Perception

by A. L. Waddington

  PERCEPTION

  THE EVE SERIES

  BOOK THREE

  A. L. WADDINGTON

  Booktrope Editions

  Seattle, WA 2014

  COPYRIGHT 2014 A. L. WADDINGTON

  This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.

  Attribution — You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work).

  Noncommercial — You may not use this work for commercial purposes.

  No Derivative Works — You may not alter, transform, or build upon this work.

  Inquiries about additional permissions

  should be directed to: info@booktrope.com

  Cover Design by Greg Simanson

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to similarly named places or to persons living or deceased is unintentional.

  PRINT ISBN 978-1-62015-559-2

  EPUB ISBN 978-1-62015-575-2

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2014918015

  CONTENTS

  COVER

  TITLE PAGE

  COPYRIGHT PAGE

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  DEDICATION

  POEM

  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

  CHAPTER 21

  CHAPTER 22

  CHAPTER 23

  CHAPTER 24

  CHAPTER 25

  CHAPTER 26

  CHAPTER 27

  CHAPTER 28

  CHAPTER 29

  CHAPTER 30

  CHAPTER 31

  CHAPTER 32

  CHAPTER 33

  CHAPTER 34

  CHAPTER 35

  CHAPTER 36

  CHAPTER 37

  CHAPTER 38

  CHAPTER 39

  CHAPTER 40

  CHAPTER 41

  APPENDIX The Timmons

  The Chandlers

  The Burks

  The Clausens

  Friends

  Coaches/Teachers

  The Timmons

  The Timmons Household

  The Chandlers

  The Chandler Household

  The Adams

  The Cains

  The Maddoxes

  The Donaldsons

  Friends

  AUTHOR BIO

  PREVIEW OF ILLUMINATION (BOOK 4)

  MORE FROM A.L. WADDINGTON & BOOKTROPE

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I would like to thank my amazingly talented team at Booktrope Publishing who, without them, none of this would be possible. My lovely marketing guru Samantha March, who loves to out-voice everyone, my truly talented designer, Greg Simanson, who is the visual of my work, my extremely patient editor, Katrina Mendolera, who makes my words dance and finally, our overseer, Lydia Johnson, who makes sure the little things don’t fall through the cracks. Plus, my amazingly talented photographer, Larry Cooper, who always makes me look beautiful through his artistic lens. And mostly, the glue that binds us all together, Jesse James Freeman, who keeps us in line, holds my hand when necessary, and smacks me back to reality when I get a little lost in my writing. I love you all for all you do!

  Also, I would like to thank Joslyn, the human encyclopedia of useless information, for knowing just how I love my coffee and serving it up to me in an IV drip. Plus, Keifer for adding the squirrelly antics to Ethan and his friends. And Alyssa, for standing beside me, believing in my series and giving Elizabeth her kind nature. And for Heather and her late night runs for coffee and gummy bears. I cannot thank you all enough for all your love, support, and belief in my EVE series. You brought my characters to life and gave them their unique personalities. Thank you for allowing me to live my dream!

  For Heather Unrue: I cannot imagine ever having a better friend. You are an amazing person who always has a kind word, a lending hand and a belief in the goodness of all.

  It seems like forever

  Since you’ve been gone

  But I will hold my head up

  And I will not cry

  Cause God must have meant

  Us to say good-bye

  Even though it tears me up inside

  You know I’m still all right to smile

  It does make me wonder

  If you ever meant those words

  You said to me

  Sometimes I hate you

  When I think about what you did to me

  Then I remember your voice,

  Your smile, your shy laugh

  And pain overwhelms me again

  You have taught me never

  To trust or believe in something

  That I cannot see or touch

  Because to me

  Our love was a reality

  To you

  It was just a passing fling

  And now…

  It’s just a fading memory

  --A. L. Waddington

  CHAPTER 1

  Thursday, November 26, 2009, Thanksgiving Day

  THE SUN WAS FIGHTING to break free of the clouds that insisted upon hanging around when I opened my eyes and jumped out of bed. I rushed over to the bay window and threw the curtains aside. Fear and doubt ripped at my heart the moment my eyes rested on Jackson’s house across the street. It appeared as dark and empty as it had for the last several days.

  I slumped into the cushions feeling confused and lonely. I was sure he would have come back. I knew we had worked things out in our other life. I closed my eyes and rested my head against the cold glass. I could still feel the warmth of his arms around me as we stood in my father’s study there. The soft warm caress of his lips upon mine . . . How can he not be here? I was so sure that he’d be waiting for me when I awoke. Perhaps he had decided that he only wanted me there? Maybe he thought I was too much trouble to deal with here because of the majority of my family’s reaction to us?

  “It’s about time you got up, sleepy head,” my sister Sidney said as she came bouncing into my room.

  “What?” I hadn’t realized she had returned home from Northwestern. “Oh, hey, Sid. When did you get home?”

