Under the table, Juliet’s hands were shaking and her body joined in. It was the truth of her gran’s words that shook her. Mum’s never cared. Never. Her body felt warm, almost sweaty. Realising she was still in her silk dressing gown, she said, ‘I’m going to change in to something else, one moment,’ and left the table before her gran could respond. She hurried upstairs and closed herself away in her bedroom.
I don’t want to cry. The thought of her parents’ money in her bank account annoyed her. She didn’t want the five thousand they’d forced upon her after the car incident. I’ll give it to charity. But the house she lived in was given by her parents, and Chanton Hillview. They’d always thrown money at her. I can’t give everything away. She closed her eyes hard, not wanting to see the wealth around her. It was nothing compared to what she truly wanted. How could she talk to her parents now? How could she ever feel close to them after this? Her blood ran hot.
All this time, she’d known it; she wasn’t stupid, but she had worked hard at denial. Her mum and dad hadn’t left her the house and café as recognition that she was an adult; they’d just wanted to move to Marbella, to spend their wealth in the sun. When Juliet had graduated, they didn’t care. When she had almost died, they didn’t care. But mixed in with her anger was also pity. She felt sorry for them, living a life of throwing money at problems they wanted gone.
But is Gran even telling the truth? Her instincts told her Lillian was sincere. It seemed that, unlike her mother, her gran knew how to feel love and show emotion.
How much time had passed since Juliet came upstairs? She shook her head at how rude she’d been, then slipped off the mocha silk dressing gown and tossed it onto her bed. Hunting for anything comfortable yet presentable, she settled on silver skinny jeans and black socks, then threw on a plain black tee-shirt.
‘Oh, Juliet. Look how tall and beautiful you are.’ Lillian was sitting exactly where Juliet had left her. ‘Your home is wonderful. You have your own café. You are doing so well for yourself.’ Her eyes looked full of pride. ‘You were always perfect to me, and I knew you’d stay that way.’
Juliet accepted the compliments uncomfortably and tried a considerate smile. ‘Will you tell me the rest of what happened, please?’
‘Of course, sweetheart.’ Lillian held her mug in wrinkled hands, clearly enjoying the warmth of it. ‘Ah, yes, so I confronted your mother about the way they ignored your emotional needs. I was rather opinionated and said that they didn’t deserve to raise you. That you deserved loving parents.’ She gave a significant nod.
Juliet wasn’t sure how to feel.
‘It escalated into the most dreadful row. Looking back, it makes more sense now what your mother told you. I remember vividly her screaming, “You’re dead to me, get out of my house!” She said she never wanted to see me again and that I should never come anywhere near you.’
‘And you just left?’
‘I did.’
‘But for twelve years?’ Juliet asked incredulously.
With a doleful nod, Lillian said, ‘I started a new life. I remarried to a man named Miles Kitchener. But three months ago, he died from a stroke. We were coming up to nine years of marriage.’
‘I’m so sorry to hear that.’ Juliet chided herself for judging her gran for not returning, trying to imagine what it would be like to have your own daughter disown you and cut you off from your only family. I can’t blame her for starting a new life.
‘Thank you, sweetheart.’ Lillian had a distant look in her eyes. They weren’t teary, but Juliet got the impression they were braving through it. Her gran must have grieved a lot the past few months. ‘When Miles died, I knew instantly that all I wanted was to see you again. I waited until now because I wasn’t in my right mind. But before it’s my time, all I want is to know you.’
What do I say back to that? Juliet was finding it impossible to be annoyed at her gran. Her gut emotions wanted to empathise with her completely. ‘I haven’t eaten yet. Would you like to stay for dinner?’ the words spilt out of her mouth, feeling absolutely right.
The most complete smile came over Lillian’s face. She stood up and came around the table with her arms held out. Juliet got up too and hugged her, bending slightly to accommodate the height difference. Her shoulder still ached from the explosion, but that didn’t matter right now.
Lillian stepped back, and Juliet wanted to test something. She wasn’t aiming to be manipulative, but it was important to her. ‘Gran …’
‘Yes?’
