《Before The Lily Falls》


 🌱 Chapter One - The Periphery 🌱

    What life gives, death takes and what death takes, happens to mean the most to us. When it takes what means the most, it changes things, it changes people. That''s how the devil finds ways to kill your happiness the moment you give birth to it. It''s like the sun: when the light fades, darkness creeps up and takes what''s left. Can you hear that whisper? Can you hear that beautiful rhapsody? There''s a snow-filled ballroom in the evening sky, where two angels dance around under a million burning suns, one sad and one happy but they synchronize in the most beautiful way possible without so much so as a single touch to the other''s wing or hands or face. But then the piano slows down and the violins start to cry and the angels leave each other''s side, for the only time they dance is when the morning greets the night and when the night greets the sunset of red, blue, and yellow lights. It''s that bittersweet feeling on the tongue when you''re happy and then sad, just one second later. It''s the feeling you get when you don''t know whether your tears are of joy or you''re just weeping.


    It was an ordinary day. A normal day for Lily Fisher as she made her way along the market street. She looked at the pumpkins, the cherries then the apples and blueberries. She waved to the old lady by the corner, who owned the bakery that always caused her to stop and smell the goodies. She stopped and indeed she smelt them. What did Miss Cambelle make today?- On her way back she¡¯d pick up some pastries for her father at home but first she needed to get the beans for her soup so she continued up the road, in her blue and white checkered frock, her mittens and her forest green coat.


    ¡°Bonjour, mon cher.¡±


    ¡°Bonjour.¡± She dropped to her knees and held her skirt before having a laugh with old Mister Stalker.


    ¡°What can me get cha¡¯, Miss Fisher?¡±


    ¡°Beans.¡±


    ¡°Magic beans?¡±


    ¡°Red and Black-eyed, Please.¡± She gave a laugh after the statement.


    ¡°Next time you know the word, say it. Me don¡¯t sell rice or crops, me sell beans, hear?¡±


    ¡°Heard.¡± The girl nodded before tilting her head to steal a glance through the window, just behind the man¡¯s grayed head. ¡°Is she any better?¡±


    ¡°No, me dear. I¡¯m afraid not. She¡¯s been coughin¡¯ all mornin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a minute to see her¡­ if that¡¯s okay?¡± She then smiled, taking the bag and paying the usual two gold ones.


    ¡°Go¡¯on. She¡¯ll love to see ya¡¯. Just don¡¯t tell ¡®er anything upsettin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Lily quickly shoved the bag into the sack at the side of her waist before going through the side alley of the house and entering the back. With the ring of the bell, Mr. Stalker shouts to the girl on the bed. ¡°That be, Lily.¡±


    She kept her head low so as not to hit the bars, she then got to a small bed in the corner of the room where bags and bags of beans were tied off but at the other end was nested a little stove next to a bed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll fix it up.¡± She said softly, grabbing some wood from beside it.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t, Lily. I¡¯m fine.¡± A softer voice insisted before springing up only to be left in groans, Lily instantly reached her side. ¡°Oh, you mustn¡¯t. You need your sleep, Bella.¡± She rubbed the back of her hand, gently against the girl¡¯s rosy cheek.


    ¡°You¡¯re being a mother again. Please tell me you brought something, a bottle of liquor maybe.¡± Bella¡¯s eyes closed. Lily could tell that her hand was anything but better and this was evident in the way they held hands.


    ¡°Oh, Isobel.¡± She started to scold her. ¡°The only thing I brought with me is hope.¡± She pressed the girl¡¯s hand against her own chest and started mumbling to herself.


    Isobel turned her head away. ¡°Praying is for the weak.¡± She snickered.


    Lily opened her eyes, staring at her before placing them back down. ¡°I know.¡±


    Isobel was the girl that had what every girl wanted. She had a thin frame, her hair was of the darkest color; black, her skin held the brightest of whites, her lips were plump and red and this was all before she got sick. Now she looked like she was in her forties, like she hadn¡¯t slept for months and maybe she didn¡¯t. The pain was excruciating but she had gotten used to it, that¡¯s what hurt Lily the most. The fact that Isobel could say she had gotten used to it.


    The girls grew up together but this did not affect their personalities. Lily and Isobel were like a fish and a dog, so different. So different. Lily grew up a saint, and Isobel¡­ well, a sinner. This has never kept Lily from loving her friend, she loved her and she prayed for her, every day along with her father.


    Lily was termed ordinary by people compared to Isobel, she wasn¡¯t ¡°that pretty¡± people would say; she had her father¡¯s long nose, and his golden hair but Lily¡¯s hair always got tangled as it was filled with curls that lengthened to her buttocks. She did, however, have her mother¡¯s emerald eyes and tan brown skin.


    Lily waited until Isobel was fast asleep before she left.


    On her way back home, she was hit with that scrumptious scent from the bakery so she made sure to give in to their devious intentions. And Oh! Everything looked wonderful, so wonderful that their smell did not lie one bit. She pressed one hand on the glass and the other up to her lip.


    ¡°What¡¯ll it be, Miss?¡±


    She glanced up to the boy.


    ¡°I can¡¯t decide.¡± Her eyes brightened every time she caught a glimpse of another. The puffs made her mouth water the most. They were perfectly round and the melted butter was a sign that they were still hot and their color held a sun-kissed brown. Lily thought about it, what it would feel like to bite into it. She could already hear the crunching of the crust and feel the softness of the inside as it melts in her mouth.


    She couldn¡¯t decide but seeing her face when she looked at that specific pastry, he knew exactly which one she wanted.


    ¡°How many?¡±


    ¡°Oh, just two please.¡± She slapped her lips together.


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    After the bakery, Lily was home. She pushed open the door with a sigh and dropped her coat and shoes off at the door, she went for the kitchen. The girl began her normal routine, washing the vegetables for a minute before leaving them in a bowl. To her somber notice, the house was quiet. Was her dad not home? She was usually greeted with the sound of the boxed television or radio but none seemed to be alive.


    ¡°Father?¡± She called out. ¡°Father?¡± Even louder.


    She took a few steps toward the living area. There, she saw what was catastrophic; everything was scattered and ransacked. How could she not notice when she first walked in? Where could he be? He never leaves the house. Never.


    "Dad?!" She yelled, running to the kitchen. He never left the house. How could he?-She thought as she ran upstairs looking around, the whole house looked like a tornado came for lunch. She didn''t know where to look. She scurried to the barn thinking her father would be there, tending to the goats or the cows but when she unbolted the door with a quick warp, it was just the animals. They made pleasing sounds, excited to see Lily but she was more fixated on something else, someone else.


    Staggering downhill, she hoped to see some sign that her father used the road but nothing was viable in her quest for clues. She reached the square once more. People stared, thinking she had just gone left or a screw came loose. She ran around in circles, asking anyone that knew her or was nice enough to hear her plea. She didn''t understand it, all her life he never left her side. She knew something was wrong. Her eyes danced around as she held her hair almost as if to scream bloody murder. Then there came a man clip-clopping through a nearby passage, she rushed over holding onto his leg.


    "Please help me find my father. He, he has long brown hair up to his neck, darker than mine and a big beard." The uniformed man watched her green eyes shed tears as she jabbered, looking around with sweaty palms. "I can''t find him, I can''t. I need to find him."


    He assured her. "Miss, are you sure he didn''t go out by himself?" He said, seizing the horse from its bolting movements.


    "No, no, you don''t understand, he, he can''t walk. It''s his legs, you see." She cried. "Where is he?" She begged, looking to the sky.


    The officer recalled an incident earlier that day, it was a gruesome thing really. He didn''t want to alert Lily if he wasn''t sure but the victim sounded so much like the description Lily gave that he had to take her to the hospital. She felt light-headed when he explained that there was an accident just outside of town and by the time the eye-witness took him to the scene, the man had died. He told her there was a possibility that it wasn''t her father and in seeing that she could have a little more peace of mind. He advised her to hope for the best but to expect the worst.


    The doctor who still tried to save him and the officer who found him, both were her entourage to the coldest room in the building. It was at the back, at the end of the road it seemed. It was like she was falling into a deep hole of thoughts, she wanted so badly for it not to be him but the odds were against her. This time, it could be him- She hated that she already said he was dead, feeling guilty for even considering it.


    The door had finally been opened, she could smell them. All of them. It made her stomach turn. It didn¡¯t sink in yet; she refused to believe it until she saw him if it was him. What her eyes saw, her brain couldn''t comprehend. She looked at the long lines of covered corpses and the small bells on their toes. She wondered if her father was in here, maybe¡­ maybe his bell would jingle before he went under.


    ¡°Is this him?¡± He questioned, lifting the white sheet.


    Lily felt a hard lump in her throat that she tried her best to get rid of. She blinked a few times and nodded her head. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s¡­it¡¯s my father.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t recognize him, his face had been sunk in and she knew that meant a cracked skull but still she knew, she knew it was her father. He had broken fingers and a broken arm. She watched him from head to toe, naked as he was. He had the thinnest bones for feet but that was normal. She didn¡¯t know if he died with his eyes lit or with them filled with terror. She wondered who could do such a thing¡­ He was selfless and this was what he got from it. Lily knew that her father¡¯s death wasn¡¯t an accident and she was going to uncover the truth, even if it meant sacrificing her entire life or putting it on hold. She had to face it, he was dead. She hadn¡¯t the words to express herself. Is this it? This was how he was taken away from her. What¡¯s left now? Lily felt the slightest shock from her spine down. Before she knew it, she¡¯d collapsed where she stood, collapsed and blacked out. Where would her mind take her now? How could she save herself from herself?


    When Lily opened her drained eyes, the sun was nearly asleep; the nurses¡¯ voices could be heard just beyond the curtain, seeing patients. She felt something, she felt sad but she didn¡¯t know why. Why? Why was Lily sad? She¡¯d just recalled the last few hours; her father was dead, someone killed him.


    Someone killed him. Was all that ran through her mind. He¡¯s gone.


    The tight grip on the bed was a sure sign she didn¡¯t wake from the nightmare, she was now living in it. She wiggled her toes to feel for the ground but when she couldn¡¯t, she pushed herself down onto the floor. After fastening her shoes, Lily slipped her coat on and trembled as she ran the drapes to one side.


    The Fisher house would be as good as empty; Lily didn¡¯t want to go back. She couldn¡¯t bear seeing what was left there. She needed someplace to stay, to be. Her aunt had already sold her house in the village and was halfway around the world.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am? Are you feeling better?¡± said a nurse.


    No. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever feel better Was what she wanted to say but Lily nodded as she walked out of the room and into the hall. It seemed like a long, long walk. The corridor had stretched three times what it was when she came in. It could be because she was in a rush to see her father but now she was hesitant to leave the building, hesitant on what her next move was going to be.


    Lily Fisher, everyone seemed to have her but who did she have? Who could she turn to?


    The town¡¯s square was nearly empty by now and the poor orphan was left in the middle of it. The place seemed like a maze, she didn¡¯t know which way was the right way, which way would led her to the light, and which way she could find redemption.


    Within a couple of seconds, within the blink of her eyes, she found herself at the doorsteps of the Stalker house. She lifted her hands for a knock but pulled them away and held them to her chest. It was late, how could she bother them with her worries when they have worries of their own? It wasn¡¯t right. What could Mr. Stalker do for her? What could Isobel do for her in the state that she was in? It wasn¡¯t right.


    It wasn¡¯t right; Lily turned to leave when the door creaked open.


    ¡°Lily, that be you?¡± Mr. Stalker squinted his eyes in the darkness. With his candle, He could barely make out her golden hair that shone in the moonlight.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She whispered.


    ¡°What brings you bout this hour, me dear?¡± He hovered his hand over the flame before turning back inside. He didn¡¯t wait for an answer but instead said. ¡°Come in.¡± And she did.


    After being seated, Stalker resided beside her. He noticed her weary eyes, her near-to-death colored skin, and the droopiness of her stance when she was at the door.


    ¡°What be the matter? And why¡¯d ya¡¯ leave poor Fullin home alone?¡± He questioned, rolling up his nightgown¡¯s sleeve to scratch his arm.


    ¡°Isobel¡¯s asleep; she seemed much better after you left.¡± He slapped his lips before saying. ¡°All me do for her and she doesn¡¯t move an inch. You come then she wants to start cookin¡¯.¡± He chuckled.


    ¡°Oh for Pete¡¯s sake¡­ What¡¯s buggin¡¯ ya¡¯, Lily girl?¡± He folded his arms as he said in a heavy voice.


    She slowly wobbled her head, glaring at him.


    ¡°Someone killed my father.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± He sat up, brows up. He was shocked at this information that had been given. ¡°You mean, Mr. Fullin¡¯s¡­¡± He held the hairs on his head.


    ¡°Dead.¡± She replied coldly. ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡±

 Chapter Two - The Transition

    The morning of the funeral went mute. The coldness of the rain was a sign of darker days ahead- she thought. Only a few people knew about it or that he even died at all. Some knew, some kept quiet. Lily was less than excited to go around telling people her father had died. What could she say when they asked how?


    There was Mr. Stalker at her side, the policeman came to give his condolences. There was around six town folk that were close with Mr. Fullin, so close that they knew his daughter. People didn¡¯t know he had a daughter, you see¡­ The house had been all hushed up since the incident with Lily¡¯s mother. They don¡¯t talk about it anymore; they try not to remember it.


    No eulogy was given, no pastor came to talk about life after death. They just dug a hole and planted him like a seed then¡­ it was over. It was over.


    Lily seemed to be the first person to walk away, she felt her heart race for the first time since her father¡¯s death.. but she was stopped.


    ¡°Lily.¡± He called out, her next step was halted. She dropped her feet and then looked at him.


    ¡°When will you be home?¡± He was a generous man, letting her stay at the house for almost a week. He didn¡¯t complain, even though, he was dirt poor and had to take care of his daughter by himself. He welcomed her and he¡¯d gotten used to an extra head at the table in the evenings.


    She shook her head from left to right, sobbing as she wiped tears from her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going back.¡±


    She had overstayed her welcome, she knew that today was the day she needed to go home. She had to start crawling again; the faster she did that, the faster she¡¯d be on her feet and on her own.


    ¡°You can always come back if you feel the need to, me dear.¡± He gestured her by holding her hand. ¡°Anytime ya¡¯ feel the need.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± She uttered with a slight smile, hiding the tears behind her mask.


    He nodded, biting his lower lip as he turned to leave. To his surprise, he passed a woman dressed in black. She looked like she was just widowed; black gloves, black stockings, black cover on side of her face. The only thing that wasn¡¯t black was the tint of red on her lips. She swayed her hips, holding her purse up to her chest as she marched towards Lily.


    Lily had been staring at her father¡¯s grave from afar. She couldn¡¯t help but rub her arms to comfort herself.


    ¡°Lily? Lily Fisher?¡± She tilted her head down to catch a glimpse of the girl¡¯s face. ¡°What a beautiful young woman you¡¯ve become.¡±


    She looked up at her, confused with a nod that she give in agreement.


    ¡°I¡¯m-¡°


    ¡°I know who you are.¡± She stopped her.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± The woman squinted her eyes, interlocked her fingers together, and sighed before saying. ¡°Well, of course, you do. Anyway, as you know, your father used to be of great help to our estate until he got sick¡­¡± She placed a cross on her body quickly before kissing her hand and then pointing her finger up to the sky. ¡°God rest his soul¡± She continued. ¡°He said if anything¡¯s to happen to him, you¡¯d need all the help you could get.¡±


    Lily¡¯s response was less than silent, she gazed at her waiting for something relevant to her situation.


    ¡°Well, my dear¡­ We could use a helping hand around the manor. Just to cook and dust a few things. Whenever you¡¯re ready, you know where to find me.¡±


    She cupped her hand on the girl¡¯s cheek, saying softly. ¡°And I¡¯m truly sorry about your father.¡±


    There was a fountain, that stood in the middle of the town square. Lily found herself at it, she was there for one hour, two hours, and three hours. The rain had stopped. She stared at the children playing with each other as rug-haired dogs followed them around. She watched the busy women at the grocery shop as they hustled and bustled, fought, and pushed each other. They all called out what they wanted but it all came out like a blurry vision, a not-so-good choir. Too many voices, the man couldn¡¯t possibly make out what they were saying but time after time, they disappeared, took their children home¡­ and then the men came out. Just after work, they¡¯d looked forward to grabbing a drink at the ol¡¯ brewery.


    She paced herself, got up, and held unto her purse. Lily could smell the baked goods, even if they were made early that morning. She passed the place and as with all things, she was hesitant. Her hands vibrated as she pushed the door open, to hear the sound of a bell from it. It startled the girl, she looked around to see the place empty. Empty; she was alone. She didn¡¯t notice the boy that sat in the chair behind the counter. She walked around the displaying glass case, pressing her finger against it. She looked at the buns, the sponge cakes, and the biscuits. They seemed lovely that day.


    ¡°Which one will it be, Miss?¡±


    She gently pressed her finger against the part of the glass that aligned with the biscuits. But as soon as she looked up, she let out a loud gasp and started to pant. She nodded and backed away, covering her face with her hands.


    Her father was standing infront of her behind the counter. He had a bashed in face, a broken arm but somehow, he managed to hold up the biscuit to her. She could smell and even taste, something metallic on her tongue, she felt it building up in her mouth but didn¡¯t feel it when it drizzled from her nostril.


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    ¡°Miss? Miss, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Leave me alone!¡± She closed her eyes as tight as she could, feeling for the door. She soon caught grip of the hand and pulled it open. She ran out, she ran into the now beating rain. She felt it on her skin but she hadn¡¯t realized what transpired until she opened them.


    ¡°Are you okay, miss?¡±


    All Lily could do was shake her head, she grabbed hold of the kind gentleman¡¯s hand and got up. Embarrassed and ashamed; Lily gulped and continued walking, fixing her mud-filled skirt as she made her way down the road in the less-than-generous weather.


    By now, her hair had been stuck unto her face by the water, her feet sapped as she tried to put one foot after another in the mud.


    ¡°Miss! Miss!¡± It was the same voice again.


    Lily froze where she stood and to her luck, the boy could not see the tears that fell from her eyes for the rain hid them. She raised her head, and her eyes met his.


    ¡°Miss, you forgot your bag.¡± He waved it in front of her, he noticed the lack of life in her eyes and knew she hadn¡¯t the strength to speak or move another muscle.


    He held her and spun her around, back to the shop, took her inside, and straight to the bath he¡¯d set for his sister.


    The rain was so hard, she couldn¡¯t hear what had transpired in the home¡¯s kitchen but what she did do was stop herself from falling into the tub of water and drowning.


    ¡°She¡¯s in there?¡± This woman weighed four times that of Lily, she was huge but jolly. Guests, she didn¡¯t like guests or people in her home. She stomped through the house and headed for the room where Lily was. She changed her question, slapping a towel over her shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡±


    She stared into the room and turned back to her brother, who continued to make tea.


    ¡°She was left in the rain, Tammy. Looked like a sick dog.¡± He explained, then walked over to his sister and held her back. ¡°Come on then, go in.¡± He gave her a slight push. ¡°All I did was drop her in, I didn¡¯t touch her or anything, that¡¯s why she still got them clothes on.¡± He added. ¡°Oh, go on.¡±


    She slapped his hand away playfully before getting in and on the stool. When Tammy sat down, the stool disappeared beneath, her brother would tease that her legs were like drumsticks.


    The look on Lily¡¯s face softened Tammy right up. Tammy knew this one was in shock, something had happened.


    ¡°Aw, poor baby.¡± She muttered, grabbing a cloth and dripping the water on her head. She then carefully undressed Lily, who happened to be staring at the wall. She took off her skirt and her shirt.


    Lily thought it would be easy to let go, to just go about like this was nothing. Like his death was nothing but she couldn''t. She felt herself floating in a pool of emotions and she was fighting it, fighting the water from pulling her frail raft under. She felt lost, she felt broken but she knew it would come but why? Why did they want her father dead? He¡¯d never hurt anyone before now, has he?


    Before she knew it, she was sitting in a nightgown, four times big for her size and she¡¯d been wrapped in the softest blanket ever. The material of the blanket was not what made it soft but it was the love around her. Tammy¡¯s love, even if it wasn¡¯t love and only just nurtured feeling. When Lily ever thought about this day, she would say it was the luckiest she¡¯d ever been; to meet these people was a sure blessing. And maybe it was him, the boy that sat opposite her. He kept staring, he never stopped when she opened her eyes¡­ he was there, and he reached her side within an instant.


    ¡°Are you okay, Miss?¡± Attentively he questioned. Maybe this time she''d answer, maybe the third time is the charm.


    She blinked, then blinked.. then blinked again.


    Who was this person? She didn¡¯t know him but his voice, it was familiar and, and calming. His hair was like that of Isobel¡¯s, it was dark but it had more curls in it than a judge in a gray wig. His face wasn¡¯t that of Prince Charming but it had the loveliest smile, a smile that would make any girl who noticed it, faint.


    Why was he smiling? Somehow, after all, that Lily had been through, she smiled and so did he. She slowly lifted her feet and placed them on the floor. He fell back at her movements, barely catching a glimpse of her face as her auburn hair fell back in place.


    ¡°Jacob, would you give the girl some air? Jesus.¡± Tammy, who was reading the day¡¯s paper, sucked her teeth at the boy as she flipped the page.


    He glanced down and then back at her. ¡°Would you like some tea?¡± As he was about to reach for her forehead, she turned away. ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± He smiled again and she froze. ¡°I was just checking your temperature.¡± She then took a breath and turned her head back to him.


    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± It came out soft and unsure.


    ¡°Where do you live, darling?¡± Tammy asked, dropping the paper on her thighs.


    ¡°From the hillside. I¡¯m Mr.¡± She couldn¡¯t even say his name, she lowered her head and then choked out. ¡°I¡¯m Mr. Fullin¡¯s daughter.¡±


    ¡°Fullin¡¯s daughter!?¡± Her eyes seemed to be out of their sockets in amazement. ¡° I never knew he had a daughter. You hear that, Jacob¡­ Mr. Fullin¡¯s daughter.¡± She laughed.


    ¡°Mr. Fullin¡¯s daughter?¡± He asked himself, pouring the tea when they all heard an ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°Jacob? You okay, boy?¡± Tammy leaned forward in the two-seater she was taking up.


    ¡°Yeah, I-I¡¯m fine. I just got a burn, that¡¯s all.¡± He let out a weak laugh, making his way to Lily''s side.


    ¡°Don¡¯t shake the tray, she¡¯ll know you¡¯re not the marrying type, eh?¡± She chuckled, taking a cup and giving a nod of thanks.


    Jacob took a laugh too before handing a cup to Lily who was silent during the whole session. She placed the cup on her lips and stared at the fireplace, she tilted her head at the flames how they looked like they were fighting each other.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your dad.¡± It came in quiet, his voice.


    Her eyes fell to the cup, it seemed like that was what she heard then sighed. ¡°I am too.¡±


    How does one react to such an act,  having a loved one slain? Why did her father have to leave her alone? What was she supposed to do now that they has gone away? Was there anything that could save her? It was as if the world had stopped turning and in that moment, she had let the world around her fad into t black and white screen. She was going to cloud her mind with false realities of something that could have been and something that will never be again. She would allow pity parties to be thrown but she would see to it that she couldn''t be bothered to hear a word of condolences for something she could accept was alive. In that way, she will fall into her pit of cool gray, stuck in a timeline where she once was rather than one were she never was.

 Chapter Three - The Forlorn

    It dawned on her that someone was at the door, it could have been  William or Mr. Fullin¡¯s Daughter or even him, the one she''d longed to see. The pebbles crunched as the car drove up to the entrance. Next came the steps of a young man who went straight into Beckingham Manor without hesitation. He closed the buttons of his shirt, fixed his straight dirty blonde hair by running his fingers through them then sucked his teeth. He entered, pushing both doors open, with a ¡°Mother, I¡¯m back!¡± and a grin.


