by Cara E Holt
Endgame
By Cara E. Holt
Published by Cara E. Holt
Copyright © 2018 by Cara E. Holt
No reproduction without permission.
All rights reserved.
License Notes
This ebook is an original work of fiction. Names, characters, places and events are the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actuals persons or events is purely coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the written permission of the publisher.
Cover by Mullaney ebook covers
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two.
Chapter Three.
Chapter Four.
Chapter Five.
Chapter Six.
Chapter Seven.
Chapter Eight.
Chapter Nine.
Chapter Ten.
Chapter Eleven.
Chapter Twelve.
Chapter Thirteen.
Chapter Fourteen.
Chapter Fifteen.
Chapter Sixteen.
Chapter Seventeen.
Chapter Eighteen.
Chapter Nineteen.
Chapter Twenty.
Chapter Twenty-one.
GRAYSON’S STORY
Chapter One
The luggage carousel springs into life and everyone around me bustles forward. All of them watching anxiously as the cases start to come through, all hoping theirs will be one of the first ones out. Then there is the challenge of trying to grab your case before it moves on past you, meaning you then have to decide whether to chase after it or wait for it to come around again. I have not one but two cases I need to keep my eye out for and no doubt they wouldn’t come along together. I keep a look out for the yellow ribbon that I had tied around the handle of the case, which would hopefully help me spot them a bit easier.
I had to cram seventeen years of belongings into two suitcases. Which, let me tell you was no easy feat. The rest of my precious belongings would travel down in a courier van. I spot one of my cases and lunge forward and make a grab for it, hoisting it up of the moving carousel. Another minute later my other case makes its appearance and I am able to move on through to the arrivals lounge. I search the crowd looking for the man I had only ever seen via facetime. A stranger to me. A stranger who was my father. You see I had been one of those children. You know, the ones who grow up without a dad around. So, I would pretend, I would imagine he was an astronaut in a space station and that was why he couldn’t come and see me. Some days he would be a soldier fighting miles away in a fierce war. In all my made-up scenarios, he played a hero. I would write to father Christmas most years asking if I could have a daddy. The big man in the red suit never delivered on my annual request. As I got older he ceased to be a hero and became someone I hated and that I had told myself I didn’t need or want in my life.
In the space of two weeks I went from losing one parent to gaining another. In her final days of her battle with that fucker called cancer, my mum had announced that she had tracked down and contacted my father. It had been arranged that when she passed, that I would go and live with him and he would be my legal guardian until I became an adult. So, this is how I find myself here at the airport with my life in two cases looking for a stranger, otherwise known as my father.
I spot him at last, recognising him from our awkward facetime chats. His dark hair is short and groomed. His dark brown eyes fall upon he and he offers me a warm smile and waves, moving towards me.
“Everly.” He awkwardly kisses my cheek and then proceeds to take both cases from me. “How was the flight?”
“Fine.” I reply politely as I walk beside him.
“Everyone is excited to meet you.” He tells me smiling and I just smile and nod my head in response.
I highly doubted anyone was excited. I mean I was railroading into their perfect life. In short, I was being foisted upon my father. You see it turns out he never knew I existed until my mum’s solicitor contacted him. I was a complete surprise. My dad was happily married to a lady called Sophie. Sophie, he had told me in our second facetime session, had been married before and had two children similar age to me. My dad and Sophie had then had Ollie who was six.
I would be sharing a house with five other people. Five strangers, in a strange house, in a strange place. He leads me to a black BMW and tells me to get in, whilst he loads my cases into the boot. He gets in beside me and smiling he starts the engine and we head off.
There was no doubting this man was my father. I had his chocolate brown eyes and dark brown hair. It had been strange the first time I had seen his smile and I had frozen still as I realised it was the same way I smiled. I mean how can that be? How can you smile the same way as someone you have never met?
“So, you’ll start school on Monday.” He tells me breaking me from my thoughts. “Sophie has bought all your uniform ready for you.”
I sigh. “Just when I thought my uniform days were over.”
My Dad gives me a sympathetic smile. “It has a great sixth form. It will be worth having to wear a uniform for another eighteen months.
The thought of my new school filled me with dread. See I was a normal, working-class girl. I went to a state school and grew up in a two- bedroom terraced house. We weren’t on the breadline but we didn’t have a great deal of money. This new school would be full of rich and privileged kids. My accent would stick out like a sore thumb. I wasn’t really keen on southerners, for me they had a snobby disregard for anyone from the north.
Some twenty minutes later we arrive in a quaint little village. I lean closer to the window to take in my new surroundings.
“So, this is our village. It’s a lovely place to live.” He tells me doing his best to convince me that I could be happy here.
“it looks..quaint.” I reply my voice sounding flatter than I had intended.
I had googled the town the other night. It had a population of 6,745 at its last census. It was in the top ten most expensive towns to live in, in the U.K. The average house price was one million pounds. It was a world away from what I had grown up knowing. We drive down a road that is lined with gated houses. We slow down, and he indicates to turn into one of the said gated driveways. The gates open and I think my jaw falls to the floor as I see the place that is to be my new home. The house is super modern. It is all glass and sleek lines. It was the kind of house you would see on one of those channel four designer house shows.
