by Susan Elle
Walking with him, Shenna allows Neirin to pick up the crisp packet with a gloved hand and shoves it into her pocket.
"We'd better get back," she tells him, "it's time to make tracks for your swimming lesson."
He doesn't complain, though Shenna can see that Neirin would have loved to stay a little longer in the forest. But then, he would always want more time - he loves the forest and the animals that live there. A real chip of the old block - he's just like you, Cade.
When they pull up in the leisure centre car park, Neirin spots his friend Tommy and waves excitedly out of the window. Tommy and his mum make their way over to the car just as Shenna unbuckles Neirin and they walk in to the centre together.
"I wasn't sure if anyone would turn up with all the snow," Gail comments as she helps Tommy into his swimming trunks.
"If you've lived here any length of time you don't let the weather dictate your life," Shenna smiles over to her friend. "Having said that," Shenna turns to survey the changing room in case she's missed seeing the other mum they usually meet up with, "I don't see Juliette and the twins - I didn't notice their car in the car park either."
No sooner had she got the words out than the woman herself, a rucksack on her back and a child clinging to each hand, rushes in to the changing room.
"Hi guys," Juliette sits both her boys down, does a quick flip of the rucksack off her back and unpacks two swimming kits. "Took me a while to get the car off the drive, but we're here - right kids!"
With the brisk efficient movements of a woman used to carrying out double the tasks in half the time, Juliette gets both boys into their swim trunks and piles everything else in a locker.
"You never cease to amaze me," Shenna laughs, and all three women and four boys make their way through to the pool.
Handing the children off to their instructors, the women get a hot drink and sit at their usual table at the side of the pool.
"I see Jason has another shiner," Shenna smiles over at the boy just getting into the pool with his brother.
"It's his own fault," Juliette shakes her head in despair, "he teases Jacob until he lashes out, only now they're getting older when the punches land they bruise."
"Does Jason ever clock him one back?" Gail asks taking a sip of her tea.
"That's the funny thing," Juliette tells them, "he really doesn't. It's like he knows he deserves it; that he's gone too far."
"Tommy's full of beans, as usual," Gail smiles fondly as her son gives a squeal before jumping off the side of the pool and into the water where a second instructor is waiting to ensure his safety.
Shenna watches Neirin, he's quieter than the others, standing back to observe. When it's his turn to jump in, however, he doesn't hesitate and surfaces quickly doing a brisk doggy-paddle to the side of the pool.
"Hey, Shenna," Gail calls her attention away from Neirin's efforts, "I heard some interesting news in the library the other day - it concerns your woods," she says with a cautionary lift of her brows.
"What was it about?" Shenna tears herself away from watching her son and gives her attention to Gail.
"It was kind of sketchy, but it sounds like someone is interested in that clearing just a little way from your cottage."
Shenna is shocked. "No one can build there - it isn't allowed."
"No…," Gail shakes her head after polishing off her tea; "…I suppose it's the opposite of that - someone reckons it could turn into an archaeological dig."
Frowning, Shenna considers the idea.
"Would that be so bad?" Juliette eyes Shenna's worried frown.
"That depends - can you find out any more about this?" she turns to Gail. "I'm not a forester like Cade, but I wouldn't feel right if I just let them dig the place up without making sure the animals and the forest itself didn't suffer in the process."
After the swimming lesson, Neirin goes for a play-date with the twins. When Shenna gets home the first thing she does is fire up her computer and starts a search for information.
Sure enough, when she looks on the Forestry Commission's web site, she finds reference to a possible archaeological dig taking place in The Iceni Forest.
Apparently there have been a number of artefacts found in the area pertaining to the Roman Britton era. The Iceni Forest was named after an Iron-age tribe known to have settled in this area, but apparently a Roman Britton settlement had followed after.
Switching her computer off, Shenna shrugs on a thick coat and boots then takes a walk out to the clearing.
It doesn't take long, the clearing is only about fifty yards from her front door, but the ground is treacherous underfoot and Shenna treads carefully.
