I got lucky after growing up in the small town I called home. Like almost everyone else I got the hell out as soon as I could.
My town used to be called Sycamore Lake. Used to be is the key here. When I came into the world, we had a population of a little over 400 people year round.
By the time I hit my senior year in high school, things had changed radically. It was always the classic small town that rolled the sidewalks up at 8pm. But during those years the school in town closed and consolidated with a couple of other small towns nearby.
From my birth on my town lost people on a regular basis. When I headed off to college we were at 300 or so. Things weren't really bad yet, but they were on their way.
After I graduated and accepted a job in the city, people started leaving en masse. My first vacation came up and naturally I called Mom to arrange a stay with her.
"You're welcome any time you want to come Eric, but you need to know something before you do."
My hometown was in the 100s for population then, and they were about to disincorporate. By the time I actually returned home, there wasn't much left of my town.
The only things there then were a couple of gas stations, a bar, a small restaurant and the smallest grocery store I'd ever seen. It was disheartening to see the place that I remembered reduced to basically being a wide spot in the road.
That's where the story really starts. I'd retired young and had houses in two states. Both of them had possibilities, but as I checked it out my old hometown wasn't coming out on top.
I'd just about made up my mind at that point, and I was planning on leaving the next day. I'd miss the old hometown place though. It was right on the lake so fishing was easy.
I decided to go to the restaurant for breakfast the next day before heading out. It was called Momma Dee's, and had been around since I was a kid growing up. At one point my friends Mom owned it, and they had the best breakfasts I'd ever found anywhere. That's all they served; the place closed at noon every day. If I'd made my last trip home, I didn't want to miss that.
I got in the next morning about ten and grabbed a newspaper and coffee to wait with. I happened to glance up when someone was clearing a table, and my jaw dropped.
I knew the girl clearing the table. At least I thought I did. Her body was familiar and so was her hair. When she turned my way my eyes went wide.
As she pushed her cart past me she stopped and leaned over to whisper in my ear.
"Take a picture next time."
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to stare, but you look just like someone I went to school with here."
She nodded, obviously not believing a word of it. But she asked. "What was her name?"
"Maryann McConnell. That was her maiden name anyway."
She smiled a thin smile. "Never heard of her. Sorry."
"That's ok. It's amazing though. You could be her twin."
It really was amazing. I know it's said everyone has a twin but this was the first time I'd seen it. Maryann and I had gone to school together but we were more than friends. One long summer right after we graduated we decided one night we'd take care of each other's physical needs.
In today's words, Maryann and I were friends with benefits.
I enjoyed my breakfast and went to leave for the last time that day. I had a surprise waiting for me when I went outside though.
The girl was leaning against my truck, obviously waiting for me. When I looked at her she said what she had to say.
"Maryann was my mother."
That wasn't a surprise to me. I nodded saying, "Well that makes sense. Glad to know I'm not crazy."
She had more though. "She was my mother for all of one day. She had an undiagnosed heart condition that made her heart race uncontrollably. A day after she gave birth to me that happened and she died in her sleep."
"Oh my God. I'm so sorry."
"Thank you. It's been a long time though, and I really never got to know her. But I appreciate that. My name's Michelle by the way."
"I'm Eric." I shook her hand looking her over again. She really was a twin of her mother. I'd seen a resemblance before, but this was uncanny.
She took one final look at me and smiled. "I've got to go Eric. Are you going to be around town for long?"
"Actually I was planning to leave today."
"That's too bad. We might have been able to talk about her a bit. I don't meet many people that knew her well."
I really wasn't sure how comfortable I felt doing that, but I smiled. "She was interesting, I can tell you that."
"Well, maybe another time then."
I felt like a time traveler watching her walk away and get into her car. She even dressed the same as her Mom had. Tight jeans and a revealing shirt really brought back memories right then.
I was thinking about that as I pulled into home again. Something was telling me I needed to stay a little longer and pursue that girl, if only to give her information about her Mom. I couldn't imagine not knowing for that long.
I headed to the only bar still in town that night for dinner simply because I didn't feel like cooking. Their fish dinner and a beer sounded good to me right then, but things change you know. As I pulled out that night I could see flashes of lightning moving in. At least I'd sleep well that night.
When I walked into the bar the first thing I heard was raised voices. Looking at the bar I shook my head and laughed. There sat Michelle arguing with the bartender.
She finally tried to stand up almost forgetting the old dog eared folder that was laying on the bar. I walked over during that argument and got the bartenders attention.
"I've got her buddy. I'm a friend of the family."
He nodded, looking grateful. "She can't have anymore you know."
"That's fine. I'll run her home."
I went back and corralled Michelle, getting her out of the car. I led her to my truck and got her in then. When I climbed in myself she was looking at me.
"My Mom wasn't interesting Eric. Mom was a slut plain and simple."
"What makes you say that Michelle?" She was 100 percent right, but I didn't see the need to tell her that.
She lifted the old folder. "This is all I've got left of her." She held it out to me then. "Go ahead. Take a look."
It was filled with 8x10 pictures, and after the first one I knew what was in there. I sighed and looked back at Michelle.