by DL Gallie
“Emerson James, a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. White.”
Mrs. White and I fall into easy conversation; it feels like I have known her my whole life.
“Where are you from, dear?”
“Originally New York, but at the moment I have no fixed address.”
“I have a feeling Nels Cove will be your home for the foreseeable future.” She winks at me, before standing up. “You have a lovely afternoon, Emerson.”
“You too, Mrs. White.” I nod and watch her walk off. As she turns the corner, that crazy idea from before pops back into my head again. Do I want to stay here in Nels Cove? Could I call this place home? I wonder to myself if that’s why I was pulled here. Am I meant to be here?
After another half hour, I decide to find somewhere to stay for the night. Jumping up, I walk back toward my car. When I get there I notice a piece of paper under my windshield wiper.
Sam Martin has his mother’s cottage for rent.
You’ll love it there.
Regards,
Mavis White
Smiling to myself, I tuck her note into my purse, climb into the driver’s seat, and start the engine before I make my way to the Nels Cove Inn that I passed on the way into town.
* * *
After checking in, I grab the room key off the counter, a real key by the way, and head to my room, before turning back to the desk clerk. “Excuse me, Clive, do you know where I might find Sam Martin?”
“Tomorrow morning, he’ll be at Tiff’s for breakfast.”
“Thanks,” I reply before turning around and heading to my room.
Early the next morning, I pull on my running gear and go for a jog. After running for five miles, I stop in at Tiff’s. The place is packed. This must be the place to eat in town, I think to myself as I take a seat at the counter. “Morning, darlin’,” Tiff says with a big grin on her face. She’s too happy for this time of morning, but her mood is infectious and I find myself smiling back to her.
“Morning, Tiff. Can I grab a coffee and muffin to go, please?”
“Sure thing.” She turns toward the server window and again yells an order through. I’m pretty sure Bella will hear her in New York and I laugh to myself. She places my muffin in front of me and as I fix the bill up, I ask, “Do you know if Sam Martin has been in yet?”
The man next to me, spins in my direction and taps me on the arm. With a toothless grin, he says, “I’m Sam.”
“Hi, Sam,” I say, stretching out my hand toward him. “Ummm, Mrs. White said you might have a place for rent.”
“Mavis said a young lady would be looking for me. I told her she was dreaming, but looks like I was wrong. My mother’s one bedroom cottage over on Brentwood Lane is available. It’s a bit rundown though.”
“I don’t mind, but I don’t know how long I’ll be here. I’d be happy to clean the place up for you, in exchange for an open end date on the agreement, but first, would I be able to have a look at it?”
“That sounds fine to me. Momma would love to have someone as pretty as you living there.” He winks at me. “How about later today?”
“Great, what time?”
“I’ll meet you there at two thirty p.m.”
“Sounds great, thank you so much. I’m Emerson, by the way.”
“Nice to meet you, Emerson. I’ll see you later.”
Sam gets up and shuffles out of the diner. Tiff places my coffee next to my change, which I hadn’t noticed she’d handed back to me. “You just made Sam’s year. Since Mrs. Martin went into the home, he’s been sad and lonely. Even if you don’t rent the cottage, he will be happy to just show it off. But I have a feeling, a good feeling.”
She doesn’t get to explain further because the guy in the kitchen shouts, “Order up!” He winks at me and Tiff rolls her eyes.
“Thanks for the coffee and muffin. Have a great day.”
Turning around, I exit the diner and look across to the park where I see a gentleman running. He is built like an Adonis and I can’t help but stare. Someone clearing their throat draws my attention and I scoot out of the doorway. “Sorry,” I say, but they ignore me and head inside. I look back toward the park again, but there’s no one there. Shaking my head, I think I must have imagined seeing him and I turn toward the inn and head back.
When I get there, I go up to my room to grab my car keys and head out to the lake that I passed on my way in; Lake Nelson. Turns out the Nels Cove, used to be called Nelson Cove, but through time the ‘on’ had slipped away from the town’s name, and the town officially became Nels Cove. However, the lake remained Lake Nelson. It’s quirky things like this that makes me love this place.