“Wow.” I state leaning my head against the glass of the passenger window. My dad drives the car down an inclined drive into a basement garage. Two more cars are parked in here, a white range rover and a black golf. Everything about this place screamed money. My dad turns off the engine and faces me.
“Look, I know this will be a big change for you Everly, but well I want you to be happy here. I hope one day this place and this family will feel like home for you.”
I gulp, my emotions threatening to get the better of me and give him a sad smile. “I was happy with the life I had.”
He returns my sad smile and reaches and pats my leg, trying to provide some emotional reassurance.
“Come on. Let’s get you inside and settled in.”
We both climb out of the car and he grabs my cases out of the boot. I follow him up some stairs and we come out onto a large open plan living space. If I thought the house was amazing on the outside, then inside is even more so. It is all glass, gloss white and oak. Clinical, is what my mum would call it. The house is silent, so I presume no one is home.
“Is no one else in?” I ask. I mean don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t expecting them to be lined up ready to welcome me, but I thought they might at least be in.
“They are due back anytime. Plus, we didn’t want to overwhelm you.”
I smile. That was actually nice of them, I guess. My dad puts my cases down and gestures to the right. “This is the main living area. The kitchen is over there.” He points to where glossy white and grey units line the back wall.
He moves towards a set of glass floating stairs. “I’ll show you your room.”
I follow him upstairs and along a corridor to a room at the very end and he gestures for me to go in, in front of him.
It is a decent sized room with a double bed. The bed has a purple floral duvet on it. I walk in and look around. I open a door to the left and it reveals a small ensuite bathroom. The door next to it is a walk-in-closet, which I can’t help smile about. I mean what seventeen -year old girl doesn’t want a walk-in-closet?
“It is really nice.” I tell him smiling. I stand there chewing on my lip, not sure what to say or do next.
“Once your things arrive you can put your own stamp on it.” He puts my cases down on the floor and then looking a little unsure of himself, he tells me he will leave me to get settled in. Once I am alone I throw myself backwards on to the bed and stare up at the white ceiling.
“I miss you so much mum.” I whisper to the air around me as my grief hits me like a freight train again. I hear a door open downstairs and sit up on my elbows alert. I walk to the door and lean against it sticking my head out. It sounds like my new family, have just arrived home.
“Is she here Daddy?” Says a small voice, that sounds full of excitement.
I hear my Dad laugh. “She is upstairs, unpacking.”
“Are you okay honey?” I hear a soft feminine voice ask and I presume this is my dad’s wife – Sophie.
Next thing I hear two small feet bounding up the stairs so, I quickly move back into my room and make it look like I am unpacking, flinging my case open and pulling some clothes out.
“You’re here.” A small voice announces’ and I turn to see a small boy with a wide smile on his face staring at me. He has a mop of dark wavy hair and clear green eyes.
“Hi. You must be Ollie.” I bend down to his level and offer out my hand.
His smile widens. “Are you Everly? My new sister?”
I nod. “That’s me kid.”
“I’m six.” He tells me proudly.
“Wow.” I tell him pretending to look very impressed. I hear a second quieter, set of footsteps coming along the corridor outside. My dad and a tall willowy blonde lady appear in the doorway.
“Ollie, I told you to wait.” My dad scolds him offering me an apologetic smile. “Everly. This is my wife, Sophie.”
Sophie steps forward smiling, her green eyes meet mine. “It is great to finally meet you Everly.” She tells me as she drops a kiss on my cheek.
Sophie is beautiful. Her blonde hair is piled up effortlessly into a bun. She is tall and slim and has one of those perfect symmetrical faces.
“I’m sorry Ollie barged in on you. He has been very excited about your arrival.”
I shrug and offer her a smile. “It’s fine honestly.” I look back at Ollie who is still grinning at me like a Cheshire cat. He studies my features and then looks up at his Dad.
“Daddy, doesn’t Everly look like you?”
We all laugh and my dad ruffles Ollies hair playfully. “She does, but luckily she didn’t inherit my big nose.”
Ollie furrows his brows and then feels his own nose. “Did I Daddy?”
Laughing my dad shakes his head and tells him he has his mum’s perfect nose.
“Can I show Everly my room now?” He asks them before turning back to me, with an eager smile on his face.
“Not now Ollie.” Sophie rest her hands on his shoulders. “Let Everly unpack.”
“Aw.” He groans his bottom lip coming out. “I want to show her all my nerf guns.”
I drop to my knees’ so I am at his level. “I promise you can show me your room in a bit okay. I love nerf guns.”
His eyes light up at this. “I have lots of them. We can have a nerf fight with Dom.”
I give him my best smile. “That would be really cool.”
Sophie gives me an appreciative smile. “Come on nerf boy, you have reading to do.”
Ollie reluctantly allows his mum to guide him out of my room. She stops at the door and turns back to me. “I’ve warming up a lasagne for dinner. Is that okay for you?”
