you couldn’t come?” he walked towards Mary Ellen and grasped her arm puzzled. “Why are you dressed like this?” His eyes looking her up and down.

“I,” Mary Ellen paused, trying to pull her arm from this strange man’s grasp. “I’m not Merrily.” Her voice was soft and weak. She hated herself for it.

“What the hell?” He shook his head in disbelief. Realizing he was still holding onto Mary Ellen’s arm he let go. He stood back swiping his hand through his dark greasy hair. The cigarette behind his ear fell to the ground and he bent to retrieve it. Standing up he placed the cigarette into his mouth and proceeded to light it.

He inhaled and squinted through the smoke at Mary Ellen. Surprised at her appearance. She pressed her glasses up her nose, glad she was somewhat hidden behind the shades.

“You,” he paused and took another drag, blowing the smoke out the side of his mouth. “You the sister?” He asked uncertainty prevalent in his tone. He looked her up and down again, soaking in her tan trench coat and nyloned legs, right down to her brown loafers.

Mary Ellen didn’t reply. She didn’t know what to say. Who was this strange man before her blowing smoke into her face? She clutched her bag closer to her ready to leap into action. But she didn’t. She stood like a statue not moving a hair.

He stood back unable to stop starring at her. “Shit, are you kidding me?” He said shaking his head and smoking again.”

“I,” Mary Ellen tried to speak but found she couldn’t. She ran her hand over her sleek dark hair pulled back in a tight bun at the nape of her neck.

The man dropped his cigarette stomping on it with the heal of his beaten cowboy boot. He blew out the remainders of his smoke and sighed.

“Mary Ellen?” he asked. his voice thick with hesitation.

Hearing her name Mary Ellen felt herself grow taller.

“This is crazy,” the guy said.

“How do you know my name?” Mary Ellen felt the blood rising up her face. This was getting ridiculous. “You obviously know my sister. Where is she? How come she isn’t here?”

The man slapped his hands down hard on his faded jeans and let out a whoop and began to laugh.

“I don’t find this funny.” Mary Ellen huffed. She turned and went through the door. Hurried she walked towards the benches hell-bent on calling her sister and giving her a piece of her mind.

Figures Merrily would send a total stranger to fetch her. This despicable man must be her sister’s latest conquest. Mary Ellen lifted her valise and with care placed it on the bench. She swung her purse off her shoulder and placed it on top of the valise, once again started to rummage through it. This time searching for her phone.

Tears began to well up in her eyes. She didn’t want to be here. Back to this place that held so many dark memories. She stifled back a sob.

It’s only for the weekend. Only the weekend then you will never have to come back here again.

She found her cell and punched in her sister’s number. Tapping her foot she turned to the man who was walking towards her. Determination in his step. The phone rang on the other end and she turned her back to the man who was now standing before her, staring.

“Come on Merrily. Answer the damn phone.” She said through clenched teeth.

The phone continued to ring.

A recording clicked on and Mary Ellen could hear her sister’s loud drawl bark out of the phone. She hung up, slamming the phone into her leg.

She looked up into the blue eyes of the stranger. Startled she hadn’t noticed how blue his eyes were. They stood out, piercing against his sun-beaten face. She sighed defeated.

“Where is she?” She asked him, trying not to let her shoulders slump. The man stood silent for a moment. Looking her over once again. She forgot how it uses to be. When others saw her for the first time. How shocked they were.

“Something came up,” he replied speaking slow. It was plain to see he was trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

Mary Ellen resigned cocked her head to the side and blew out air.

“We’re twins. Identical Twins”

“She never,” He couldn’t stop staring at her.

Mary Ellen tried to avert her eyes. It had been a long time since she and her sister had spent any time together. Let alone a place where they would be mistaken for each other.

“Figures.” Mary Ellen blurted out. “My sister loves surprises.” She lowered her sunglasses down her nose and gazed at him. “Are you suppose to drive me home?”

Home

Now that was a word she normally would not use when referring to the house she and Merrily grew up in. No. Home represented comfort and security. A loving mother and father who cherished and protected their children.

Safety.

That was never the house she and her sister grew up in. No. It was a house to run from as far away as you could.

That is what she did. She ran. The moment she turned 18 years old. She hopped on a bus with all the money she earned working odd hours at the Library. Which would end up being her career.

She had escaped this place. This family she did not ask to be born in but was thrown headfirst into anyway.

Now she was back. She shuddered thinking about it.

She pushed her glasses back up her nose and stood mute, waiting for a reply from the dark-haired stranger.

“Ya-Ya” he stuttered patting his jean jacket. He reached into a pocket and took out a jumble of keys attached to a chain. He jiggled them with a silly grin on his face. “Lets rock and roll”