Loving Violet (Honey Springs #1)
Chapter 1
Violet
“Adrian, put your phone down and look up,” I chide my son. “You are missing the view. You need to notice more than what’s on that phone screen. Look out your window and check out the view! It’s incredible!”
“But Ma…” He tries to complain, but I pluck the phone that his father recently purchased for him and toss it into the backseat along with the rest of our stuff.
“No but’ s. I know that you don’t care about the scenery, but you never get views like this in Maryland,” I tell him.
The breathtaking beauty of the landscape is the first thing that captivates my attention while driving through the Blue Ridge Parkway to our new life. As we ascend the winding road, my ears pop from the change in altitude, a reminder of the height of these towering mountains. I can't stop marveling at the way the Blue Ridge Mountains, or the great old Appalachians, appear to be cloaked in a soft, bluish hue, earning them their fitting name.
The bright, blue sky is adorned with fluffy clouds and the hot sun casts a warm glow on my pale skin. This serene scene is something I truly missed when I moved from my hometown of Sweet Springs, North Carolina to Maryland with my now ex-husband, Taylor.
At the beginning of our relationship, everything was perfect.
I was living my dream life. Coming from a small town in rural North Carolina, I met this wonderful city boy during my freshman year of college at the University of North Carolina at Asheville and fell head over heels in love with him. We spent all of our time together, and I felt so lucky to have found the love of my life at such a young age.
When Taylor was a senior and I was a junior, we decided to move in together. It seemed like the natural step for the both of us since we had been together for over two years by that point.
Taylor was majoring in business and had plans to start his own real estate company back in his home town in Maryland. I was majoring in marketing and had big dreams of becoming the next big thing in the marketing world. We were full of hope and ambition, ready to take on the world together.
Yet, fate throws out curve balls. By the end of my junior year, I found out I was pregnant, and being only twenty-one, I felt incredibly unprepared to become a mom. So, it wasn't just a surprise, it was a shock. How in the world was I supposed to finish school, get a job, and raise a baby?
Despite the uncertainty, Taylor and I were determined to make it work. I made the difficult decision to quit school and move to Maryland with him so we could start our family. The move to Silver Springs was exciting at first. I was in a new city and everything was different to me. Tyler took me to all his favorite places and we had fun. We got married right away.
I was thrilled to support Taylor’s dreams and jump on this new chapter of our lives together, now as parents-to-be.
With a lot of persuasion, Taylor convinced me to stay home with our son, Adrian.
I was happy and I loved spending time with Adrian, watching him grow. The beginning was perfect. A chubby baby slowly, but also too quickly, turning into a hyper toddler.
However, as time went by, Taylor's behavior began to change. He became overly controlling and verbally abusive. He never hit me, but his cruel comments made me feel less than worthless. He often told me I had changed and that I was no longer attractive. He always commented on my body and how I looked different after having our son. For him, I was fat and my boobs were saggy—something that he did not find attractive. I felt ugly and insignificant. And it didn’t help that he hadn’t touched me since Adrian started teething.
The city, once full of promise, had become a cage. Taylor's cutting remarks and constant belittling took a toll on my self-esteem. I felt trapped and lonely, far from the simplicity and support of Sweet Springs.
The strain of our demanding lives, his work, and mine as a stay at home mom, began to seep into our relationship. We started arguing more, and the love that once seemed so effortless, felt like a distant memory. With every argument and every remark about my body, I felt like I was in a never ending cycle. I wanted to break that routine we found ourselves in, but I didn’t know how to.
As the months turned into years, the gap between us widened. We were living together but felt miles apart; the spark we once had completely dimmed. Taylor stopped trying to pursue me pretty quickly and I gave up on trying to entice him. The love story that had begun so beautifully was unraveling. No matter how hard we tried, we couldn't seem to find our way back to each other.
The final blow came when I discovered that Taylor was having an affair with a colleague. I noticed that he was coming home late every day. Then one day while he was taking a shower, his phone pinged with a message. When I grabbed the phone to take it to him, I saw the message from his secretary.
Candy: Can you hurry up. I am ready and waiting for you to fuck me senseless.
It shattered what little remained of my trust and love for him. I knew then that I had to leave. It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made, but I knew it was the right one. I needed to start over—for myself, and for Adrian.
Returning to North Carolina felt like coming home after a long, exhausting journey.
This time, I was moving to Honey Springs, a small town an hour away from Sweet Springs where my family lives.
My best friend Josselyn offered me a place to stay, and I gratefully accepted.
