by G. K. DeRosa
Wilder: The Guardian Series
G.K. De Rosa
Copyright © 2015 G.K. DeRosa LLC
All Rights Reserved. This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system known or hereafter invented, without written permission from the publisher, G.K. DeRosa.
Cover Designer: Masa Licinia
Published in 2015 by G.K. DeRosa LLC
Palm Beach, Florida
www.wilderbook.com
ISBN: 978-0692443408
To my husband, who encouraged me to follow my dreams and my mother who taught me to always be young at heart.
G.K. De Rosa
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Prologue
A violent clap of thunder burst through the night sky, and Celeste shot up in her bed and screamed. The shrill cry echoed through the quiet house. Her heart raced as she looked out the bay window as a brilliant flash of lightning lit up the black sky. Movement at the foot of her bed turned her attention away from the window, and she froze panicked. She heard a muffled whimper and a sniffling cold nose tickle her feet. She giggled. Relieved, she scooped up her new puppy and held him close to her thundering chest. Slowly, her breathing returned to a more normal rate.
Suddenly, Celeste’s bedroom door swung open and her mother raced in, her long brunette curls a tangled mess.
“Celeste, sweetie, are you alright? I heard you scream and came as fast as I could.” Her warm caramel colored eyes were fraught with concern for her young daughter.
Celeste nodded silently, not taking her eyes off the storm that surged outside of her window. And that’s when the deafening sound of an approaching police siren pierced the rainy night.
There was a loud banging at the door and Celeste’s eyes shot to her mother’s nervous ones. “Stay here,” she told her and sped down the stairs, grabbing her pink fleece bathrobe on the way down.
Celeste slipped out of bed and cradling her puppy tiptoed to the top of the staircase.
“Are you Olivia Wilder?” asked the police officer, his face grim and his tone professional.
“Yes I am,” she answered, a slight tremble in her voice.
“I’m sorry to disturb you at this time of night Ma’am, but I’m afraid there’s been an accident. It’s your husband…”
Chapter 1
Celeste sighed. “Why aren’t boys in real life like the ones in the movies, Rocky?” she asked her sleepy German Shepherd. In response, the dog cocked his head quizzically to the side before flopping down and letting out a prolonged sigh. All Celeste Wilder wanted was to find a guy who would sweep her off her feet like she had so often seen in the movies. Surely that would fill the empty void inside of her. She had just finished watching one of her all-time favorite movies, Titanic, for probably the millionth time and it left her completely wrapped up in the fantasy world of endless love, romance, and adventure – until, that is, she was snapped harshly back to reality by a squeal from her cell phone. She saw it was a text message from her best friend Brian.
On my way.
She glanced at her watch. She had completely forgotten that they had agreed to go to the library to study for their American history final. She grabbed her books and quickly stuffed them into her backpack.
As she headed down the hallway, Celeste paused outside the closed door of her mom’s room, carefully turning the handle to peek inside. Her mom was still sleeping, her short brown hair swept across her face – no doubt recovering from another overnight shift. Celeste’s mom, Olivia, was the head nurse at Oak Bluffs Hospital and often worked shifts that ran late into the night. She took her job very seriously, which meant lots of lonely evenings for Celeste.
Beep, beep!
Celeste ran back to her room and peered out the window at the black, sporty Mustang sitting in the driveway. “Ugh. Back to reality, Rocky.” Pulling her curly, golden-blonde hair into a hasty ponytail, she grabbed her bag and headed outside to meet Brian.
It was a beautiful day, one she would have preferred not to have to waste cooped up inside a library. At least with Brian there, it would be somewhat bearable.
Brian hopped out of his Mustang with a beaming smile, his sandy brown hair ruffled by the wind. Brian Kennedy embodied the typical boy next-door good looks. Proudly sporting his letterman jacket with the St. Alice Crusaders’ emblem in royal blue and gold, he looked like he could have just stepped out of a J. Crew magazine.
“Ready for a mind-numbing day of studying American history, Cel?”
The Oak Bluffs Library was built at the turn of the century, and stood as a historic landmark building. They walked through the atrium and Celeste couldn’t help but stare at the imposing columns and vaulted ceilings lined in mahogany. As beautiful as it was, to Celeste it had always seemed a bit creepy. The never-ending rows of massive book shelves and dark recesses seemed like the perfect setting for a horror movie.
She and Brian found a quiet corner and settled in. “So what do you think living in New York City will be like, Cel?” Brian whispered.
Celeste grinned.
“I have no idea, but I know it’ll be amazing! I got my NYU welcome package in the mail last week, and everything seems so unreal. I can’t believe my dream of moving to New York City is actually happening. I got into the dorms on campus, and I’m going to be in a double with a random roommate. I’m kind of freaking out about that part though. What if she’s weird or doesn’t like me?”
Brian chuckled.
“Calm down, I’m sure she’ll be totally cool and everything will be great. I mean, she won’t be as cool as me, but then again not many people are.”