‘I was almost hit by a car a couple of weeks ago. I was standing next to a drop, and I think it would have thrown me over and killed me.’
Lillian’s face screwed up indignantly. ‘That must have been terrifying. Oh, Juliet, come here, sweetheart.’ She motioned her arms and pulled Juliet in for another embrace. In their tight hold, Lillian rubbed Juliet’s back reassuringly.
Struggling against her memory, Juliet said, ‘I don’t think Mum has ever hugged me.’ Her voice gave way to candid sobbing.
Lillian held her tighter, then stepped back to look her in the face. Simply, she came out with, ‘I’m here now.’ At Juliet’s cheeks, she planted loving kisses.
Chapter Twenty-Three
GETTING UP IN the morning was a problem. His body was stiff, his bruises swollen in places, and ordinary movements sent pain up and down him.
He got ready for work as fast as his injuries allowed, then set off. On the way, he walked stoically through the lower grounds and sighed at how plain it looked now that Halloween was over. Of course, he’d seen it this dull after the holiday before, but today it seemed drabber than ever.
Soon the stores would decorate for Christmas and lights would go up in the streets. Some shops had already started advertising Yule and Winter Solstice products, aimed at local Pagans. All eight Sabbats (or festivals) were celebrated on Lansin Island to some extent, but none were as hyped up as Samhain.
Nick reached Creaky Crystals just on time. No one seemed to notice his physical discomfort, which was good, and for a while he kept to himself. Michael started an hour after and avoided eye contact until Nick approached him, tapped his shoulder, and pulled a disapproving face. ‘You deceitful git.’ He shook his head, but started to laugh.
‘Are you alright with it then?’ Michael slurred, awkwardly looking anywhere but at Nick’s face.
‘Of course I am.’ He smiled. ‘You’re probably the two nicest guys I know. You’re well-suited.’
Michael’s shoulders came down as he gave a low laugh. ‘Thanks, Nick. I really like him.’
‘From the way he spoke about you, I think he really likes you too.’ Nick thought about Juliet and frowned inside. Then he remembered Aldrich’s dead body, the glimmering portal, the explosion ... It was jarringly surreal to compare it all to this normal workday.
‘Where’s Alan?’ Michael asked.
A sudden tightness gripped Nick’s chest. ‘I haven’t seen him. I only said a quick hello to Mora and Janet.’
‘He’s meant to be in today,’ said Michael, then left to go help a customer. He didn’t seem to have noticed the light bruising on Nick’s neck. Hopefully nobody else would either.
Nick found Mora and asked her where Alan was.
‘I don’t know, Nicolas. He hasn’t called in, and I can’t get through to his mobile. I’ll try him again later.’ She twisted up her mouth into a worried expression. Her green eyes shifted thoughtfully. ‘It’s not like him.’
‘I’m sure he’ll have a good reason,’ Nick replied, purely because he didn’t know what else to say. He wished Alan would never come back, but he also felt sorry for Mora, who was too trusting and completely oblivious of what had transpired.
Nick imagined how awful it would be if the police burst in at any moment and arrested him, or if someone came in with news about the owner of Grendel Manor being found dead. But nothing did happen. For some unknown reason, he trusted Ryan to clean up the evidence.
Later on, a handsome blonde-
haired guy entered Creaky Crystals. He was tall, toned, and everything he wore was designer. He glanced around the store in a way that only a confident man would—chin high, lips pursed, his eyes calm but serious. He found who he was looking for. ‘Nick, buddy. How you doing, man?’
‘Fin, what are you doing here? I thought you had a contract in London.’ Nick couldn’t help but smile as he hurried to hug his best friend. Fin squeezed him tightly—too tightly, in fact; Nick winced to endure the pain of his bruises, then Fin slapped him on the back a few times for good measure.
‘Yeah, buddy, I’ve still got the contract. They’ve paid me half upfront. I’m literally rolling in it!’ he said loudly with a winsome smile. ‘I’ve got a couple of months to give them the finished plans. No big rush.’
