Eden Cove

"Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional."- Walt Disney

"Well, management is going to LOVE you!" Alex laughed and rolled her eyes. Jessamyn smiled despite herself.

" I read the training manual" she shrugged. Jessamyn was a people pleaser but she didn't know that yet and she wouldn't figure that out until much later in life. At the age of nineteen, she just assumed that when you got a new job and your boss told you to read the training manual, everyone did it. Alex, a rather intense girl who was a few years older and on her way to becoming a doctor, knew that everyone did NOT do it. She looked at Jessamyn, quiet, polite, about 30 pounds overweight, and wondered what brought her to Karol's Karnival?

"Congrats Jessa! You passed your basic certifications to take tickets, sweep, clean bathrooms and operate kiddie rides. I have no doubt you can move up to the bigger rides in a few weeks. Just check your schedule in the break room to see which area you'll be in each day, just like you have for training."

Jessa said her thanks and walked away. She felt a million times better and felt her whole body relax. She might have looked and sounded prepared for the test today but the truth was she had done nothing but study the damn manuals since she started the job almost two weeks ago. This wasn't her first job, but things seemed so much easier at the farmer's market in town. That was where she worked in high school. After high school, she just couldn't face going back there again. She had started dating Adam the summer after they graduated. He had gotten a good job with his dad but Jessa had stalled out. She took the gap year but she forgot to do anything. She literally had no plans for her future. Adam wanted to get married and have kids and so Jessa sort of nodded along and agreed. Some people did that, right? She had lived in Eden Cove all of her life. It was beautiful, peaceful, the type of place that people came to for a break, for a vacation they would never forget. The problem was that Jessa kept taking breaks too, from her life. It was a complete accident that Jessa happened to be walking on the beach the day that Karol's had a job fair on the beach. This is something they started doing a few years ago to catch the attention of anyone who was staying for the summer and might be looking for a fun job. Jessa had to admit, they did make it look fun. The human resource department got out on the beach in Hawaiian shirts with beach balls and slushie machines and bull horns. It was a real sight to see, you had to smile. The town of Eden Cove was on the coast of Virginia, and Karol's Karnival, or KK's to the locals, was right on the beach and dated back to the early 1900s. Chances are if you lived in Eden Cove, you worked there, or spent most of your summer there.

Jessamyn approached an incredibly happy-looking woman at the first table she reached. Was she too happy? Is too happy a thing? Jessa never felt too happy. She barely felt happy. She didn't feel much in general, just went through the motions really. She adjusted her shirt, she was gaining weight, she knew she was. Adam said she looked fine but she had gained enough that she needed to go shopping for new clothes. That depressed her too. Lately, everything depressed her. The woman smiled bigger, her eyes were really big, and she blinked. She blinked again. " Did you hear me, honey?" Jessamyn realized while she was thinking about being too fat for her shirt and wondering if the woman had noticed, that the nice woman had been talking. " I am so sorry! I didn't hear you" Jessa said. Better than saying the truth right? "No problem sweetie! I said are you looking for a job?"

And just like that Jessa changed her life. She had no idea that taking that summer job would lead her down a path that would lead to love, friendship, heartache, and some very serious drama. So many times in our lives, we make one small decision, and we change the outcome of our lives. That afternoon, Jessa walked home and read a book while she waited for Adam to get off work. She told him about that job fair she stumbled upon and how she decided to go for it. Adam was a little surprised and annoyed by this news. He wasn't used to her "going for it". He was used to her sitting around waiting for him and it turns out that he had a horrible day at work that involved a fight with his dad after mentioning that he was saving for a ring.

"Maybe I should go get a job at old KK's too." Adam said suddenly

"Why?" Jessa asked

"Because my dad just doesn't understand my life and he's constantly bitching about how I spend my money. If I get a different job, we can save up to move in together and get married. "

Jessa nodded along because that's what she did and Adam made plans because he knew he needed to keep close to her. If they worked together, he could keep her on track. So that is exactly what he did, the next day he went straight to KK's and got himself a job. He let his father know he was quitting the family business for a seasonal job and his father let him know that his job would not be waiting for him when he came to his senses. The only thing that Adam was focused on was Jessa and the future he wanted to build with her. He was sure when the season was over, they would have plenty of money saved up. The first time Adam really began to worry was on the first day of work, Jessa looked strange when he picked her up. Beautiful, as always, but pale, she wasn't talking at all until they got to the parking lot at Karol's. As soon as Adam parked his old Chevy in the employee lot and reached for the handle, Jessamyn began to scream. Adam jumped away from her at first because he had no idea what was happening. Then he reached for her, but she pulled away. So he just waited for her to stop, unsure of what the hell was happening and what to do. When Jessa finally stopped screaming, she asked Adam to drive her home.

"What the hell Jess? We are supposed to start work! Why are you doing this?" Adam yelled.

Jessa never answered him. Eventually, he started the car and drove her back home. Jessa went inside, called the number that the HR woman had given her, and told them she was sick and couldn't make it in for training. After that, she spent the whole day in bed. She wasn't sick, she just couldn't deal with it that day. Tomorrow for sure.

The next morning, Jessa got up and took extra care to do her make-up, she put her long hair in a ponytail and then curled it. She looked, well, decent. It was going to be hot today, in the upper 90s but that was June in Virginia and the place was sure to be packed but she was ready for it. She knew she needed something new. Adam pulled up outside and she ran outside to meet him, he looked a little nervous but after yesterday, she didn't blame him. Jessa gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and asked if he was excited about the day. She was a little relieved that Adam was working in a different section of the park. He had chosen to work in the games section but that sounded like hell on earth to her. Adam comes from a big family and has six younger siblings. Jessa only has one older sister, Millie, whom she didn't know that well. Millie is 14 years older than Jessa, she married her husband, Kaden, the day after she turned 18 and moved away. They live in California and have three kids.

After they finished their first day of training, Jessa and Adam compared notes about the day and she apologized for the freak-out the day before. Jessa wondered if she spent so much time trying to control her emotions that when they did finally spill over, it was too much. Nothing like that had happened since she was a child and it was embarrassing and scary. Adam told her not to worry about it, she didn't need to be perfect.

It only took Jessamyn Ally about one week to fall head over heels in love with Karol's Karnival and the summer of 1999. Her favorite shifts to work were the night shifts, something about the night air coming off the beach, the smell of cotton candy and popcorn, and the sounds of the rides and screams. It was pure magic. It literally screamed summer. It was perfection. She couldn't get enough. If they asked her to work late, she said yes! Pick up an extra shift? Yes! By July, she had been promoted to LAS or Location Assitant Supervisor. She had lost 15pounds and gone down a size in the new polo shirts. She had even noticed a few guys giving her looks when she went to get certified at the new roller coaster last week. So after spending the last year of her life just stuck, with no plan, and nowhere to go, Jessa was now fully alive. She felt as though every day was full of nothing but endless possibilities and anything could happen. And she was right!

Read Volume 2 now to see what kind of trouble Jessamyn finds herself in with a new guy!