A few minutes later, I’m parking my car. Grabbing my muffin and coffee, I climb out and walk down to the water’s edge. Taking a seat, I stare out to the crystal clear water as I sip on my coffee. It’s so peaceful here, I think to myself. Picking up my muffin, I reach into my handbag and pull out a candle, I shove it into the muffin. “Happy Birthday Emerson,” I whisper to myself as I light the candle. For as long as I can remember, Mom, Dad, and Dave would give me a muffin in bed with a candle on my birthday. Brian continued the tradition when we moved in together, and even though they are gone, I still want to keep the tradition going, it’s like they are here with me.
After blowing out the candle and making my wish, I remove the candle and eat my muffin and drink my coffee in silence. Enjoying the serenity, I lie back on the shore’s edge, and for the first time when I think of everyone, I don’t get sad. I even find myself smiling as I remember the birthday lunch last year and the double celebration. I find myself, rubbing my ring finger; I still remember the feeling of wearing the ring he gave me. After losing Brian, I took off my engagement ring and placed it in my special box. It was too much of a reminder of what I had lost, funnily enough, most nights I go to bed rubbing my finger, feeling the loss of not only the ring but him too.
Sitting up again, I stare at the water. It’s so calm and peaceful; the water lapping at the shoreline has a calming effect. Standing up, I strip off my top and pants, leaving me in my sports bra and panties. Walking to the water’s edge, I wade out a few feet and I dive into the lake. It’s damn cold, but so refreshing at the same time.
Dunking myself under the water, I close my eyes and an image of Brian appears. He’s smiling happily at me, his image begins to fade, and I swear I can hear his voice. He’s telling me to take a leap. Breaking the surface, I take a deep breath; I must have been under for a long time. With a smile on my face, I climb out.
When I get back to my clothes, I turn around and stare out at the water; my impromptu swim causing ripples to appear on the surface. Bending down to pick up my clothes, I whisper, “Take a leap.” In that moment, I decide that even if the place I’m looking at this afternoon is a dump, I’m going to stay in Nels Cove.
* * *
Later that afternoon, I meet Sam at his mom’s house. Tiff was right—this place is run-down. The gardens are an overgrown jungle, you can’t tell what’s a plant and what’s a weed. The white shingles are dirty, but the front porch is gorgeous. With a quick clean, this place will be liveable and I can putter here and there to bring her back to life. As I walk up the stairs to go inside for a look, a feeling prickles over me, there is something about the cottage that is speaking to me.
“Sam, I’ll take it,” I confirm as he is locking up. I agree to rent it out for three months, for now, and promise to work on the gardens and exterior of the cottage. When I say that, he beams his toothless smile at me and envelopes me in a hug. He tells me that I can move in in a few days’ time; he wants to give the place a spruce up. I tell him it’s fine and that I can do it, but he won’t hear of it. So, to appease him, I give him a few days and three days later, I pick up the keys. Within an hour, I’m all moved in. Sam really cleaned up the inside so I was unpacked fairly quickly, but it’s pretty easy when you only have one suitcase and a backpack.
My Mustang is in the driveway and I’m
sitting on the front porch swing with a glass of wine in hand. Taking a sip, I savor the flavor as the crisp taste dances on my tastebuds.
Picking up my phone, I text Bella my crazy news.
EMERSON – I just rented a house in Nels Cove
BELLA – You did what?
BELLA – And where the hell is Nels Cove?
EMERSON – Colorado
BELLA – OMG, you crazy woman. I’ll call you after work
BELLA - PS. Happy Birthday for the other day
Placing my phone down next to me, I click on Spotify and “Hall of Fame” by The Script starts playing. I take that song to be another sign from Brian that staying here is what I’m meant to do. Leaning back, I tuck my legs under my butt and smile. Closing my eyes, I thank the powers above for sending me here. I know I’ll be happy here in Nels Cove.
