Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning

By Danette Haworth

     Eleven-year-old Violet Raines is spirited, outspoken, headstrong, and happy. She has lived in the small town of Mitchell Hammock, Florida since birth and even though her Daddy is dead, she lives happily with just her Momma. When feeling lonely Violet simply walks next door to visit the Townsend family whose oldest daughter, Lottie, has been Violet’s best friend all of her life. There is also Eddie Brandon who cheerfully puts up with Violet’s “colorful personality” and shares her love of the outdoors, exploring tree caves, and spotting alligators. Violet is indeed happy, but things begin to change one bright Sunday morning when Melissa Gold comes walking into her life. Melissa has just moved into town and soon Lottie seems to spending more time with her and less time with Violet. Lottie also starts to develop new interests like putting on makeup, shopping, talking about boys and other activities that don’t interest Violet in the least. To make matters worse, lightning strikes the Townsend house and Lottie moves into Melissa’s house while hers is being repaired. Now it seems even more likely that Melissa will replace Violet as Lottie’s best friend. And why all of a sudden does Melissa’s interest in Eddie seem to make Violet feel so strange? After all Eddie isn’t her boyfriend, or so Violet keeps telling everyone. How in the world is Violet going to be able to keep showing her “fake-happy face” while trying to set right so many things that seem to be going so
wrong in her once happy life?

Danette Haworth
http://www.danettehaworth.com/