The Pact

by Brenna Darcy

  Thinking back, the women in the restaurant were probably daring each other to go and ask for his autograph. The reason he’d seemed familiar to her was because she’d seen his picture on the back of his books. She remembered a discussion she’d had with her mother about how someone so gorgeous could write such disturbing stories.

  “Flic?” Mim touched her on the arm to get her attention.

  “Sorry, daydreaming.”

  “Hmmm, he has that affect,” the quietest of all the women teased and everyone laughed, including Flic.

  “Sorry what was the question?”

  “No question, just introducing you to everyone. “It was so like Mim to fuss over her in a motherly manner, making her feel welcomed and included right away.

  “Okay, can we start again? I promise to pay attention this time.”

  With introductions over, Lacey turned off the lights. The glow of the candles, combined with the scent of aromatherapy oils filling the air, provided the perfect atmosphere for relaxation. Lacey began by asking everyone to lay down, get comfortable and to close their eyes. Her voice, like a melody, was the perfect tone to calm the excitement in the room, taking them on their own separate journey into the most tranquil of gardens.

  Here Flic found Ellie. Uncertain if the gasp, which escaped her, was audible or a part of the dream like state she’d entered. Ellie still looked the same, but seemed more grown up and mature in her manner.

  Mixed emotions engulfed her, the meditative state enabling her to communicate with her daughter, although words seemed unnecessary. Ellie laughed and played as Flic remembered. She seemed happy, surrounded in beauty, where the sun shone and the flowers were every colour of the rainbow.

  Lacey guided them back to the room, Flic wanted to resist, to remain with Ellie for longer, but knew she had to say goodbye, again. Panic began to rise and feelings of dread overwhelmed her, as it did every morning when she woke to discover Ellie’s death wasn’t a nightmare. Taking a deep breath Flic waited a moment, allowing the calm to return. All she could do was hope Ellie would still be in the exotic garden whenever she chose to visit.

  Opening her eyes Flic noticed the others in the room were taking their time to sit up, so she lingered a little longer, wanting to ensure she’d completely regained her composure.

  The experience felt so real, as if Ellie were reassuring her that she was okay. Be it truth, or crazy, Flic wanted to believe her encounter with Ellie was more than just a vision. That despite the accident, her baby’s life continued. That she was not only happy, but thriving. The session turned out to be more confronting than Flic expected. Why hadn’t her mother elaborated on the possibilities meditation offered? Surely she was aware of what Flic’s experience might be.

  “Oh, Lacey, I’m sorry, I’m your worst meditation student ever. I go to sleep all the time,” Anita apologised.

  “Are you relaxed?”

  “Yes, but every week as soon as I see my garden I doze off with the sun shining down on me.”

  “Well your message must be to take time to relax and catch up on some sleep.” Lacey patted Anita’s hand, “I’ll fix you some tea.”

  “You’re a gem, thank you.”

  Sitting on blankets, sipping tea, some shared their experience, whilst the rest listened and suggested possible interpretations of the messages they received. Flic had no intention of contributing, so she remained quiet. The time she’d spent with Ellie was sacred to her, and she wanted to hold it close until she knew how to handle it. Even if it meant she became stagnant in her progress to move forward, nothing would convince her to give up what she’d discovered.

  “So Flic, what about you, any handsome writers in your garden offering big diamonds?” Doris teased.

  “Oh believe me, if there were I’d still be hiding in the undergrowth.” Flic laughed. Doris was tedious and relentless in her attempts to spark an intrigue. Flic hoped she’d save the teasing for after Dave left in the future, in case he got the wrong idea.

  Mim was the first to wash her cup and say goodnight, as she had to get back to the restaurant. The others were lucky enough to be going home to bed.

  “Did you drive tonight, or shall I wait and give you a lift to Dave’s?” Mim never stopped fussing. Stooping to pick up her blanket she glanced up at Lacey, as she waited for her response.

  Lacey’s scowl was as prominent as her brothers. “I’ve got two capable legs, Mim, despite what my brother thinks and I plan to put them to good use.”

