FreshSqueezedLemons

Wild as the Wind Is

PROLOGUE: Yesterday

Edward

I will remember that day, for the rest of my life. The marked day when my life changed in so many ways. I suppose you could call it a day like any other day, well, at least it started that way. It was a school day and I was in kindergarten. We lived in Forks, Washington, a town of less than four thousand full time residents, on the wet side of the Olympic Penninsula. We lived on the outskirts of town, in a modest house, surrounded by rain forrest. Most of the time, it was just my mother, Elizabeth, and I. My father was not in our picture. My Uncle Carlisle and Aunt Esme lived close. Maybe half a mile to the west of us. I knew the way, through the forrest, to their house by heart. I liked to go and play with my cousins Emmett and Alice. Emmett was older than me, by two years and Alice was the same age as I. We all went to the same elementary school. I liked school, my teacher, Mrs. Phillips, was a nice lady and she smelled like cookies.

Momma was a children's author and she illustrated her books, as well. She really didn't need a job, like other people. My grandparents were very rich and when they died, she inherited all of what they'd worked for. We lived simply, you would have never known we'd had more money than God. Momma always said it wasn't polite to live like you were better than others. Momma was always polite to people. She was tall and willowy, with pretty red hair and very green eyes. She touched me softly and never raised her voice. She smiled a lot and hugged me anytime she could get me to stand still long enough. Aunt Esme said I had my momma's eyes, but the rest belonged to my father. I didn't understand what she was talking about, because I didn't have a father.

Like I said, the day started like any other day. I got up when little hand on the clock was pointed at the seven. Momma always laid out my clothes, after I went to bed, the night before. I got dressed in my favorite Transformers T-shirt and blue jeans. I put on my socks and my shoes and ran down the stairs to eat my breakfast. My shoestrings were flapping, making little tings against the hardwood floor, as I ran. Momma was in the kitchen, stirring a pot of oatmeal, when I climbed into my chair, at the small kitchen table. She walked over to my chair and kissed my head, ruffling my bronze colored locks.

"Wild as the wind is...Good Morning Eddie Angel!" She said to me. Her voice always sounded like she was singing, just without any music.

"Morning Momma! Can you fix my shoestrings, please?" She bent down and tied my shoes for me.  I bent down and kissed her cheek.

"Thank-you Momma," I said. She smiled at me and turned back to the stove.

Momma was setting a bowl of hot oatmeal in front of me, when I heard a heavy knocking at our front door. I made motion to go and answer it, but Momma stopped me.

"No Eddie, stay here and eat your breakfast. I'll see who's at the door," With that, she walked out of the kitchen and out of my life, forever.