"You're such a spoiled brat. You expect me to comfort you because he dumped you! I lost the love of my life four months ago and my only daughter, my only child, didn't even have the decency to show up for her mother's funeral. Get out!"
George spat out those words then took three steps back. His hands on his hips emphasized that he meant what he said. He had had enough of her and no matter what was right he didn't care anymore.
"Your stuff is in the car already. You can have the piece of shit."
George glared at his daughter as he nodded towards the 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier. It was falling apart and wasn't reliable enough to not break down on the highway. He grabbed a cigarette from the pack on the counter and lit it with a lighter that was next to it. Breathing in, he enjoyed the feeling of the nicotine filling his lungs.
"Goodbye sweetheart."
George gave his daughter an evil smile before turning his back on her and walking back into the living room. Good riddance he thought as he flipped through the hundreds of channels. He was sick of her attitude and behavior the last few months. Ever since her mother had died, things had gone downhill.
Amanda, stunned at what had just happened, stepped off the cracked cement steps of what was once her home and walked towards the car. Her feet crunched against the dead grass and the tall weeds brushed against her bare ankles.
Getting in, she turned on the car. It hissed and squealed as she pulled out of the laneway and onto the gravel road. She didn't even notice the sound, being used to it for so long. The heat was blistering as the sun rose high in the sky. Amanda turned on the air conditioner and was happy that at least that still worked. The tape player was broken and it was such an ancient car it didn't even have a CD player. Driving through town, she didn't even realize she had passed the city limits.
Driving was something that calmed Amanda down. She had no idea why but wanted to think that when she was younger her mother would drive around with her when she was cranky. The soothing movement of the car stuck with her and now, twenty-two years later, she still enjoyed a long car ride to calm her nerves. Amanda needed more then consoling now. Her imminent future consisted of her car being her place of residence and no job.
Glancing to the back seat, she saw her personal belongings were scattered in the back seat of the car, showing that her father had emptied her drawers and closet in such haste that he meant it.
Amanda had no time to react when the car lurched and everything went quiet. She was coasting at a good speed but she knew that the worst had happened. Her car was dead. It slid to the side of the road and after putting it in park she got out.
"Great. Fucking great."
Her car was across from a large sign that said "Sleepy Acres Resort." The sign was almost brand new and Amanda thought hard, trying to remember where she had read that before. "Of course", she whispered. It was a new upscale resort on the edge of town. A rich investor had bought the land that ran along the river. Instead of putting in homes, he had built a lavish resort for those with as much money as him. Of course, the problem was that no one in town had that much money. Instead, people from the big city would drive here for their summer vacations.
After grabbing the keys and her purse, she decided that she would walk to the resort and ask to use the phone. Her phone signal had faded as she had reached the top of the last hill and she wasn't going to spin around in circles like a broken compass trying to get a good enough signal to call for help.
The resort was indeed extravagant and she was happy that she didn't have to walk. There was an electronic box on the side of the large iron gate and she pressed the button.
"Please state your name and reason for your visit."
The voice was calm and quiet, sounding like a radio announcer.
"I'm Amanda Adams. My car broke down just across the street. I was wondering if I could use your phone."
After a short wait the gates opened and she began the long walk down the well-groomed gravel driveway towards what she assumed to be the main building. Everything was so pristine and beautiful. She was in awe that something so gorgeous could be so close to the rundown town she called home. Before she had a chance to knock on the door, an older woman stepped out. She was stunning. Amanda thought that she reminded her of one of the models on those old fashioned game shows. Her hair was styled and she had on an outfit that hinted she was about to play a few rounds of tennis.
"Hello Amanda. I'm sorry your car broke down. My husband has already called for a tow truck."
"Oh O.K. Thank you. I guess I should go back and wait at the car."
Amanda tried not to look confused. If they had planned to call for a tow truck then she could have just waited at the gate, or better yet wait at the car. Amanda looked around, admiring the buildings. Other then the large building she was standing in front of, the rest of the homes were bungalows with large porches. Each had a number. Between bungalows two and three was a path that led towards the water. Between bungalows seven and eight was a path that led somewhere else.
Amanda waited for a response but just then, a handsome man stepped out of the house.
"Cynthia just called. She found a job in the city. She thought she had told us before but she forgot."
"You mean we don't have a lifeguard for the summer?"
Amanda decided that this was a good time to speak.
"I'm a lifeguard. I need a job for the summer."
Amanda smiled then bit her lip. She didn't mean to sound so eager and desperate but then she realized she had no place to live and no transportation to get her to and from work anyways.
"You'd have to stay on site. It makes for a better atmosphere."
Amanda laughed. This was the perfect summer job for her. She had been planning to beg Jerry, the fat sweaty old man who ran the pool in town, for her job back. She had stormed off last summer saying she would never degrade herself to dealing with annoying little kids and their aggravating parents. She hoped that the fat had caused memory loss but this was no longer an issue. This would be perfect. She wouldn't have to see anyone unless she wanted to. In a split second, Amanda had her whole summer planned out. She would stay here and save up enough money to buy a car that was reliable. She would see if Charleston College would still accept her for the master's degree.
"My car broke down and I have nowhere to live. This would be perfect."
Amanda smiled at the woman and she smiled back.
"That's fantastic. I'm Angie. Welcome to Sleepy Acres.
***
Within a few hours of grabbing her things from the car, she met Ben and Sean, the two maintenance workers. They were roommates. Samantha, or Sam to her friends, was the health and fitness coordinator and shared the second cabin with her boyfriend Martin, who was the head chef. Amanda had a cabin to herself. The cabin had a double bed which was nice considering when she was living at home she still slept in the single day bed that had been hers since she was a child.
After her first day of work, she was sore and sunburnt. The pool was gorgeous but none of the maintenance tasks had been complete. After the last of the residents left at six, she had spent another two hours cleaning up. Walking down the path, Ben, Sean, Sam, and Martin were all sitting on lawn chairs in a circle chatting and laughing.
"Hey Amanda! Where have you been! We had dinner for you."
Ben, the tallest of the three guys, was talking.
"Just had to clean up the pool."
She smiled and walked into her cabin. She had never been good with groups. She would rather be alone reading then hanging out in a group. It also helped to keep to herself so she wouldn't have to explain anything to anyone. She didn't want anyone to know about why she had taken this job and since she was taking off at the end of the summer, it didn't matter anyways.
"She's weird, in a good way. I wonder what's her story. Jake said her car broke down outside the entrance and when she mentioned she was a lifeguard, they offered her the job."
