AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He nods once in acknowledgement, and I climb into the car. On the drive home, I debate whether or not I should cancel going to the gala, but ultimately, I know that I need to go. There are going to be a lot of important people there, and it’s for a good cause. I don’t have any children, but I still like to donate to education causes to help the future generations. I struggled through college and had to work to pay for my classes and support myself, and if I can help one child not have to deal with that, I will feel like I’ve accomplished something.
As soon as I woke up this morning, I went over every excuse I could think of to get out of going to the gala. I didn’t have to go, but there had been promises made, and people were expecting to see me there. I spent the morning reading the news on my tablet and flipping through the channels until I found some old movie to keep my attention until I had to get ready to go.
Now I’m on my way down the elevator to meet Steven so he can take me to the airfield for the helicopter. I put on a pair of old jeans and a T-shirt to travel in, and my suit for tonight is in a garment bag thrown over my arm. We should arrive in Willow Creek at 4:30 p.m. at the earliest, and it will give me about three and a half hours to try and get a nap in before I have to get ready for the gala.
I’ve never been to Willow Creek before. It’s a very small town, and I’m surprised that Jillian was able to find a hotel room for me at all. I wouldn’t be surprised if the people of this town just set up visitors in their own homes, it’s so small. They can’t get that many visitors.
The copter ride is quick, only thirty minutes compared to the hour it would have taken to drive here. The small airport is right next to the hotel I’m staying at, so by 4:50 p.m. I’ve arrived, checked in, and set up in my room, which gives me plenty of time to sleep some, since I’m going to need to rest as much as possible if I’m going to be able to mingle with people tonight. It’s exhausting to even think about. Constantly having to charm people and make sure I keep their support for my business was getting tiring, and I was losing the fight to keep on doing it.
I hang my suit on the back of the bathroom door and collapse onto the bed, instantly falling asleep. It’s easier for me to sleep away from my apartment.
My alarm jerks me from a deep sleep, and for a moment, I’m disoriented. I look around the room, and I remember where I am and why. Sighing, I sit up and try to rub at my face to wake myself up some. I have thirty minutes to get ready and make it to the hospital where the gala is being held. I pick up my phone, and as I go into the bathroom to get ready, I pull up the app to find a car to take me to the hospital. I’m surprised when I find that there are none near.
Fucking small towns.
I throw my phone onto the bed and get ready. I’ll have to get the address to the hospital and see where it’s located.
Looks like I’ll be walking.
Luckily, it’s early September, so it’s not too hot for a walk. I take a quick shower and finish getting ready with ten minutes to spare. When I pull up the hospital address, it’s only a mile from the hotel. I’ll arrive a little later than I had planned, but that just means that I will have to spend even less time there than I planned.
On the walk to the hospital, I take in the town as I go. It’s straight from a fairy tale story, locally owned mom and pop shops line the one main road that leads in and out of the town. There’s one coffee shop in the middle of town, and it looks like none of the big franchises have made it to this town.
Probably the last place on Earth that doesn’t have a Starbucks.
The only thing this town has going for it is the beautiful scenery. Living in New York City, the only view of nature is from my penthouse window where I can see Central Park. Here, I’m surrounded by nature. Trees outnumber the number of buildings; it’s quiet except for the sounds of animals chirping and shuffling through the grass. There are wildflowers everywhere I look, and the shops are decorated with more colorful flowers and plants.
I have to admit that it’s a very peaceful walk.
I finally arrive at the hospital, and I’m grateful that I’m not a sweating mess as I walk through the sliding doors. There are people milling about, nurses and patients, and as I walk through in my black-tie suit, I get curious looks. There is a sign near the elevators telling people that are here for the gala to go to the cafeteria for the event.
I head down the hallway that the sign is pointing, and I’m assuming the cafeteria is though the double doors. Just as I’m reaching for the door handle, the door opens and a group of young kids run out. Laughter following after them as they run down the hall. Laughing at the excitement of kids, I grab the edge of the door and pull it fully open so I can walk in.
The room is fuller than I thought it would be in such a small place, but I’m glad to see that this charity is getting traction. I wave to some of the event planners that I know and see more familiar faces than I thought I would. I look around the large room, there are big round tables taking over most of the area. A table is set up close to the door for a greeting area, and across from it is a table with a sign that is labeled “auction items.” The lights are dim, and there is a spotlight pointing at a podium at the front of the room. They paid good money for a decorator and caterer. The food is spread out like it’s an art piece, and the table and chair are covered with maroon-colored covers and table clothes.
There is a welcome table set up to my left, and the woman behind it smiles at me. She’s pretty in a sweet girl next door kind of way. She has short blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and the dress she is wearing hugs her slight curves. I smile back at her and make my way over to the table. When I’m close enough, I see her name tag says Kayla.
“Welcome! Thank you for coming to support our charity. Over here are the name tags, and with it you will find your table number and a paper of the items for sale tonight. Over there is the table for things that you would like to put up for auction, and we should be getting started on bidding in fifteen minutes.”
I follow her hand with my eyes as she points everything out, then reach over to grab my name tag and the papers that are with it.
“Thanks. Is there a goal for the night?”
“Nothing specific, we just want to raise as much as possible tonight.”
I nod and look over the list of items while I turn to go to the auction table. I have a couple of items that I could probably list and want to put them down to help raise money. Just as I’m looking up to walk across the room, the group of kids from before runs back in; they are giggling and tripping over each other as they push their way into the room. There are three little boys, but the little girl catches my eye.
It strikes me that she looks like I did at her age, but with dark brown curly hair. She looks so much like I did that it stops me in my tracks.
A woman’s voice comes from behind me, and at the sound of her voice, ice fills my veins.
“Sophia, it’s time to take our seats, sweetheart.”
Tanya?
I turn around so fast that I get lightheaded for a moment, and when the room stabilizes again, my eyes lock on Tanya. My Tanya. Her dark brown hair is longer, down to the middle of her back, her curves are more defined, more mature than they were, and her tight red dress hugs her body perfectly. She’s lost the young girl look and is now a woman in every meaning of the word. I stumble a couple of steps in her direction at the same time the little girl who caught my attention moments ago races past me. I can do nothing but watch as Tanya takes the little curly haired girl’s hand.
She doesn’t just look a little like me, she looks exactly like me.
