Finding Focus Read Online Free Page A

orange, and blue reminds me once again of my life in Mississippi. Seeing the sunrise in the morning always gives me an extra burst of energy. The thought that this is a new day and it’s mine to take gives me renewed ambition.
    But first, coffee.
    “Good mornin’,” the chipper girl behind the counter sings, her high ponytail swinging as she moves.
    “Good morning,” I mumble, making a beeline to the coffee pot in the corner. Conversations do not happen this early without coffee.
    “Sleep good?” she asks, watching me grab a Styrofoam cup off the counter.
    I pour myself a cup and add in two packets of creamer. “Uh, it was okay.” I want to tell her it sucked—that their beds suck —but I turn and give her a smile. When I look back down at my coffee, it’s still black. Okay, maybe not black , but it’s definitely not the creamy tan I was going for. Opening three more packets of creamer, I pour them in and pray to God this doesn’t taste like road tar.
    “So, where ya headed this mornin’?”
    “Oh, I’m going to the Landry Plantation. Have you heard of it?”
    She laughs, exactly the same way she laughed at me yesterday for referring to this quaint establishment as a hotel.
    “I’m guessing that’s a yes?”
    “Oh, honey,” she starts, waving her hand toward me, “ everyone knows the Landrys.”
    “Well, they seem like lovely people.”
    “So, you’ve met them?” she asks, quirking an eyebrow at me. “ All of them?”
    “I met Mrs. Landry yesterday. Oh, and Travis, although I guess he’s not related, but he was really nice. He was working in the flower beds while I was there.”
    “Just wait,” she says, her smile turning big and wide. I think her cheeks might even blush a bit. “Maybe you’ll have the pleasure of meeting the rest of the clan today.”
    I nod, taking a step toward the door, needing to get going if I’m going to make it to the house before seven.
    “Valerie,” an older man says as he walks from the room behind the counter.
    Valerie?
    “Hey, Dad. This is Dani Reed from New York City,” she says, nodding in my direction.
    Hold the phone. Like, Val Valerie?
    “Good mornin’, Ms. Reed. I hope your stay has been good so far.”
    “Yes, it’s been good.” I nod, a hand glued to the door handle and the other holding on to my coffee.
    Like . . . that Val? The Val who got fucked into next week? That Val? How many Vals are there in French Settlement?
    “Well, you be sure to let us know if we can get you anything.” He smiles and his eyes crinkle. “Val, me and your mama gotta run into Red Stick today, so you’ll have to hold down the fort.”
    Yeah, she’ll hold down the fort . . . with her back pressed to the door. I almost laugh out loud before I catch myself.
    “I’ve got it covered, Daddy,” she says, offering up a cheek for him to kiss. “No worries.”
    “Have a good day, Ms. Reed.” He nods in my direction, and I wave with my coffee cup. His face is kind, and he has really pretty gray hair. It’s the perfect color of light gray and combed just so. His hair says, “I have a business meeting”, but his overalls and plaid shirt say, “Where’s my tractor”.
    “Well,” I sigh, realizing I’ve spent a lot longer here than I’d intended, “I’ve gotta run.”
    “See ya later.” She smiles and waves.
    “Yeah, see ya later.”
    On my drive back out to the plantation, I choke down my road-tar coffee and inhale a granola bar. When I was planning my day, I hadn’t considered there not being local fast food establishments nearby. I make a mental note to find somewhere to stock up on granola bars and, if I’m lucky, some bottled Starbucks . . . or a coffee pot for my room. There’s no way in hell I’m drinking that shit Val and her dad call coffee again.
    I hope the inspiration I was feeling yesterday will still be there and I’ll get some good shots, something I can send over to Piper tonight . . . something that will make her proud and not regret