Celeste giggled, but then her expression grew serious.
“I really don’t know what I’m going to do without you, Brian. I’ve had you right next door for fifteen years. You’ve been there for me through it all. How am I going to get through college without you?”
“Don’t worry. You won’t be that far away. I’ll come visit on weekends. It’s not like there’s going to be much going on here in Oak Bluffs once you leave. I’m sure I’ll be bored out of my mind.”
Celeste threw him a grateful look.
“I think the more important question is, what am I going to do without you, Cel? School has never been my thing. Whose homework am I going to copy when I’m at community college?”
“Maybe it’s about time you start doing your own homework, Brian. You need to figure out what you want to do with your life.”
Brian grunted. “You’re starting to sound like my dad.”
Her eyes dropped to the book in his hands and she made a face.
“Well, I guess we’d better actually start studying, because if we don’t pass Mr. Wilson’s final, neither of us is going anywhere.”
They spent the rest of the afternoon delving into American history, quizzing each other until they couldn’t memorize another date if their lives depended on it.
Brian got to his feet and stretched.
“We should get going,” he reminded her, with a look at the clock behind the main desk. Celeste’s mom was scheduled to work another
night shift, so Brian had invited her over for dinner.
As they drove home, the soft rumble of the engine lulled Celeste into a semi-conscious state. Her mind began to drift and vivid memories came flooding in.
“Olivia, Celeste, I’m home!”
“Daddy!” said Celeste as she came bounding down the stairs in her pajamas.
“It’s so late Kristof, I was getting worried,” said her mom rushing out of the kitchen.
“Just some issues at work, nothing to be concerned about. I’ve got some unruly clients in town that’s all.”
“Daddy, when I grow up I want to be a private investigator just like you.”
Out of the corner of her eye she saw her mother cast a nervous glance at her father. He laughed and threw her over his shoulder. “It’s way past your bedtime young lady.”
Celeste giggled as she hung upside down and her dad carried her up the stairs back to bed.
“Hey Celeste, are you going to get out of the car?” asked Brian, impatiently holding the door open.
“Oh sorry, I didn’t realize we were here already.”
“Yeah, I got that. What were you thinking about?”
Celeste paused just outside the Kennedy’s front steps.
“Nothing really,” she said, avoiding his scrutinizing eyes.
As Brian turned to walk inside, she interjected, “Hey, thanks for always including me in your family dinners by the way. Sometimes I feel like I spend more time with your family than I do with my own mom.”
“Yeah, of course, that’s what best friends are for right?” he said. “And you should give your mom a break. It’s not her fault she has to work all those long night shifts.”
“I know. I just wish we had spent more time together over the past few years, you know, like we used to. In a couple of months, I’ll be gone.”
“I thought I heard you two out here,” said Mrs. Kennedy opening the door.
Celeste put on a bright smile as she walked in and gave her a hug. Mrs. Kennedy was an elementary school teacher, and the perfect mom in Celeste’s eyes. She was always home when Brian and his sister came home from school and dinner was always on the table promptly at 6:30pm. Little Maxi came running up, her unruly black curls tumbling in abandon as she jumped into Celeste’s arms. Maxi—Maxine—was Brian’s seven-year-old sister. She positively worshipped her older brother and, by extension, Celeste as well.
“I’m sooo glad you’re here, Celeste! You have to sit by me!” Maxi chimed in her singsong voice, grabbing her hand and leading her to the table.
“Celeste, I’m glad you’re joining us for dinner,” said Mrs. Kennedy, giving her an affectionate smile. “You haven’t been here in weeks.”
Celeste grinned. “Yeah, it’s been crazy, what with school almost over and finals and everything. Mom’s been complaining she hardly sees me either, what with her schedule and mine. And in a couple of months I’ll be off to New York.”
“Aren’t you nervous to move to such a big city after living in little old Oak Bluffs?” she asked.
“Kind of, but I’m definitely ready to graduate from little St. Alice Catholic High School. I feel like we grew up in a protective bubble, and I can’t wait to see the real world out there.”
“Well we’re certainly going to miss you,” finished Mrs. Kennedy.
“I suppose we’ll see even less of you while you’re in college, as I’m sure you’ll be studying hard,” Mr. Kennedy said. “But I hope you’ll stop in to see us whenever you’re home. Brian could use some more encouragement in figuring out what it is he wants to do with his future. There’s more to life than sports, you know,” he added, looking pointedly at Brian.
“It’s not like I’m going to spend the rest of my life at a community college, Dad. I’ll figure it out. I just don’t know what I want do yet. Celeste’s just lucky,” Brian said, grinning at her. “Tell them about the campus tour,” he said, hoping to change the conversation before his dad, a lawyer, grilled him any further.
As she said goodnight, Celeste thought about how much she was going to miss these family dinners with the Kennedys. Brian walked her home even though it was just next-door – he always did, and as they stepped up on the porch, he pulled a crumpled brown bag from his jacket pocket.