I nod. “Yeah lasagne is great. Thanks.”
My Dad gives me a wink and a smile and then they all leave me to it.
I start to unpack my things, hanging my clothes up in my new walk-in-closet. I pull out my mum’s cardigan from the bottom of my suitcase and hold it to my face and take a big inhale. It still smells like her. I place it under my pillow on the bed.
“Everly.” I hear my dad shout from downstairs. “Dinners ready.”
Ollie appears in my doorway with a nerf gun aimed at me and I hold my hands up in mock surrender.
“Hey. Don’t shoot.”
“Move now.” He says trying to do a deep manly voice.
I keep my hands in the air and move towards the door. “I’ll do as you say. Just don’t shoot me, Okay?” I pretend to look scared.
Ollie laughs, his dark curls bouncing. “I won’t silly. I’m only playing.”
“Phew.” I reply wiping my brow in mock relief. “Lead the way to dinner solider.”
Grinning he walks in front of me, his nerf gun poised in front of him, ready for attack. I pause when I walk towards the dining area as I see two older kids sat there. I take a nervous breath and move forward.
“Everly come and sit next to me.” Ollie commands taking an empty seat opposite the two older kids.
“Okay.” I reply and self-consciously sit down next to him. I feel two sets of eyes on me and slowly look up. The girl looks about fifteen and has honey blonde hair like her mum. She has one of those cute button noses that every girl wishes they had and the same heart shaped face as her mum. Green eyes finish off the perfection. The girl gives me an awkward smile. It must so weird for them, having a stranger come and live in their home. My eyes fall on the boy then. He looks about my age. He’s tall and leanly built. His toned arms mean he must play sports or lift weights. He too, has a mop of blonde hair that flops over his forehead and two sparkling green eyes. His eyes observe me intently, giving very little away.
Sophie comes over to the table bringing with her the delightful smell of cooked lasagne. She places the large dish in the centre of the table.
“Everly I’d like you to meet your step brother and sister. This is my daughter Abigail and my son Dominic.”
“Hi.” I greet them giving a small awkward wave with my hand.
“Hi.” Abigail smiles, toying with the fork in her hand and she looks to her brother who still hasn’t spoken yet.
“Hey.” He says bobbing his head in greeting.
Sophie sits. “Well tuck in.”
I smile politely and reach for the large serving spoon at the same time Dominic does.
“Sorry.” I mumble pulling back and blushing. Dominic smiles then and gestures for me to continue.
I carefully take the smallest piece I am able to and put it on my plate.
My Dad looks over at me frowning. “Is that all you are having?”
I pause with my knife and fork in hand and feel everyone’s eyes on me.
“Yeah.” I reply firmly before dropping my gaze to examine my food on my plate. I hear Sophie cough and then Dominic fills up his plate and the others follow suit. I begin my routine of cutting my food up into smaller pieces, I glance up and feel Dominic’s eyes on me, a look of intrigue there.
Dropping my gaze, I lift a forkful of lasagne to my mouth and begin to chew. Mealtimes were my least favourite time of the day. Meals with Mum had been extremely uncomfortable as she tried to pile my plate with food and then would sit and watch every mouthful I had.
“Everly. You and Dominic will be in sixth form together
.”
“Great.” I reply giving her a smile and then looking over at Dominic who is already reloading his plate with food. “What are you studying?”
Dominic looks up from his food at me. “Economics, Maths, German and history.”
“Dominic wants to be a stock broker.” My dad tells me, and I nod looking impressed.
“What about you Everly?” Abigail asks me from across the table, her green eyes on mine.
“English language and literature, history and Spanish.”
Sophie smiles at she pours wine into her glass. “Ah lovely, you and Dominic will be in history together then.”
“You talk funny.” Ollie announces, having been sat quietly eating his food for the last five minutes.
This brings a chuckle from Dominic across from me, who smiles when I look over at him.
Sophie blushes slightly. “That is because Everly grew up in the north of England Ollie.”
“I am from a place called Manchester Ollie. Have you heard of it?”
Ollie shakes his head and then seems to have a lightbulb moment. “Wait, Dom said Manchester Is a dump.”
Everyone goes quiet and Dominic coughs nearly choking on a piece of food. I look over at him my eyebrows raised in challenge. “Did he?” I reply, not taking my eyes off him. “Have you been?”
Dom looks at me and then at his mum. “Well, no.”
I turn to Ollie. “See Ollie, you should never comment on a place you haven’t been to before.”
He nods and then returns to eating his food.
Dom puts his knife and fork down on his plate and leans back in his chair.
“I’m done. Can I go now?”
My Dad looks up at him. “Where are you off to tonight?”
“Jacob is having some people from school around tonight.” Dom tells him as he takes out his phone and scrolls the screen.
“Ah well, you should take Everly.” Sophie announces. “It will be nice for her to meet people before she starts on Monday.”
I look up in panic and see the frown on Dom’s face.
“Honestly you don’t need to. I don’t want to crash your plans.” I tell him blushing with embarrassment. “Besides, I promised Ollie I’d look at his nerf guns.”