PART TWO
CHASE
CHAPTER ONE
Chase
THIRTY-ONE YEARS AGO, MY SISTER and I arrived dramatically into this world. We couldn’t wait; we entered the world forty-five minutes after our mother’s water broke. Cadence was born exactly seven minutes before me, and we were your typical twins. We did everything together, and I mean everything. When one did something, the other would soon follow. We kept Ma and Pa on their toes every day. We used to get into so much mischief and we had so much fun doing it. Somehow, Cadence always managed to convince them that I was the instigator, when each and every time it was her; except for the select few times it was me. But all that aside, I loved my older sister with all my heart. I would have done anything for her, and she would have done anything for me too. She wasn’t just my sister, she was my best friend.
We could always be found doing whatever appeased us; me playing Barbies with her, her playing trucks with me, cooking with Ma, in the shed with Pa. You name it, we did it. We didn’t care, as long as we were together, we were happy. Wherever she went, I went. Whatever I did, she did. We were two peas in a pod, spending every waking minute joined at the hip. But on one fateful day when we were eleven, for the first time ever, I adamantly refused to do what she wanted to do and in a huff she took off. Defiantly, I stood on the front porch, my arms crossed and I watched her ride off into the sunset, her chocolate brown hair flapping in the wind as she peddled away. That was the last time I ever saw her.
She had only been gone ten minutes when I felt guilty for not doing what she wanted to do. All she wanted to do on that hot summer day was swim at Lake Nelson. A swim did actually sound like a great idea, but I was going through a rebellious stage and because it wasn’t my idea, I said no. It was the one and only time that we did something separately, and to this day, I regret that decision. Deciding that I would join her, I raced to my room and quickly changed into my swimming trunks. After changing, I grabbed my towel and raced back down the hallway. “I’m going with Cadence!” I shouted to Ma and Pa on my way out the front door.
“Be back by dusk,” Ma yelled.
“Don’t get into mischief,” Pa bellowed.
“Yeah, yeah,” I shouted back, as I climbed on my bike and headed off to join Cadence at Lake Nelson.
Peddling as fast as I could, I headed toward the lake but when I got there, I couldn’t find Cadence. Her bike was dumped on the ground, like usual. Her towel and flip-flops were sitting by the water’s edge, but Cadence was nowhere to be seen, which was odd. “Cadence, where are you?” I yelled out.
Spinning in circles, I looked around for her, I couldn’t find her. My heart started to beat faster and faster. A sinking feeling developed in the pit of my stomach. My hands became clammy; I didn’t like this feeling at all. “This isn’t funny, Cadence!” I shouted. “Where are you, Cade?” I kept yelling for her, but I never got an answer, the only sound was the water lapping at the shore’s edge and the birds tweeting in the trees. I was torn between walking around the lake and continuing to looking for her, and riding back to the homestead to get help from our parents. Deciding that I needed help from Ma and Pa, I jumped on my bike and raced back home.
I’ve never peddled so fast in my life, and a few minutes later I was riding down our driveway. I’ve ridden down this drive millions of times, but today it feels like it goes on for miles and miles and miles. With the house in view, I start shouting for our parents. “Ma. Pa. I can’t find her, I can’t find Cadence.”
Just as I reach the porch, they are racing outside and down the stairs. Dropping my bike, I race over to them, huffing and puffing, I wheeze, “I…I can’t find Cadence. I…”
“Is this another one of your games? Are you tricking us again?” Ma sternly asks, her hands on her hips.
Shaking my head, I race up the rest of the stairs to meet them. “No, not this time. I can’t find her and I feel funny. Like the time Cade broke her arm funny.” Pausing, I look up at them pleading, “Something’s wrong.”
Ma’s face pales. Pa stares at me shocked. When he sees the genuine fear on my face, he says, “Come on, Chase, you and I will head back to the lake. Judy, you wait here in case she comes back.” Pa turns and heads inside to grab the keys, while Ma and I wait on the porch. She squeezes my shoulder, trying to reassure me, but deep down I know that something terrible has happened to my sister.
“Okay, be safe, hon.” Ma kisses Pa on the cheek when he comes back out. She ruffles my hair and walks over to the porch swing and sits down. Her face now a deathly white color.
“Let’s go,” Pa says. He and I race over to the truck, and jump in and head back to the lake.
