vii || No Good, Root-Working, Heart-Breaking Great-Great-Grandmother
Green Lake, Texas - 1900
Green Lake, Texas was heaven on earth, once upon a time, before the empire of the South came crumbling down, like the walls of Jericho.
Before its demise, the people of Green Lake lived in harmony. Neighbors were family. To leave Green Lake to do business elsewhere was taboo. People didn't buy or sell homes. They built them, expanded them, and passed them on for generations. Mayor Walker, boasted with a menacing grin, "Everything you could ever need is right here, at home."
So, naturally, when Elroy Zeroni arrived in Green Lake, he made a home. He built a house on the lake and a garden atop the tallest mountain. He married the most beautiful woman in town, and, together they raised a set of twins, Clove and Samuel, with endless love and integrity.
Sam took after his father - hardworking and earnest - able to fix anything with the magic of his hands. Clove took after her mother, an incredibly shy, gifted, root-worker with a knack for natural remedies and spell-casting. Elroy adopted his mother's house rules: "No love spells and no curses." But, Clove couldn't help but break the rules. Little did her father know that his daughter's existence was a love spell at work, as was his wife's. When they entered a room, the world stopped, men gravitated towards them like magnets, women feared them, children trusted them, and animals followed them.
Mrs. Zeroni was rumored to come from a family of sirens from Louisiana. The housewives of Green Lake's elite grew suspicious of her adversity to water. But, that couldn't have been further from the truth. She came from a family of high priestesses and devout root-workers. Her appeal was no more supernatural than the application of kindness and good genes.
As children, the twins sold onions, vegetables, and other goods outside of the chapel every Sunday, tending to the let out of churchgoers seeking last-minute supplies for Sunday dinner and miracle healing remedies.
Ten-year-old Sam, boisterously announced the day's specials as the crowd gathered. His twin sister, Clove handled the money while her father maintained inventory on the farm.
A young boy was immediately taken by Clove who towered over him. He looked up to her, eyes round and wide with wonder. His mother nudged him and snarled between clenched teeth every Sunday, "Stanley Yelnats, it is not polite to stare!"
This particular Sunday, the Lord's word mustered the boy with enough courage to speak. Stanley shamelessly and naively surveyed her flawlessness. He'd never seen a black diamond, but he was confident such wouldn't hold a candle to the enchanting girl standing before him. Her obsidian skin sparkled under the beating sun - like the angel, Gabriel - to which he was inferior.
It was love at first sight.
"One box of herbal tea bags, three onions, two carrots, and..."
Stanley quickly grabbed a string of ceramic beads hanging from the buggy and placed it before her.
Clove smirked and looked over the beads, "These aren't cheap. They are handmade in Latvia and have been blessed over with holy water by the high priestess -"
"I have enough," he cut in, desperate to convince her and himself.
"And they are for women," Clove laughed, as did her brother who eavesdropped while he performed. Clove studied the clumsy boy. She was as good a salesperson as her brother - Perhaps better. Many were unaware Clove Zeroni had sold them anything until it was too late. She had a way of making customers feel like the decision to splurge was their own."It's $2 for the tea and vegetables - Beads like these go for $5," She looked up to Sam, who nodded in agreement, both in on the con. It didn't matter to Stanley. At that point, he was willing to sell his soul for a moment in her presence.
Young Stanley dug into his pockets and placed $10 in Clove's open palm. He'd been saving for weeks sweeping the floors of the only bank in town. "That's all I have," he said panicking as Clove held his gaze.
"Who are you trying to impress, Stanley Yelnats?" her full lips pulled into a smirk, knowing the answer but challenging the boy to speak for himself.
He didn't fold or look away when he said, "You."
Stanley gathered the tea, onions, and carrots in a sack before placing the string of beads back into Clove's hands with a shy smile. Stanley began to explain himself, "I noticed you never wear any jewelry and thought you could use -"
"Thank you," she didn't let him finish, "This is my favorite pattern."
No man, besides her father, had ever given her anything but stares before then.
Stanley tied the string of beads around her neck, basking in her scent. Clove admired his bravery. No one had ever flirted with her before. Clove was a beauty, but Sam was approachable. The boys wanted to be him and the girls wanted to be with him, secretly, batting their eyelashes and twirling their hair as they flocked to him after school.
She extended a hand to her new friend, "Clove Zeroni."
"I know," Stanley bit his lip, embarrassed by honesty, "See you next Sunday?"
"Or sooner," she said, making Stanley blush.
"Be careful with that one, sis," Sam said in a low voice as Stanley ran home with glee, "There will be no saving us when he breaks."
Clove waved off her twin brother. If he could have admirers, why couldn't she?
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Hi Peaches!
Long time no write. I miss you (and the Zeroni's) terribly. So here I am with a short chapter. After a long vacation from writing, I finally have the time and space to update this story. Enjoy!