‘Sounds like you’ve got it all worked out,’ said Nick. Fintan was a garden designer. He’d studied it as a subject, but because it was also his father’s line of work, he’d learnt a lot from him.
‘Yeah, man. But I came in to let you know I’ve got more free time than I thought I’d have—this contract’s easy. It’s for some apartments. They want balcony gardens, so I just have to do one design and then they’ll copy and paste it for the standard apartments, then I’ll do some fancier designs for the penthouse balconies. Easy. Anyway, if you still want to hang out, then this weekend’s good for me, buddy.’
Nick couldn’t hold back a broad smile. Fin was the perfect person to talk to about the visions. They’d been friends for as long as Nick could remember. Growing up, they’d discussed every subject under the sun. Fin will understand. He’ll believe me. And if he didn’t, then Nick would have to prove it somehow, maybe even bring on a vision in front of him. Anyway, it had been ages since Nick had even spent time with his best friend. Just the idea of socialising was a comfort.
‘That sounds great,’ said Nick. ‘I’ll call you later in the week, yeah?’
‘Nice. See you around then, bud.’
Watching Fin leave the store, Nick grinned again, and then a harsh finger prodded his back. ‘Owwwch,’ he exaggerated, and swivelled on the spot.
Janet did not seem impressed. ‘Oh, come on, Nick, man up!’ Her expression swiftly changed to a pleasant one. ‘I’m going to set you up with someone, okay? I’ve decided. You’re wasting your life. I bet your hunky friend Fin has a girlfriend.’
‘I don’t think he does, actually.’
‘Hmmm, well … this isn’t about him. It’s about you, and you need a woman.’
Nick shrugged, and Janet looked at him quizzically. ‘What’s wrong with you?’ she said, frowning. ‘You’re not protesting or getting all irate like you usually do.’
‘I don’t know. Maybe you’re right. Maybe I should try to meet someone.’
Janet squealed with excitement and slapped his arm. Her brown hair bobbed on her shoulders as she celebrated. ‘I know the perfect girl for you. I’m going to talk to her mum tonight and sort something out. Oh! And I’ll do a Good Luck with Love spell for you. Send some good energy your way.’
Thanks. I need it … He thought about Juliet again, but this time his outlook was more positive. Maybe meeting her was simply necessary for him to embrace dating again. It doesn’t have to be her.
‘Oooo, how exciting!’ Janet said, then sauntered off with a wide, gummy-toothy smile.
It was turning out to be a good day.
When Nick got home that night, he wondered if magic rituals and spells had any power. Local Wiccans like Janet cast spells for simple things like the protection of her family and property. But if these spells actually worked, then surely more people would be practising them, wouldn’t they?
Foresight was possible, and seeing ghosts. There was even an Otherworld … And don’t forget the telepathic portal, for Christ’s sake! But were these things magic? Nick thought magic was meant to influence things, like levitating objects, making items disappear, or even wishing for and receiving wealth, fame, or power. Or was it more subtle than that? Were apparent coincidences actually magic at work?
I think too much.
Before Nick went to bed, Tom rang and said Tommy was getting anxious about the talk with their dad. Nick reassured them both that he’d be over in a couple of days, and also stressed how important it was that they tackle the situation in the right manner.
He slept easily again.
Wednesday at work, Nick observed Mora’s behaviour; she seemed contrary. She would plod around, her usual cheery self, and then would stop and look sullen every now and then. She’d put her lunch break at the same time as Nick’s, apparently intending to talk to him.
When it was time, they both went to Deirdre’s café. Nick was less enthusiastic about the place now the holiday decorations were gone. The tablecloths were a clinical white and everything was in plain blocked colours.
‘Alan’s quit work,’ Mora blurted without warning.
‘Oh.’
‘Nicolas, I don’t know what’s come over him. I finally got through to his mobile yesterday and he said he wasn’t coming back; he was sorry but he couldn’t face it. What’s that all about? He’d been asking for overtime a while ago, and he’d never expressed any grievances before.’ Her face scrunched up, and her eyes had a sad glisten to them.