  Flic half expected Lacey to end with a pout, cross her arms and stamp her foot like a spoiled five year old, but she didn’t.

  “I can give you a lift if you’d like.”

  “If you accept Flic’s offer I’ll leave, if not I’ll hang around and carry you to the car if necessary. I put up with Dave too, you know, and he already terrorises my staff enough.”

  “Fine, you win, besides it’ll give me and Flic a chance to chat. I’ll see you tomorrow night, Dave’s insisting we catch up for Friday night family dinners again.”

  “About time, I’ll see you then.” Mim wrapped her arms around Lacey in a tight hug. “Are you old ducks ready to go?”

  “We haven’t washed up yet,” Doris called over her shoulder, as she walked to the kitchen.

  “Leave those, I’m sure Flic won’t mind giving me a hand.”

  “You’re too sweet to us Lacey, come on girls. Lovely to meet you Flic,” Doris said, folding her blanket and helping Anita with hers before bustling the others out the door with a chorus of goodbyes.

  Silence followed the closing of the door. The sudden chill in the air made Flic grateful for the jacket she’d brought with her.

  Flic washed and dried mugs before putting them away. After sliding furniture to where Lacey indicated it’d been before the class, Flic extinguished the flame of the candles in the back room with a candlesnuffer. Lacey took care of those in the front of the store. With the shop returned to order, belongings gathered, Lacey set the alarm and locked the door behind them.

  “Mim mentioned you were looking for more work.” Lacey broke the silence as they walked to Flic’s car, extra hours the last thing on her mind.

  “Umm yes, now that Rachel’s feeling better and I’ll only work three days over the weekend, I’m going to have to, I guess.”

  Flic unlocked the doors, placed her blanket and bag on the back seat and slid into the driver’s seat next to Lacey.

  “She said you might be interested and I’ve been wanting to hire someone part time, but the right person hadn’t come along, until you.”

  “You mean all it took was for someone to come in, shoplift a fairy and the job was theirs?” Flic teased.

  “Aahh, but you came back, that took guts. Besides, if you can make my brother laugh you’ll be able to crack any nut who walks through those doors.”

  Flic hoped the match making idea hadn’t rubbed off on Lacey. Still not overly fond of Dave she had no intention of getting involved with him, or any guy in town. She made the decision to move in order to rediscover her self, not to find a new man.

  Lacey built an environment designed to make children smile, and as much as she loved to see them happy, Flic wasn’t convinced she was the right person for the job. It wasn’t fair to give a feeble excuse as to why she couldn’t accept the offer when Lacey had been so generous and kind to her. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate your offer, because I do, it’s just you don’t know me and there are things from my past that may change your mind about having me work for you.” Flic glanced sideways at Lacey to see her response.

  “Fair enough, try me.”

  “I don’t know if it’s safe to talk and drive.” She’d never spoken about it so freely to anyone, and wasn’t sure she’d cope. For both their safety, she wasn’t willing to take the risk.

  “Ok-ay,” Lacey began, “I could call Dave and ask him to have Ty a little longer and we could go to Mim’s and get coffee.”

  Flic took in a deep breath. “Or you can come over
and I’ll make us tea at the hotel. I promise I’m not mentally unstable, or a psychopath of any description.”

  “I already know that, to the hotel it is.”

  Flic pulled into her allocated car park.

  “Aren’t you living in style? I’ve always wanted to see inside these apartments since the new owner bought them, they’re meant to be pretty flash.”

  “They’re very nice, I’d prefer to have my own place though, but houses don’t come cheap around here do they?”

  “Sadly no, you looking to rent, or buy?”

  “Rent for now. I don’t want the hassle of selling if this area turns out to be a wrong fit.”

  Getting her blanket and bag from the back seat, Flic locked the car then rummaged through her purse for the apartment key card.

  It was a short distance to her room, opening the door she walked in ahead of Lacey, and switched on the light.

