Chapter Text
"๐ผ๐ก'๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐ ๐ข๐๐๐๐, ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐กโ๐ "๐๐๐๐โ๐ก๐๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ ". ๐โ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐ค๐๐๐กโ๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ก, ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐ก๐๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐โ๐๐ค ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐ข๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐๐ง๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ก ๐กโ๐๐ก ๐ ๐ข๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก, ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ก ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐" โ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐พ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ '๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ข๐๐'
โผ ๐ฃโ๏ธ๐ฃ โพ
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ moved past the car window. The treetops were unfortunately not able to shield the sun from the road, and the people within the old Camaro were sure steam would soon rise from their skin. There wasn't a drop of sweat on their bodies as the harsh rays made it evaporate. The few water bottles they had with them were worse than lukewarm, and Jo would rather die of thirst than try to drink that.
Jodie Carter was the only person in the car without a smile on her lips. Honestly, if they let her drive, they could have gotten to the family vacation home two hours earlier. Peggy wouldn't let that happen, always having to drive and be in charge. That was just second nature to her, much to Jodie's dismay.
Pietro was asleep in the backseat โ drooling on the window. Jo let out a huff of a chuckle, and for what seemed to be the first time in her life, she spotted Tony behind her with an actual book in his hands. Jo banged her head against the headrest of the leather seat, grabbing her sister's attention through the music.
"Would you stop ruining the seat!" Peggy snapped while her sister rolled her eyes and turned down the awful pop music.
"Dude, we could've been there like 2 hours ago if you'd just let me drive our car!" Jo drew out every last syllable of the word 'our'.
The Camaro wasn't Peggy's after all, and yet, she always seemed to be in the driver's seat. It was meant for both of the sisters. Their parents might have hoped it could help with their strained relationship. The car had been signed fully over to Jo when Peggy left for college.
"I wasn't the one who crashed our car," Peggy cooed in a taunting voice as she knew exactly how to get on her sister's nerves.
"And you'd think people matured after high school." Tony's voice came from the back. Both of the Carter's twisted their bodies in the seat, glaring through the man.
"Shut up, Stark," Jo grumbled and turned back to her sister with a tense jaw. "I barely hit a stop sign. I had the car all of last year, Margaret." Peggy hated when Jo used her full name like that. "But I guess everyone just falls on their knees when the queen returns."
"Oh, please!" Peggy huffed out, "as if you don't take my place as soon as I leave town."
"I don't!" Jo argued back but Peggy didn't reply.
It just made her even madder when her sister tried to play the bigger person. A scoff left her lips and she fell back in the leathered seat with arms crossed over her chest. Jo couldn't exactly get away, so she stared out of the window angrily.
"Now that we're on the topic, when exactly are we gonna get there?" Tony scooted forward and glanced between the two sisters. A grin on his face.
"You should just be happy I agreed to drive the three of you up here," Peggy said in a less angered tone, ignoring Tony's question and looking straight at her younger sister. Tony slid back with an eyeroll, not expecting much else from the two of them.
"I could have made the drive myself," Jo scowled and slid her sunglasses from the top of her head down to her eyes as she slumped in the seat.
"You know mom and dad would never let you go up here alone," Peggy sighed deeply, and Jo nodded.
She wasn't wrong. Harrison and Amanda Carter had a way of always babying their children. Peggy had finished her second semester at college and had chosen to go back home to spend her summer. Little did she realise that with one daughter gone all of the strict rules, controlling conditions, and overprotective ways were pushed down on the one left behind.
Jo hadn't exactly been thrilled about that, but she had always been different from her sister. Peggy was so much more to their mom's standards, always able to present proper. For the most part, Jo was told to keep her mouth shut and stand still. She always found a way to screw with things, of course.
"I know," Jo sighed and bit the inside of her cheek. "But that doesn't mean I can't be mad about it."
"Well, do you have to be mad at me?" Peggy asked in her always slightly offended voice.
"You could've just let me drive when we got out of town," Jo grumbled back, letting her frustrations seep back into her.
The large trees around them were becoming fewer and fewer. Long grass and various flowery meadows were sprouting around them as they got closer and closer to the next town. Even through the slight crack of the window, Jo could smell the nature around them. Not just trees but real flowers. The sunglasses were thrown off her face as she cranked down the window and unbuckled her seatbelt.
"What are you doing!" The rushed voice of her sister sounded while Jo pulled her body out of the car window, sitting on the door. The wind slashed across her face, but she opened up her arms and welcomed it. This was the true feeling of summer. Wind through her hair, sun peeking through the greenest of leaves, and over the hill, she could see the buildings of the small town.
"Would you get back inside!" Peggy yelled, clutching Jo's bare calf but a peal of boisterous laughter only left her, hearing it echo through the trees before it dissipated. Oakworth Hills.
โผ ๐ฃโ๏ธ๐ฃ โพ
The yellow Camaro had only just hit gravel when Jo jumped out of it. Peggy let out a string of swears underneath her breath at the expense of her sister. The warm weather felt even rougher outside of the car, making Jo wish she was naked instead of in the old jean shorts and loose cotton top.
Without a change in her pace, she sprinted up the gravelly path, being transported through the green sea of the trees before she came upon the familiar ivory house and black thatch-like roof. Pretty might not be one of the first 10 words other people would use to describe the house. It was an old thing, but that was part of the charm.
Jo ran up the five stone steps, feeling the rust on her hand from the metal railing at her side. Her hand plunged into her pocket, and like her most treasured possession, she drew out her keys. No more work, no more fake smiles, and most importantly, no more assholes. Except Tony, but that was a given.
A clunk sounded as she unlocked the door and stepped inside. The house smelled like old wood. The kind that would always have a little of it left no matter how many times you tried to clean or air out the place. Everything was just like when she last left. The same old and sturdy furniture, the same fireplace.
Car wheels on gravel couldn't be heard any longer. Not that Jo cared much as she grabbed onto the slick wooden railing and bounced up the spiral staircase with steps that felt like they were made for a giant.
The first floor wasn't interesting to her. She went right past it and up to the second. The smell was stronger up here. Neither of her parents cared to come up and open the windows. Jo rushed towards the balcony, flinging the door open as she looked out over the backyard. The plants were wild as ever, barely leaving a path down to the river but that didn't stop the water from cackling.
"Jodie! Would you come help with the bags for Christ's sake!" Peggy's voice came through the whole building, and Jo took in a breath as if she had never breathed air as pure as this. The smile was effortlessly on her lips, and she couldn't wait to spend the next two and a half months here.
"Coming!"
โผ ๐ฃโ๏ธ๐ฃ โพ