By time we get back to the lake, there is a police car and ambulance in the parking lot. That horrible sinking feeling I felt before comes crashing back, and I just know that it isn’t going to be a happy afternoon at the lake. I’m unable to move from my seat, I sit there frozen and stare at the flashing red and blue lights. That prickling feeling from before intensifies, but this time my heart is broken, it has been split in two.
A force takes over my body and I climb out of the truck. Putting one foot in front of the other, I walk over to Pa and the sheriff. “Wait there, Chase,” Pa says, but I walk straight past him and that’s when I see it. A white sheet covering a body, a tiny hand poking out the side. I break into a sprint and fall to my knees in front of the white sheet.
With a shaking hand, I lift it up and freeze. My hand holds the sheet up and I stare at the body of my sister. She’s covered in blood; her hair stained red and there’s a large gash on the side of her head. Once again, I’m frozen. I feel Pa and the sheriff walk up behind me and the sheriff says to Pa, “Jonathan, it looks like she jumped off the swing and hit her head on the rocks below. Water levels are down, she probably didn’t know.”
“My poor baby,” I hear Pa say, his voice broken. He falls to his knees next to me, as a gut-wrenching sob breaks free.
Turning to face Pa, I see the sheriff staring at me. “I’m surprised you weren’t with her.” He nods toward me, before he adds, “You two are never apart.”
“They…they had a fight. She took off, like she does when she doesn’t get her way. He came to apologize, but when he got here, he couldn’t find her. That twin intuition thing that they have rocked him so he raced back to Judy and me. He and I raced back here, but by time we got back you were here. Sheriff, who found my baby?”
“Sophia Martin and her son, Sam, did. They came down for an afternoon swim. They are both pretty distraught.”
Lowering down the sheet, I turn toward Pa. My vision blurring from the tears in my eyes. “Pa, this is all my fault. If I had just come with her, she’d still be alive.”
Pa pulls me into his arms and wraps them tightly around me, hugging me for dear life. His body begins to shake and feeling Pa fall apart causes me to break down further. I sob into his chest, pulling back he states, “Chase, Son, this is not your fault. It was an accident. You hear me?”
I nod my head in agreement, but I don’t believe him at all. My sister, my best friend, my Cadence is gone…and it’s all my fault.
CHAPTE
R TWO
Chase
THE FOLLOWING YEARS, AFTER WE lost Cadence were tough. I didn’t just lose my twin and best friend; I lost my other half. I didn’t know how to exist or function without her. Cadence was the better half of me, and without her around to ground me I was lost and out of control. I had no one to pull my head in when I was being a jerk. No one to tell me that I was a big meanie-head—her favorite word. No one to tell me that I needed to apologize for hurting someone’s feelings. I’d lash out at anyone and everyone. Ma and Pa were at a loss as to what to do with me. I started to push them away, just like I did with everyone else.
My loneliness was my penance for failing Cadence. I was to suffer and deal with her loss on my own. All my free time was spent in the cemetery, sitting next to Cadence’s grave. I’d lay there for hours and hours talking to her. I’d talk to her like I used to—it was the only time I felt free and happy.
This behavior went on for three years. It was when I was fourteen that the Fitzgerald’s came to town. With their arrival things, well, I started to change. Their son, Rooney, was my age and immediately we hit it off. He filled the void left by Cadence, and for the first time since we’d lost her, I felt like me again.
Rooney and I quickly became best friends and every day I thanked my lucky stars for sending me a great friend like Rooney Fitzgerald. I had a best friend again, and I was on my way to becoming happy Chase again. Happy like I was when Cadence was alive. Slowly the happy-go-lucky Chase Archibald was re-emerging, and I had Rooney Fitzgerald to thank for that. I know Ma and Pa appreciated him and his family coming to town because they were starting to wonder if I would ever get over the loss of my sister.
Rooney and I used to get into mischief, much like Cadence and me, but now that we were older, our antics were that much greater. I was part of a twosome again—it felt great. It went from Cadence and Chase are at it again, to Rooney and Chase are at it again. Our families became fast friends. You could always find us at each other’s house, or out together. Over the years our bond deepened, we were more like brothers than friends. The night I confessed everything about Cadence and her death to him, we became inseparable.