  “Feel free to look around, I’ll put the kettle on.”

  “It’s beautiful, they’ve done a great job of the decorating, so warm yet classy. Reminds me of Dave’s house.”

  Okay so her brother had good taste. It still wasn’t a good enough reason to date a guy.

  Flic dumped her stuff on the bed before filling the kettle and turning it on. “Would you like black tea, or peppermint? That’s all I have sorry.”

  “Peppermint is my favourite, thanks.”

  Taking out two mugs she dropped a tea bag in each. It would’ve been nice to have a teapot and leaves to brew rather than the generic brand she’d bought from the local store, but it’d have to do.

  Lacey walked around taking in every detail. Flic watched as she came to the windowsill filled with pictures of Ellie, some alone, and others together. She’d packed the family shots, and put them in storage because she couldn’t stand to see Jason smiling back at her.

  Picking one up, Flic’s favourite photo of the two of them laughing, Lacey looked at it a long time before turning to her. “Your little girl?”

  Flic nodded, but the words wouldn’t come, tears streamed down her cheeks at a rapid pace and she turned away to finish making the tea.

  Lacey set the picture down and walked over to Flic, put her arms around her and held her as she cried.

  When she felt completely exhausted, Flic moved from the embrace to finish making their tea.

  “I’m guessing you haven’t spoken to anyone about her?”

  Flic shook her head. “I’d rather keep it between us if you don’t mind, it’s not the prettiest story and I don’t want anyone to feel sorry for me, or treat me carefully. I had so much of that at home, I don’t think I could handle it here.” Carrying the cups of tea to the table, Flic sat, as did Lacey.

  “I can understand, people think they’re helping when what you really need is to not be reminded of it all the time.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Can I ask her name?”

  “Ellie, she was four when she—when it happened.”

  Lacey nodded, but didn’t ask any more questions, instead sipped her tea and waited.

  Flic picked up the mug, warming her hands even though it wasn’t cold in the room. Gazing at the murky coloured brew in her cup she took a deep breath, inhaling the peppermint scent that reminded her of freshly brushed teeth in the morning.

  “I wasn’t there when it happened. Ellie was at home with my husband, Jason.” Flic put the mug on the table without taking a sip, pushing her hair from her face she shifted in her seat. Too drained to cry anymore, she struggled to find the right words as the memory appeared so vivid in her mind. The vehemence of her reaction like slashing open freshly sutured wounds. “He use to drink a lot, but never when he looked after Ellie. His favourite football team was playing and he was having a private party on the couch. I never kept much alcohol in the house because he use to have a problem, and I wanted to help him.” Flic picked up her cup, held it a moment before putting it down again. “I don’t know why he went to get more alcohol—I never asked. That’s when it happened. Ellie was in the front seat without a seatbelt. She died at the scene.” Despite thinking she didn’t have it in her, tears trickled down her face as she spoke. “I lost everything that night. But, the worst part was that I couldn’t do anything to help her.”

  Lacey leaned forward and took Flic’s hand in hers. The gentle gesture gave her the strength to continue.

  “I hated him so much, I wouldn’t have anything to do with him. I went to live with my mum, and never returned to our house. I spent a lot of the past eight months in bed. That was until not long ago. I’d had enough of him harassing me and smashing my mother pot plants and kicking dents in my car, so I decided to move here. I thought if I left he’d leave both of us alone. The last time he came around to my mothers house to see me I went out and told him I was leaving.”

  “How did he take that?”

  Flic looked up, she realised that Lacey too had been crying. Leaning over she plucked some tissues from the box on the far side of the table and passed them to Lacey, then took a few for herself.

  “He waited until I was packing my car and attacked me. I managed to get away by kneeing him in his ego. He scared me, so I left.”

  “You did the right thing. Who knows what he might’ve done had you stayed? You’re a very strong and brave woman. You realise that, don’t you Flic?”

  She didn’t feel strong, or brave, but deflated and tired. The need for sleep built, but she nodded for Lacey’s sake.