The familiarity of the mountains, the warmth of the sun, and the kindness of the people reminded me of who I was and what I had been missing.
Josy, always the caring and supportive friend, didn't stop at offering me a place to stay. She generously extended a heartfelt invitation for me to work at her coffee shop during the mornings. With her offer, I saw an opportunity to not only contribute to the community but also to utilize my marketing knowledge to help her business grow. Things were really starting to look up for me and Adrian.
Turning up the radio, a familiar song that both Adrian and I enjoy plays through the speakers. Singing along to the tune, I daydream about my new job.
The prospect of working alongside Josy in her cozy coffee shop filled me with excitement, the kind that I have been yearning for since leaving my ex. This will be a chance to reconnect with my passion for marketing while immersing myself in the vibrant energy of Honey Springs.
Now, as I drive through these familiar mountain roads, I feel a sense of peace. This is my fresh start, a chance to rebuild my life in the place that always felt like home. I know there will be challenges ahead, but I’m ready to face them, one step at a time, surrounded by the beauty and serenity of Honey Springs.
I’ve missed the mountains, the natural beauty that you can see when spending time outdoors. Lucky for me, Josy’s constant chatter about her hometown and its idyllic qualities never fails to capture my attention. She's a true nature enthusiast, an outdoor aficionado through and through. Whether it's embarking on long hikes along the mountain trails, casting her line while fishing, or simply spending serene days by the river or lake, her zest for an adventure is contagious, and it's one of the reasons I'm drawn to the idea of relocating to her hometown instead of returning to mine.
This might raise eyebrows, especially from my mom who often voices her discontent about really any decision I make, but deep down, I know what I want and what Adrian needs. I crave the freedom to live life on my own terms, to raise my son in an environment where we can explore the great outdoors and bask in its wonders, go to a school and create new friends, and feel the safety of the mountains enveloping us day and night. I don’t want my mom, or really anyone, to try to control what I do with my life. I am a grown woman and having this space will be good for us. Josy's hometown offers just that—a haven where I can find solace in nature and carve out a life of happiness and fulfillment for myself and my son.
“Ma! Look! What are those big birds?” Adrian exclaims, pointing out the window and looking up into the skyline.
“Those are hawks, I think,” I explain to him. “Well, some sort of bird of prey at least. See how they are circling in the sky making sure it is safe to dive down? That’s how you know they are hunting.”
“Cool.” He twists to reach for his phone but I playfully smack his arm.
“Nope, keep enjoying the view. See what else is out there.”
At thirty-two years old, I can't help but feel a sense of stagnation in my life, despite the joy and fulfillment I find in being Adrian’s mom. While motherhood is undoubtedly my greatest accomplishment, I yearn for more. I believe—no, I know— there’s still time for me to pursue my own dreams and aspirations.
Simultaneously, I want to prioritize Adrian's growth and development. Enrolling him in sports of his choosing is something I eagerly anticipate. I can already envision myself cheering him on from the sidelines, watching with pride as he blossoms in this new, safe place.
Rubbing my hand through my son’s long hair, I tell him, “It won’t be much longer now. Once we get to Josy’s, unpack, eat dinner, you can go back to your phone.”
So, as for my personal life, I'm open to the idea of meeting someone new in the future. However, I recognize that before I can fully open my heart to another person, I need to prioritize my own well-being. I crave love; I miss being loved. I want the soul intertwining kind of love that causes supernovas. I believe I had that for a short time, but it faded too quickly for me to really feel it.
In the meantime, I'm focused on taking proactive steps toward a brighter future for both myself and Adrian. I want my son to be happy. He's been so sad since Taylor and I went our separate ways. Adrian loves his dad; he worships him. That's one of the redeeming qualities that Taylor has—he's an amazing dad. Always attentive to his son and deeply involved in his life. He wants to be present for everything, and I love that for him.
Growing up, I never had a dad who cared much about me. My dad was a traveling salesman. He worked hard, but that meant he was never home, never present for the big things in my life. Adrian deserves better than what I had, so I'm grateful that at least Taylor is a reliable father figure in our son’s life.
Before we left Maryland, Taylor gave Adrian that brand new phone. He wants to stay in touch with him every day and is already planning regular visits. Taylor is determined to spend as much time with Adrian as possible, even considering spending summers, spring breaks, and some Christmases together.
I know it will be tough on Taylor, having to spend time apart from Adrian. I can’t imagine a moment away from my son. After all, he has been my life since the moment he was born eleven years ago. But as I've said before, my priority is Adrian's happiness, and if this arrangement is what's best for him, then I'll do whatever it takes to support it.