    ¡°So you haven¡¯t moved from there since I left, have you?¡± He added.


    ¡°You sound just like your father. You look like him too when you do that thing with your face.¡± She raised her glass to where a portrait stood, just over the fireplace.


    He greeted the woman with a peck on the cheek. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, Jodi.¡± He sat down, holding her hands and looking at her admiringly.


    ¡°That.¡± She mocked. ¡°If he didn¡¯t do that, I wouldn¡¯t have had you.¡± She swung her glass around lightly as the red wine danced in it. Words slipt from her tongue as she placed the cup to her lip. ¡°What a mistake that was.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of my father¡­¡± He tapped the back of her hand lightly before sitting up. ¡°Have you talked to him?¡±


    ¡°Of course, he claims he¡¯s in South Africa.¡± She gave a slight chuckle, not one to laugh a joke but one that brushed off the fact that he¡¯d peg her for a fool.


    He placed his hand on his chin, caressing it as he asked.  ¡°So where do you think he is?¡±


    ¡°Ugh, your father¡¯s in Washington, William. Definitely.¡± She brought herself up and then walked to the fireplace. She said it in such a low tone ¡°I can tell.¡± Then she rubbed the marble mantle over it.


    ¡°How do you know?¡± He flipped his foot up on his thigh, eager to hear her answer.


    ¡°Because I heard her, that tramp snoring as he spoke.¡± She took off the ring she wore, looking at it, concerned and hell-ridden ¡°William¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mother?¡± He looked up at her.


    William was dashing and handsome, he carried himself well. Some say he only looked good because he was rich and if he had money¡­ to any woman, he¡¯d be the man of their dreams. He had this way of looking at people, women in particular, even his mother. He used his eyes, they¡¯d look like they were half closed but they were also bright, bright, and sky-like. They were just like the color of his mother¡¯s eyes. And her traits with his father¡¯s were a recipe for the ¡°Perfect man.¡±


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    She sighed before saying. ¡°Is it possible that one day, your father would stop calling?¡±


    ¡°He has everything here. He wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± William said, he soon reached his mother¡¯s side once more. He rubbed her shoulders and kissed her forehead, slowly whiffing her hair before letting her go. He was so comforting to her, William used to tell her that he''d never leave her side and she knew her son meant every word.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a bath.¡± He unbuttoned his shirt as he made his way out the door and up the staircase.


    His mother slipped the ring back on her finger, looking at the diamond as it changed every time she moved her hand. She pushed some hair back and grabbed hold of her glass before four words left her muttering mouth. ¡°I wish he would.¡±


    What happened to him? Was he just to marry to give her the name Mrs. Beckingham and then leave?


    She took refuge in the library and began pondering on her husband¡­ when did it all fall apart? She was feckless when it came to the man she loved. They were settling fine when they¡¯d just eloped with his father¡¯s money. Was he a bigger thief than she was? His greatest heist must''ve been stealing her heart. He was way over the line, wasn¡¯t he? He was supposed to be there for her. Even after all these years, she still loved him and this love grew to give her a melancholy feeling, a pain in her chest when something reminded her of the days when they were young and playful. Then life moved on as it should and he wanted to follow the showgirls and streetwalkers. Mrs. Beckingham heard that the girl he was with now was half her own age, almost as young as William.  She was a beautiful and smart lass, a sly fox. When Jodi heard that the woman had entered law school, she couldn¡¯t help but laugh. He''d been outsmarted. He was hiding his money from his own wife and child, just to give it away to this girl. When the well ran dry,  Jodi was sure this girl would seek sanctuary elsewhere or maybe she was smart enough to build her own well beforehand. And where would her husband be? He¡¯d be left to come back home, with his wife and child or to continue being a host to a new parasite. His good looks were only a bonus to these ¡°other women¡±, it was his money they were after. What was the difference between them? She knew him when he was dirt poor and she still loved him, she still loves him. Now? He was out there giving her love to other women but that didn¡¯t stop her from waiting. If he hadn''t any more love to give and he just pretended, Jodi wouldn''t cry or fret or regret, she''d be thankful he was home and with her son. But she¡¯d rather a pretense than the cold stone truth anyway and she¡¯d rather a pretty fantasy than an ugly reality.  She didn¡¯t mind drowning them out with a drink or two, the naysayer and gossipers. It couldn''t be harder than that, figuring out how she is the way she is, why she was a sophisticated drunkard.


    And It all started six years ago.


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t blind but he sure acts like it.¡± She would discuss this with her mother-in-law. When that old hag died, he left for the US of A and up until now, he''s been ''''traveling the world''''. That was putting it mildly.


    She was now the Mrs. Beckingham, the china doll of the estate; she looked pretty and well put together but the slightest push would break her into pieces. The only thing that held her now was the alcohol and the identical image of her lover, which was her son.

 Chapter 4 - The Interloper

    Jacob felt like he could relate to Lily. Losing a parent wasn¡¯t an easy thing to deal with. From the first time he saw her, that day when existing seems senseless to Lily, he knew he couldn¡¯t just let her be. After that day, he made it his priority to visit Mr. Fullins¡¯s house. Could I even call it that? He began to wonder what life would have been like had he not met this girl. Jacob found himself driving up the hill to the house to make sure Lily didn¡¯t miss a day of eating.


    As he sat in the van, he stared up at the mundane house. It seemed as desolate as the empty barn behind it.  Jacob sank into his seat and closed his eyes, thinking about the conversation he had with his sister:


    ¡°You go up there every day.¡± She stated bluntly, leaning her body on the door as she watched him march down the stairs.


    He stopped what he was doing and swallowed before saying. ¡°Yeah, I do. I want to make sure she¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°I know that, Jake.¡± She sighed before saying. ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t let your expectations get in the way.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ what do you mean?¡± He lifted his brow.  What expectations could he possibly have?


    ¡°Don¡¯t expect her to give you her love because you¡¯ve given yours.¡±


    There was silence in the room, a silence that could only mean one thing¡­ Was Jacob in love with Lily? His eyes seemed to have dropped to the floor in thought then his lips folded in almost as if to bite them. Jacob nodded and made his way to the old rocking chair by the front door, just beside Tammy. He rolled up his socks and began putting them on.


    ¡°You¡¯re ridiculous, my sister¡­ and delusional.¡± He shook away her suspicions with a chuckle.


    ¡°Ridiculous, maybe¡­ Delusional? Not quite.¡± She folded her arms. ¡° I know you. And these days you¡¯ve been acting quite strange recently.¡±


    He let out a loud ¡°Ha!¡± and then fastened his shoes. ¡°I¡¯m acting strange, that must mean I like her¡­ No, it must mean I love her.¡± He burst out in laughter. He quickly got up and headed to the door, leaving a kiss for his sister and a few more words. ¡°You are delusional, Tammy. You¡¯ll see. I¡¯ll prove it to you.¡±


    Tammy smiled and waved goodbye as he drove off.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how I deal with my sister when she comes to her¡­ conclusions.¡± The whole conversation was a bit uncanny; it could have been the fact that Jacob was afraid to admit this himself. But what was ¡®this¡¯? It came back to the question: Was Jacob in love with Lily? He asked himself this and in return, he nodded his head and ticked his teeth.


    ¡°I¡¯m not. Tammy¡¯s just getting to my head.¡± He muttered, opening the door. He grabbed the bag of baked goods and set up himself for the greeting with Lily. He found himself fixing his hair, clearing his throat as he repeated her name. ¡°Hello, Lily,¡± He said in a deep voice then ¡°Hey, Lily. I¡¯m back¡± in a softer tone.


    ¡°Oh no. What has she done to me?¡± He¡¯d never done this before. This was unusual for Jake to prepare before he saw this girl. Was Tammy speaking the truth? He sighed and marched up to the front porch before opening the door.


    The television was on but it was cloudy and Jacob could hear sizzling from the kitchen. He lowered the bag from off his shoulder and looked into the living room to see if Lily was there with her eyes glued onto the screen; she wasn¡¯t. He went into the kitchen, he got to the pot where the water had been boiling. He turned it off before heading upstairs to where Mr. Fullin¡¯s and  Lily¡¯s rooms were. He entered Mr. Fullin¡¯s room and gazed around, it was a mess but a clean mess. There were small pieces of paper lying around and a bed without bed sheets and a window without blinds and a closet without clothes.


    Jacob then headed for Lily''s room down the hall and that was dim, it was only lit from the window at the end of it and the two rooms¡¯ windows. He called out. ¡°Lily?¡±


    ¡°Lily, where are you?¡± He was about to open her door when he heard a loud thump from above. That was all he needed to hair, Jacob ran downstairs and out of the house to see if he was right in his conclusions.


    ¡°Lily! What are you doing?¡± He called out, smiling at her, waving his hands.


    She saw him but she didn¡¯t smile, she just looked at him and then back at the long pole in her hands. Lily fidgeted with it and somehow got lost in the wind as it begged to take her with it. She closed her eyes and took a deep long breath, trying to fight its terrible plea.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Jacob held a hand at his waist and the other over his eyes to block the dying sun from them, he felt happy that she finally got up from her father¡¯s chair and that she¡¯d put tea on, and that she¡¯d managed to make it up to the top of the house. He then spotted a ladder at the left side of the house and began to wait. He waited for her to come down and she did but slowly. Her body was surely weak, she¡¯d been taking one meal a day. She would only eat when Jacob was around to force her.


    When she got down and her feet touched the ground, he held his hand out. She hesitated before keeping her hands to herself. He felt defeated but wouldn¡¯t let that get in the way of what he came to do.


    ¡°I brought cakes¡­ as usual.¡± He grinned.


    She walked into the house as if Jacob was nonexistent. He was used to this so it didn¡¯t bother him, she¡¯d always keep to herself¡­ most of the time. He sighed and rubbed his forehead, watching as she took a seat in the red armchair. He left her alone and went into the kitchen. He felt like ripping the locks from his head at that moment.  It was normal for her to ignore him because she¡¯d been depressed and she was still in mourning but why did he feel so hurt now? Why?


    He went back out with things to drink and eat but they were all in a bag, packed away. He took a seat beside her and looked straight at her, he stared and stared until she turned to him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go for a walk.¡± Lily said.


    To a walk, they went. They took the back door towards her father¡¯s pasture, a big field. It was used to keep horses, sheep, cows, and goats. Lily made Jacob sell them when he came to see her the day after he dropped her home.  She gazed at the barn, the doors wide opened and emptied. She rubbed her arms and stopped herself from staring at the building.


    Lily¡¯s lid seemed to have blocked her sight as they were sleeping on half of her pupils, tired from the days of tears they managed to let out. Lily herself looked as if she was tired, in the red dress she insisted on changing into. When she thought about that dress, she realized she had never worn it before. Her father had bought it for her 20th birthday and it was the most beautiful thing she ever laid eyes on.


    The waist of the dress was laced in ribbons; it was a corset fit, the arms were big and round and poofy, and the bottom of the dress frilled out with satin. Lily thought it would be best to never wear it so she kept it hidden away with all the other presents that were prized possessions of hers.  She had brushed her hair back into a bun and wrapped it until the golden colors looked like round baked bread.


    Jacob his hands sweating, he didn¡¯t know why. He didn¡¯t know why she¡¯d dressed in such extravagant clothing and he didn¡¯t understand why she felt the need to bring a sack with all of her other ¡°prized possessions but he happily fetched it for her anyway.


    They found the perfect spot to watch the sunset, it was a little hill just at the end of the field, and the grass was perfectly soft to nest in. The animals hadn¡¯t gotten the chance to take a nibble of the sweet-smelling grass. It was also perfect because they both had a big tree for shade and to lay their head. So they sat down and took out everything.


    Jacob glanced up at Lily who¡¯d been leaning on one of her hands, the outline of her body was heightened by the horizon and the red dress made her look even more beautiful; this was something Jacob could not deny. He gave a slight smile, something made his eyes brighten. Was it the fact that he was beginning to come to terms with himself and the truth or was it just the sun reflecting in his eyes?


    ¡°Here.¡± He pushed a plate down beside her, she glanced down at it.


    ¡°Puffs.¡± She tried to chuckle and then smiled up at him.


    He smiled back, it was the first he¡¯d seen her smile but she wasn¡¯t smiling for long. She quickly rubbed the tears that fell from her now-red face.


    ¡°What? What is it?¡± He dropped his mouth and held her arms, he was confused.


    She sniffed and nodded. ¡°It¡¯s just, it¡¯s just that¡­¡± She sighed, sat up, and wiped another tear away.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± He hugged her but soon felt his shirt soiled, her grip on his chest seemed to tighten so much that he could feel what she felt, just a piece, just a hint of her pain. The wind blew around them while they stayed in each other¡¯s arms for a while.  Jacob glanced up for just a bit, he rubbed his hands through her hair and looked at the orange star that was about to sleep. It seemed so close yet so far just like her¡­ She was with him but she wasn¡¯t.


    She tried to catch her breath, leaning away as she looked up at him. The first thing she noticed as always was his smile, so reassuring. She felt like she could pour her heart out, say how she felt right there, and then¡­ and she did.


    ¡°I was clearing things out of his room and I, I found a letter.¡± She turned herself back to the sun and gazed at it. ¡°It was like he knew what was going to happen. Like, like he¡¯d been expecting it.¡± She closed her eyes and held her close to her chest. ¡°He said I shouldn¡¯t get into this¡­ that I shouldn¡¯t try to find who did this. I should leave it all behind.¡± She made her face into a scowl. ¡°How can I do that? I can¡¯t just forget that killed my father.¡±


    Jacob had sat in a way where his arms rested on his knees. He¡¯d been fiddling with a straw, listening to every Lily had said. They both knew there was something more to his death, everyone knew but no one spoke or gossiped about it. Mr. Fullin¡¯s tragic accident was no accident and everybody knew it but no one dared to come forward with a lead to the police or to Lily.


    She turned back to him. ¡°But I have to move on, I have to because he told me to¡­ Because I need to.¡±

 Chapter Five - The Interview

    Maybe this time would be better, working and getting back on her feet was the only way Lily could see herself getting past this.


    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Jacob¡¯s sight shifted repeatedly from the mundane mansion that rested right of them then back to Lily then back to the mansion.


    She herself was unsure, she looked at the house in dismay. The feeling of working for these people was intimidating but she puffed up her chest and took a deep breath. Her eyes suddenly fell to that of the man¡¯s eyes beside her before nodding at his question.


    ¡°Watch your step.¡± He cautioned, taking her by the hand as she slowly opened the door. He stopped her with a ¡°Wait.¡± and a grab at the arm but somehow, no words came out. He couldn¡¯t tell her how he felt about the place. The things he had heard. Surely, he would sound bitter. He folded his lips and gave her a warm smile.


    Lily dropped her rock-solid demeanor and cupped his cheek. ¡°Thank you.¡± She turned back to the manor and fixed her woolen green coat before, putting on foot in front of the other.


    Just hearing the sound of her shoes on the pavement gave her heart a little rush. Lily still felt hesitant, turning back to Jacob every time she moved one step closer. He was nothing but supportive, waving her goodbye every time her head swung back to him. Lily Fisher felt the heat build in her chest just as the vehicle drove off. It was growing and growing. Everything in the yard was huge, enormous, and fancy. What opportunities are behind these doors? It felt like this was what the stairway to heaven would be like; big beautiful gates and big beautiful trees, gorgeous flowers that caressed the bones of the home. The family had already settled into spring just fine and the smell of the flowers brought a warm, endearing feeling that the following winter could not deliver. It wouldn''t be long before the bees come back to work. It was a lot to take in, everything was breathtaking and Lily Fisher wasn''t sure if she could get used to a place as such.


    Lily pressed the carillon and waited.


    Her twinkling eyes were first spotted by a young woman almost as young as she was.


    ¡°Oh.¡± The young woman said, with a hint of snickering. She spun around and left for the kitchen, leaving Lily at the door without a word or greeting. It happened so fast, Lily only had time to remember the red apron she wore and the big mold over her lips and maybe the color of her hair, which could¡¯ve been black to a light brown covered in a white hat.


    She leaned her head, taking in all the d¨¦cor. The first thing she noticed was the beautiful wallpaper that had the color of a light blue with flowers on it, her eyes then caught the chandelier above and before she knew it, her legs did the walking. She twirled in the halls, looking at everything. She could see the piano in the study room straight through the two doors that led to the library. She looked at the pictures on the wall. There was one of a family; a man, his wife, and two children: a boy and a baby. She moved to the next; a picture of a little girl in her room, playing with dolls. She then got to the end of the hall and a picture stood on the vanity. She picked it up. In it was a young man, hand in his pocket and he seemed to be staring at something out of view.


    ¡°My son.¡± Lily cramped up, dropping the frame on the floor, shattering it to pieces. The shards of the glass didn¡¯t consider the volume of its echo but it was more startling that the voice she heard.


    ¡°I, I¡­¡± She looked at it, and her hands shook. She felt like she was in a freezer now. She looked up at the woman and replied. ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± She yawned then turned around. ¡°Come with me.¡±


    Lily¡¯s body shifted from the woman to the picture repeatedly until she was ordered. ¡°Leave it.¡± Then came a yell. ¡°Grace!¡± and there she was again, the same girl from before. Lily had trailed behind the towering woman before looking back at the girl. Grace glanced up, still cropping up the shards, she gave a nasty look and then went back to work. Lily felt numb watching everything, they walked to the kitchen and then through a big white door, leading outside. There was a garden of roses, and bushes throughout the whole backyard. To the left, there was a white gazebo, with chairs and a table where she took Lily. They both sat down but before Lily could say something she spoke.


    ¡°What brings you, girl?¡± It wasn¡¯t a harsh tone but a subtle and almost humble one.


    ¡°What you said the other day, Miss¡­ I thought about it and I may have considered but I don¡¯t want to bother you.¡± She got up and gripped her purse. ¡°I see you have a maid already, I understand.¡± She smiled. She was about to walk away when she heard the woman cackle like she was standing in front of a cauldron. She rocked back and forth and held her chest and laughed for a minute before saying.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly... and call me Mrs. Beckingham if you will.¡±


    ¡°I beg your pardon.¡± Lily; confused and surprised by her reaction turned back with a lifted brow.


    She tapped the cushion next to her lightly. ¡°Please, have a seat. Please.¡± She ensured her.


    Lily complied but she had been blind to what the woman was boasting about. The only thing that had her attention was the chirping birds overhead. She knew she was talking mainly about how she needed someone she could trust and that she trusted Lily¡¯s father. She told Lily that she promised to make a place for her here and she would be safe here rather than taking a job at the pub as all ¡±independent¡± girls do. ¡°Trust me; I know what it¡¯s like.¡± She chuckled. ¡°Women and their need to be independent, only to be mocked baby society. It¡¯s not an easy thing, Lily.¡± She then went on to talk about all the people that lived in the house and the things that would need to be done while Lily looked around to find the bird that sang to her.


    ¡°The fewer people the better, it¡¯s just me and my son here and my husband¡± She sighed. ¡°he travels a lot so he comes every few months.¡±


    Lily turned to her and asked. ¡°And your daughter?¡±


    Mrs. Beckhingham froze, her eyes squinted a bit before she finally looked at the girl once more. ¡°Oh, Sarah. She died.¡± She clasped her hands together as she spoke. She then gave another jolly laugh upon spotting her son talking to a few well groomed young men like himself on the balcony upstairs. ¡°Oh, speaking of my son. There he is!¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°William!¡± She sang loudly, waving her hands.


    Lily¡¯s watched the five men standing together, just over at the other end of the garden. She knew exactly who Mrs. Beckingham was referring to.


    ¡°William Beckingham.¡± Came softly from her lips as their eyes met. He threw Lily a dashing smile where he stood before finishing the conversation with his acquaintances.


    "He''s just in a meeting." Mrs. Beckingham, explained, brushing off the fact that he didn''t bother to come to her first call.


    Was everybody in the Beckingham family so gallant? Everyone was but to Lily, William was different. She knew the power he held. It was a trait she needed to be aware of and cautious of. She stood up just after he¡¯d wished his companions farewell. The only thing William needed to complete his look was a crown on his head and he knew it. William, just like his mother, wore the Beckingham name proudly.


    They shook hands. ¡°You must be Lily. Lily Fisher, right? ¡± He held her hand for a brief moment before kissing the back of it. ¡°You¡¯ve grown quite a bit, haven¡¯t you? We both have.¡±


    This had no reaction to Lily but his mother, more excited than usual, ran her hands down the back of her skirt as she got up to be beside him. ¡°Okay, I have a call to make but go on ahead.¡± She insisted. ¡°In the meantime, William will show you around the house, and if you¡¯ve made your decision by then¡­ You can tell him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mrs. Beckingham.¡± She smiled, glaring as the woman walked away.


    "My mother''s quite the case." He chuckled.


    "I can see that." Lily chuckled then lifted her head to ask. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but have we met?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember, do you?¡± He grinned then answered nonchalantly. ¡°Once. At my family¡¯s ranch, where your father worked for a time. And I heard about what happened.¡± His voice was grim and what he had to say was a bit sudden, the mentioning of his name would only break her heart ¡°Mr. Fullin was a really kind man.¡± And it did. He fiddled with the ring on his finger, looking down, trying to get the words out. He chuckled then gave her his arm. ¡°Are you ready?"


    They all seemed so happy and well-kept. It reminded her of those family ads on TV.


    ¡°You must''ve seen the kitchen.¡± He tilted his head down as they looked. He took her through the study and the library and showed her the door by the kitchen¡¯s end that led to the basement. He explained how the downstairs had three other rooms that consisted of the guest room and his grandmother''s old room. ¡°This is my grandmother''s room. Bear in mind, all the rooms downstairs can be changed. There''s a storage room on the third floor with all the curtains, furniture, and carpets for you to put as you please.¡± He said before shutting it. As with everything, Lily barely got a glimpse of each room in the house. They didn''t even touch the third floor, he only told her that she was only allowed to enter the middle door, at the end of the hall. She didn''t understand why William was in such a rush too. They had just finished the first and second floors and were about to grace the second flight of stairs when Lily¡¯s eyes caught hold of a familiar face framed on the wall. ¡°What happened to her?¡±


    Lily wanted a connection, she thought she could connect with William or Mrs. Beckingham since they too have lost someone precious in their lives. He stuffed his hands deep in his pockets and gave a little scratch under his nose.


    ¡°I¡­ I was too young to remember.¡± He sighed with a shrug.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± She took a long look at the girl before taking the stair handle and continuing up.


    ¡°Are you okay? You don¡¯t look so well, Miss Fisher.¡± His face and voice were filled with concern. "I think it would be best if we stopped here. You''re exhausted and I have a meeting to attend, anyway." He said.


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­ I¡¯d very much appreciate that.¡±


    Looking at all the rooms, Lily could remember each one but there was one she would live to never forget:


    "This was my sister''s room. Everything''s untouched." They both gazed around, it was the prettiest room she''d ever seen. It was like they were in a castle, she wondered what happen to that little girl. If she died peacefully, she hoped she did. She hoped she looked like an angel in a deep slumber, like Snow White or Sleeping Beauty.


    "Would I have to brush the room?"


    "Yes, we don''t want moths or dust to fill it. I think my mother would want it to remain as it is, though. So that means no changing around or moving anything."


    "Of course." She nodded but her mind was still in awe. The white metal frames that made up the bed, the pink quilt that looked like she''d sink into it. This room made her feel happy, somehow it made her feel free. She admired the knickknacks on the walls. The little rag dolls that sat by the window. If they didn''t have pictures of Sarah, surely, she would assume William had a daughter. She looked up at him. "I don''t understand. Why?" Her eyes drooped with a frown.