What do you think of this then, Cade - an archaeological dig site in our forest? Sitting on a nearby tree stump, she looks up at a clear blue sky and smiles. I suppose it could be exciting, and Neirin would have some new learning opportunities.
She was just about to get to her feet when a tall, thick set man steps out of the trees and into the clearing on the opposite side.
He looks as surprised to see her as she is to see him and they both stare unmoving.
Startled, a small flock of birds in a nearby tree take off in a noisy flap of wings, and the spell is broken.
She watches the man stride towards her and gets to her feet. "Can I help you?" she asks warily.
For a moment he doesn't speak, just stares down at her with a hard glint in his blue eyes.
"Are you Mrs Williams - owner of that cottage?" he asks pointing through the trees to the cottage where she lives.
He doesn't frighten Shenna, she's made of sterner stuff, but she is concerned as to why he is skulking about the forest.
"Who's asking?" Her eyes are as steady as his and notice a small frown of annoyance cross his brow.
"My name is Ryan Tempest and I'll be setting up an archaeological dig site here as soon as the snow clears."
Will you now - we'll just see about that!
"Well, Mr Tempest, as I've only just learned of the proposed project I have very little to say on the matter," she tells him stiffly. "But I will be keeping a very close eye on anything that might cause harm to the forest or its inhabitants - good day."
Ryan Tempest watches her march away towards the cottage and keeps watching until he sees her let herself in.
So, you are Mrs Williams - good to put a face to the name!
Chapter Two
Walking into the library, Shenna shrugs out of her quilted coat and helps Neirin out of his.
"Ok," she sighs with a smile for her son, "let's see if anyone else made it in for story-time."
Pulling one of the double doors open, Neirin slips through and walks very sensibly up to the librarian's desk.
"We've come for story-time, Mrs Brennan," he states quietly, seriously.
"You remember where to go?" she asks and smiles over his head in greeting to Shenna. He gives a rapid nod of his head and looks up at his mum with questioning eyes.
"Go on over," she tells him, "I just need to have a quick word with Mrs Brennan."
Watching him walk through the tables and then turn left to the story corner, Shenna turns back to Mrs Brennan and says just one word, "Archaeology."
"Hmm, thought you might be in," the librarian purses her lips then ducks to retrieve some paperwork from a shelf. "I kept this by in case you did - it's an outline of the proposal and a bit of background information on Ryan Tempest, he's the head man who'll run things."
"Sounds like a foregone conclusion," Shenna frowns down at the papers in her hand. "Isn't there going to be any community consultation?"
"They don't need it for the go-ahead - which they've already got," Mrs Brennan informs her. "But there is going to be a Q & A session with display stands to show what they want to achieve and how they intend to do it. I've put it all in there for you," and points to the papers in Shenna's hand.
Walking away when another patron needs Mrs Brennan's attention; Shenna sits at a table nearby the story corner.
&
nbsp; Watching Neirin, she wonders about her son's serious manner. It isn't that he doesn't join in or have fun, but he isn't boisterous like the other kids.
I wish you were here, Cade. Perhaps he takes after you - I'll never know will I. He has your eyes, he even has your lop-sided smile when he's being mischievous - which isn't often enough.
With an annoyed shake of her head at her own thoughts, Shenna continues to watch as Neirin smiles happily watching the other children growl and paw the air pretending to be a wild lion, but he doesn't do the actions himself.
Am I doing this mothering thing right, Cade? You would have been so great with him - he said he wants to look after the forest, just like his dad - and it wouldn't surprise me if that's just what he does, too.
"Mum…?" Neirin stands watching her with his head tilted to one side.
"Hey…," she smiles brightly and takes her son's hand, "I was off in a world of my own, then," and gives a brief laugh at her own silliness.
"That's alright, mum…," Neirin looks up at her with serious eyes, "…I do that too - usually when I'm thinking about dad."
Pulling his coat on, Shenna studies her son. "Do you do that often?"
