by Jess Parry
“I know” Siobhan mumbles as she finishes the last of her coffee.
“I talked to you mother last night, she isn’t happy about the new addition to the family, but has agreed to let you bring her”
“Oh grandmother, thank you!” Siobhan exclaims as she jumps from her chair and encircles her grandmother in a tight hug.
“Come on, we still have a couple of things to do before packing you up to head home” Siobhan’s grandfather says as he heads to the door
Siobhan spent the rest of the afternoon helping her grandfather around the farm, happily enjoying his company. She watched as her grandmother walked hand in hand with her grandpa along the edge of the wheat crop. The love she felt radiating off them filled the emptiness in her heart.
She had returned from Ireland lost and empty, crawling into her bed, sleeping for almost two days straight. Her mother had called her father in from his golf trip early her concern with how much Siobhan had been sleeping, overriding everything else. Siobhan’s father had returned to say that Siobhan was just exhausted nothing to be concerned about.
Siobhan had gotten up on the fourth day home telling her parents she was going to her grandparents. They hadn’t balked as she had expected, but actually agreed that getting away from everything for a while might be just what was needed.
She had arrived on her grandparent’s front stairs, pale and shadowed; they had enveloped her in a warm cocoon of love slowly bringing the color and life back to her. They hadn’t asked any questions, just embraced her as they always did with unconditional love.
Standing outside her Jeep, Siobhan hugged both her grandparents tightly, fighting back the tears that always threatened to fall whenever she had to return to the city.
“I’m going to miss you guys” Siobhan shakily spoke
“Oh we’ll see in a few month’s little fairy. We’re coming up for Thanksgiving” her grandfather huskily replied as he squeezed Siobhan tightly to him
Sniffling softly, Siobhan’s grandmother bent down and picked up a small ball of white fluff. Placing it carefully into Siobhan’s arms, Siobhan felt the little bundle vibrating contently in her arms.
“What have you named her” Siobhan’s grandmother asked
“Maggie” Siobhan answered as the bundle of white fur stirred in her arms. Lifting her head the kitten looked up at Siobhan with one blue eye and one green eye. Yawning, the kitten stretched and curled back into a ball closing its eyes to sleep.
Laughing, Siobhan climbed into the Jeep, placing the sleeping kitten on the pillow in the passenger seat. She waved to her grandparents as she pulled out of the drive to head back to the city.
The first day of school is always a mad house of noises, freshmen running around trying to figure out what floor and room they needed to be in. Standing at her locker, Siobhan chuckled watching the chaos around her unfold, shaking her head as she heard Sarah calling to her.
She felt Sarah’s body slam into her as she wrapped her arms around Siobhan in a tight hug.
“Girl I missed you” Sarah whined loudly
“Me too” Siobhan answered
“You look better” Jason’s voice softly called as he stepped in front of Siobhan.
“As do you” Siobhan smiled as Jason took her hand
“This year is so going to rock!” Sarah bellowed
Laughing they made way to first period English. They only had one class each that the other wasn’t in this year, so Siobhan knew the race was on for them to get the grades their parents were expecting. Walking into the crowded classroom as fellow students searched out the seats they would have for the year. Finding three open spaces they sat with Siobhan in the middle.
Sarah’s phone chimed with an incoming text, she quickly dug it out of her purse flipping it open.
“Damn Sarah, you know you can’t have that thing on” Jason strongly whispered
“Oh bite me!” Sarah hissed “The last bell hasn’t rung. Besides it’s from Shawn, he says hi and can’t wait to see us in a couple of days”
Just as Sarah closed her phone, the last bell rang throughout the school signally the start of classes. A few hoots and hollers rang around the room as the seniors welcomed the last year for them. Leaning over Jason gently squeezed Siobhan’s shoulders.
“Class, I realize it’s your senior year, but we do have a lot to cover in a short period of time. I would suggest you turn off your phones and pull out your notebooks.” Mr. Goodman called out to the class silencing the callers
Looking into her bag for a pen, Siobhan heard the door to class opening followed by soft murmurs between Mr. Goodman and a lilting deep voice. Sitting up sharply, she took in the tall boy standing at the front of class. His back to her, so all she could see was shoulder length jet black hair, with blonde and silver streaks woven through out. He was standing with his feet slightly apart, but what she could see of he was well built. He was dressed in tight jeans riding low on his hips, a tight fitting black t-shirt that hugged the muscles in his strong back.
“Oh my…now that’s a drink of water” Sarah whispered
“Shh..what about Shawn” Siobhan whispered harshly
“Oh he is my man, but damn I can still look” Sarah squeaked
Chuckling, Siobhan looked over to see Jason’s brows pulled together tightly.
Leaning over to ask Jason what was wrong, as he sat in a rigid position staring ahead, Mr. Goodman’s voice boomed over the room once again.
“Class, we have a new student. Please welcome...ah how do you pronounce your name?”
“K.a.l.” a deep lilting voice filled the silence of the room.
Turning, the boy looked straight into Siobhan’s widening eyes. Cobalt eyes smoldering as Siobhan let the scream bubble out of her lips.
Kal laughed softly as he winked at Siobhan before making his way to the chair behind her. Closing her eyes as Kal passed her, he lightly touched her shoulders, pushing a memory to Siobhan.
She heard the sound of running water flowing easily down a stream, the clean air filling her senses. Sunlight warming her as she turned into its warmth, low moans falling softly from her lips. She could feel the feather light touch of lips trailing along her throat. Teasingly running closer to her waiting lips, tensing as every fiber in her body screamed for release.
A low chuckle whispered seductively in her ear, as she felt strong cool fingers lifting her chin, opening her eyes to gaze into cool blue eyes.
“Ghra” hoarsely filling her sense as lips captured hers possessing her
Shivering as she felt chaos tickling the edges of her mind, she felt the coldness surrounding her cooling her heated senses.
Turning around in her chair, Siobhan stared into the cool cobalt eyes of Ash’s beautiful face staring back at her.
241
Gathering Storm
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A big thank you to my bestie Jen, your house gave me the much needed time to write. If it wasn’t for you pushing me to continue I probably would have kept this on the back burner for another couple years. So thank you for the girls weekends, the coffee, wine and bouncing different thoughts off you. Your honesty kept me grounded when I wanted to wander.
My sweet hubby, thank you for taking care of the munchkins when I was stuck on the porch writing away lost in this world I had created.
Regina Wamba, the cover is awesome!! You nailed it in the first draft with a one page prologue to go on. Truly amazing work!
To the readers, thank you for taking a chance on my story, I truly hope you enjoyed it and got lost in a little wonderland of your imagination for a while.
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