    "Why?" He sang out, waiting for her to answer.


    "Why did she keep it like this for so long? It''s been almost 10 years, hasn''t it?"


    "Yes, I suppose it has." He watched around too, he couldn''t recall a vivid memory of her, only what his mother told him of her laugh, her smile, and the way she waddle around her father most of the time. "I don''t know. When you lose someone so valuable, you begin wishing it never happened. I guess you wish that things would go back to the way they were. So you think that if you keep things the way they were then eventually it will be like it used to be. Everything would be okay and in your mind, it''s like she never left."


    "I understand." Their eyes met and they stuck for a while. William understood her, he knew what it was like to lose someone so close. She was convinced, maybe if she stayed, she''d be able to follow their example and learn how to move on.


    "William, is it?" She squinted.


    "William, it is." He fixed his stance.


    "I''ll do it. I''ll work for you and your mother, only if..."She curled her lips, struggling to lift her lids in thought. Did she really want this? Lily did and she was willing to live with it. "Only if I get to stay here. I know things aren''t going to be like they were so I don''t want to pretend. Going back to that house, it''s been painful and I think about my father every night but I need to move forward, so I''ll live in the maid''s quarters and do all that is needed."


    "The annex? Don''t be ridiculous. Mother won''t allow it. She has grown fond of you so quickly, I can tell. It¡¯s not every day a maid gets invited to sit with her in her special spot.."


    "Thank you but the annex, as you call it, will make me quite content."


    "When would you like me to come for your things?"


    "That''s not necessary, William. It''s just a case." She nodded. "I''ll make a gown or two to wear when I''m working so I don''t need much."


    "No, no. I''ll be glad to do so. I''ll tell Mother and we''ll pick you up next Sunday. Just before you get to work unless you feel the need to live here as early as possible?" He grinned once more.


    "Sunday''s fine." She said, giving a slight smile only to realize she could¡¯ve easily let go of his arm and they had been standing at the entrance for the past five minutes.

 Chapter Six - The Selfish

    Jacob was convinced; his sister hated him, and little did he know, she was just trying to protect him. She knew the kind of man Jacob was. Tammy protected him as long as she could, but he was grown now, there was nothing she could do but warn him. She felt a strong tension in her shoulder for the boy. Even when she worked, Jacob never left her mind. If she didn''t warn him what kind of sister would she be? The red flags were as bright as day, why couldn''t he see? Tammy thought about it- Lily could very well be a lost cause- People like that don''t get fixed easily. She knew that but did Jacob? He was sure this time. Sure of it. More than anything. It was fast, yes of course, but Jacob knew that he needed to do something. Lily was on her feet again, barely but that was enough for him. Tammy told him how selfish this was, and how hard it would be to get little or any emotion out of that girl.


    "What are you looking for?" She got home but to her surprise, Jacob arrived early and was tumbling through their old chest of family treasures, like albums and letters and even his mother''s wedding dress still white and soft as cotton.


    "Mum''s necklace. I can''t find it." He flipped through some parchment and opened boxes, where he happened upon a beautiful hairpin. It was gold and three flowers where a lovely white pearl sat in each. Jacob could remember his mother wearing it once at a Sunday service. He felt the imprint and then flipped it over to the back. To Evelyn


    "It was your grandmother''s. She gave it to Clint who gave it to your mother. It took Evelyn three years before she accepted Marinette into the family and when she did, they got married, finally, with her blessings."


    He placed the pin back into the box like it was a newborn being put in its crib for the first time.


    By then, Tammy got to the wall where a few pictures were kept.


    "Why do you want the necklace? If you''re taking that out then you must''ve found the right girl to give it to this time."


    He stopped, he felt like the odds were against him again. Something was telling him not to do this, someone, maybe it was just Tammy.


    "Who is this lucky girl anyway?" She grabbed a little brown box from the top shelf, cupping it in her hands before opening it.


    "Lily."


    "Lily?" She closed it. "Does she feel the same about you?" Tammy began to relax her shoulders as she turned around.


    "Does it matter?" A picture caught his attention, he picked it up. "Does your nephew not deserve happiness?"


    "That''s not what I''m saying, Jacob." She sat down on the floor beside him, opened his hands and placed the box in it. "It could take years for that girl to be okay again. You of all people should know that but if you''re sure about this-"


    "I am." He nodded, He finally looked at her. She believed in Jacob, she know he''d do the right thing, as he always does.


    "If you''re sure about this, you need to remember there are a sundry of ways this can end."


    That morning, Jacob decided to walk to Lily''s house. He was sure he would do this but he needed time to think about his reaction if she said no. He felt for the box and it was there, he shook his head throwing aside any curls from the front of his face but one lock just wouldn''t let up. It fell right at the center of his forehead, it was the strands from his widow''s peak. He wondered if he was good enough- Jacob, the baker- he hadn''t achieved anything in life. It wasn''t that he didn''t want to, Jacob realized that every opportunity isn''t meant to be taken. He wanted to achieve something, even before he got old. He was contented with the work he did, he didn''t even use any money. It was Tammy, he didn''t have to work but for her, he would. Just to keep things smooth and running. He didn''t want her to look after him until he died and he certainly didn''t want to be of no use when a rainy day came.


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    He went to the door and gave a single knock. He looked around, pacing the porch until it opened.


    "Jacob. I didn''t expect you." Lily calmly cuffed her arms.


    The first thing he noticed was the bag she held.


    "I came to talk to you but¡­ I¡¯m sorry to ask, but are you going somewhere?."


    "I''m sorry I didn''t get the chance to tell you when you brought me home on Friday." She felt like a clown, she couldn''t look him in the eye once. She knew this would happen, she''d feel guilty. "And a conversation would be nice." She dropped her knees a bit, resting the case by the door.


    There was a washed-out bench, right of the door, where they sat. Jacob didn''t know how to feel, he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. Lily thought he was just frustrated from work by the way he rubbed his face and his hair.


    "I''ll start then." She sat up, rubbing her palms on her skirt. "I''m going to live in the Beckingham manor for a while."


    "What about the house?"


    "I''ll lock it up." She swallowed her pride and took a deep breath, turning to him. "I just wanted to thank you for all you''ve done for me. I never said it before but I-"


    "It''s okay, Lily. I know how you feel. "


    "You don''t." She stated. "You pity me, Jacob."


    "You couldn''t be further from the truth." He jumped up.


    "The truth?" She followed him as he marched around. ¡°What is the truth?¡±


    He felt for the box, it was there. His heart raced and his hand gripped it tightly. He was going to do it, he was going to take it out and tell her.


    "The truth is-"


    It seemed like a coincidence that William just got there, maybe it was the Universe saying it wasn''t the right time. If Tammy and the Universe both knew it wasn''t right then it would be two against one. There was no way, Jacob could outnumber them for he only had himself.


    Lily could see William wave his hand out to her as he got out. She quickly took her bag, locked the door and walked to the edge of the porch.


    "I have to go."


    Jacob''s words stopped her from taking another step. "This is the most we''ve talked, it''s sad that it had to be like this, huh?"


    "It is." She said, air slowly leaving her half-closed mouth as she hurried to the car.


    Jacob leaned on the rails, watching them leave. He couldn''t remember how or when he got to the ol'' brewery. It was alive, happy, and dancing but he wasn''t. He couldn''t share that happiness with anyone. The only thing he had was pain and the only thing he could share that with was his drink.


    "I don''t know whether you''re having a bad day or if that''s your just face, mister?"


    "It''s just my face." He bore a scowl for a face when he curled his lips.


    "And I''m just Taylor." She stretched her hand out.


    Jacob gave her his hand, staring into the hazel eyes that gleamed at him. "Jacob."

 Chapter Seven - The Beginning

    Mrs. Beckingham''s robes flowed smoothly. Her hair curled perfectly on her head, from the roots to the tip. There wasn''t a strand out of place. "My." She hadn''t the words. "This room is ~" She ran her fingers down the staircase as she went. She never had this slip before, she looked at her fingers, moving them around. "Not a spec of dust." She lifted her skirt and scurried down the steps. She was a child on Christmas day, excited to see what Santa had brought her. "The blinds." She touched them, the beautiful scarlet colour, streaming down her hands like the red sea. She wanted to touch the ground bare feet so she slipped off her slippers and made one step forward.


    "You like it?"


    "Oh, it''s wonderful." She smiled, lifting her hands in the air. "It''s just wonderful, William. It''s just like when your father and I bought it. It''s full of life, it''s fresh and the smell." She inhaled and exhaled. "It''s just amazing. The table looks beautiful, the chairs are dusted and oh, the fire is on. I can imagine my grandchildren running around here, can you?"


    "Jodi, you''re getting way ahead of yourself."


    "It''s about time." She pulled a chair and sat down, and so did William. "You look handsome." She smiled.


    "Yes, Lily picked it out for me." He rubbed the sleeve of his shirt. " She seemed so quiet in the car. I was beginning to think she''d change her mind before we even got here."


    "I''m not going to." Came in softly.


    "Lily, how marvelous it is to see you!" Mrs. Beckingham couldn''t stop smiling.


    "I''m actually thrilled to be here." She hovered over William and placed a plate in front of him. He was tranced by her scent, lavender heaven mixed with chlorine.


    "We''re grateful that you''re here. No one has done it quite like you." William added.


    "The shirt?" She curled her lips before moving over to Jodi, handing her a cup of coffee.


    "The house." He replied before forking a piece of sausage.


    "I hope you''re not working yourself too much, Lily. This must''ve taken hours to do." His mother nodded, trying to talk and chew at the same time.


    "I''m used to it. It''s really nothing, please don''t worry about it."


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    "Lily, are you sure you don''t want to stay in the house?" Mrs. Beckingham felt tempted to order her to live with them but William warned her that she shouldn''t push Lily too hard.


    "It''s fine. I have everything I need at the back."


    Lily left the room, taking the platter with her. She walked like a shoulder, chest up but when she reached the kitchen all she could do was sigh. It took her four hours to get that room ready, she was proud of herself. She thought she''d be lazy, uninspired but she wasn''t. It was great to work out and it was therapeutic. Lily could hardly focus though, through her cleaning all she could think about was Jacob and the way she treated him. She wanted to make a clean break but she failed, it was obvious. She should''ve told him about this on Friday when he picked her up or Saturday when they spent the day together, things would''ve ended differently.


    "Lily!" William got down on one knee, he grabbed her frail hands. She could barely grip them.


    "I''m, I''m fine." She waved her hands almost as if to get rid of a fly buzzing around her ear.


    "You''re clearly not. Have you slept?" He grabbed her chin, turning her face to his. He looked into her eyes. "Did you drink something?"


    "I don''t drink." She nodded, trying to get up. She grabbed her forehead, and ran her fingers up to the roots of her hair, gripping them tightly.


    "Come." He took her to a small chair, right by the stove.


    "Are you a doctor?" She squinted her eyes at the man while William was searching through a red and white kit.


    "No." He grabbed a tablet and then filled a cup with water. "Here. Open up." He reached her side again, she complied opening her mouth. She took the tablet and allowed him to give her some water, she stared as he did. "If you''re ever feeling like this again, take this one, okay?" He held the package towards her. She nodded. "Good. We can''t have you dying on us now." He locked the kit and put it away. "Don''t push yourself. I¡¯m afraid I have to leave at once." He jacked his collar up as he walked out.


    He was nice to her, she acknowledged this. She didn''t think it was because he liked or favored her. Maybe it was because he was paying her with his own money, he needed to get the best from it. But he was nice to her and she felt herself feeling guilty again, peering down at the tiles, telling herself, she should''ve been nicer to Jacob.


    The girl went about her day, it was easier than she thought. She didn''t get to clean the whole house like she wanted to, it took a week to do that. Instead, she heeded William''s words and as the days went on, Lily grew into the work and it got easier. She didn''t feel lightheaded, or like she was about to faint.


    Lily got through a whole month at the house and even though, William hadn''t talked to her for more than a minute since then, she felt drawn to his secretive lifestyle. She didn''t know what he had planned but she was eager to find out. She''d watched him come and go, it was interesting but hard; to figure out what exactly he did. She thought of a few scenarios, maybe he owned a business. He looked like he could own a bank or a hotel, but he couldn''t have been a doctor because he said he wasn''t. She believed him, she believed that he wouldn''t lie to her. He did talk to her though, one time, it was more than a talk. It was a conversation she wouldn''t forget.

 Chapter Eight - The Collective

    On that day, Lily felt like she got the day off, she finished work early and was home alone. She decided to read a book. One month changed a lot of things, she was too busy to think about her father and when she did, it would be at night when she couldn''t sleep. And she hadn''t thought about Jacob either, he too would be something to ponder on in the evenings. She wondered why he didn''t pass or even write a letter. After that she would feel sad, thinking that now Isobel was wondering the same about her. Juniper lived halfway around the world but managed to send a letter every two weeks, why couldn''t Lily do the same? She sat at the window, up in little Sarah''s room, immersed in the plot and a bowl of nuts.


    It took Lily a long time to notice that William had gotten back, he knew where she was the moment he drove up to the estate but Lily was deaf, deaf, and blind. She was in another world and maybe the crunching drowned out the sound of the engine.


    She pounced up from the knock at the door.


    "William!" She held the book behind her. "You''re back early."


    "Yes, I am." He loosened his tie. "I take it mother isn''t home?"


    "She left for her sister''s last night. I thought you knew." Lily cupped the book tightly, slowly finding her way back to where she first sat.


    "No." He looked behind his head for an explanation. "I don''t remember."


    "It''s on her schedule in the kitchen, Mr. William and she told you about visiting Ms. Garlene last Tuesday."


    "She said she was thinking about it. I didn''t think she''d actually go without telling me." He nodded. "Anyway, I suppose we''re having dinner alone tonight.¡± He held his chin, all delicious foods ran through his mind but one, in particular, seemed appropriate for that night. "Do you know how to make crepes?"


    "I''m afraid not."


    "Great. You don''t know, that means I get to show you." He clapped. "Come on, first we need to get some ingredients in town."


    It didn''t take long for William to get changed or for Lily to grab her coat. Before they knew it, they were on the road again, together, after a long time. He was quick to make conversation and was pleased even if Lily just nodded her head.


    It all made sense to Lily now. William was a real estate agent, at least that''s what he told her. He- buys and sells properties from all around Europe- , and the calls he''d get were from people dying to get rid of their houses and buildings. Lily was skeptical though, but it all made sense; this way about him, he used it to make money. As far as she was concerned, William always liked getting what he wanted and with a job like that, it was clear he always did. He leaned on the topic of being a convincing agent to his buyers, whether it meant being extremely polite or blunt.


    "I study my clients, you see, both of them and when I bring out the icebreakers, Lily, you should see their faces. They can''t possibly say no to such deals. They always fall for it." He slapped the wheel, he noticed Lily''s silence. "You''re staring."


    "I, uh," She watched out the window. "I''m sorry."


    The car stopped.


    "What are you doing?" She glared, William hopped out and walked to her side, opening to the door. "That''s my seat now, Missy."


    "I don''t understand." She blinked.


    "You''re driving."


    "No, William. I don''t know how to."


    Lily took a deep breath. slowly heading to the other side.


    She grabbed the wheel, it was intimidating but she managed to follow William''s instructions perfectly. It took fifteen minutes to get to the square but he was patient with her, she was actually laughing. Lily remembered the time she had to hit the brakes so she didn''t hit a lamb, Her heart had skipped a beat. She could remember William telling her it was okay, telling her that she was lucky it wasn''t a person. He''d trust her enough to let her drive to the market. Even though she drove, he opened the door for her, and even though it was the second time he did it, she felt privileged a bit. The world seemed colorful again, it felt like she''d used all the colors in the rainbow that day. They had a lovely time, picking out fruits for the rest of the week. The only thing that stopped her sunshiny day was the fact that she had to face Jacob again. He was the last thing she wanted to think about but when she saw the bakery, all Lily wanted to do was walk in there and apologize to her friend.


    "You''re dazed." She felt William''s stare.


    Jacob and Taylor had really hit it off. A month had gone and they felt they already knew each other for an entire lifetime. Jacob put all his free hours into Taylor, and those free hours went to the pub or they''d visit where ever they could together. Taylor had Tammy''s blessing overall and she was a really good talker. She''d won Tammy over, they''d talk for hours and hours when Jacob wasn''t there. He felt she was his saving grace, Tammy was right, he''d rushed things with Lily but with Taylor, he didn''t have to do that. Jacob''s free hours with Taylor were mostly at the pub, they''d drink together and talk about all sorts of things. Taylor poured her heart out to Jacob but he felt sorry he couldn''t do the same. He knew if he did, he''d break down and cry like a kid that got his candy stolen.


    Jacob had the bakery all to himself, his boss left to deliver and his boss''s wife visited a friend for a day. Taylor sat up on the counter, swinging her legs back and forth, asking all sorts of questions.


    "What do you like about me, Jacob?" She tilted her head to the side, to see his face. He was busy focusing on rolling the perfect circle.


    "Everything." He mumbled.


    "Alright, change of question. What exactly do you like about me?"


    "Hmm." He sat up, staring at her with a slight chuckle. "The way you talk, your hair." He held her face. "It''s hard to explain but most of all, you."


    "That''s all?" she poked her lower lips up.


    "Yeah." They kissed, with Jacob chuckling. "Now let me get back to work." He took his attention back to the dough.


    It was long before Jacob caught a glimpse of Lily through the glass, he dropped everything he was doing, including the hands of the girl beside him, and went over to the door, he watched as Lily laughed and talked with someone. She was happy, all Jacob could do was smile, he waited so long to see her face like it used to be.


    "Jake? Jacob? What''s going on?" Taylor was nowhere near figuring out what the matter was, she watched Jacob watch something outside. She wrapped her arms in his and rested her head on his shoulder. "The kids look lovely, don''t they?" She smiled.


    "Yeah, she is." Jacob sighed. He felt his heart fluster, pressing the pane and his face to see her better. He quickly fought the trance and went back to work, and back to Taylor but it wasn''t long before Lily and William entered the bakery. She was fighting him, she didn''t want to go there, she didn''t want to see Jacob but William was unaware of her feelings, her insisted. He told her that they''d be better off with something to eat since they spend so much time in town and lunch had already passed.


    Jacob didn''t realize there was someone there, and Taylor had to call his name. He hadn''t the words to express himself, his face was all dusty with flour and his skin began to gleam from sweat. He tied a knot on his apron, watching William look around, hands stuffed in his pocket. If Lily wasn''t with him, he would''ve thought William was an inspector of some sort. Jacob then glanced at the girl in yellow. Her soul matched the color of her dress.


    "Lily." Quietly, her name was called.


    She couldn''t say a word, one moment of staring and all she could do was hide her face and tug on William''s shirt.


    "Right." He got in front of her. "I think I''ll have a bun and she wants a puff." He paid and collected the goods but somehow, William couldn''t stop looking at Taylor. Jacob watch him watch her, Jacob thought he''d been strange the way he looked at her but then he was certain that William knew her when he said.


    "Taylor?" She stopped picking her nails, glancing up at the young Beckingham.


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    "William, what a pleasure." She got up, they shared a hug. Lily and Jacob couldn''t help but watch in silence as they talked about how they went to the same school together.


    "This is Jacob." She held his hand and stared at him with curled lips. He shook William''s hand.


    "It''s nice to meet you. William."


    "I''m Lily." She stretched her hand out to shake Taylor''s and they shared a polite smile.


    "Pleasure. I''m Taylor." Taylor nodded before turning to William. "So is she your new mistress?"


    "Oh, please. Heaven''s no, she''s a really~" He turned to Lily. "She''s a really good friend."


    "Really good friend?" He chuckled, he was furious but tried his best not to show it.


    "Is that so hard to believe?" Lily butted in, folded arms.


    William and Taylor both figured out that these two had unfinished business so they pardoned themselves to have a conversation of their own.


    They had nothing to say, Lily felt like she was being judged the moment she walked into the bakery and Jacob felt like this was some kind of joke, they could hardly hear the words from the other side of the room.


    "Glad you''re doing okay." Lily choked out.


    "I, I''m trying. It''s been a while though, hasn''t it? When do you plan on going back to the house?"


    "Haven''t decided."


    "I have something to tell you." He finally turned to her, and she to him. "I''m going away for a while, could be months."


    "Oh," She felt her shoulders stiffen up. "Where?"


    "With my Uncle. He heard something about my father so I''m going there to help find him. "


    Lily knew little or nothing about Jacob''s family, she didn''t want to intrude on his mission or tell him no. Or object. She had little say in it anyway.


    "What about~" She gazed to the ground then the corner where they were. "Taylor?" She struggled to say her name.


    "She''ll understand." He said calmly, wiping his hands on his trousers and looking over at her. "She''ll have to."


    They had to stop talking, a customer walked in and Lily thought it would be best if they left. She felt too ashamed to ask William for a favor but he knew something was wrong. She spilled it.


    "I wish I could see, I really do. I don''t know whether she''s alive or dead." She looked up.


    "I''m not following. Who are you talking about?"


    "Isobel, she''s my friend." She gave a slight smile. "More like my sister, and I haven''t seen her in a month. Ever since I''ve been up at the manor. Please, could you let me see her?"


    "You don''t have to beg, Lily. Nobody said you couldn''t." He thought about it and then he nodded.


    Lily took William to the bean shop, where he got to meet Mr. Stalker. He asked Mr. Stalker why his daughter couldn''t have come out to see Lily and he explained everything, from her sickness to the state that she was in. He told William that, he tried every medicine possible but nothing worked. Even though he never met Isobel, he wanted to help her for Lily. Lily seemed too distraught, just the thought of her friend had her back to a dull state. He could imagine the pain Isobel must be felt, being in bed for months.


    "Would you accept the help if I gave it to you, Sir?" William asked, he was certain that his way would help her.


    "It''s a long shot, laddy but I don''t know what else to do." He thought hard about it but nodded.


    "Good. First thing in the morning, I''ll send my doctor. I''ll tell him to travel down tonight so he gets here on time."


    "If it''s not much trouble."


    "It won''t be." He had Isobel''s condition in mind. "It could be that she''d just dehydrated for all I know, the headaches, the fainting. She could be depressed too."


    "As long as she gets the help she needs." Mr. Stalker stopped parceling and got up from his chair. He shook William''s hand, he felt tears down his face. He felt relieved, he prayed for all those months and it seemed like his prayers were heard. "I''m grateful, William. You''re a good son."


    "Don''t mention it."


    Lily felt better talking to Isobel, she was still sick but she was so happy to see Lily, she got up and started walking. She could''ve seen the beautiful black car right in front so she asked her who she came with. Lily couldn''t answer, she was busy trying to get Isobel so it was before she fell and something catastrophic happened. The Isobel was, a simple knick on the head could kill her if she fell. She was reluctant to find out who it was though, so she peeped through the small window that lead to the shop.


    "Oh my." She Started. "He''s the most beautiful man I''ve ever laid my eyes on, Lily. You''re a lucky dame, you know that."


    "I''m not a lucky anything." Lily swung a blanket over Isobel, rubbing the girl''s shoulders.


    Isobel could barely speak but her wild tongue had a lot to say. "He''s not yours?" She mouthed, her eyes widened.


    "No. That''s William Beckingham." She shrugged.


    Isobel turned to her slowly, like an old humpbacked lady with a cane.


    "You''re lying." She couldn''t believe it. "How did you get to be with him?"


    "I''m not with anybody. I work for the Beckingham''s, Bella. As a maid."


    "You have to get him to marry you." She blurted out, licking her lips. "Or I will."


    "Well, aren''t you cheeky?" Lily laughed, she took her friend back to her bed and sat beside her.


