Christmas in Dixie

CID2- Sweet Home Alabama

Chapter 2.......Sweet Home Alabama

For most of the ride back home I slept. What could I say I was exhausted. It seemed now a days I was always doing something. I was either working at the coffee shop, sewing, or working on the never ending supply of school work. I know what you're thinking, how did a girl from Jackson County, Alabama, end up in Nashville, Tennessee. Well let's just say it started with a dream. When I was right out of high school, I had big dreams of becoming a star. It didn't matter what in, I loved acting, singing, playing the piano, name anything to do with art and I pretty much covered it. My family was known for its musical abilities. I learned that when you move off from the pond you grew up in, you're nothing but a Mino when you leave home to explore other unchartered waters. It doesn't matter where you're from or who your family is, you're just a speck among a million grains of sand. That's why I ended up doing a double major. My parents were a little disappointed they thought I had a lot more potential, and here I was majoring in Performing Arts and English. I guess you could say that my parents just didn't want me to go through the same struggles that they went through. It didn't help that all of my siblings were soaring as high as they could, all going into the jobs they have for the money not the joy. I just don't think I could force myself to go to a job day after day that I hated. Yeah the coffee shop isn't my dream job, but it's comfortable and I enjoy it.

I started to stir when I heard this soft humming. It was nice. We must be close to home, because somehow Scott had found my favorite radio station, and was humming along to the song. I kept my eyes closed but listened to the song. It was one of my favorite Christmas songs.

The neighbors might think – Baby, it's bad out there

Say what's in this drink – No cabs to be had out there

I wish I knew how – Your eyes are like starlight now

To break the spell – I'll take your hat, your hair looks swell

I ought to say no, no, no, sir – Mind if I move a little closer

At least I'm gonna say that I tried – What's the sense in hurting my pride?

I couldn't help but to laugh after those last words came out of his mouth. It was just the way he said them that made them so funny.

"Well look who's finally woken up from her long winters nap," Scott said while tickling my side. I kept laughing for I was very ticklish.

"Please stop," I pleaded. Scott was such a tease it wasn't funny. He was always up to something.

After begging like for five minutes he finally stopped. I looked around at the scenery outside the car. It was all too familiar. I had spent many days driving up and down this mountain that I could walk up it with my eyes closed. I looked up at the trees and their branches that were barren and naked from the winter winds. I recalled back to spring when everything is in bloom, and the trees acted as a green canopy, that lasted all the way down the mountain. There's no place like home. I watched one leaf flutter slowly to the ground taking its own sweet time, but also keeping rhythm to its own melody as it swayed.

"So....Miss mountain girl, how does it feel to be back home?" Scott asked smirking.

I smiled and replied to his smart-alec remark, "Yes there's no place like sweet home Alabama." He smiled. You could tell he wasn't a country boy, but his five o'clock shadow could beg to differ.

"Scott I know you moved to Nashville about five years ago, but where did you grow up?" I asked. I was really interested, because I picked up on his accent, but it didn't register as a southern accent to me.