‘Odd.’ Nick fiddled with his fingers under the table, his legs bouncing nervously. Telling Mora the facts about Alan was tempting, but she didn’t deserve the hurt. Juliet had said it was always better for people to know the truth, that you shouldn’t coddle them. But Nick decided it was simply cold-hearted to tell some truths. I wouldn’t tell someone they’d put on weight if they were the tiniest bit fatter than before! It was a weak analogy, but still, the outcome would be the same: The truth would hurt the other person, and why say it if it wasn’t necessary for them to know?
‘I’ve known him for years …’ Mora trailed off in thought.
‘Maybe he’s just having a hard time. He might come around.’
Mora shook her head. ‘He won’t. He was very clear that he would not come back, that nothing could change his mind. Stubborn man. He said he’s even found a better-paying job elsewhere … and well, I can’t really compete with that, can I?’
‘I’m sorry to hear that.’ Nick still twiddled his fingers, but his legs had stopped bobbing up and down. Alan not returning to work hopefully meant he would leave Nick alone. No one would ever know what had happened between them. And even after it all, Nick hoped Alan really had found a decent job—one to get him out of his gambling debt.
‘Something’s different about you, Nicolas.’ Mora squinted, as if her green eyes could dig out the difference. ‘You seem more grown up all of a sudden. Or maybe fed up!’ She went into one of her laughing fits. Other customers looked over, though not judgmentally. Mora just had one of those laughs that made heads turn.
When his manager’s amusement subdued, Nick said, ‘I’m okay. Still the same old me. I think I … I just feel better about my past. Better about Mum’s disappearance. I hadn’t realised how I’d let it hang over me for so long. But now I believe I can actually move past it.’
Mora smiled compassionately. ‘You have grown up.’ She laughed more gently this time. ‘If you ever want to talk, you know I’m all ears.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Anyway’—Mora jiggled suddenly, as if she’d remembered something that would have been fatal to forget—‘I put our lunch at the same time for a reason, Nicolas. If you can, and if you’d like to, I’d love it if you took a full-time position at Creaky Crystals. Now that Alan’s done a one-eighty, you can have his hours. What do you say?’
‘Yes, please!’ the answer popped out immediately. Perfect. Now he might actually earn enough money to have some spare each month. This gain made getting beat up worth it. The attack was horrible at the time, naturally, but Nick had essentially traded a week or so of physical pain for what would hopefully be a long period of mental relief. When it came to money, at least.
On his return to work, he smi
led so wide he couldn’t hide it. Mora let Janet and Michael know about Alan and that Nick was going full time.
‘Congratulations!’ Janet scurried over. ‘I think today is your lucky day.’
‘It’s been pretty good so far.’
Janet walked side to side and smiled at him with mock guilt. ‘I have a confession to make.’
‘That doesn’t sound good.’
‘Hmmm … It could be good if you let it be.’ She bounced her head left to right.
‘Okay … Go on.’
‘You know I said I’d set you up with the perfect woman? Well, she wants to meet you, and I think she is perfect for you. The thing is ... you already know her. But don’t judge too fast! She’s changed so much these past couple of years. Even I can see that.’
Who on earth are you setting me up with?! Rapidly, he said, ‘Just tell me who it is already.’
‘It’s Kerra Evans.’
It was like his brain suddenly dislodged itself. His mind took a leap back into memories he’d locked away somewhere. He wasn’t sure if the shock registered on his face or not, but Janet widened her eyes, waiting for a response.
‘My ex?’ he asked.
‘Yep. But honestly, she’s grown up so much, and she regrets the way she treated you before. She’s been asking after you for a while now, wanting to know that you’re doing well. I told her you’re doing fine, but that you’re single and I’d see what I could do.’
Nick had already known Janet was friends with Kerra’s mum, because he’d discussed his past with Janet before. But he hadn’t realised she’d been discussing his present life with the Evans family. ‘You know she cheated on me repeatedly?’ he asked, incredulous. Even as he said it, though, he knew he could forgive Kerra if she really had changed. She’d been his first and only long-term relationship, the only woman he’d fallen in love with.
The Shadow Box: Paranormal Suspense and Dark Fantasy Thriller Novels Page 139