    "You seem happy," Isobelle remarked.


    "I''m getting there." She nodded. "What did Miss Camber say?"


    "Little improvement." She said enthusiastically then coughed before saying. "Which in turn means, I''m going to die."


    "That''s ridiculous."


    "No. What''s ridiculous is that Juniper''s coming home until September. I don''t think I''m gonna make it till then, Lily" Isobel was serious now, she didn''t want to do it alone. "I''m scared. It hurts so much, it''s getting worse every day. I''ve gotten used to it. Keep telling myself that tomorrow will be better, it doesn''t get better." She nodded. "One day, I won''t be able to handle it anymore, my body give in, Lily and there''ll be nothing I could do for myself."


    "Don''t say that, Bella." Lily gripped her shoulder, lifting her head up to her. "That''s not going to happen. Miss Camber is good at this, she''ll help you."


    "There''s only so much she can do. I can''t avoid reality. I can''t."


    "You can and you will. Look at me, Isobel. You will be okay. I promise you."


    Isobel was not one to cry, she just fell into Lily''s arms and felt her warmth. She was so proud of her, she didn''t seem phased. It had only been a few weeks since Mr. Fullin died but Lily seemed to be handling it. When Lily told Isobel she had moved into the Beckingham manor, she was astonished that she didn''t take up residence in the house itself. Lily had to leave before it got any darker, she got out to William who had the time of his life talking to Mr. Stalker.


    On the car ride home, they both were smiling. They couldn''t peep a word at each other, they didn''t have to. The day was full, Lily didn''t think William could express himself that much, he was quiet most of the time and Lily grew fond of this side he showed her, even if it happened only for a moment.


    That night, William and Lily had the house to themselves. It was a light-hearted night, filled with joyful joshes and kind remarks. She felt almost felt guilty she was happy but she knew that was all her father wanted for her.  William followed Lily to the annex where he recalled how much she liked the room on the second floor, he invited her to come back to the manor and stay in Sarah''s room. She hesitant, knowing how intrusive that would be but William compelled her. He insured her that it would be their secret as long as she had the bed back to the way it was.


    "What do you like about it anyway?" He questioned. "Is it the color? Couldn''t be, I''ve never seen you wear anything pink in my life."


    "It makes me feel safe, somehow. Takes me back to a time when everything was okay." Just being in the room, Lily could already hear soft giggles. The young Beckingham left her, it seemed like he was going to bed but when she heard the car drive off, she knew that thought was in vain.


    Tucked in between Sarah Beckingham''s sheet felt like heaven in a bed. Her mind ran wild. She thought about what Jacob said, he was looking for his father determined to find the man. She didn''t know the situation but it made her think deeply... about her mother, where she was. She never found herself being curious about her but now she was. "Peter Fisher." She mumbled, slowly drifting off. Losing a father was hard, maybe it didn''t have to be the same with her mother. Maybe the woman had a good reason for leaving her behind. And Isobel. "Oh, Isobel." She was fighting her sickness with all she had, she was trying to beat it. Lily had faith in her and God, so she closed her eyes and began praying with all her heart. She didn''t want to lose any more people, not like this. They needed to live their life then die peacefully, not like Mr. Fullin. Lily asked for protection, she asked for strength to face her demons. She wanted to defeat them, be stronger than they were. She wanted to be strong for  Isobel and Jacob, she even prayed that William would open up to her. There was something on his mind but she couldn''t pinpoint what it was. He shared so much with her but he was still secretive. If she had known that he too lost his father in his own way, she''d pray for him too. William had plans of his own, though, and known of them included his father or praying.


    He took the car to a hill, a beautiful but deadly hill. The only colours it managed to show were coal blacks, lonesome grays and a lowlight of white hat sparkled on the waters. He watched the moonlight dance on the waves, he listened as they crashed against the beach. He didn''t take notice of the figure behind him until she spoke.


    "I thought you wouldn''t make it."


    "We had a deal." He was aggravated but calm, he was a man who found it easy to conceal his true emotions.


    "You don''t trust me?"She said, with a pout. "You don''t get to, William. Your family stained this town. It took my father years to fix what your family tore apart. After I''ve been compensated for my good work, I don''t want anything from you... especially your gratitude."


    "Save the sermon." William stuffed his hands in his pocket and folded them into fists. "Get on with it."


    There was a long sigh. "I told you I''d get him out, I didn''t say when."


    "So you''re telling me, you haven''t made any progress?" He said.


    "I didn''t say that. By tomorrow, I''ll have him chasing his tail..." Came a chuckle.


    "And how will you execute this brilliant plan of yours, Taylor?" William turned his head to the side, watching as she pulled a smoke out. She sounded muffled with the bud between her lips but he could clearly make out. "You''ll see."

 Chapter Nine - The Fisherman

    "You''re leaving?" It was hard for her to focus now that Jacob cleared the air.


    "Yes but just for a little while, Taylor." He grabbed her shoulders to stop her from moving around. She was worried and confused but he suggested. "You should come with me."


    "I don''t understand, Jake. What if he doesn''t want to be found? What if it leads to a dead end? What if you get hurt?" She pulled herself away. "Don''t you think it''s a bit crazy? And you said he died."


    "He ran away but there''s hope now."


    "Not for me, Jake. Not for us." She said with a snare.


    He thought about how much he cared for Taylor and if searching for his father was worth it. Then suddenly Lily struck his mind like lightning. Whenever he thought about Taylor, Lily was behind her like a grisly shadow he couldn''t ignore. Even if she wasn''t there, he felt her presence like a ghost.


    "Maybe I am selfish." She said. "And I''m sorry for that. You aren''t the only one who wishes to find their father." She ran her fingers through her damp hair thinking about it. "If I were you, trust me, I would''ve done anything to get him back. So you should go and find your father, Jacob, I really want you to. I knew there was something bothering you and I want you to be happy. I''m just sorry it couldn''t be with me."


    "What are you saying?" He didn''t get it, her words of solace and abscond.


    Taylor held his hands; the contrast between them was like night and day, hers were soft and pink and Jacob''s were rough and pale like the stalk of a mushroom. His fingers made hers look like tiny replicates of a doll and as they held hands, Jacob knew at that moment they didn''t belong together... because he saw how their hands weren''t a perfect fit. He believed in soul mates and he knew Taylor was his she wasn''t the one he loved. She looked into both his eyes, wanting to come off as sincere as possible.


    "There''s nothing holding you back now." She gave him a little accessory. "Here." He looked at the hairpin, bit his lips then watched her. He nodded. "There''s nothing holding you back, finding your father can be your only priority. You don''t have to look back anymore." She walked to the door and as she slipped on her coat, he trembled to say. "I''m sorry it didn''t work out." She couldn''t see the tear that fell from his cheek because, by the time he looked up, she''d already left.


    After a week went by, Lily started thinking about her mother more. She wondered what kind of woman she was if she looked exactly like Lily did. From what her father told her, her mother was just like herself with darker hair and greener eyes. She wanted to know if her mother would recognize her, even if she only held Lily for a second. A conversation with Mrs. Beckingham really made her think.


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    "Scotle''s new batch is here, Mrs. Beckingham. Would you like some of that?" Lily touched all the wines, pulled out each one, and checked the labels.


    Jodi nodded and Lily popped the cap for her, she poured some out into the lipstick-stained glass.


    "Come sit with me, will you?" She called for the girl and Lily confirmed.


    "Yes?" She said.


    "So, how was it?" She asked with a mischievous grin. She slapped Lily''s thigh playfully when she stared, uncertain how to answer. "How was it? Staying here without me. William didn''t cause any trouble, did he?"


    "Oh, no. Not at all. It was okay." She smiled, thinking back on the day.


    "Hmm." She took a sip and then nodded, slapping her lips together before turning to Lily. "He made crepes, didn''t he?" She continued. "He''s just like his father."


    "Where is Mr. Beckingham? Is he~" She placed a finger on her lip, wondering if she was even allowed to ask.


    "Dead? Ha, no. He''s working. You''ll see him soon enough." She looked down, drinking again.


    "Can I ask a favor?" Lily knew the Beckinghams were well-known people so she figured Jodi could help her with the task she had in mind.


    "Sure, darling. What might it be?" Jodi said.


    "Do you know a man by the name of Peter Fisher? He''s my grandfather. I''d like to meet him but I don''t know where he lives."


    The woman sat up, almost as if to tell a secret. "I''ve heard a lot about your family... and the way they treated your father and mother. Is searching for them now really something you want to pursue?"


    Lily shook her head.


    Jodi continued with a sigh, she stared into the glass like it was a fortune teller''s ball. "Peter got his last name because he was a fisherman. He was uneducated and that was the only word he knew." She sat up. "I shouldn''t be the one telling you about your family. If you want to... find Mr. Fisher, he still lives in an old boat by the shore."


    "The beach?" She heard little about Peter, she didn''t know he was a fisher or even that he lived in the same town as her but the sound of her Grandfather living by the water petrified her.


    "Yes but I should warn you, he''s a stubborn old thing." She laughed. "Don''t mistake him for his wife."


    After Lily finished her work that afternoon, she wanted so badly to go see the man since Jodi agreed to let her. She just couldn''t though, she was scared. Of him? No, that aquatic scenery wasn''t the thing for her. She opted for a better solution, one where she didn''t have to go to his house to meet him but unfortunately, he never left it. She just couldn''t do it so frightened by her phobia, she bit her tongue and sat still. Fisher kept her daily routine from that day and never broke it, she fled from anything that wasn''t her norm and now, living with this family was her norm.

 Chapter Ten - The Bold

    "William!" She shook him. "William, wake up." She slapped his face lightly. "It''s just a dream. Look at me. It''s just a dream."


    He looked around then up at her with widened eyes. He only said, "You''re still here."


    "I am." Lily cupped his face. "And it was just a bad dream."


    He held the back of her hands, thinking about her. "It was more like a nightmare."


    "well, it''s over." She stood up straight with her hands held behind her back. She went to the door with a soft smile. "I''ve set your bath. Be sure to come down for breakfast, there''s someone who is very eager to meet you."


    William got ready and when he got to the stair, he stopped to see who it was. From the moment he laid eyes on her, he knew it was Isobel. From the way she dressed, to how she curled up next to Lily. It had to be her, she was Lily''s friend. He felt accomplished, she was alive and well. He sat on the stair for a while, just for a minute to watch them both.


    "I wonder if his eyes are as blue as I last saw them." She squeezed Lily''s hand, picked up a picture, and stared in amazement. "Look how precious he is." She closed her eyes.


    "Glad, to see you haven''t changed." Lily folded her arms. "How are you feeling?"


    "Like a damsel in distress."


    "I mean physically."


    "Better than I ever could be, Lily. Juniper doesn''t even have to know I was sick." She picked the picture before putting it back. "I feel alive, I''m ready to get back to work at the pub, I am." She nodded. She felt her lips tremble as soon as she saw William on the stair, just smiling at her. He got to their side within an instant.


    "You must be~" She felt her voice crack as he took her hand and kiss it. She looked as if she was a vampire, the way she stared. "William." He ended her sentence.


    "My." She smiled. "You''re more handsome in person." She rubbed the hand he kissed.


    Lily rubbed her friend''s back. "This here''s Isobel."


    "You''re as beautiful as your name." He grinned, and they looked at each other for a hot second before.


    They all got seated at the table, it was set for Isobel too. Lily told her she could join them and William happily agreed. Jodi was having her morning caffeine as usual, when she met Isobel she was skeptical of her persona. She took a tissue, wiped her lips, and placed them down.


    "So Isobelle, is it?" She started. "You talk about work a lot. It must be an interesting job. So where do you work?"


    "I''m a bartender at the ole'' brewery, ma''am." She smiled.


    "Oh." Jodi sat up. "That explains it."


    "Is there a problem, ma''am?"


    "Oh no, I just have a problem with you calling me ma''am. I told you my name, feel free to use it."


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    Lily and William stared at the two, Lily looked down picking her food. William cleared his throat, trying to change the topic.


    "So girls, do you ride horses?"


    Isobel answered. "Lily''s scared of horses. When we were children my sister tried to make her go on one but she just wouldn''t budge."


    "Is that so?" William pegged for an explanation from Lily.


    "It''s just unbearable when you lose control of them," Lily said like a little girl confessing her love for the first time.


    "It''s not always like that, Lily. I told you." Bella tapped her hand lightly. "And I ride horses." She turned to William with a wink. "But those aren''t the only things I know how to ride."


    William did not answer, mostly because he didn''t need to. He just looked at her with a smile then turned to his mother who had a scowl on her face. "So Mother, I was thinking of clearing my schedule today and taking the girls down to the ranch, would you like to join us?"


    Jodi still had her eyes on Isobel, she drew out her chair and excused herself. "I''d rather not, dear but have fun."


    They did go to the ranch to see all the horses. Then William convinced Lily to get out on the horse.


    "There''s nothing to worry about." He said, buckling the tack. "You remember how to ride a horse right?


    "I, I don''t know." She nodded, staring as the brown horse capered towards her. She felt its cold nose just on the palm of her hands and she started to premeditate her next move if he ran off with her on his back


    "What''s her name?" Isobel interrupted, calmly running her hand down the side of the mare''s stomach.


    "Eliza." William stuck his shirt into his pocket, prestigiously before grabbing Lily''s hand, she felt his grip and felt her heart sink, she looked at him and he was smiling. "Are you ready?"


    "No." She let out as he led her on the horse.


    "You''ll have to be." Isobel smiled too.


    They both were excited to see Lily ride the horse and even the horse itself neighed at William and Isobel''s laughter. She had no idea she was already seated until she felt it move a bit, she closed her eyes really tight and waited until it settled down.


    "Hey." His voice was deep now, she felt his grip on her leg now. "What ever you were afraid of before, you must remember, Lily, it''s different now. You don''t have to be scared, I know you can do it." He winked then grinned letting her go, she adjust her helmet up a bit, so she could see in front of her then Dill, the care taker, took her into the fenced area. She nodded to his instruction and before she knew it she was off riding a horse again. And the equestrian life seemed to come into her line of sight, she felt like a rider in a horse show giving the performance of a lifetime. It felt just the same as the first time she rode Betsy, the first and only horse her father ever got her. She remembered he had to sell in after a week because she was so scared that it gave her nightmares.


    Lily thought William was trying to impress her friend, he didn''t respond to her flirtatious comments but he still talked to her. When ever Isobel blurted out a mouth-opening sentence, Lily would nod and William would just smile. And when William finally got Lily over her fear of horses, it gave Isobel the perfect opportunity to be alone with William, She sat on the rails with him beside her leaning over it. He was staring at Lily and she was staring at him, he finally gave her his attention.


    "It''s good to see you''re back to your old self, I suppose."


    "It''s been hard but I always land on my feet."


    "So you have a sister, how interesting."


    "Yes, I do. Too bad she''s in another country and she has already found the man of her dreams. So keep it moving, Prince Charming." They both laughed for a while before Isobel too stared out at Lily, waving to her as she passed. She then took a deep breath. "I should thank you for what you did. I''m really appreciative. I hope you''ll be okay with me repaying you soon." She stretched her hand out for a shake and he took it.


    "I''ll accept what ever you have to offer, Isobel."


    The way he said her name, Isobel knew it was the beginning of a love story. Little did she know it would be a tragic one.

 Chapter Eleven - The Ambush

    How many months had gone by? How many days were they searching the ends of the earth like a certain adventurer in his quest for the golden city? But Jacob wouldn''t be able to answer that question. It was hard for him to keep track of anything these days. It was the town he grew up, where they''d claim to see his father so Jacob went back there with his Uncle to look.  Now, they were both looking for a cabin, just up the hill. It bore the usually broken windows, barred doors, and a stench of loneliness and trail too often trodden by Jacob. By now, this quest to find Jacob''s father turned into an annual hunting trip. Every year someone would spot the man, and every year they rushed to find him. In the depths of darkness, crept a light Jacob could vividly see. He chipped at the tall grass, moving through carefully. With a swift movement through the bushes, he quickly turned his torch. "Uncle?" He called out. "Uncle!" He said again.


    He heard a gun go off in the distance, he followed it, scuttling through the bushes as fast as he could, like a deer running for it life. It seemed to have led to a dark end. Unaware of where he was, Jacob shouted again hoping for a response. "Uncle John!" He said.


    Pow!


    He knew he was close. He followed the echoing bullet until he reached a clearing.


    "What happened?" He sat John up, shocked to see blood oozing from the side of his head.


    "Some crazy bugger, Jacob. That''s what happened." He stuck the gun at his side, it was still smoking from the first two fires.


    "Father?" He probed.


    "Whatever it was, it was not him. It couldn''t be."


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    Jacob looked at his Uncle and then toward the end of the clearing. He took off his satchel and rested the man''s head on it, he then reached down to grab the gun.


    "Don''t, Jacob." He held it firmly so Jacob couldn''t get it.


    "I have to find him. I won''t rest until I do."


    "It''s dangerous." Slowly left the man''s lips as opened his eyes, he relaxed his fingers and soon enough Jacob was heading toward the clearing with a weapon at hand.


    He found the cabin, it was old, very old. The porch looked as if it would break away the moment he stepped foot on it and before he could open the door he heard a slow creak. It came open slowly.


    "Dad?" he walked in, the cabin was completely naked, only the floorboards gave the house some character. The door slammed and he quickly turned to flash his light. Someone was there with him but he had no clue who. He heard a few small pecks for steps behind him. Then he felt his breathing slow down like his lungs were trapped at the moment that was this. He wanted to turn around, he quickly did to fight his fright. Panting, he asked, lifting the gun towards the figure.


    "Who are you?" He backed away slowly as each step got closer to his. He watched the black torn robes blow in the wind, it felt like death had looked him in the eyes. His elbow touched something ice cold with a gasp he realized it was another being. He didn''t know which was which and before he knew it, out came three more. And there he was in the middle of five soulless creatures.  "Where''s my father?" He gulped, turning the gun on each one of them.  They all shared a harmonious laugh, like that of a siren. Jacob felt poisoned or he like was intoxicated, this couldn''t be real.


    "You''ll never find your father." One voice came out, he turned to it. Springing back to the other when she said. "And they''ll never find you." Then came a thump behind his head, Jacob fell to the floor. He bled until he fell into a deep slumber. The world seemed small now, and there was a light on the other side, brighter than anything he''d ever seen before. He trusted in that light so much that he knew he didn''t have to worry anymore, so he stopped worrying. He just stopped worrying.

 Chapter Twelve - The Gap

    It was only a few days later when Tammy heard the news and she knew Jacob would want her to tell Lily. So she stopped herself from breaking down and visited the Beckingham manor, Lily was the one to open the door. She struggled to stop the woman from falling, she didn''t understand what happened because Tammy couldn''t say it. But Lily knew it was about Jacob, her heart sank so much that it stopped her breathing. Tammy finally said it and Lily was shocked. She got her things together.


    "Lily?" Jodi stopped her, she was confused.


    "I have to go, Mr. Beckingham. I''m sorry." She ran out and left them behind. She didn''t have time to explain it. Maybe if she said something, none of this would''ve happened. None of it.


    Throughout the entire drive, she wondered if prayers worked. She wondered why it had to be Jacob, why did he have to be like this.


    Tammy watched the girl, resting her hand on her chest.


    "He loved you." She said she watched her in disgust. "He loved you and you turned him away. I''m sure he''d agree that what you did to him was way more than this."


    Lily''s head slowly tilted towards Tammy, she hadn''t the words to express herself, she was too naive to notice Jacob''s feelings. "I beg your pardon. Why would you say that now."


    "I told him you were broken." That''s all Tammy had to say, she was broken. Broken, that''s what resounded in her head. Broken. She couldn''t get it out, Tammy was right. She was broken. And now that she knew what Jacob wanted to tell her before she left, she didn''t know how she felt towards him anymore. What was she going to do? There was nothing she could do, she thought about it. Could this be why she was worried so much about what he thought? Deep down, somewhere in her broken heart, she loved Jacob, didn''t she?


    Lily slept until she reached her destination, she dreaded going back to another hospital but she put those fears aside for him. If her presence would comfort him as Tammy said, she''d do it. They rushed to the door, Taylor was waiting for the doctor.


    "Tammy." She opened her eyes wide. "Lily, I didn''t expect you to be here. Is William with you?"


    "How is he?" Lily got to the entrance, she left herself unnoticed as she watched him sit by the bed, looking out the window. He had his head wrapped and he wore a white gown. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and said a prayer.


    Taylor had no words, she couldn''t answer the question. The three women rushed to the doctor as soon as he came towards them.


    "How is he?" Tammy played with her finger continuously.


    "He''s going to be fine, it was a major concussion but he''ll be okay now. I''ve done a few stitches and if we allow them to heal, he''ll be okay within a month."


    "Can I see my brother, please?" Tammy felt so devastated, Lily thought it made her lose some weight. She went into the room after the doctor''s okay.


    As soon as Jacob saw her, he sprung up. "Tammy."


    She smiled. "Jacob." They hugged.


    "I''m so happy you''re okay. What, happened?" She rubbed his face, looking around at the bandage.


    "Funny story, Sis." He gave a sad chuckle. "I don''t remember."


    "Well, never mind that." She turned to the door, waving her hands for Lly and Taylor to come in. "Come in, girls."


    Taylor rushed in, and she got in front of him, bawling her eyes out. "I thought I''d lost you forever."


    Jacob watched her emotionless, he pulled her hand down from his face and turned to Tammy, gazing at Lily for a second but going back to Tammy. Taylor clenched her hand to herself when he did this, she stood up and gave him some space.


    "What''s wrong, Jacob?" Tammy rubbed his back.


    He stood up. "What kind of joke is this?"


    Lily nodded, she felt a burning sensation at the back of her head. Jacob hated her, he didn''t even want to see her, she was the one that set things in motion. She was going to walk out when she heard Tammy ask Jacob. "What do you mean?"


    "I told you already, Tammy, I''m not getting married." He sat back down, hands on his lap. "You have to stop bringing them here. I''m not going to marry a stranger."


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    Tammy''s hand hovered over her mouth, she looked back at Lily. They were thinking the same thing. Taylor didn''t want to believe Jacob''s state so she got in front of him.


    "Jacob, It''s me, It''s Taylor. You must remember me." She looked into his eyes, she hoped he''d remember just how intimate they were. She reached in to kiss him.


    "Stop!" Lily walked over to her and pushed her aside. "He doesn''t remember you, Taylor. You shouldn''t take advantage of him because of that."


    "She''s right." Tammy sat up, wiping tears from her eyes.


    "Why don''t I remember?" He glared at Tammy for an answer.


    "I, I," She was lost for words, and she got up and rushed out. "I''m going to find the doctor."


    "You were ambushed, at least that''s what your uncle said." Lily watched out the window, rubbing her arm.


    It hurt Jacob that he didn''t understand anything, he felt stripped of his memories, and it was suffocating, to say the least. He felt trapped in an old shell, like a large crab dying to get out.


    He couldn''t understand what had happened. He felt light-headed and faint. "The lights hurt, everything hurts. And my uncle, where is he? Where is my Uncle?" He got out of bed and went to the adjoining room, slowly pushing the door open. "Uncle?" Just saying his name sent a shock wave threw his mind. He felt like he was a soldier on a battlefield where mine just went off beside him, deafening him from hearing the others. "Uncle?" He managed to say again, he felt it blow again in his mind. He felt flashing like a vision. A memory may be, a faint memory he couldn''t figure out. His blindness slowly crept away like the rising sun chasing the night with a swish and a lash.


    "Mr. Dale." He felt a soft touch on his shoulder. "Jacob." He recognized the voice of the woman that took care of him for the week he spent in the hospital.


    "Where''s my Uncle?" He looked around the room but he couldn''t see the man anywhere.