"When I'm in the forest, I do," he tells her with a nod.
"And here…in town?"
"Not so much, I know dad's with me when I'm in the forest," he tells her. "He told me that now I'm grown up I need to look out for you - that's my job now."
Trying not to let her shock show, Shenna tucks his scarf in and pulls on his woolly hat. "Do you dream about daddy a lot? I know you must miss having him around."
Frowning, Neirin shakes his head. "But daddy is always around," he tells her seriously, obviously wondering why she's asking such a daft question. "We talk about the forest and he tells me stories at bedtime." Then he frowns, really creasing his forehead as if in deep thought. "He says he can't come every night because he has other things he needs to take care of," then he looks at his mother with bewildered brown eyes - Cade's eyes. "What do you think angels do in heaven - do they have jobs like everyone else?"
Shenna has never seen this side of her son before, hadn't realised he has such an overactive and vivid imagination.
"Maybe," she hedges, "I've never really thought about it."
When they reach home, Shenna asks Neirin to read quietly in his room while she takes a home tutoring session over the Skype. "Hi Jaden," she greets her first pupil of the week, "did you manage to do the math work I set you?"
"Hello Ms Williams," the blonde seven year old greets her favourite home teacher, "I did it all except the last two problems - I got stuck with those," she grimaces.
"Did you attempt to do them, or just leave them blank," Shenna asks.
"Oh, I tried," the little girl insists earnestly, "but I knew I wasn't doing it right."
Shenna nods pleased that Jaden had at least attempted the problems. "Ok, Jaden, fax it over to me and I'll take a look." She waits for the fax machine to spew out the girl's math paper then gives it a good look over.
"This is good work, Jaden," and watches the little girl's face light up with a smile. "Long multiplication and long division can be tricky - you got all of the division correct and most of the multiplication too." It doesn't take Shenna long to figure out where the girl when wrong with the last two sums. "Do you have your paper in front of you?" she asks Jaden then waits while the little girl runs to retrieve it from their fax machine.
"Got it," Jaden waves the paper and retakes her seat.
"Ok, if you look at the last two sums you'll see that you only put one zero at the beginning of the first line of multiplication and again on the second line," Shenna explains, "do you remember the rules of long multiplication?"
Jaden looks at the sums and starts writing on her paper, forgetting to answer her teacher's question. "Is that right?"
Shenna looks at the screen and smiles, "that's right, Jaden, well done. Just remember to put one less zero than the amount of figures in the number you are multiplying by - then reduce the zeros by one on each proceeding line."
The lesson goes well and Shenna is pleased with Jaden's progress. She is a quick study and actually enjoys learning.
When she goes to his bedroom to find Neirin, Shenna hears him talking to someone - then suddenly he stops and calls for her to come in.
"How did you know I was outside your door?" she asks lightly with a big smile.
"Daddy told me - he said he should go as it was probably time for my lessons."
"O..k," she drags out the tiny word with a frown then decides the best way to handle this situation is the same as she would if he had an imaginary friend, just accept and act natural until he grows out of it. "Well, if daddy ever wants to stay he can - maybe he'd enjoy watching you do your lessons?"
But Neirin just shakes his head as he climbs down off his bed. "I already told you, mum," he says in his best grown up voice, "dad has lots of other things to take care of, he doesn't have time to stay for long." And he brushes past her as if nothing he's said is out of the ordinary or in any way odd.
What the hell! Maybe I should have a word with the doctor - this is more than just an imaginary friend type situation…I think. Crikey!
That evening when Neirin is in bed, Shenna reads up on imaginary friends and reasons why children invent them. But instead of being reassured she finds herself reading about children who see spirits - apparently their young minds are more open to 'the other world' and their imaginary friends are actually spirits that they can see and talk to.
Bloody hell! What now - if he really believes he can talk to his dad Neirin won't be dissuaded, he's as stubborn as Cade ever was!
A week later and thankfully all the snow has disappeared. Neirin is having a sleepover with the twins and in exchange Shenna has promised to pick up all the information about the dig for Juliette.