  “Late last night. How ya doin’?” She plopped down on the other side of the window seat.

  “Good. How’s school?” I didn’t know what to say to her. We have never been like sisters.

  “Same ol’, same ol’,” She shrugged. “Classes, exams, papers, cheerleading.”

  “Sounds fun.” I turned back to gazing out the window at the empty house across the way.

  “Dad said you were having a rough time of it lately,” she said softly. “I’m sorry you and Jackson broke up. He seemed like a nice guy.”

  “He is.”

  “You know, Jocelyn, it’s probably just as well ‘cause there are tons of guys at college and I’m telling ya, you don’t want to be married and tied down before you even have the chance to live.” She tried to smile but didn’t pull it off so well.

  “Sid, it’s not over yet. We just had an argument. I’m sure we’ll work it out.” I wanted my voice to sound confident even though I was no longer feeling it myself.

  “Why would you want to get married at eighteen?�
� She wrinkled up her forehead at me.

  “You wouldn’t understand.”

  “Guess you’re right about that. I still have two years left of my undergrad work, let alone grad school. I can’t imagine being stuck with a husband.” She laughed. “Hell, I’m having trouble just juggling a boyfriend.”

  “You’re getting serious with someone?” The mere thought was intriguing. Sidney always had boyfriends, but never anyone whom she would keep longer than she deemed necessary.

  “Yeah,” she grinned, her smile growing wide. “He’s downstairs. I brought him home for the weekend to meet the family.”

  “You’re brave.”

  “Yeah, but he’s special.” A look I’d never seen passed briefly over her eyes and then was gone.

  “How so?” I asked curious as to what she deemed special.

  “He’s sweet, considerate, kind.” She blushed. “He understands me, my goals and supports them rather than trying to deter me from my studies. Of course, he wants to be a doctor too, so we have a lot of the same classes. Which is nice because then we get to study together.”

  “Does he have a name?” I laughed at her giddiness.

  “Oh yeah, his name is . . .” She wrinkled her nose. “Don’t laugh; it’s Landon Atticus Harrison.”

  “What?” I busted out laughing despite myself.

  “I know!” she laughed and doubled over, burying her face in her lap for a moment. “It’s awful, isn’t it! I know . . .”

  “Does his mother not like him?”

  “I don’t think she did.” Sidney squirmed around. “I mean, his brother has a perfectly normal boring name—David William.” She threw her arms up in despair. “Then she comes up with Landon Atticus!”

  “Talk about child abuse.”

  “Really . . . well, she’s an English teacher.” She shrugged again.

  “Sounds to me like she’s read too many classics. Isn’t Atticus the name of the father in To Kill a Mockingbird?”

  “He told me that’s where she got it from. Apparently, it’s her favorite book. Thankfully, he’s really cute. Otherwise the poor man would never have stood a chance in this world.” She stood up and walked back over to the door. “Anyway, get yourself cleaned up and come downstairs. I’m dying for you to meet him.”

  “All right.” I got up myself. “I’ll be down in a sec.”

  She disappeared behind the closed door and the room went silent. I turned back around for one final look out the window. Nothing had changed. I was glad Sidney was home. It had felt so good to laugh again, and I hoped that her presence would ease the tension that hung over the house. I even hoped that with her being here it might open the door between my mother and me. I gathered up my clothes and headed into the shower.

  My brother, Ethan, and my father, Shane, were already watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade with Sidney and Landon when I came downstairs. The two of them were cuddled together looking very sweet. I could tell even though he was seated that Landon was over six feet tall. He had broad shoulders, dirty blond hair, pale blue eyes, and was clean-shaven. The two of them sitting there looked like the classic copy of Ken and Barbie.

  After brief introductions, I curled up on the corner of the couch with my morning coffee. Everyone was lounging around in pajamas and stocking feet, barely conscious. It was only nine o’clock in the morning. I couldn’t believe that my family was up this early on a holiday.

  Landon and Sidney wandered back into the kitchen to refill their coffee when I heard her burst out laughing and return stumbling into the family room, “Hey Dad, you’ll love this. Landon just asked how come the turkey isn’t in the oven.”

  The three of us joined her laughter while Landon stood there looking foolish. “I’m sorry, Landon. We’re honestly not laughing at you. It’s just, well, my wife doesn’t cook. Our Thanksgiving dinner is prepared by Kroger’s. I’ll pick it up about two.”

  “Oh,” Landon stuttered.

  “I told you my mom can’t cook. It’s better to let someone else prepare it. That way none of us gets food poisoning.” Sidney returned to her spot on the opposite end of the couch and Landon slowly joined her.

  “Where is Mom?” I looked over at my father.

  “Asleep,” he grinned. “You probably won’t see her until noon. She didn’t get home from the hospital until almost three this morning.”