    "He was discharged yesterday." She explained.


    Jacob kept calm, it wasn''t worth the fight. He didn''t want to cause unnecessary trouble for anyone, especially the people who have helped him. He relaxed, staring at the ceiling for what he thought was a full day but was only an hour. All he could think about was his sister, how she wanted to push women in front of him as soon as he opened his eyes. "I thought we''d been over this." He grunted. Love made his father insane, he was determined not to make the same mistake. "I know what I''ll do." He said, pounding his fist. "I''ll run away." He couldn''t possibly live there, it was too congested, and he needed to go away, move to someplace simpler, much simpler.


    "Run away?" Taylor was at the door, she whispered to herself. "God, why did you have to be awake? A pillow would''ve done the trick." She clenched her fists.


    "You." He sat up. "I have made my decisions clear on matters involving you and the other one."


    "I was your Love, Jake." She swayed her hips, holding a syringe behind her back.


    "It''s Jacob." He watched her as she sat by the bed, next to him. "What are you doing here?"


    "I want to make you remember." She said coldly with a hint of sadness. "And make you forget... everything."


    "What do you want? Money?" He fixed himself, unsure of her actions.


    "Please, Jake." She chuckled then pouted. "You and I were meant to be, remember? I can make you remember. Kiss me." She demanded. "Kiss me, for a moment, Jacob. Only a moment. I need to prove to you that I''m the one you love. And if that doesn''t trigger your memories of me I''ll leave, I''ll leave you alone. I promise." She grabbed the back of his head and made their noses touch as she looked at him. "Just one kiss." She whispered.


    He thought about it, this could save him for real. If he kissed her it could trigger something, he could get his memories back but she didn''t think much of it.


    "Okay, I''ll do-" She planted one on him so hard that he fell back, sinking deep into the pillow. She kissed him some more after getting some air. He gripped her hands to pull her off but he grew into the kiss, relaxing himself a bit more. Taylor felt happy, she felt she had won, she triumphed over them and she was getting what she deserved when she was finished with Jacob. She slowly slipped the syringe over his head and to the other side as they continued sharing saliva. She lifted her hand up, far enough to stab it into his shoulder. No one could stop her now but when she threw her hand down at his shoulder, just when the needle had almost pierced his skin.


    "What''s going on?" They heard.


    She gasped, coming up off of Jacob. She watched the doctor, running her hair to the side of her face. She hid the needle at her side. "I think we might have got a bit carried away." She chuckled and then hit Jacob lightly. She got up and left the room. Jacob sat up, running his hand through his air.


    "Looks like your slowly getting back to your old self, Mr. Dale." He smirked, clicking his pen. "Well, I have good news and bad news."


    Jacob couldn''t answer he felt he needed to get up, so he tried to stand and the doctor got to his side quickly and helped him. "What''s the bad news?" He recoiled his fingers, glaring at the man.


    "You''re not going home next week, Jacob."


    "What?" He said, walking limply over to the window. "I''m feeling better, though."


    "I know. You''re going to be discharged this afternoon." He grinned, walking over and tapping Jacob''s shoulder. "Just try to take it easy on yourself, we don''t want those stitches to come undone." He now knew what those tight pains were, he touched the back of his head lightly and nodded to the doctor.


    The doctor walked back to the doorway saying. "Your sister''s going to be here any minute, just relax." Then left.

 Chapter Thirteen - The Preposition

    "I''m beginning to think that my efforts haven''t paid off as well as I thought they would. There''s always someone getting in my way and I can''t help but think that William has sent me on an impossible mission. He did bring down the old man, didn''t he? How is this any harder? I feel sorry for that poor girl, honestly, having her life planned out for her by that sick bastard." Taylor bit her knuckles, thinking about this as if her life depended on it. She watched Jacob, Tammy, and Lily help pack the car with Johnathan''s things while she sat on the steps. It was ear-aching, she didn''t know what she''d do if she let the opportunity to get her father back pass. She tapped vigorously on the steps, shaking them. She didn''t even notice when Lily came to get her, all she heard was a "Taylor."


    She jerked, dissembling herself by flashing a weak. "Oh, sorry. I was just feeling~" She sighed, almost desperate for pity and attention. "He''s not going to remember me, is he?" She bit her lips, looking away.


    "It''s hard to say." Lily sat down beside her, they both watched Jacob but each girl had thoughts of their own, very different manifestos. "The doctor said these things take time and there''s a possibility he might not get his full memory back." Lily rested her head on her hands, leaning to one side as she stared. "It''s hard to believe that five years of your life could disappear so easily."


    Taylor turned to her, in her mind she wanted to laugh. She felt it creeping up on her and she let out a slight chuckle before saying. "Jacob wanted us to get married, you know and now he can''t even imagine himself with me. Hard to comprehend, that''s what this is... to him, to me, to all of us." She took a deep breath as she got up. "I shouldn''t have come here, I told him that we couldn''t be together and now I feel like it''s survival of the fittest like I''m fighting for his love." Taylor screwed her face, wiping the dry tears that came with her act. "I told him that I would keep him back from finding his father, I should''ve fought harder, I, I should''ve begged him to stay. Tell him that it wasn''t worth it." She hid her face, smirking as she felt the guilt from Lily''s stance.


    Lily cupped her hands together, frowning at the girl''s confession and resentment. "It''s not your fault, Taylor. You don''t have to pressure yourself into thinking that it is. We don''t know what happened out there, we''re lucky that he even survived. He could''ve died, his body could''ve still been in the middle of nowhere. We just have to~" She bit her lips slapping her hand in her palm. "Pray, yes, praying always works. You should''ve prayed instead of disregarding Jacob''s feelings in the hospital. I admit, I may have been a bit harsh but he was confused, he didn''t know us."


    "You''re right, Lily, and I''m sorry." She dropped her eyes with a nod. "But." She gleamed, grabbing hold of Lily''s hands. "You''ve done the same thing, haven''t you?"


    "Same thing?" She said.


    "Disregarded Jacob''s feelings. I can''t forget the way he looked at you the day you and I first crossed paths." She smiled. "He loved you but it took him a short while to realize that you were broken."


    "Broken?" Lily looked at her emotionless; she nodded. "I''m not broken." Her voice cracked.


    Taylor fixed her efforts on getting rid of Jacob, she knew neither prayer nor even God himself could save Jacob from meeting his final demise. Her plan fizzed on like an experiment in a beaker; she didn''t know the outcome but she was going to try and try again until something worked. She devised various maps in her head, all leading to the death of Jacob Dale. The last thing she wanted was to risk the life of another, she remembered that little voice in her head telling her all things needed balance. It convinced her that to get a life, you need to take life. It was better to sacrifice a life than it is of random, Taylor knew it was a threat to her mother and she wouldn''t allow it.


    Lily wondered if she''d ever be fixed, she didn''t know people could break so easily. She thought it was impossible to break something that was intangible, nonetheless, a soul.


    Every now and then it looked like Jacob was younger, he must''ve felt eighteen again because of that incident. He was bright-eyed and also curious, no one told him anything but Taylor, and if she cared about him like she confessed why was she so distant? He felt she was serious most of the time, always thoughtful just like Lily. But Lily, was more of a reflective thinker, something was bothering her. Jacob saw the conversations that went on in her head through her varying facial expressions. He didn''t devote his time to figuring out what they were, being busy fighting his own painful experiences. The death of his mother burdened him every now and then, it seemed like everything he saw led back to her blunt end. He wondered if by getting his memories back, these feelings would go away. Last he recalled, his mother died almost a decade ago but from what his Uncle told him, it''s been almost fifteen years. If he got back his memory, maybe it wouldn''t hurt as much. Maybe, during that five-year period, he grew from that. And what Tammy said about marriage, he never heard her talk like that before. He wanted her to get married but what happened, he wish he could remember. He felt robbed of his development and was afraid to start over again. Jacob had so much to say but not a word left his mouth that entire day.


    After a long day of traveling, they got settled in Hope. Taylor excused herself, saying it was too painful to watch the love of her life see her as a complete stranger, and left. Lily stayed that afternoon and helped them unpack everything, she offered Johnathan a place in her house and he accepted, taking the keys off of her hands in the meanwhile.


    She took her own leave and went back to the Beckinghams, offering an explanation for her untimely and mysterious disappearance. She felt she failed to execute a proper reason for leaving but William understood and he got his mother to soften up too.


    "It''s fine, Lily. I''m glad you''re okay and Jacob is too, I understand he''s your friend." William said.


    Lily was more concerned about his mother. She looked down, tightly gripping her hand. "Mrs. Beckingham?"


    She squinted her eyes, dreading her absence and leaving her to socialize with Isobel. "I suppose the safety of your friend is worth risking your own life?"


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    "It''s not that way, I-"


    "It''s okay." She sighed and then waved her hands. "It''s been a long day, you should go freshen up before you eat. Go on." She crossed her legs, watching the girl leave before saying to William. "Is this your plan?" She nodded in disappointment. "My son, I thought you would''ve done better."


    "I know what I''m doing, Mother, you just need to trust me." He pounced up turning to her. "Even if it doesn''t go as planned, I''ll never give up. Even if, all I get is a taste... I''ll never let go."


    "But you''ve come this far, you''ve done all these things, William. All these things. Where have they led you? And what about Isobel? Why must you allow her to solicit you?" she screwed her mouth.


    "It''s going to pay off soon, it always does. Just ask my father." He walked to the mantle, it seemed like he was deaf to her words, they made no effect on him. "And where Isobel is concerned, I''ll compensate for her troubles." He wanted her nearby, even as a pawn, even if she thought they shared the same interests.


    It had only been a moment but he wanted to see Lily.


    "William." She opened up. "Do you need something?" She tucked her towel in tighter.


    "Why don''t you get dressed~" He glared at her utmost perfection then looked up to the sky. "And we can have a bite in the gazebo? Mother''s going into town."


    She stood in place thinking about it then she nodded. "I''ll be right out." Then disappeared.


    It wasn''t long before Lily and William got to eat, they were silent for the first few minutes but after William sipped some water he pressed her on the topic. "So Jacob? Is he going to be okay?"


    "He''s going to be okay physically, I just don''t think he''s going to be okay in here." She tapped her template.


    "Really? What do you mean?"


    "The doctor said something about a concussion. He was supposed to die but instead, the accident took five years of his memory."


    "So he doesn''t remember you? Or Taylor? Or anyone he''s been associated with during that time span? Interesting." He curled his lips up to give a smirk before sitting up and fixing his collar. "I''ve read a lot about these things in America, didn''t think they could happen but I guess my hypothesis has been demolished."


    "Where''s Mrs. Beckingham off to?" She looked down at the plate.


    "She''s looking for caterers, she wants a head start when she prepares for the annual Fall Foxtrot."


    "Fall Foxtrot?" She said. "I''ve heard about it but that was years ago."


    "Well, since Dad''s been away, it''s been hard to celebrate anything."


    "So he''s coming in September?" Her eyes brightened, she''d long to meet the famous Beckingham.


    "I highly doubt it. To share the truth, I don''t think he''s ever coming back."


    "Well, that doesn''t sound quite right." She perked up, now interested in talking. "He wouldn''t do that, would he?" She touched the back of his hands, her eyes glistening at him like a child asking why her dog hasn''t returned home in three days.


    William didn''t like that she pried on such things, he almost fell out of character. "You know how these things are, Lily. People would give anything for American life. They willingly sell their souls to the devil, why is this any different and why does it sound like an uncanny thing to do? Your mother would agree, wouldn''t she?" He said grimly. "She left you for something she couldn''t catch up with just like my father."


    "That''s not true." She choked out, pulling her hand away. She grabbed hold of the rail, trying to get up but flinched from a prick a thorn gave her generously.


    "Lily." He said sternly, as she froze, watching the blood drain down from her fingers. He took her hand and gently pressed the tip of her finger up to his mouth. In silence, she lifted her head towards him, watching as he sucked on it for a second then grabbed a tissue to press it down. He looked at her as he held her hands. "You must learn to be more careful."


    She wanted to say what was on her mind so she did, she waited a while. William seemed so focus on getting the blood to stop, she didn''t want to interrupt him.


    "William." She said softly, letting a deep sigh slip from her lips. It was adorable how he always took such good care of her. "I think it''s time that I go back home." She said, almost serious.


    "Go home?" He gulped, sitting up.


    "There''s only so much space in my heart." She explained. "I can take care of you and Mrs. Beckingham but I can''t be a part of this family for I''m only a maid."


    "What will it take~" He stood up, watching around and holding his waist~"For you to stay?" He ended.


    "I''ve already made up my mind." She was persistent.


    "Alright." He nodded, glancing at her. "When are you leaving?"


    "I still have a little more time here, though." She said. "I can''t go home just yet."


    "Hey." He said, his face softening as he lifted her head to him. "It''s okay."


    She squinted her eyes. "What?" She said, pushing his hand away. "No, that''s not why I don''t want to go. I''m not scared if that''s what you think." She walked to the edge and watched straight ahead. "I guess." She sighed. "I guess I''m tired of everyone treating me like a fragile plate or one of Mrs. Beckingham''s wine glasses. I don''t need anyone to treat me like a child. I''m not broken, I''m not." She turned to him, twisting her lips. "I don''t need a shoulder to cry on, why can''t you see that I''ve passed that stage... a long time ago. I just want to move on. I''m stronger than I seem, William, I am."


    She felt his stare as she walked past but she didn''t expect him to stop her. He held her wrist tightly, pulling her towards him. She felt them touch chest to chest and she slowly turned her eyes up to meet his. His soft whisper as they stayed in each other''s arms, gave her goosebumps. "Who are you trying to convince?"

 Chapter Fourteen - The Reason

    Jacob found himself sleeping most of the time, it was the easiest way to get rid of the constant flashes but the thing that woke him was a knock at the door. He opened it to an unfamiliar face. He rubbed his eyes, nodding. "Who are you looking for?"


    "You don''t remember me?" A grin was given. "How convenient. I''m William." He stretched his hand out for a shake and Jacob took it, confused.


    "Am I suppose to know you?"


    "Why, we''ve been friends for four years." He laughed then walking in. He looked around, stuffing his hand in his pocket. "Unfortunately, I''m not here to reminisce. There''s something we must discuss."


    Jacob stared. "What is it?"


    William gave a slight chuckle, thinking about it before looking up. "It''s actually a who. A her. Lily to be exact."


    "Lily? Why do you want to talk about her?"


    "You don''t recall?" He said, astonished. "I''ll be brief. Lily and I, we share courtship, you see... and you got in the way of that. Try not to do it again." He tapped his shoulder, placing a folded paper in his hand. "I have to go, I''m late for a meeting."


    He watched it then looked up at him. "And if I don''t listen to you?"


    He smirked then opened the door. "Read the note."


    When he left Jacob stood in the middle of the room, he took a deep breath before unfolding it and the words that left his lips were. "Bad decisions always lead to bad consequences."


    Lily walked to town, she wasn''t confident about her words to Jacob. What she''d tell him when he started asking questions. Every time she walked, she could hear something rustling in the tall grass on the side of the graveled road but she had no idea what it was. She stopped and turned but she couldn''t hear it anymore. She walked again and the rustling continued, so she decided to keep walking but turn her head and when she did, she spotted a brown mutt galloping like a horse, proudly through the bushes. She stopped and then it stopped.


    "Come here, you little bugger." She called and it pranced out, jumping around in circles. "Well, aren''t you cute?" She smirked, it filled her heart with joy just watching the animal wagging its tail and showing her tricks. She smiled once more and walked on hoping it wouldn''t follow but it did. "I''ve lead you on." She cursed playfully. "Now I must let you follow me, oh no." She laughed as the dog got in front of her, she leaned forward, rubbing his long golden locks. "What''s your name, Love? Is it Harris?" She joked but was still curious. The pup growled. "Oh, it''s not?" Lily pouted. "How about Cookie?" She giggled like a little girl. The dog growled again this time jumping up on her feet. "You are Lovely but I''m afraid, you''re not mine to keep." She fell back just as the dog started barking, licking the palm of her hands. Lily thought about what she said, she didn''t know what made the dog so happy. "What is it? Oh wait, it''s... it''s Lovely!? Isn''t it? Your name''s Lovely?" She got up, sighing. "I''m sorry, I had a pup once. I can tell you it doesn''t end well... for me at least. So I''ll save you the trouble and pain, I''ll let you go."


    Lily got up and went on her way but Lovely followed a few feet behind, she looked like she had not eaten in weeks. Poor puppy, Lily thought, She''s really strong to have survived that long. Before she knew it, Lovely followed her straight to Jacob''s home. Lily closed the door behind her, taking off her coat.


    "Jacob." She said, walking to the kitchen and taking out the container from her bag. She transferred it over to one of the pots lying around then proceeded to heat it up. She paid the silence no mention, she figured he was just sleeping. Lily thought it would be best to take the soup up to him after she''d finished cooling it and that''s what she did but as she was going up the stairs, she heard the front door open, she gasped to see Jacob coming in.


    "Uhm, Hi." She froze. "I was just~" She smiled, thinking to herself. "coming to see you, to give you this."


    "It''s fine." The hoarseness in his voice rose as he slipped off his boats. "What''s with that pesky dog outside, is he yours by chance?"


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    "Her" She paused. "name is Lovely. And no, she isn''t mine."


    "She''s fond of you~" He said then added. "Lily."


    She stopped, opened mouth she stared. "You remembered?"


    He chuckled. "Your name is easy to remember, just like you."


    Once Jacob got seated, she gave him the bowl and spoon then sat opposite him, watching like an amazed child at a circus.


    "What?" He sat up.


    "I just." She sighed. "It''s really great seeing you like this."


    "What are you trying to say?" He smiled. "Am I ruder five years following who I am now?"


    "No." She nodded. "You''re actually the opposite. It''s good to see you''re care-free and not worrying."


    "Worrying?" He scoffed. "Why in the world would I be worried?" He thought, his eyes gliding around the room then towards her.


    "Not important." She looked into the bowl. "How does it taste?" She could feel a lump build in her throat.


    "Why isn''t it important? Does it have something to do with you?" He placed the bowl down, staring at her.


    "It''s not like that." She turned away.


    Jacob folded his arms, leaning back and stared at the old wood boards above.


    "I don''t know what it is about you. When I was at the hospital, Taylor came telling me how much I loved her. but if I love her then why am I drawn to you?" He turned to her, waiting for an answer.


    "I think." She paused, then sighed, "I think that''s for you to figure out, Jacob."


    "Well, how do you feel... about me?"


    She felt the lump grew, she gazed around the room, like an insane woman.


    "Well?" He said and she looked up


    "I-"


    The front door opened once more.


    "Taylor." Lily stood up, rolling her skirt in her hand.


    She shrugged. "That stupid dog bit me." She rubbed her thigh.


    "It looks she did a number on you." She chuckled, walking towards the kitchen. "She must be hungry, I''ll fix something up for her."


    "Thank you." Taylor sat down, taking off her hat.


    "I think she meant the stupid dog." Jacob grinned.


    "Oh." Taylor nodded. "Is that so?" She bit her lips, sitting up. "I actually have something that''ll fix you right up." She leaned in. "It''s not a kiss, Jacob. I''m still sorry about that." She grinned.


    "What is it now, Taylor?" He growled.


    "There''s a doctor who might be able to hypnotize you, he thinks the reason you don''t remember is because you don''t want to."


    "I don''t understand."


    "You''re traumatized, Jake. You''re scared."


    "Scared?" He repeated staring to the empty wall. "It''s hard to put together, if something so terrible happened, I should''ve been dead."


    "I know." Taylor snickered discreetly. "Well?" She pounced up. "What do you think?"


    "Think about what?" Lily walked out, passing them and towards the door.


    "Oh, it''s nothing." Taylor waved her hand.


    "There''s a doctor who can help me get my memory back," Jacob said.


    "Why in the world would you want to do that?" Lily said with a chuckle before freezing. "I" She turned to Jacob. "I''m sorry, I shouldn''t have said that. I don''t know what has gotten into me."


    Jacob hadn''t the appropriate response and Taylor well, you could imagine the smile on her face. He turned to her and asked. "Will he be available tomorrow?" He was skeptical but it seemed like Lily was hiding something, he felt her sudden disinterest in helping him was a bit sketchy.

 Chapter Fifteen - The Doctor

    It was nerve-racking, just watching the man bring all his equipment upstairs. He wondered what Taylor had done this time. This weird way of getting his memory back seemed extreme to say the least. As the doctor trussed him by his hand and foot with a belt, Jacob thought he looked like a scientist planning some crazy experiment, he wasn''t sure what to ask or say but he knew he didn''t trust the man anymore.


    "What are you doing?" He began worrying, the man pulled the belt some more. "I said, what are you doing?"


    "I''m going to inject you with this numbing serum first, the belts are just for precaution. Don''t worry. You can relax."


    "Numb me? Numb me for what? I thought this was psychotherapy treatment like Taylor said."


    "Well, aren''t you gullible~" He grinned, tapping the tube with his fingers. "I''m going to kill you, Mr. Dale, and for a hefty price too."


    "Let me go." Jacob fought, rocking the chair. He fiddled with his feet and arms, trying to get them to slip out.


    The doctor got closer inching up to Jacob, every second. He punctured his skin and emptied the injection into him placed the syringe safely on his platter of instruments before pulling out another bottle.


    Jacob couldn''t keep his head up, he still tried to fight back and get away but it was too strong. He tried to fight off the man but he held him by the chin as he pointed the next needle to his wrist. Jacob couldn''t speak now, the numbness had gone to his tongue.


    Slipping off her coat, Lily heard the ruckus from upstairs and it made her apprehensive. She sprinted up the steps like a cheetah and by. When she opened the door, she almost fell back. And when the doctor turned around, spewing the killing liquid everywhere, she quickly tried to find any way to keep them both alive. She watched as Jacob fought to get away and then she looked back at the doctor, grabbing a knife from his tray of utensils.


    "What did you do to him?" Her hands quivered at the thought of his many schemes.


    He nodded in fright, glaring at Jacob, knowing that whatever was left in the syringe was strong enough to kill him. He grabbed Jacob Dale by the hair and stabbed him in the neck. Jacob fought to get him off but in turn, fell back onto the floor.


    "No!" She yelled, dropping the knife and reaching his side. The doctor quickly packed up his things and left the room without saying anything else.


    She saw the syringe still at his side so she turned his head to see and what she saw was something that made her believe in faith again. The doctor was so staggered by her sudden appearance that he was unable to fulfill his mission of killing the boy but instead stabbed one of the chair bars Jacob sat in. She gasped upon seeing the blood seeping from his head; he fell on his stitches and they came loose from the pressure and impact.


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    She rubbed his face, it turned a bright red hue. He opened his eyes, flinching in pain but he began to relax. "Lily?" he said peacefully, then rose with great anguish. "They ambushed me, in the woods someone hit me in the head, and then, then I saw you." He considered what to do next but laying on Lily''s lap was more than enough. He looked to the sky where the roof had blocked it and realized where he was at that moment. "I don''t remember what, what happened." He felt his body weight him down, his hands hadn''t given in to his commands. He wanted to hold her face right there and then, kiss her but he couldn''t so he just closed his eyes and felt her hands as they ran through his locks. Before she knew it, he was fast asleep. He wondered why he hadn''t feel a thing when his head had been struck there and then.


    Lily had no idea how she was going to explain it, how could she explain the fact that she''d let some stranger in Tammy''s home to kill Jacob? She couldn''t come up with a viable explanation as to why this man wanted to kill Jacob, maybe he was deranged. Was he even a doctor, so many things could''ve gone wrong. Tammy put Jacob in her care and she almost got him killed, how could she explain herself. She tried to do the right thing but it almost got him killed, he could''ve died and it would''ve been on her hands. Taylor wasn''t the one responsible for Jacob, she was.