  “More than ever I know you are the right person to work at The Fairy Realm. The joy might come one day, but your warmth towards others is already there. I’ll understand if you need a moment, or many, in the back room. Now would you like some more tea?”

  “Thanks, Lacey, I’m sorry I made you cry.”

  Lacey leaned over and gave her a tight squeeze, then busied herself making tea.

  Lacey kept the conversation light, filling Flic in on who was who at the meditation class, until the subject of Dave came up.

  “He really is a great guy, I wish he would find someone. He’d be the perfect husband and father. I mean he dotes on Ty more than most fathers do their own children. Doris was right when she said his intellect puts women off.”

  “I don’t know why, makes for more interesting conversation, wouldn’t you think?”

  “I do, but I think the whole writer’s life gets to them too, sometimes he talks to me about his characters like they’re real people and real events. In his genre I suppose they find it creepy.”

  “Hmmm, he does let off the creepy vibe with the frown he insists on wearing.”

  “Comes from always being in his head and overthinking everything. He never relaxes anymore, it’s just work, work, work.”

  “You should make him up a meditation CD, so he can put it on before he goes to bed.”

  “What a fabulous idea.”

  Flic could tell Lacey was close to her brother and fussed over him as she did Ty. Dave would be a more prominent figure in her day if she worked for Lacey. She just hoped that Mim didn’t mention her embarrassing attempt at writing a novel.

  “Speaking of Dave, I’ll get him to stop by and pick me up, he has to drive Ty and I home anyway.”

  “I don’t mind driving you.”

  “I know, but not necessary.”

  Dave was waiting when they walked out to the car park ten minutes later. If he noticed they were puffy faced from crying, he didn’t say anything, at least not for Flic to hear. Waving goodbye, he waited for her to close the door of her apartment before driving away.

  Inside, Flic knew she wouldn’t sleep much, despite the fatigue weighing down on her.

  Turning the tap on, Flic hoped the spa would be enough to soothe her back to the peaceful state she’d experienced after the meditation session.

  Chapter Seven

  “I MENTIONED TO MIM I’d call by the restaurant before your shift to discuss days and times you’re available. Dave said he’d close the shop for me.”

&nbs
p; Flic detoured via Lacey’s store, predicting early mornings to be the quietest time, to familiarise herself with everything before adding customers to the challenge. “Fine with me.” She paused, and glanced down at her hands before continuing. “Did Dave ask many questions?”

  “Nah, he’s good like that.”

  After a cup of tea, Flic left in pursuit of a local real estate agent to enquire about rental properties available or coming up in the area. Someone professional may be privileged to information about a granny flat the owner didn’t want advertised on the Internet. He wasn’t hard to locate, but knew little more than what she found out for herself.

  “I’m Matt by the way. I’ll give you a call if anything comes available. Most rentals in the area are for tourists and rent by the week, owners can charge more and still get the benefit of having a place to stay for the holidays.”

  “Understandable.” The set up didn’t suit her needs, but the rational explanation made sense.

  “A couple of locals have granny flats, and another has two houses, one of which is vacant. I’ll ask around for you.”

  “Thank you, if you don’t mind, I’d appreciate the help.” Flic wrote her name and contact details on a piece of paper and passed it to him.

  “You’re working at Mim’s, aren’t you?”

  “Yeah, she’s lovely.”

  “Sure is. She’s my aunt.”

  “Lucky you.” The close connections in the area took a bit to get used to, and served as a reminder of how careful you had to be in a small town— even the walls talked.

  The day had been a productive one, but she was still no closer to solving her accommodation dilemma. She couldn’t wait to have a permanent place of her own, if for no other reason than to retire her suitcases for the luxury of a closet to hang her clothes in. Being able to cook a meal was also desirable. Fresh salad and quiche, cooked daily at the bakery, was currently Flic’s main diet. She refused to resort to the easy way and dine out, an unnecessary and avoidable expense. Mim insisted she order a meal before every shift, free of charge, but Flic didn’t like to take advantage of her generosity.