“I was going through some of my old stuff last night,” he explained, “and I found these stashed away between my collection of Legos and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Remember our walkie-talkies?”
Celeste opened the brown bag and her eyes lit up.
“Oh my gosh, yes! We had so much fun with these.” She giggled. “Remember how we used to drive our parents crazy talking to each other all night?”
“Over and out.” Brian quipped.
“That’s an affirmative.”
“Listen, I know we’re going to be too far to use these things soon, but I just wanted you to know that I’ll always be here for you, no matter what, okay?”
Celeste swallowed hard and felt a lump in her throat.
“And in the meantime,” Brian said, “we can play with these all summer.” And he pulled her into a bear hug.
Celeste squeezed him tightly and wiped her eyes when the tears threatened to spill over.
That night, Celeste couldn’t sleep. Alone in the house, it was just too quiet. She sat up and looked across the room to where she’d left her walkie-talkie. She was tempted to turn it on and see whether Brian was still up. She peeked out through the curtain of the big bay window facing his house but saw only darkness. She opened the window hoping that the cool night air would help her sleep.
She scolded herself, whispering, “Celeste, you are fine! You’re practically eighteen and you’ll be living on your own in New York City in a few months. Grow up and stop being so childish!”
She slipped back down under the covers and felt Rocky’s cold, wet nose nudge her cheek. She closed her eyes determined to sleep but heard a rustling outside her window. Rocky whined. She sat up and swept the curtain aside. Outside, perched in the oak tree just a couple feet from her window, she could just make out the outline of a large black bird.
It reminded her of pictures her grandfather had shown her after they’d watched the old Humphrey Bogart film The Maltese Falcon. She’d been curious as to what a falcon was and he had found pictures of the predatory creature and shown them to her. The peregrine falcon, he told her, was the fastest-moving creature on Earth. She stared at the bird in fascination.
Could it be a falcon?
She was about to lean further out the window to get a closer look when Rocky, catching sight of the strange visitor, let out a menacing bark. The bird immediately took flight and disappeared into the night.
“Well that was weird, huh?”
She crawled back into bed and closed her eyes, willing herself not to think about the curious creature.
Celeste drifted off to sleep and into a dark dream. She found herself surrounded by birds. They filled the air, thousands of them, not unlike the old Hitchcock horror movie The Birds. They filled the towering oak tree outside her window, chattering and squawking with urgency, as if they were trying to tell her something. Frightened, she tried to shoo them away, but they wouldn’t budge. The largest stared at her intently, as if looking into her mind, its eyes a vivid, hypnotic blue. She felt strangely exposed as she stared back into its oddly human eyes. She awoke, startled, her breath coming rapidly. She tried to shake off the memory of the dream, but she found herself thinking of the strange bird’s stare all night long.
Chapter 2
“Good morning sweetie.”
“Mom, what are you doing up at this hour?” said Celeste as she stumbled drowsily down the stairs, her curly hair wild like a lion’s mane.
“I got home a little earlier than usual and four hours of sleep is plenty of time if that means that I get to spend some quality time with my daughter.”
Mrs. Wilder got to work in the kitchen to prepare a special Sunday breakfast. As Celeste watched her mom hustling around t
he kitchen, she thought about what Sundays used to be like. If she closed her eyes a bit, she could almost see her dad’s warm smiling face and just about hear him saying, “Celeste, you can go to Brian’s later. Sunday is family day, and we need to help Mom make breakfast. Go get the eggs from the fridge, and I’ll let you stir the batter for the waffles.”
“Okay Daddy. Can I use the electric one?”
“I don’t think that’s such a good idea, sweetie,” interjected Mom. “We don’t want you to lose any of those precious little fingers!”
She handed her the whisk and Celeste giggled as her father made whirring noises as she stirred.
Celeste snapped out of her daydreaming as the delicious smell of batter and syrup began to fill the kitchen.
“Yum waffles my favorite!” she said.
“That’s why I’m making them,” Mom answered with a smile.
“I’m glad we’re doing this Mom. I wish we did it more often.”
“I know. I really wish we did too. I’m sorry I’ve been so busy at the hospital lately.”
It made Celeste wonder if it was easier for her mother to delve into her work at the hospital instead of dealing with the reality of losing her husband. Since she hadn’t been able to save him, helping strangers had become her life.
“Sweetie, I was thinking we should probably go through all of your things before your big move. I’ve seen clothes in your closet from when you were in grade school! You know you’re not going to be able to bring everything up to your tiny dorm at NYU,” she said.
“Yeah, I know, I just don’t know if I’m ready yet. As much as I want to move to New York City, it’s all kind of scary,” said Celeste.
“I know, baby girl. I wish your father were here with us now. He would be so proud of you. You have become such an amazing young woman, and you are going to love NYU just like he did. I know it!”