    Tammy watched from the door, they both slept on the floor but managed to be in each other''s arms. She looked around at the sign that a collision crash course had step foot in the room. She knelt down beside them, running her hands up and down their back.


    Lily loosened her grip, slowly letting go of him. She mumbled as soon as she saw Tammy. "It''s my fault, Tammy, it is. It is. I should have never let that girl convince him to do this."


    "That girl?" She said.


    "Taylor." She got up, rubbing her eyes. Jacob felt her movements and he too got up.


    "Tammy?" He said unsure of what he was seeing but then he jumped up. "Tammy." Hugging her as tight as he could. "I remember! I remember!" He cheered.


    "Did Taylor do this too?" She smiled.


    "No. I fell and hit my head again." He smirked. "If Lily wasn''t there, I''d be dead." He sighed and then looked at her. "Thank you."


    "It''s fine." She reminisced, she didn''t want to say it was disappointing. "I should go, it''s getting late and the Beckingham''s must be waiting." She got up and fled from the room.


    "Lily." Jacob got up trying to call for her but shrieked from the pain.


    "You should let her be, Jacob." Tammy said. "I think you''re getting way ahead of yourself. She was just~"


    "Just repaying the favor, right?" He snarled, dropping himself on the bed. "But I didn''t feel that way and I''d like to believe she didn''t too. I swear, Tammy." He cupped his head behind his back. "This pain I feel can''t ever overcome what I feel for her and when I lost my memory, It was one of the luckiest unfortunate events I''ve ever had... just to fall in love with her once was something but twice, it''s a blessing." He beamed with pride. "I know that what you are saying is wrong because the second time, there was no death, no unfortunate events and I still happened to have these blooming feelings in my stomach for her without any of that."


    Tammy stared with folded arms. "What are you going to do?" She smiled


    "I''m going to tell her... like I should''ve."

 Chapter Sixteen - The Reason

    That afternoon, Lily met with the Beckingham clan. She had an announcement to make and everyone needed to be there. Greeted with two concerned faces, she started off.


    "Things have changed and I''m feeling a lot better these days." She paused, fiddling with her fingers like a girl swearing she didn''t steal cookies from the drawer on the top shelf.


    "Is this your testimony, Lily?"


    "No, Mrs. Beckingham." She nodded, and she gave a warm smile. "I''m moving back home."


    "Home?" Jodi said wide-eyed. "But this is your home!"


    "I''m sorry." She twisted her lips. "But I''m still going to be here."


    "I know that." Jodi sighed, falling back into her chair. "You were like a breath of fresh air around here." She suddenly sprung back up, slapping her son''s shoulder. "Say something, will you? You''re just going to let her leave."


    He gazed at the corner of the room, he was speechless. He didn''t think she''d go through with it. He sat up, fixing his clothes. "What''s there to say, Jodi? She has made up her mind, hasn''t she?" He turned to Lily finally. "I''m trying to put myself in your shoes, Lily but it''s hard to comprehend. If you like staying here, then why would you possibly want to leave?"


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    "It really isn''t about what''s pushing me away or making me leave... It''s what''s calling me, that house is all I have left. What kind of person would I be to let that slip away? Everything here is so great, so grand but it''s not as close to home as I can get." She chuckled. "I''m sorry, Mrs. Beckingham. Your home and my home: they''re two different things."


    "Oh dear gosh." She scoffed, fanning herself. "Enlighten me then, what so different about it?"


    "My home isn''t a place." She looked around. "It is a feeling. It is the feeling. Home is the feeling of being cradled in my father''s arms even at 19."


    "When do you plan on leaving?" William choked out, this time she might have a date.


    "I can''t say, as soon as possible. Next week Maybe."


    "Next week?" His mother responded in a pounce. "That''s just before the party."


    William watched them, he waited until Lily was finished. If she liked staying there, why would she want to leave? He couldn''t put himself in her shoes.

 Chapter Seventeen - The Aunt

    The faintest of voices hidden by a white light, hidden by the mind. It rocked back and forth like a boat on water.


    "What are you doing here? I thought I told you I wanted to be alone."


    "Mum sent me to get you. Come down and play."


    "Leave me be, Lee or you''ll live to regret it."


    "Mum! Mum!"


    "Settle down, will you, you spoilt little brat."


    "I''m not spoilt."


    "You are. Now leave me alone. Father and Mother leave me alone, why don''t you do the same?"


    "Come down and play with me, Will, please. Charlie and Michelle are already here."


    "Charlie and Michelle are nothing but, hmm.... Be gone before I slay you, peasant. "


    "No!"


    Chapter 17


    "Ugh!" A groan came from under the blanket. With the distant dreams and visions coming in, it was hard to come to terms with anything, deciphering the real from the fake. Darkness draped the house since the day Lily left. The Beckingham manor, as clean and bright as it may look, was not lively at all. The killing silence now made it easy for steps to be heard throughout and no one in the house spoke casually for a few days, it was always about the party or what clothes to lay out or what to cook. It felt like a corporation. Mrs. Beckingham and William never looked at Lily as the help and now that there was space between them, it was difficult to address her as such.


    It was just three days before the Fall Foxtrot, Lily came in early that morning. She took off her big woolen scarf and hooked the key on the wall. She rubbed her hands, looking around. The winter must be in a hurry to come- She thought. Just then she spotted William looking unsettled and tired.


    "When did you get in?" He was struggling to see her, making out the colour of her skin was the only way he knew it was Lily.


    "A few minutes ago. " She walked to the stair. "It''s a windy day, my hat almost flew away." She said, dusting the top. "You haven''t slept much, have you? I''ll brew some tea."


    "Wait, where''s my mother?" He remembered she wasn''t in her room.


    "I don''t know. " She stopped to think. " I didn''t expect you to be here. When saw her car only, I assumed you went to work early."


    "She''s out?" He said, climbing down each step. "She''s not a woman that just leaves... and with my car."


    Lily marched into the kitchen, saying. "She did mention something about inviting her sister to the party. Maybe she went out to see her."


    "I don''t like it." He scoffed, having a seat.


    "She''s a grown woman," Lily said softly, a smile barely showing. "She could be at the ranch for all you know."


    "It''s possible but this early? It highly unlikely she''d be there."


    "Mrs. Beckingham said she loves riding horses." She sighed, pouring hot water into a cup. "She also said it''s been forever since she''s ridden one. So it''s not highly or unlikely that she would be there."


    "So that''s why she kept them." He grinned. "I always thought it was because Sarah loved them. Father only bought them because my sister wanted them. She must have inherited that trait from mother after all."


    "Can I ask you something?" She pulled a chair out to sit beside him.


    "Of course."


    "It''s been a while and I haven''t seen Mr. Beckingham. Your mother said~"


    "Don''t worry about what Mother said, Lily because it''s a lie."


    "Is he?"


    "No, not quite but it does seem like it. He''s just... busy."


    Lily realized he didn''t want to get into details and she felt stupid for even asking something so sensitive like that. She nodded and was about to get up but William held her hand. "Don''t go." She gave a confusing smile, sitting down. "There''s something I''ve been meaning to say." He started. "You''re brilliant, Lily and sometimes I forget it."


    "You''re not obligated to remember." She said.


    "Someday I might be."


    "What are you trying to say?" She felt her hands grasped in his and her heart fluttered.


    "I''m not sure~'' He glared at her, giving a glowing smile. "~but what I am sure of is... that you''re right where you need to be." With me He thought of adding but a creaking sound startled her, she could hear someone having a discussion by the front door.


    William, flustered by the untimely event, streamed his hand down the side of his neck. He steadied himself, getting up. "Mother better have a good explanation for this." He growled, heading towards the front door.


    He could hear the conversation as he followed Lily to the front.


    "Oh, Elena leave your bags at the door Lily''ll help you to your room."


    "Lily?" She pestered. "Who is this Lily?"


    "Here she comes now. "


    "Morning, Mrs. Beckingham and ~" She paused, waiting for a name.


    "It''s Elena. Just Elena." The woman watched, annoyed as she slipped her gloves off.


    "And Elena Ma''am."


    "Would you be a dear and take her things to the guest room?" Jodi asked but ordered.


    "Of course."


    "Wait, where''s William?" She asked, curious and a bit worried about her son.


    "We were just in the kitchen together, he wasn''t feeling well so I made some ginger tea." She explained.


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    "Not feeling well?" Said his mother. "I should send for the doctor."


    "I''m fine, mother." William said, walking in.


    "Are you sure?" She rushed towards him, checking his face.


    "Jodi." Elena Ma''am Said. "He has no shirt. Is this how maids make tea for their masters?"


    "I''m sure there''s a good explanation." Mrs. Beckingham mumbled, more focused on her son''s well-being.


    "I think we need to talk, Jodi. Privately." She said, feeling provoked by Lily''s stare.


    Lily didn''t understand what the fuss was about, was she a child? Elena only wanted her to be seen and not heard, she felt belittled but she wasn''t going to let accusations stop her from doing her job. "I''ll take your things upstairs."


    "No!" Elena screamed. "I don''t want you near my things!"


    William''s eyes widened, and he pulled his mother''s hands slowly from his face. He couldn''t believe his aunt had just ordered Lily the way she did. He walked towards her, blocking Lily like her soul protector. "Aunt Elaine." He said.


    "Yes." She stuck out her lips looking the other way with folded arms.


    "I''ll take your bags to your room. The trip surely has made you tired and famished. Lily will get you something to calm your nerves."


    "I hope it''s not ginger tea." She mocked.


    William took the bag down the hall and Jodi did nothing but bite her tongue, watching as Lily quietly left the room.


    "Well? Come." Her sister locked their arms together. "We have a lot of things to talk about." Jodi agreed, taking her into the study. They got a seat and first, they were quiet then, Elena looked around, trying to get a good fit into the big-armed chair. "The place looks well put, barren even."


    "Lily cleaned it up. She''s really good with her hands." Jodi sprung with happiness.


    "I mean it looks empty, is that her doing too?" She said sniffling. "Anyway, where is your husband? Still in Africa?" She cackled.


    "I try not to think about it. At this point, he''s seen the place over a dozen times." She shrugged. "I don''t know when he''ll be back, I doubt he ever will."


    "Well, let''s get some scotch and drink on it, shall we?" For a moment it felt like Elena was the host, the way she poured the glass and talked, Jodi was convinced even in her own home.


    "Sure." She twisted her lips.


    "What shall we toast to?" She grinned, her tongue filling the big gap within her teeth.


    "How about traveling husbands?"


    "To traveling husbands." They laughed.


    "I could tell you." Elena got a bit close to Jodi. "I''ve never regretted something in my life like marrying a rich man." She said.


    "I wish I could agree with you." Jodi sat up, sipping.


    "What''s that mean? Hmm."


    "You know what it was like, Elena. I''d rather be old and alone here than on a farm working for some fat cat any day."


    "Aye, those were tight days."


    "We got out, Elena. Thank God for that."


    "Yeah, and it''s not by sitting on our asses all day either." Elena sipped. "Speaking of which, you should know a hustler when you see one. Looks like your skills have faded, sister."


    "Hustler?"


    "That girl you have here."


    "Lily? Oh no, she''s a darling."


    "She''s really not to be trusted. Look at her. If she keeps it up, she''ll be William''s bride by the next full moon."


    "I don''t see what you see, honestly." Jodi sighed. "She''s a good girl but with the way things are unbolting, I don''t think that''ll happen."


    "That''s good news now!" She smiled and then frowned, rubbing her sister''s shoulder. "But why are you sad?"


    "She''s perfect for William, he sees that too but I''m afraid there''s someone else."


    "If there''s someone else, give her a shot."


    "A friend of Lily''s."


    "Good reddens, No..." She whispered. "One like her in this house is enough. She''s already tainted your home, don''t let one more be bound to it."


    "Elena, I don''t understand what you''re saying. I don''t." She got up. "If you have something to say then say it. I really don''t appreciate the way you talk to her or how you talk about her. She''s been nothing but helpful in every way and for the days you stay in this house, she''s going to be here, whether you like it or not." She was going to walk away but Elena stood up.


    "I''m sorry, Jodi." She said, running her hand down her fur coat. "William''s right, I must be tired." She rubbed her forehead.


    "I''m happy to hear that. Just give her a chance, you''ll see how pure and special she is." She went back to hug her. " And It''s really good to have you here."


    William had his things together, he cuffed his shirt as he peddled down the steps only to greet his Aunt again.


    "You''re leaving?" She said, stopping at the stair.


    "Yes, unfortunately, and fortunately, I have a client who''s interested in buying something colonial and as you know, around here there''s nothing of that sort. So I need a two-hour head start." He smiled, it was all he could do. It was custom to show respect and he wasn''t quite ready to reveal a side of him she has yet to see.


    "Have a safe journey, dear." She nodded. "I''m just going to head to the observatory and have a nap."


    Elena Ma''am waited until William turned the corner to head back downstairs, she leaned her ear by the doorway, just enough to hear everything.


    "Lily." He took a deep breath, saying slowly. "I am so sorry."


    "It''s fine... I am the help, after all, I should''ve just kept quiet."


    "You didn''t do anything wrong, trust me."


    "The stew was too salted, the tea was too sweet. I didn''t wash my hands because Elena Ma''am could still taste soap on the spoons." She said weakly. "It''s my fault but I don''t, I don''t know what I''m doing wrong."


    "Like I said before, Lily. It''s not your fault. Look, give her some time and she''ll get used to you. It''s the most she could do.... Play nice. We still have a conservation that needs to be finished, as soon as possible."


    Elena gulped, she held her breath a bit more as William walked out. She was relieved when he just walked out the front door without turning back. "That vagabond. They both are blinded. She''s using my sister and my nephew, what a gypsy. Hmm, I swear. She''s waiting for that ring, I know it. I should give her a piece of my mind... but no. I should expose her, yes. Yes. She''ll never be able to step foot in the Beckingham manor when I do." Elena Ma''am sat on the step conspiring with herself. "A tramp, a tramp. That''s what she is. She is right where she needs to be though. A slave is all they''re good for being, My papa told me that himself. They don''t have the brains or the willpower to escape the disciplining wrath of someone like me."


    "Are you finished?" Lily watched her, blank and empty, hands behind her back. Elena ma''am didn''t know how to answer. "Are you finished?" She said again. "Because if you are, there are things that I need to say."


    "Go ahead." She blinked. "Save me the trouble."


    "I don''t know what era you''re living in but I know it''s not this one. And let me tell you something: You''re ignorant, I can understand that, Elena Ma''am, but I won''t let your words define me."


    "You don''t have to." Came a response.


    "Mrs. Beckingham." Lily was left speechless, forced to retreat back into her shell.


    "I''ve heard enough. You can save me the trouble by leaving, Lily. I''ll get a hold of you the day after the party. Wouldn''t want to spoil my mood."


    "As you wish," Lily said. She got her things and then left.


    Elena grinned for a while before letting out a loud hysterical laugh. Jodi rushed down to meet her. "I cannot believe you." She said. "That''s what this is about? The color of her skin?"


    "Jodi, don''t." She got up, trying to support herself. "You know what she is, don''t tell me you fell for that."


    "I can tolerate a lot of things but not this. Your hatred might endanger you someday, Elaine. Don''t live to regret it."


    "If you''re worried for my safety, sister, don''t be. I''m dead anyway." She tapped the rails playfully and then went into the kitchen.


    "I can see that," Jodi said under her breath.

 Chapter Eighteen - The Fall Foxtrot

    That afternoon, Jacob loaned a suit from his boss''s husband. It wasn¡¯t that new but it was better than anything from his wardrobe. He fashioned a hat and shined a pair of black shoes to attend this party. He didn¡¯t want to make an impression on the people there but he did want to make an impression on Lily Fisher. He quickly lifted himself off the car and made his way over to her, giving her his hand. ¡°Uh, You look.¡± He paused. She gazed at him, her eyes batted, filling her cheeks with a tint of pink. ¡°You look beautiful, Lily Fisher.¡± If a few dim lights made her look this elegant, Jacob wanted to see what the lights at the manor would portray. ¡°Right this way.¡± He held the tip of her fingers, leading her to her seat. When he got in, her silence made him anxious. He took a deep breath before saying. "Before we go, there''s something I have for you to wear... if that''s okay?"


    "Sure." She bit her lip, looking as he reached into his pocket. He took out the box and opened it, revealing a beautiful pendant. "It was my mother''s."


    "She must''ve had really good taste in jewelry." Her eyes sparkled at the dazzling reflection. "It''s perfect." His hands grew sweaty, trembling as he struggled to put it on. "There." He finally said and then they were on their way.


    The car ride was silent, it was tense and it provided an uneasy sanctuary. Mostly aroused by the fact they never did something this extreme. Going out together, Lily could never imagine it but now she hadn''t a choice. This party wasn''t the best place to be, Jacob would agree but as long as Lily was there with him he knew he didn''t have a thing to worry about. Cars were already stacked in a line, all leading to the Beckingham manor. She could hear the sounds of a soft piano, strolling up the grand entrance. People were dressed for the Gods, in beautiful gowns, big pearls, and big hair. The door was surely bigger since both sides were opened. It felt like the first time she saw it, only better. Lily was left in awe. Whoever decorated the room, must''ve studied decor for years. It was extravagant. The picture of Mr. Beckingham was moved to a place below the striking staircase under the brightly light ceiling. It looked like a modeled version of an art museum. What made it overwhelming wasn''t the different array of soft golden drapes blending with the dark hardwood floors, it was the selection of colors that came with the people around. It was like a rainbow was trapped in the room with a bunch of penguins. It was funny to think about it that way but Lily found it amusing. Before she could say something, she was laughing to herself.


    "What?"


    "Nothing. It''s nothing." She smiled before addressing a light tap on her shoulder. "Isobel.'''' She said, holding her in her arms. Both their dresses swished and swallowed each other, like a green and red whirlpool.


    "Well, how do I look?" Isobel spun around, excitedly.


    "You look like a Princess." She gleamed.


    "Yes, well, William picked it out for me so I ought to." Bella laughed and then looked up. "Who is this?"


    "This is my friend, Jacob."


    "Nice to meet you." He said.


    "I''m Isobel..." She shook his hand, baffled. "Have we met before? I wasn''t aware of new friends."


    "At Miss Cambelle''s bakery but I highly doubt it. I''ve never seen you before."


    "Yes, yes." She nodded, still uncertain. "Well, Lily, you look happy and I don''t want to change that... besides~" She grinned. "I have me a Prince to find and Jacob, I hope to see more of you."


    "Me too." He gave a little wave as she sprinted off. "She is something." He mumbled.


    "Isn''t she the most beautiful girl you''ve ever seen?" Jacob smiled watching Lily''s face light up just by admiring her friend.


    "Probably not the smartest." He nodded then sighed.


    "Why do you say that?" She screwed her face.


    "She''s chasing after William Beckingham. Not a good idea if you ask me." He thought about it with a scowl before saying. "I''ll let her be, though. It''s working in my favor, now that I think about it."


    "Really? How so?" She squinted her eyes.


    "Never mind that. We came here for a party." He smirked. She felt a touch, it was Jacob¡¯s hand in hers; it had been there the whole time. Her heart skipped a beat, she wanted to get away but then she didn¡¯t want to either. Consumed by confusing feelings, she felt him grip it tighter, grabbing a glass from the passing waiter then handing it to her. Only a sip was enough to calm her nerves.


    ¡°Would you like to dance?¡± The next song sprung the question.


    Her cheeks turned into a rose ball as she nodded.


    "Oh Lily." Isobel watched from the top of the stair, their dancing placed a spell on her but she shook her head and chucked out such fantasies. She still wanted to find William, so she scurried around the corner only to be graced with the presence of Elena Ma''am. The big white and gold gown caught her attention, she looked like a Greek goddess only she weighed twice as much.


    "I, I''m sorry." She ran some hair back before being left surprised "It''s you." She said.


    "Have we met?" Elena replied, holding her wrists.


    "No, unfortunately." She smiled, her body swayed from side to side as she spoke. "I recognize you from the photographs around. You''re William''s aunt. I never got to ask him your name." She was thrilled, maybe if she sucked up to this woman, she could be closer to him.


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    "Oh really?" Elena ma''am glared at her from head to toe, she almost made a scowl but curled her lips into a smile. "And who might you be?"


    She laughed, looking down. "I guess you can call me a family friend, I''m Isobel." She paused with widened eyes. "Wait, you know who I am, don''t you?" She jumped. "Didn''t you ask for me to attend this party? I feel so honored to have your blessings. Me and William-"


    She dared to go on but Elena said. "You and William?" She stopped her. "You''re the maid''s friend Jodi told me about. It all makes sense now." She gave a shrug.


    "Yeah." Her eyes jumped rapidly. "Do you know where he is? I''ve been looking everywhere."


    "He was around earlier."


    "I know, I~" She thought about him. "I danced with him."


    "I feel sorry, Isobel, truly."


    "What?" She nodded. "What do you mean?"


    "Some things are better left unsaid... especially when it''s about someone so dear to you." Elena said, gazing down at Lily Fisher. She then tapped Isobel''s hand. "How about we have a walk? William''s a bit busy at the moment but he''ll join us later, for sure."


    "Okay?" Isobel said, being trailed off by Elena Ma''am.


    Mrs. Beckingham watched them, leaning by her bedroom door. "She really disgusts me."


    "Mother, please." He said.


    "What? It''s true." She gave a smoldering chuckle.


    "Put the glass down, Jodi." He grabbed her. "Get your things and go back to your party." He fought with her, doing his best to get her settled and sober.


    She stared at him with puffed-up eyes. "I''m not going back." She said, stumbling on her words. "He didn''t come, William. What''s the sense?" She threw herself on the side of the bed.


    "Fix your hair." He brushed some back. "Your face." He rubbed it slowly. "Your clothes." He tied a knot on her robe. "What''s a party without a host, mother?"


    "Better." She started to cry.


    He watched her sadly then took her earrings off. "Here." He placed them by her bedside. "Get some rest, I''ll handle everything." He fixed her in the bed like she was his daughter. She closed her eyes and quickly fell fast asleep. "Father''s nothing but a traitor, a coward for abandoning us." He said, whispering. "Why do you still believe in him? I don''t, not anymore."


    ¡°I used to attend parties like these.¡± Jacob looked around. "As a child, though."


    ¡°So grand?¡±


    ¡°They were beautiful but I was never moved. It sort of gives makes me feel like a boy again.¡±


    ¡°What did you do at those parties?¡±


    ¡°Eat everything in sight." She felt his warm breath on the back of her neck.


    "What happened?"


    "My mum got sick, really sick." He gritted his teeth. "There was nothing they could do for her. Then my father went out one day and never came back. I think he took her death a lot harder than I did."


    "That sounds dreadful. It must''ve been hard."


    "It was. I¡¯m lucky for Tammy, she gave me everything when she took me in.¡± He smiled with clouded eyes, just the thought of her presence could cheer him up.


    ¡°I thought she was your sister.¡±


    ¡°In a way, she is. My father''s sister.¡±


    ¡°You two have such a close connection, I thought- Well, I thought you actually were.¡±


    "Lily" Jacob called out, hoping to catch a glimpse of her emerald eyes.


    She took a deep breath before choking out. "Yes."


    "This may sound repulsive but I think I love you, Lily Fisher."


    "What?" She shook her head then suddenly her hands weren''t in his anymore. He looked away. "I love you, Lily." He forced himself to repeat.


    He heard her pant but when he finally turned she fled. Lily kept her face down, she couldn''t understand what she was feeling, the emotions varying in her heart at that moment. She didn''t see him until they crashed into each other.


    "William." She said, quickly wiping a tear from her cheek.