Going to the library she looks around at all the displays about the archaeological dig that is shortly going to begin not fifty yards from her own front door.
"Hey, Gail," Shenna waves over at her friend, "have you had a chance to brows?"
Nodding, the other woman smiles radiantly. "And I've had a chance to talk to Ryan Tempest in person." Spinning her head from left to right and craning her neck for a better view, Gail plops back on her heels with a huff. "I hope he hasn't gone - he's soooo handsome - his voice was enough to make my knees go weak but his eyes…"
A deep gravelly voice sounds from behind them. "Ladies, have you had a chance to look around?"
Shenna turns to see Ryan Tempest giving Gail a charming smile. "Is Terry with you Gail?" she asks pointedly, not taking her eyes off of Ryan Tempest.
Her friend gives a nervous laugh. "Well of course he is," Gail frowns curiously at Shenna then aims another gushing smile at Ryan Tempest, "Terry is just getting us some tea from the refreshment stand - which you very thoughtfully provided."
"It's a cold night, a hot cup of tea warms the cockles," he returns her smile then turns to Shenna. "May I get you a cup, Mrs Williams?"
Gail falters. "You've met?" she asks.
"Briefly," Ryan nods. "Now, about that tea, may I get you a cup?"
"No, thank you," she tells him curtly, though she would dearly love a cup of hot tea.
"Then I'll leave you to wander round," he tells her, his smile taking on a hard edge. "The question and answer session will start in half an hour," and giving a brief nod of his head he walks away into the crowd.
"You don't like him…?" Gail asks surprise in her voice.
No I don't like him…but I don't know why, damn it!
"I don't know him," Shenna hedges and moves away to look at the info-stands. "I remember reading about some of this - this one in particular." Pointing to a photo of a dig site in Africa she reads the blurb supplied to remind her of the details. "Yes…quite a haul and Tempest had been in charge of that dig too." I bet all of the digs on display here were headed up by the big-I-am Tempest!
"Wow," Gail looks at Shenn
a's snarling lips and takes a step back in mock fear, "you should see your face - if looks could kill, and that photo were the man himself, I swear he would have just keeled over and died."
"Who just died…?" Terry finally arrives back at Gail's side with two cups of steaming tea.
Gail takes her tea and swats his arm. "No one died - we were just talking."
"Where's Tommy," Shenna asks looking around at the same time, "I thought you were bringing him with you?"
"We did," Gail looks at her husband with a questioning frown, "what did you do with him?"
"The dig people are doing a special talk, over in the corner there, aimed at the kids." Terry points over with his chin.
Shenna watches the children's reactions and is pleased with what she sees. "Smart - getting the kids on-board, and to be fair they're doing an excellent teaching session."
"High praise indeed," Ryan Tempest tells her having found out that she herself is a teacher, "perhaps you will lend the dig your support now that you've seen we're not about to destroy the forest and everything living in it?"
Turning to him more fully, Shenna's eyes are cold as ice. "You don't need my support - you've got these people eating out of your hand."
Looking deep into her green eyes, Ryan wonders what is behind her open hostility. "Need…no, you're right, we don't need it - the dig will go ahead no matter what, it's too important not too," he tells her bluntly. "But you live right on top of the dig site, if you give it your blessing how could anyone else object?"
So…maybe that's what you were doing in my forest the other day, trying to find me to sell me the idea and head off the worst of the protests, should there be any. Clever…and conniving!
"Clever, but you overestimate my influence in the community," she tells him with a lift of her chin. "I home tutor some of the children in these parts, but that's the extent of my 'influence'."
A waving hand near the makeshift stage gets Ryan's attention. "I hope you'll all be staying for the talk, I'd be interested to hear what you think after." He addresses them all, but it's clear that it is Shenna's opinion he is courting.
They all three nod their heads but Shenna determines to leave the minute the talk is over. She isn't normally a coward and frowns at the idea of running away from another encounter with Tempest.