  Ethan grumbled something I didn’t quite hear before stuffing his face with another donut. He looked over at me and grinned. I gave him a questioning look, but he just shook his head and mouthed “later” at me. I shrugged and turned back towards the television. It was going to be a long day.

  Looking around at my huddled family relaxing over our version of a holiday breakfast—a box of mixed Duncan Donuts and coffee, the drastic differences between my two families slapped me in the face. Never once in my memory of anything there, had my family been so utterly informal. Lounging around dressed sloppily on a holiday and eating in front of the television was something I couldn’t even fathom. A holiday there consisted of dressing up, extended family, home cooked dishes and desserts, and all centered round a big dining room table. Here, I knew we’d be pulling out the TV trays and munching all day while watching football.

  By noon I was bored to tears. No one had really moved in hours and the only thing that had changed was the channel on the television. I wished Jenna was home, but I knew she had gone with her parents to her grandparents’ house in Indianapolis. She wouldn’t be home until Sunday evening at the earliest. Plus, both Caitlyn and Hilary were busy with their own family’s versions of Thanksgiving. I pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and wrapped it tightly around myself before drifting off into a lazy nap.

  A commotion awoke me about half past one. I heard Ethan arguing with someone in the foyer to the point that Dad got up to investigate. Sidney and I looked at each other while I tried to make some sense of what was going on.

  “Please, will you just tell her I am here?” I suddenly recognized Jackson’s voice.

  “Don’t you think you’ve done enough? Leave her alone!” Ethan shouted.

  I leapt to my feet and ran towards the front door as I heard my dad respond. “Ethan, that is not for you to decide. Don’t be rude. I’m sorry, Jackson.”

  “Jackson!” I squealed and practically jumped into his arms. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him repeatedly about his face. He laughed while both my brother and father stood there stunned and confused.

  “Well, um . . . we’ll leave you two alone. Come on, Ethan,” Dad uttered and dragged my brother back into the family room.

  “I see events are becoming clearer,” Jackson laughed. “I was worried I might have to try and explain everything to you.”

  “Not necessary.” I stood with my arms still draped over his shoulders. “I’m so glad you’re here. What about your family?”

  “They came with me,” he smiled. “All of them.”

  “Alex and Phoebe?” He nodded. “Really?” I couldn’t believe it. “They probably think we’re insane,” I laughed.

  “No, just in a relationship,” he chuckled. “Misunderstandings are bound to happen occasionally.”

  “So they don’t hate me?” I grimaced.

  “Of course not.” He leaned over and kissed me with hunger and desire.

  “I’m sorry if I ruined everyone’s Thanksgiving.”

  “Do not worry about it. Mother, Phoebe and my brother’s wife, Leslie, are over there cooking up a storm. You didn’t ruin anything. Dad just discovered a new roaster that can cook a turkey in a third of the time so this gave him the excuse he needed to try it out.”

  “Well then, I’m glad everything worked out,” I laughed.

  “My parents wanted to invite your family over for a formal Thanksgiving dinner.” Jackson kept his arms loosely around my waist. “A peace offering if you will.”

  “You’re kidding?”

  “No. Why?” He looked hurt.

  “Because my f
amily, with the exception of possibly my dad, probably isn’t going to be too thrilled about us getting back together,” I stated softly, raising my eyebrows at him.

  “This could smooth some of that over.” His optimism amazed me. Unfortunately, it also told me volumes about how little he really did know about my family here.

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea,” I said with hesitation.

  “Will you please ask them . . . for me?” How can I say no to that?

  “All right, but you have to come with me.” I knew this was not going to be good. Jackson smiled and nodded. We walked hand in hand back into the family room.

  Dad was back in his recliner, Ethan in the other, and even Landon had gotten into the game. The three of them looked comical screaming like idiots at the television. Jackson and I stood silently off to the side waiting for a commercial break. I knew better than to interrupt a football game. I wasn’t sure about Landon, but I knew Shane and Ethan would be none too pleased.

  “Hey, Dad, can I talk to you for a sec?” I asked at the next commercial break.

  “Sure, go ahead.” He barely turned his head in our direction.

  “No, um . . . in the kitchen.” I wanted to get him alone.

  Dad fully turned and noticed the two of us standing there. “Oh, okay.” He got up and followed us.

  The kitchen was vacant and silent, probably unlike almost all kitchens on this day. There were no steaming pots on the stove, turkey in the oven, or pies cooling on the counter. Only an empty box of donuts and coffee creamer adorned our counters. I could see the strange look on Jackson’s face when he realized our lack of festivities.

  “How you been, Jackson?”

  “Good, sir, good. And you?”

  “I’m doing all right. What can I do for you both?”

  “My parents and siblings along with their spouses and children have returned from Boston late last evening and are currently putting the finishing touches on an enormous Thanksgiving feast and would really like it if you and your family would consider joining us.”