    "Did something happen?" He said in a stern serious voice. He held her shoulders, waiting for an answer but the noise and fancy laughter around must''ve made her nervous. The sound of music slowly faded but the chirping from within the bushes grew louder and louder. He slipped out a kerchief and dried whatever tears were left in her eyes.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Lily, distracted by the brightness of the moon, gazed at it. She wondered if there was a man in the moon, how lonely he would be if he had to be without someone. She recalled the first time she met Jacob, the first time she actually noticed him. It wasn''t that rainy day when he took her home, it was the day her father died. She couldn''t admit that she too grew to love him. She felt the heat in her body engulfed that night. She didn''t realize William was trying to take care of her, as he did his mother, or that he''d been looking at her glistening eyes, how they brightened even more. He didn''t possibly think for a second that Lily was mind only held Jacob, the baker. He threaded his hands down her arm and held her cold wrinkled fingers. Bit by bit he turned her chin to him and cupped her cheek. She gaped, freezing ultimately because it happened so slowly but too fast for her to stop it. It began when he pressed his lips against hers, a soft peck. Then came a more endearing moistured kiss of great affection. Lily stuck a pin, pulling away. She touched her lips in dismay. What had she done? This was her fault; after all, she was an easy prey. Neither William nor Lily saw Isobel on the balcony looking down, when she saw them kiss she fled. It felt like a storm was coming, the winds blew heavily around them. Jacob came into the garden, just in time. He looked back and forth at the two standing, surprisingly, in silence.


    "Jacob." She managed to say, Lily held her chest and looked anywhere but at him.


    He gulped, walking towards her. "Is everything okay?" He almost touched her arms but she flinched.


    William answered. "Yes, I-"


    "I wasn''t talking to you."


    Lily took a deep breath, glaring at the two. "I think I''m ready to go home." Jacob looked at William, it was clear he wanted to grab his shirt and beat him till he smiled. Jacob didn''t want to ponder too much on the things William might have done. William''s grin was hidden by the darkness that filled the garden. Jacob calmed himself, Lily''s grip on his shirt assured him that she was fine and she wanted to


    William kissed Lily but he was frustrated by it. He kissed Lily Fisher. He fought a loud groan from the pits of his stomach. If Jacob hadn''t shown up none of this wouldn''t have happened - he thought. He felt the slightest eyes pasted unto his back, gazing up at the house, he spotted Aunt Elaine with folded arms and a beam of triumph.

 Chapter Nineteen - The Aftermath

    It wasn''t fair, Isobel felt cheated. She did everything to make sure William didn''t fall under someone else''s spell. But he did and under Lily''s, to say the least. That September night, it didn''t occur to her that William was the warlock in disguise. The shivering night was nothing compared to what she felt when she saw it.


    That kiss fueled something, so much hatred, and betrayal, it burned her heart like lightning, it burned even more than it would touch the brightest star in the sky. Her voice was numb, broken. She hadn''t the will to say anything but scream, scream, and pull her hair out like a madman. The stillness broke the night and with the slowing car, she hid her face.


    "It''s rather late. Get in." He suggested. "I''ll take you home."


    "Great." She murmured, laughing almost hysterically. "Walking is fine but thanks." She gestured with a dull wave.


    "A walk it is." The driver pulled over, parked the car, and within a second, was beside her.


    When Isobel''s face came to light, she was astonished that all she could say was. "William?"


    "I thought it was you." He said, almost as relaxed as the bending wheat in the fields beside them. "Oh, here." He slipped off his coat and Isobel stopped walking.


    "I, I"


    "It''s okay, you need it more than I do."


    "I saw you~" She paused, thinking about it then breathing out causing a crisp smoke in the air. "with Lily."


    "Did you?" He leaned his head back for a moment, chipping in a chuckle. "Is that why you''re like this?"


    "I thought you had feelings for me, William." She looked down, stuffing her hands deep into the coat''s compartments.


    "Well, I certainly don''t have feelings for her." He bit his lip before watching her with a long sigh. "We''ve known each other for a while, Isobel. You know by now I''d love you."


    "I love you." She nodded. "But I think it would be best if I stayed away."


    "Look." He held her swollen round face, it was red and warm. "Look at me." And she did. "If I ever met a girl as wonderful as you, I''d marry her within the blink of an eye." He didn''t realize the impact his words had on this girl.


    "Then do it." She said in a sharp tone. He watched her confused for a second before she demanded softly. "Marry me." Then he realized that what he said was something neither of them could take lightly.


    He grabbed her, hugged her, and gave a long sigh. Almost as if to beg for a second chance. "I''ll do it." He forced. "I''ll marry you, Isobel." He nodded, biting his lip.


    If there was ever a night that Jacob felt his lowest, it must''ve been this one. The windows were up but the inside was cold, nothing more deadly than the silence that sounded the vehicle. The car came to a halt and Jacob slapped his thighs with a sigh.


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    "We''re here." He said finally looking at her. "Lily?" She was fast asleep by then. Jacob took her out and carried her into the house and up to her room. He could feel her sudden clutches on his shirt whilst walking.


    "Lily." He sang but her sight didn''t come back yet. She winded, finally gazing at him. "You''re home."


    As soon as he left her to rest, she sat up, and before he could leave she asked him to stay. "Sit beside me." She said.


    "Besides you?" It was an intriguing thing to tell him.


    Lily bobbed her head.


    "Just for a minute."


    "What you said tonight..." She paused.


    "Just forget about it, Lily. Please." He groaned, glaring down at the floor. "It was a selfish thing to do."


    "I can''t." She reached to touch his shoulder but hesitated, then she did it. "You must know this, running was the last thing I wanted to and I''ll regret that for the rest of my life... and I''m grateful because you were still there. You didn''t care about your pride or how you felt at that time, you still came for me. That''s the most selfless thing you could''ve done."


    "You think so?" Just saying that made Jacob blissful.


    "Yes." She smiled at his youthful expression. "The first thing I wanted to do was this." She stared at him and he at her, she got close until their noses touched. And Jacob''s heart sank deeper. When he heard her breathe in and ]out slowly, he quivered, grabbing the back of her head as they kissed. They drew a mouthful of air that ended in an innocent laugh.


    "There''s one more thing I need to tell you." He sat up, humorless. "I''ve let a lot of things slip away and I don''t want you to be one of them. "


    "What do you mean? That''s not going to happen." She batted her eyes, thinking. "It''s not. I''m not, I''m not going to le-"


    "Will you marry me?"


    "Why are you crying?" It was an apprehensive question.


    "The last time someone told me they loved me, I walked away... because I knew what it was like to see someone, fall in love then watch them just disappear. It wasn''t true love then but I know that it is now. I took you for granted but I won''t anymore because I know you''ll cherish me and protect so yes. Yes, I will marry you, Jacob."


    And if there was ever a night Jacob felt his highest, it must have been this one.


    The next morning, Lily went to the cemetery. She watched her father''s headstone, it was fairly new even though it had been ... months.


    "Father, I bring good news... I''ve found the man I want to marry. It burns that you won''t be there, it does. I don''t want to be alone when I walk down the aisle. I wanted you to be there with me, holding my arms as I take you to the front. And on our way there you''d tell me how proud you are of me, then you whisper something absolutely hilarious and I''d have to fight my giggle and let the tears flow. I just don''t want to be alone. I don''t know where Aunt is now, I couldn''t bring myself to write about your passing. That woman would be devastated if she only knew. I also came to seek your blessings, I''ve decided that I''m going to find my mother. Wanted to, ever since you left, and suddenly, I have the courage to try and find her. Maybe she''s as brilliant you say, as beautiful... maybe she has other children, a family I could call my own. Maybe I won''t have to be alone. It''s funny really, I always thought we were packed, that it was always going to be me and you. Always. Now I''m talking about finding family and Jacob wants children and I''ll have Uncle John and Tammy. It''s overwhelming, I love it. Makes me feel guilty that you had to be the ransom for me to get all these things. A family, a home, a husband, a child, a mother. It makes my stomach turn. I couldn''t look at myself in the mirror this morning. How could I be happy? You''re dead, if you were here, it''d just be me and you! This isn''t good news, far from it. Why?" She bawled, falling to her knees. "Why did they have to kill you? I know that you want the best for me, Pa, and I am happy. These other feelings, I can''t explain them but I''ll try to keep them at the back of my mind for now. I know that this is the first time I''ve come to see where you lay and it might be my last for now so I want to say, I love you. I love you."

 Chapter Twenty - The Grandfather

    Jodi Beckingham decided to spend time with her sister, it was the least she could do to get her mind off of the fact that her husband had broken her heart yet again. Lily wanted to tell her the good news first but for that to happen, she needed to wait until Mrs. Beckingham came back. Not knowing when that would be, she went about her October days per normal, unaware that Isobel was sneaking in and out of the manor.


    Lily focused on her family, finding her mother.  She talked with Jacob for long hours, explaining how much she wanted to meet her mother and that side of the family so one day, he made plans to leave work early and go see this mysterious Peter Fisher with his fianc¨¦.


    He wanted the best for her. "I didn''t  get to find my father." He said. "I hope it doesn''t end the same for you."


    "I heard he got the name from  being a fisherman." She said, almost as if it was a fact. "And I hear he lives in a boat."


    "Sounds like he comes straight from a pirate book." He chuckled.


    "He might be." She said, almost sad. "I think maybe, Mrs. Beckingham was trying to scare me when she said those things."


    "Since we''re on the topic." He walked slower, head down. "I think you should stop working for them."


    "Stay home? Why do you want me to stay home?"


    "Oh, no. I didn''t mean it that way, Lily. You can work, surely~" He dreaded saying the name. "but not for the Beckinghams."


    "There really isn''t an assortment of other things I could do in Hope. It''s a small town and finding a well-paying job is going to be hard. With the Beckinghams I''ve earned three years'' worth of money I would''ve  made at a bar or one of those speakeasies." She gripped his arms, leaning on it. "You have to understand."


    "I do... but I have to ask." He looked at her. "How do you feel about moving? Nothing drastic like to another country, unfortunately. A cottage, maybe. On the river bank, with our five children... Something like the shoe house." He lit up as he spoke, Lily knew this was something he dreamed of long before she met him. It was a dream yet to be fulfilled.


    "Five?" She said. "That''s..."


    "It bit much, isn''t it?"


    "No, that''s perfect." She laughed. "Two boys and three girls." She thought about it and gleamed.


    "Exactly." He kissed her forehead. "Two boys and three girls, Lovely too." He grinned.


    "She''ll be lonely. We''ll have to get another." She fantasized then stopped in dismay. "What about my home? I don''t want to sell it."


    "Tammy could keep it, she''ll have a home for the rest of her life and when the kids get older they can have their grandfather''s land."


    "Yes." She touched her lip. "It''s a big property... You have it all figured out."


    "You don''t?" He said. "Always wanted a big family, being alone was quite depressing. Especially when all they made me do was pick up books, too caught up to play with the kids from the town. I always ran from the governess, she was a haughty woman." He shivered.


    "Wait, aren''t you suppose to inherit something from your parents?"


    "Money?" He sighed. "It would make things easier, wouldn''t it? But no, my mother''s dead and I don''t know where my father is. The Bank wouldn''t let me touch it because my father was alive. Whatever my mother had was left to him and that''s where it stays until he shows up again... dead."


    "Dead?" She asked.


    "I don''t want him dead, I''m just explaining the process. I hope he shows up soon, though." He glared out to the line on the horizon. "We''re here." He says, pointing towards an old shack on the left side of the beach. "I think that''s it."


    It was high tide hours and Lily didn''t want to go beyond the inevitable waters, she didn''t even want them to splash on her feet.  She closed her eyes but opened them when she felt a small peck on her forehead then a whisper. "I''m right here," Jacob said calmly. "Just, just think about it as trees, yes." He was sure now. "Trees, rustling from the wind."  She opened her eyes, gazing up at him.  He chuckled. "Hey look you are imagining them, your eyes turned green." He rubbed her shoulders, slipping his hand down into hers. "Are you okay?"


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    Lily turned to him and held his face. She watched all the features it held, she loved the feeling of the winds blowing away everything that flowed on her. She tilted her head and looked back to the old boat just up ahead. She turned back to Jacob. "I really want you to be there for me but I think, no, I know I need to do this alone." She smiled, almost holding her lips between her teeth.


    "I''ll wait for you,  I''ll be right here." His hands had slowly left hers and she felt a weight lifted off her shoulders. It wasn''t that her husband was a burden, it was what he said. He''d be there for her, she felt like she could do anything. She wanted to retaliate from the beach it self but she also wanted to find her mother. She prayed for months that her mother wasn''t like Isobel''s. Lily had faith in her mother, she wanted her to have a good reason for staying away and she hoped that this man had the answers she needed. She wasn''t going to marry Jacob without finding out about her mother. She wanted her to be at the wedding, wanted her to be proud of her daughter, he long-lost daughter.


    She pressed her shoe on the first step only to hear a creaking sound almost similar to a rusty swing. She gazed back to make sure Jacob was still there and he was. He waved to her and she smiled, before taking a deep breath. She closed her eyes and gave a single knock, then another but the more she knocked the more nervous it made her. She stopped for a second and listened to see if beneath the rustling trees, she could hear the man inside. She was fortunate enough to catch the faintest sound of a chip, it sound like he was cutting wood, it was a continuous sound and she followed it around the house. She came to a little gate, which she unbolted and walked in.


    "Who''s there?" He turned around, Lily gasped as she tried to say something. He quickly marched up to her and she looked him straight in the eyes as he did her.  He looked miserable and grumpy. Lily thought he was about to strike her with the hoe at his side.  "You." It was stern and sounded like a real sailor. She felt like she was held captive on a pirate ship, the way he talked, with this jargon. He limped along the path towards the back, Lily followed unsure of his intentions.


    "You know me? How do you know me?" She watched him work, he chipped and chipped. Grunting as he went along.


    "My eye never forgets a face, lass. Especially one like hers." He stood up and looked into the kitchen for a second then turned back to toil the dirt.


    Lily was skeptical, she didn''t want to intrude but she needed to know who he was referring to so she slowly made her way to the door, she took a look inside, and on a shelf, there was a picture laying against the wall by itself.  "I don''t look like her." She mouthed, taking one step inside the vessel.


    "You used to." He slammed the tool down as he walked towards Lily, he passed the girl leaning by the door. He took the picture down, taking a step then a hop towards her. He watched it one last time before handing it to her. "I was there the night you were born, I held you in my arms. I saw how round your face was, I touched you. I didn''t know what to do with myself, I loved you. Louise, she despised you and Danielle. She hated her for running away, the only time she came back was to have you. Everyone used her and now she had no place to go. " He went back outside, on his knees pulling out weeds one by one, the other faster than the last. "My love for my wife blinded me I too hated my daughter, I never regretted being so selfish in my life. She loved your father but Louise and I told her only one of them could stay so Danielle had to choose. She agreed to come back home and give the child away, so I followed her up the hill. Fullin was only twenty, he didn''t know a thing about children let alone keeping one but she trusted him more than anyone else. She looked at you one last time before she gave you away. It was the last time she saw you and that was the last time I saw her~" He reminisced. "Alive."


    "Where is she?"


    "Not here, that''s for sure." He stopped. "She''s up there."


    Lily didn''t have it in her to cry, it was heartbreaking to hear but she felt so defeated by all the other episodes that she just didn''t have it in her. "What happened?" She watched the picture, the woman had a beautiful smile, radiant and electric. Her eyes were filled with youth and adventure. It would''ve been great to have her as a mother- Lily smiled a bit.


    "She killed herself. Saw her sleeping peacefully in her bed." He nodded, ruffling his hair. "Danielle was the best thing that ever happened to me... It''s a shame it took her dying to fish that out."


    "Louise, is it? Where is she?" She said, fixing an upturned bucket to have a seat.


    "Right beside her daughter." He said with a smut.


    She gripped the picture tight, it had bruised worn-out folds on it. She turned to leave before saying. "I''m getting married. I''d appreciate your presence." She smiled.


    "No, I." He struggled to sit up. "I can''t. I fought death so I could see you one more time, Lily Fisher. Danielle would want you to know the truth." All they could hear now was the rustling trees, that''s all. It broke her heart when he said her name. He walked her to the front of the house.  "Lily." He said with a chuckle that grew to a slight cough.  She was still speechless, how did he know her name? She wanted to ask but it felt too sudden, maybe he was looking out for her, like a guardian angel. "Those people aren''t to be trusted." He said with a quiver then turned to leave.


    "Think about it. Danielle would want you to." She called out. When Peter Fisher looked up to watch her, stuffing her hand in her coat and smiling. It was identical to the photograph. His hair flowed in her face, swimming one side, the way she shined with youth and adventure. Peter saw her potential, he hoped she got out alive. With the things he knew, it was safe for her at all, not there.


    The day seemed to lead nowhere, it only led to undistinguished memories and a sentimental picture of a woman she never had the chance to meet.


    "I''m sorry." He felt miserable for her but she wasn''t as hurt about it.


    "Do you think she looks like me?" She stared at the photo, mesmerized by the genuine emotions portrayed.


    "I think she just wanted  the best for you."


    "I agree." She whispered then nudged him with a smirk. "So two boys and three girls."

 Chapter Twenty-one - The Interlude

    What could compare to a couple in love, wanting someday to have children of their own, wanting a home holding spring-filled memories while they grow old? What could compare to a passionate admirer, who is both jealous and in love, whose mind is set on having one person as their trophy? Who do you know with pain so heartfelt and unbearable, all they can do is scream until they''re out of breath? What could compare to a woman, whose desire is to have everything she once had before it was stripped away like a wrapper on candy?


    How can so many lives be intertwined into one hurricane? How can there be one eye that sees the different perspectives of his brothers and sisters? How do you obtain such provability to live in denial? Why didn''t the sudden changes come easily? Sure, it rushed in with the end-of-October winds and Golden trees but just like that wind, the month went by in a breeze. Oh, The days are surely numbered and it has deceived them by telling them of the utmost tale still left untold.


    What is a couple in love? Two young birds flew hand in hand, blinded by the clouds that they could not spot the ravenous vultures and the starving eagles. Is it really true? Tell the world, is it true, what Lily Fisher doesn''t know might be able to kill her? Her smile flashes as it has reached its climax. Her face beamed proudly, draping herself in the arms of Jacob Dale.


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    What is a jealous admirer? The transition was hard for everyone, William especially. He spent his days hidden in his room as if it were a dark tower. "Everything okay?" Isobel curled under his arms like a puppy seeking its owner''s attention.


    "Yeah." He said in a breath, but just out the window, he could see Lily reading a book in the garden. Isobel felt like there was nothing she could do. She congratulated Lily and she was happy mostly because she had William all to herself now. She felt the boundaries of marriage should be enough to change his mind about Lily.


    What is a lonely entertainer? Always with a full cup, always a prisoner in her own home, dreading the day she''ll close her eyes once more. A full cup at hand, nothing left undone. Whose pocket is filled with old money, a full cup that never runs dry, a heart of gold hidden by nether bricks and spirits galore. A woman who cries herself silently to sleep in hopes that the world isn''t as cruel as it was yesterday. Why should miserable people soil themselves with darkness, why must they cling to things that will only bring them more pain? Why do they wish to be more bitter than the worst things their foolish tongues have latched on to? Are the daily drinks worth it? Could the lust of a flower cure a cold heart?

 Chapter Twenty Two - The Eve

    That September night before the wedding, the Beckinghams, the Dales, and the Stalkers all went to Lily Fisher''s house for a big feat. It was a night that celebrated her and Jacob''s love for each other. The aroma of stew filled the house, it was Tammy''s specialty and she insisted on making it. The house was lively and filled with people, Lily was surprised it even held so many guests. She was confident too, that this new life wouldn''t have pain in it. When they made enough money, they agreed that they''ll move to a place down by the riverside and away from the coast. Jodi was happy for Lily, she was a daughter to her. It did burn the woman, every time she saw Isobel chasing behind her son. If she didn''t know better, she would have thought there was something going on between them. She knew she''d dread the day they got married. Johnathan and Tammy were telling stories of how they were mischievous children when they were little and that Lily should look out for triplets in her future. Lily seemed to recall inviting Taylor but she didn''t ponder on it too much. She figured it would have been a bit awkward and tense with her around. William was more polite than usual, he enjoyed talking with Johnathan and Mr. Stalker, he also appreciated the little things Jacob had to say or at least he pretended to. William couldn''t help but stare at Lily every now and again and when she saw him looking, she just glanced the other way... He wondered if she was thinking the same thing he did, how this was too fast, and if she was sure she loved Jacob. But Lily did love him and she wasn''t going to back down, she did it twice already and she was afraid she''d lose him this time. She wasn''t going to let that happen, she knew the stars aligned in her favor and tomorrow she was going to be Mrs. Dale whether anyone else liked it or not.


    He got this far, he didn''t see this coming but he knew it had to be stopped. He had a meeting with Taylor earlier and he didn''t give her what she wanted because she didn''t get the job done the first time, so he opted to give her one last chance. They agreed she was going to make Jacob Dale perish in the flames along with anything connected to him. It couldn''t be that hard.


    Taylor went to the church, she watched how beautiful it was laid out, and she watched the candles wave hello to her happily, she dropped the bottle of gasoline on the floor and went to greet the flames to which she lit a cigarette. She watched the angel on the painted glass just above, the moon made it visible and magical. The painter must''ve wanted her to look like she was walking through a rose garden. She went back to her objective and carefully opened the bottle, holding the cigarette between her lips. She reached into her coat and pulled out a lighter, flicking it as she watched the man on the alter tied to a stalk. "If I light this now, then it would be a waste, wouldn''t it?" Taylor closed it and then stuffed it back into her pocket. That''s when she heard someone clap, lurking in the shadows was a woman. She had the longest hair dropping down below her waist and she wore a big trench coat. When she walked it sounded like a horse galloping slowly towards the girl.


    Taylor screwed her face. "You must be looking for trouble. " She marched up to the woman but was quickly stopped.


    "I love the way you say that. I''m looking for trouble yet here you are planning to burn down a beautiful sanctuary like this." She looked around with folded arms.


    "Whoever you are, you better leave. And if you tell a soul about this I-ll~"


    "You''ll what, burn me at the stake?" She chuckled. "Please, I''ve had worse. I''m sure Samson Daniels can tell you."


    She swung her hand to slap this stranger but the woman gripped it and twisted behind her back, she leaned forward almost whispering in her ear. "I must implore you, never make that mistake again0." She braced her face against a column, putting so much pressure that if Taylor were to lift her head, there would be an indented mark across the left side of her face.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Taylor strained her eyes, turning to see the woman. "Who are you?" She said, trying to get some air.


    "I''m the reason you get to live another day." She smirked, holding her by the hair then slamming her face into the post. She dropped her to the floor, leaving her with a bloody nose and lip. "Or I could be the reason you don''t."


    Taylor lay there holding her nose up as she watched the women stoop down beside her. She slipped off her gloves one by one then smiled. "I''m Juniper Stalker but you can call me June." She stretched her hand out for a shake but Taylor looked at her like she was the most defiled person on the earth, she felt threatened by her presence. "Fine." Dusted her hands off as she got up. "You know what they say, If you can''t beat ''em, join ''em. And if you can''t join ''em" She laughed. "Kill ''em. Your loss, Taylor Daniels."


    "How do you know me?" She choked out as she sat up, bracing the post for support.


    "Please." June Stalker walked to the front of the dimly light church, lighting one candle after another. "You''re pathetic. Your whole family''s pathetic really. Chasing after Beckingham''s, it''s all the Daniels are good for."


    She gulped.


    "What?" She gave a slight chuckle. "You think I don''t know? I know everything. Your father chased after a Beckingham, didn''t he? That is why he is where he is. I mean your mother did too but that''s another story for another day."


