Page 43 of Scribe

A place to swim, cut loose, drink, party, make-out, this lake saw it all. Parking my car, I stared at the large frost covered lake, taking in every beautiful view. It really was spectacular in the winter. I loved everything about Rosewood Mountain. The abundance of trees, the crisp cool air, the snow. Oh God, did I love it up here when it snowed. Everything looked fresh, brand-new, untarnished. It was perfect, almost as if God wiped everything away and started with a fresh new canvas.

Sometimes, I wished he would have done that with me.

Sometimes I wondered what my life would have been like with more confidence, no anxiety, crystal clear eyes. I knew he made me the way I was for a reason. Mom would always tell me that God only gave us what we could handle.

Only I didn’t want to handle it anymore.

I just wanted to be like everyone else.

Sighing, I leaned back against the headrest, closing my eyes.

“What are you going to do, Henley?”

I didn’t know how long I stayed parked there, but I damn nearly jumped out of my skin when someone knocked on the window.

Trying to calm my racing heart, I looked over to find a man staring at me. He was tall. Very tall and bulky, but what captured my attention was the Sons of Hell MC cut he was wearing.

Slowly opening my door, I stepped out of my vehicle when he said, “You okay, ma’am?”

“Yeah. I just needed time to think.”

“Been thinking for a few hours now. You sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah. I’m sure. Time just got away from me.”

The big man smirked. “That happens to me a lot too. I’m Frank.”

“Henley. Henley Never.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“So, what brings you to the lake?”

Sighing, I looked at the water and muttered, “Just thinking what life would be like if I were like everyone else.”

“Why do you want to be like everyone else? You are perfect the way you are.”

I smiled.

“Thank you for saying that, but I’m not. I can’t be around many people. I have anxiety, and sometimes I stay in my cabin for weeks before I can step out. Then there are these,” I said, pointing at my glasses.

“I used to wear glasses. Hated them. Tried contacts, but the thought of sticking something in my eyes for the rest of my life wasn’t conducive to my line of work. So I got LASIK, and now I have perfect vision.”

Turning to look at the big man, I questioned, “Wait a minute. You’re that Frank. Cameron’s friend, right?”

The big man smiled broadly, puffing out his chest. “Yes, ma’am. I am. Cameron is my best bud. Fun kid. Smart too. How do you know Cameron?”

“He helped Scribe tow my car up the mountain last week. I turned around and there he was asking twenty-questions.”

Frank laughed. “Yeah, that’s Cameron.”

“Did it hurt?”

“What?” Frank asked.

“The surgery. Dr. Powell has scheduled me for surgery on Monday. I have to admit, I’m a little scared.”

“Didn’t hurt a bit,” he admitted. “The hardest part was waiting the few days to remove the glasses. I’m not a very patient man.”

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