    "I''ll kill you." She flinched trying to get up.


    June let out a long hysterical laugh. "Please, Taylor Daniels, stop with the jokes." She blew out the stick and then took a seat within the congregation. "You setting this place on fire just before Jacob Dale and Lily Fisher''s wedding? Now tell me, how much of a coincidence does it have to be if I assumed this has something to do with the Beckingham boy."


    Taylor looked away. She got up and walked, disoriented towards the exit.


    "Aha." She kicked her feet up. "So I was right. Payback maybe? The Beckinghams are going to be at the Wedding, maybe you''re doing this to get rid of them. They did put your father in jail. Why do you want to burn down a church? I just can''t put my finger on it." June sang. "Oh, Taylor."


    Taylor pulled the door open, she turned her head to the side waiting for the woman''s words.


    "I came here to confess but now I leave with a whole new perspective on life." She sighed, and got up, walking towards Taylor. She stopped and slipped her gloves back on, he hair whipped from the violent winds that blew in that night. "If you try anything like that again, I''ll kill you and make it look like an accident... and don''t worry, I''ll show you how to make a proper explosion, if you''re there to see it, of course." She walked passed Taylor and out to the door, she watched as June made her way along the damaged road, thinking it wasn''t half as bad as that woman was. She looked like a detective, the way her black coat blew from God''s natural works.


    It was the Eve of the wedding, nerves were flying high, and Jacob watched Lily stare at the stars. He couldn''t help but tell her. "Sometimes I wish I talked to you before all of this happened. I wish I had just run up to you and ask you something... anything. Instead of being a coward."


    Lily slowly turned her head to him, she didn''t answer at first but then she said. "You saw in me what I couldn''t see in myself. Potential."


    "Only? Lily Fisher, I see everything in your eyes. You''re going to be my wife tomorrow. and the mother of my children. If I could give my heart up for you I would. I would fade away if that''s the price for you to live forever."


    "Living forever sounds like a bore." Lily chuckled before resting her head on his chest. "Especially if you''re just going to be dust will I do so. No, I''d rather be dead. I don''t ever want to lose you. I can''t lose you."

 Chapter Twenty Three - The Jovial

    Hours before the wedding, a damp morning with a fog-filled atmosphere, looked as if rain was going to fall all day.  The front door welcomed Juniper with open arms. She walked up the staircase slowly, it wasn''t long until she ran into Mrs. Beckingham. "You must be Jodi." She gave a satisfying grin.


    "And you must be lost." She said, glaring at her. She was busy preparing for Lily''s reception that she didn''t have time for unwelcomed guests or strangers strutting her house as if it were a museum.


    "He did say you were a bit witty."


    "What''s your name, girl?"


    June smirked and looked around with her arms folded, her heels waddling on its tip. She slipped her finger into her mouth and then chuckled before saying. "Why, you should know me by now. I''m the other woman."


    "The other woman?" She shrugged. "I see you''re getting way ahead of yourself, dear."


    In the hall, there sat a big green armchair, almost like a throne, where Juniper took a seat. "Beckinghams are attractive but they aren''t as smart as they look. You know that... and you also know that you''re going to die here, in this house, alone, without him... because your husband''s never coming back. I made sure of it."


    "Excuse me," Jodi said and with that, Juniper hopped from her seat with a giggle.  She followed the swaying woman, enriched with rage. "Who are you?"


    "Juniper but June is fine." She scuttled down the hall, curious and handsy. "What''s behind this door?" She grabbed the knob.


    "You better explain yourself." Jodi pulled her by the arm, tugging June''s body towards hers.


    "I suggest you let go of me."Aggravated, she nodded. "Someone did the same thing and it didn''t end well."


    "How dare you disrespect me in my own house!?!" Jodi was fuming, one more word from the woman and she''d burst.


    June paid her no mention, she just stared out the window down at the commotion. "Hmm." June looked around, she watched as the workers marched in and out of the misty dew. "I''ve never seen a help this important." She grinned. "Lily sure has it good and..." She swung around with a smirk. "Mrs. Beckingham~" She mocked. "~ Where the house is concerned, you really think it''s yours? You''re like a governor, Jodi... You can give all your love and care and affection, teach them. You can do everything for the children as a mother does but in reality, Jodi... In reality, they''ll never really be yours... Like this house." She gazed around.


    It took all Jodi had in her to stop herself from lifting a hand at Juniper but unfortunately, it could not stop her. The only thing that could be when she heard a heavy voice say "Hey."


    "Well, would you look who it is," June smirked, leaning on the window rail. "Took you long enough." She grinned.


    "I''m sorry you had to wait so long." He said.


    "William, you know her?" Jodi stood wide-eyed, clenching her teeth. "You wouldn''t believe the things she said to me."


    "I know, Mother." He fixed his buttons. "because I heard everything."


    "Who  is she?"


    June looked at them both, letting out a psychotic laugh. "Well," She said. "Answer her. I''m sure that''ll get the fire going."


    "She''s Juniper Stalker." He cuffed his shirt, unbothered by the fact that they were at each other''s throats. "Isobel''s sister."


    "Isobel''s sister?!" She gasped. "Now wonder she has no manners. That whole family is hasty!"


    "Now." June nodded, slipping out a knife and quickly grabbing Jodi Beckingham by the neck. "Don''t talk about my sister like that ever again or I will kill you in cold blood."


    "Let her go." William sighed. "Please. This isn''t the place for such rituals. You came here to talk then talk we shall."


    June thought about it, taking a deep breath as she slowly unhinged her fingers from the woman. She allowed her some air before squeezing it a bit more and saying. "I''d much rather be alone, William Beckingham. Your mother might not be able to comprehend the words I speak."


    "As you wish. " He gleamed at her, reaching his mother''s side. "Are you okay?" He whispered, holding her shoulder.


    She rubbed her neck and nodded with a scowl. "Get rid of that tramp, will you?"


    "Why must you treat my mother this way, Juniper?" He said, glaring at her.


    "Eliza." She groomed the horse with a brush. "I miss horses." She mumbled. "Come on, Will, let''s take a ride." She said with a bright blooming smile. "I''ll tell you everything you need to know."


    "No, June." His stance grew firmer as he made his way up to her. "You''ll tell me what I need to know now."


    Her hands crept up Will''s chest like a spider''s legs then she held the back of his neck.  "You''re really demanding." She gave a shivering whisper. "If you didn''t have your mother''s eyes, I''d think my Beckingham was right here in front of me." She looked down in despair.


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    "Where is he?"


    "You and your mother, always trying to stick to him like glue." She groaned.


    "Where is he?" He asked once more.


    She tiptoed, leaning into his ear. "He''s dead." She chuckled, then looked at him again. "Please. You''re upset? I was only joking. He''s at home with the children." She ran her fingers through his hair, turning his face back to him with a grin. "Oh yes, Will, he has children." She cupped his face. "We are alone, Will. We should discuss other things, other important things."


    He loosened her arms from him and walked to an adjoining bar, resting his hands on it.


    "I''m going to give you some advice, William... Love is a death trap, all it brings is pain." She made her way over to him. "You see, son, me and your father" She giggled. "We have this-"


    "You''re using him, Juniper." He sighed, sitting up.


    "And he''s using me, Will." She walked over to the horse again, caressing its long nose. "It''s how the world works. You can be in love but you can never get the one you love. It''s Like you and... Lily Fisher."


    "What gives that idea?" He said.


    "Oh, anyone with a brain can see you love her but, unfortunately, she loves Jacob Dale and Jacob Dale loves her."


    "Dale?" He squinted his eyes.


    "See, I am telling you everything you need to know." She smirked. "Oh, the Dales." She sang. "I''d love to stick my hands in their trousers. " She got beside him again. "You see, it pays to have friends in high places and it pays to read the newspaper when you hear people talking."


    He smirked, holding her chin. "You know something, Juniper Stalker."


    "What? You have a plan?" She clenched her teeth in a smile, acting as if she hadn''t already foiled it.


    "If my heart didn''t belong to Isobel, it surely would''ve been yours." William was quick to cover up the fact that he had something going, the only person who knew his motive was Taylor and he wanted to keep it that way. The last person he''d confess to was Isobel''s sister, he could already tell she wasn''t right in the head.


    "Your flattery can fool everyone else but not me, Will. I''m a sophisticated woman with a sophisticated dream and believe it or not~" She poked his nose.  "None of that involves anyone of the Beckinghams. You''re a manipulator, Will, you''re good at it, and me? Well, I''m just a girl who knows to get under one''s skin. Your plans are not going to work. Take that from me."


    "You have no idea what I''d do for her." He sighed, having a seat in an old chair at the corner of the room.


    "You''re  a man." She curled her lips, sitting on him. "You have needs, don''t you?" She held his chin, kissing his cheek slowly. "I know you, you think that it''s going to work but it''s not." She rested her head on his chest. "It''s not going to work, baby. I know because I was there, I stopped it."


    William didn''t understand what her words meant. He watched her, strangely, groped on him like a woman in love. "Listen, Isobel loves you. If you let her down then I''ll have no choice but to come back here and make your life a living hell."


    "That''s why you''re here, isn''t it?" He watched her. "For Isobel?"


    "Of course. Let me tell you something, I worked with a French convict once, he told me that spoiled cheese is still cheese." She chuckled. "I said no, spoiled cheese is spoiled cheese. You can''t fool anyone by saying it''s just cheese. "


    "What were you doing with a French convict? Stealing Parmesan?"


    "A few of the Queen''s collectibles. They were the Queen''s and they were collectible but that''s a story for another day, I suppose." She grinned, then took a stand. " Pick your fight wisely, otherwise you''ll die for something so distant, you won''t be able to see it in the end."


    "Stop beating around the bush, Juniper. What are you trying to say?" He stared at her, attentively.


    June took a minute to think about it, fixed her coat, and walked to the stable door. "Be like me, Will. When you''ve got a good thing going, it pays to stick to it. So stick to it."


    That afternoon, Lily felt nervous. She tugged on the white veil over her head, she took a few steps up the stairs and looked around the church outside. All she had to do was push the doors open, the sun had begun to set, forcing her to enter. She felt the warm hands at her side.


    "He''d be proud." Mr. Stalker told her, she nodded, biting her lips. She felt a sudden stare upon opening the door, it was the first time she''d ever heard a rhapsody as beautiful as this one. William told her earlier that he wanted her to have the most perfect day of her life. He even gave the her blue hydrangeas she held as she went down the aisle. She remembered everything he said and she kept it in mind. He was the first man to see her in this white flowing gown, she had just gotten dressed and was struggling to put on her necklace, the one Jacob gave her, the one he kept for her. For only her, Lily was glad Taylor didn''t poison it with her touch. William walked in, asking if she needed help she nodded and he got the necklace on without delay.


    "Turn around. Let me see, will you?" And she did.


    He held her shoulders and watched as she looked at him shyly. "Well, what do you think?"


    He gave a weak smile, and a tear almost fell. All he did was pull her head towards him and kissed her forehead. "I''m afraid it''s not my question to answer." He watched into the mirror, how he held her and at that moment it burned him that he wasn''t the one she was eager to meet at the altar. He knew what he saw in the reflection was what was meant to be and he had little faith in Taylor but he wanted her to get the job done before Lily slipped from his reach forever.


    She finally opened her eyes, really open them to look forward to the man in front of her. Ever since he cut his hair, Jacob looked alot more mature than when she first met him. He gave a stern look like a gangster of some sort. He did look like a gangster with the suit he wore, it made his shoulders look broader and he definitely was a lot more serious than ever. She wondered what was going through his head as she looked up at him. Mr. Stalker had finally let her go and he kissed her cheek as he whispered.


    "Good luck, Lily girl." And she wanted to cry, she glanced around one last time. It was flustering, just seeing the memorable faces. Even if, her face was hidden she could see every one of them. There was one face she loved seeing, she didn''t think he''d come but he did. Peter Fisher. Oh, it would''ve been great to walk down the aisle with him but she was still grateful for Mr. Stalker. She had to let go now, and now she was staring straight into his eyes. She didn''t mind listening to what the Pastor said but in her mind, all that mattered was that she made it.


    "Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"


    "I do." Her tears crept up like a thief in the night, whatever doubts Lily had faded when he lifted the veil, this was where she was meant to be. Her father would agree and, as Mr. Stalker said, he''d be proud.  Jacob could only laugh to himself, it felt like a dream. Everything was surreal like a vision, he felt like he was being joshed badly but if it was a joke then it''d be a cruel one. It seemed like minutes had gone by, he was watching all her perfections. How her face was rippled with freckles, how her jade-colored eyes contrasted with the brown smooth varnish she had for skin. He could only imagine the angels she would give him for children. This must''ve been what his mother was talking about, the satisfaction a fortune teller couldn''t provide. The satisfaction of seeing your own future in someone else''s eyes, was phenomenal. Nothing could compare to this. Nothing. And with a kiss, they were bound together by one flesh, one marriage, and one love.

 Chapter Twenty Four - The Flame

    The reception was brilliant, everyone dancing, marvelous laughter. The night fell over the couple of the hour, they kept each other close in dance and in each other''s heart.


    Isobel watched them in awe from the table. "Wow, I wonder what my Wedding''s going to be like."


    "Not this empty for sure."


    "Well, they didn''t want a big wedding, I do though. I''m sure all of William''s friends will come and maybe even the Queen."


    "The Queen?" June remarked. "You sure have a big imagination, my sister."


    "When you''ve got all the money world, you have to."


    "Really? Aren''t you getting a bit too far with this?" She crossed her legs.


    "No. We''re going to get married, June, he promised me we would."


    "I wouldn''t trust a word from that Beckingham even if it was sanctified by a priest."


    "He wouldn''t lie. He''s a really good man and what I told you about Lily, I must be thinking too much into it." She thought. "Sometimes I do feel like there''s something going on. I wish it would just go away." Isobel knew that William wasn''t over the fact that Lily got married that day, June was sure her sister was just a rebound, a spare tire. He came in quietly beside Isobel, she was beginning to think he wouldn''t show up at his own house.


    "You won''t mind if I stole her for a while, would you?" June wanted to smack the smile right off the bastard''s face but she just smiled.


    "Oh, speak of the damned." She nodded. "And do as you wish."


    She has just contented her sister was happy. It was perfect though, she knew Bella wouldn''t be back for an hour or two now all she had to do was set the trap and everything would be okay. She already walked the grounds and she found the maid''s quarters, it was far enough to give her someplace isolated and quiet for what she was about to do next.


    She finished her drink and her body followed her peering eyes towards Lily. She greeted her with a dreadful melancholy look. "Lily, I really need to talk to you. It''s about Isobel." She glared at the groom and then back at the bride.


    "I guess I should have a dance with Tammy." He realized the woman''s stare was one that asked for space so he backed off.


    Lily grunted as June dragged her behind the rose bushes and into the darkness. Lily pulled her hand away, rubbing them once she stopped. "What do you want?" She said with a grudge. "Where''s Isobel?"


    "Come with me." She said worriedly. "She''s, she''s been crying and I don''t know how to make her stop. It''s about William. She''s at the back, in the annex."


    Lily lifted her dress, running like Cinderella leaving the ball at midnight. They ran through the darkness for a while and Lily could see a dim light from the upstairs window. She hurried in, unaware that June didn''t join her. By the time she got inside to go up the staircase, she stopped thinking to herself. "But Isobel doesn''t cry." She said it slowly and before she knew it the door had been slammed shut. Before June left, she dropped a candle by the window so it would catch the drapes. She pressed her face to the glass, June loved watching the flames consume everything in sight but not as much as she loved watching Lily squirm in a corner like a scared helpless mouse. She burrowed her head with a deep devilish cackle, slipping on her gloves as she walked into the darkness. Lily started to lose air. She coughed and coughed, ripping off the green evening gown William got her. It was too heavy and she knew if she kept it on, she''d die. She felt her lungs clog up and her heart seemed to collapse just as she was about to make it up the stair. She held her chest, pushing whatever would go up in flames away from her. She could smell it burn as her sight declined to help her by the second.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    "Now why''d you bring me way up here?" Isobel looked around, it seemed like the study but it was alot more comfortable. She touched the spine of each book as she passed them. "I heard you talked to my sister today, what did she tell you? Because she didn''t even tell me she was here until I saw her an hour ago."


    "She was being a sister, Bella. She said to value you. To be precise, she did say she would make me suffer for all eternally, biblically speaking, if I were to break your heart."


    "That''s my sister for you." She shrugged.


    "Well, this should be a special night for you too, don''t you agree?" She looked up, watching William set the telescope as he spoke. "Come see the stars, how they shine tonight. And it''s certainly not for me." He said.


    She sipped from the glass, walking over. She leaned, watching into the instrument. "It''s beautiful, William. Magnificent. Breathtaking."


    He wrapped his hands around her waist and smiled. "Do you really know all those words? Or is that from a song you heard?"


    She looked back at him, lifting her brow.


    He finished with an. "I''m only joking."


    Isobel turned the telescope as far down as she negatively could. "I wonder if we could see Lily." She turned it, quickly glancing over the burning building. She turned the telescope some more, she could see June''s long hair tragically whipping in the wind as she walked away.


    "Oh, my god. " She stood up and then rushed to the window. William was confused following her. "What is it?"


    "Lily." She said, her skin cold and white as the girl''s name.


    As the flames grew rapidly, there was a cry from a guest. "That house is on fire!" They yelled, causing a crowd of people to rapidly swathe around it.


    "Lily." Left Jacob''s lips, he ran as fast as he could, to the door. The loud gasps enhanced each time he failed to kick the door in. William and Isobel soon came. William ripped off his blazer frantically. He watched Jacob then Jacob watched him. They both knew, whether they liked it or not, working together was the only option. They kicked once, then twice. And on the third and final kick, the door broke down along with the beams that held the house together. Jacob looked around, the deadly flames dancing all around, he struggled to see where Lily was but he finally spotted her, laying helpless like a rose with a stem of thorns. He slipped off his jacket, running and straying from the big fires to reach her and when he finally did, he picked her up to come back out but the fire grew stronger so he held her close. Coughing, he looked around for a way out, it seemed like he too was going growing weaker and he felt himself losing strength but he saw the fire grow weak too. There was a loud pounding that followed a yell. "Over here! Over here! Bring it!" And then he heard a loud thump just behind his ear. Then came a loud rip, like a wood pulled and broken from its bark. Then another thud that left a hole in the wall, He fought the fire with the little strength he had. Lifting his wife up in his hands, struggling towards the hole.


    "Uncle John!" He shouted.


    "Don''t worry, son." He heard a hoarse voice. "We''re getting ya'' out."


    "I''m here." Said his Uncle.


    And with their efforts, they made a small hole, small enough so Lily could fit through. Jacob was relieved when he heard her wake for a moment before she left. When Lily got out, William took her to the manor, where she could stay safely.


    The next morning came in a blur, Lily woke up, confused as to why she was laying in Sarah Beckingham''s bed. She watched the faces that peered at hers almost in terror. She choked out. "Where''s Jacob?"


    "I''m sorry," William said, sitting beside her. "I''m sorry I didn''t look out for you, I was too busy wi-"


    There it was again that burning sensation, the thought of losing another to wicked hands. She could stop herself, she had already thought the worst of the situation and she accepted her fate as a widow. The flowing curtains seemed to stick mid-air and her bruised hands didn''t hurt as much. How did this happen? She sunk her self into the pillow and dazed her self by admiring the room she was in. Sarah Beckinham¡¯s room.


    "Where is Jacob?" She said, tears clouding her eyes searching their faces for answers

 Chapter Twenty Five - The Prodigal

    Family curses must be inevitable, they are like a prick in one''s side. It gets even worse when you have a seed with curses from both bloodlines. It''s the unlucky ones that get chained to demons, that are bound to something so wicked and disastrous they have no choice but to do their bidding. Some get help, get healed but others... don''t understand the consequences, they don''t realize that a house of cards brings down everyone they put in it. They don''t care if their loved ones get hurt because they don''t see it as a bad decision. They just see it as a decision.


    Maybe Juniper Stalker was a bad seed, maybe she could''ve been fixed along the way, or maybe she went through something so catastrophic her whole world changed. She had a soft spot for Bella, she wanted her to be just like herself. She loved brewing trouble for the family in the midst of her visit but before she left, she wanted to see her sister again. Past experiences made it difficult for Mr. Stalker to have a proper relationship with this girl. It was hard to let her go but it was even harder for her to stay there with Bella. June never had a problem with stating her feelings and when it came to her father, he wasn''t an exception.


    "No wonder Mother left him. " She cursed, slowly knocking at the back entrance.


    When the door opened, he was quick to keep his guard up."Juniper. I told you not to come back here."


    "Believe it or not, Daddy ~" She mocked. "I didn''t come here to see you. Where''s my sister?" She curled her lips.


    A grip at his arm and pearly brown eyes assured him she was going to be fine. "I''ll handle it." She said softly, closing the door behind her.


    "What do you want?"  She stuffed her hand in her coat, watching out as the ocean hummed to her.


    "Well, I see the Beckingham boy is fond of you." She watched Bella''s bright yellow jacket then sighed, looking at the crashing waves. "I needed to say goodbye."


    "Is that all?" She said.


    "No." She folded her lips. "I saw our mother, she looked great but she looked broken, didn''t even recognize me. That woman is no mother, I tell you."


    "I really don''t care about my mother, she can go to hell and so can you." She stopped walking.


    Sometimes enough is never enough. It can really consume a person, it soils their minds and their hearts. It makes them think that being greedy is the only way to be happy but if your heart is filled with gold, how can it beat? You''ll be lucky if someone actually loves you for you but you''ll be so cautious of your tangible things that you won''t be able to decipher genuine people from scammers and thieves.


    Both their hairs lashed in the wind along with their dresses, it was an unbreakable silence that could only be wrecked with June''s words.


    "How have I wronged you? All I ever did was look out for you."


    "I asked you to make sure Lily stays away from William. I never asked you to hurt her."


    "You didn''t clarify it either, Isobel, I''m sorry for that." She let out a deep breath. "And she deserved it and maybe next time, you''ll want to make your request a bit more transparent."


    "No, she didn''t. You don''t know how I felt when I saw her. It brought back so many memories, like when we were children." Isobel gulped then continued. "I remember everything. How you would push her head down~" She tried to catch her breath. "so far, that she''d stop moving and then you''d take her out the water and try to save her. I can''t help but think what would''ve happened if she didn''t wake up again."


    Juniper started laughing, she held her stomach and laughed like it was the best joke she ever heard. She sighed joyfully, wiping a tear from her eyes. "Those were good times, weren''t they?"


    "No! It wasn''t!" She yelled, grabbed her sister by the shirt, and shook her uncontrollably, she cried hard and rocked her while June tried to hold her still. "You took her life away from her, June! She is broken because of you! Scared because of you! You even tried to get her killed when we would go horse riding, June. You even burned her hair, it was horrible!"


    "You laughed, didn''t you?" She had a scowl now. "So don''t cry now. It doesn''t come off as being sorry, sister, it''s more like hypocritical if you ask me."


    "I was a child! She was a child! You were supposed to take care of us." She loosened her grip, pushing Juniper aside. "He trusted you with his daughter."


    "I tried my best." She said, staring with a grin.


    "Someone died last night, June!" She screamed, thinking about it. "It was horrifying!"


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    "That someone shouldn''t have been there." She chuckled. "You know what they say, when you play fire you get burned."


    "You''re sick."


    "No." She nodded. "I''m leaving. Isobel~" She sighed. "~and I want you to have this. It was my good luck charm when I was your age... and I realize you''re going to need it more than me." June slipped a small dagger, resembling a sword.  "Here."


    "I don''t want anything from you."


    She rushed up to her and gripped her wrist tightly, placing the knife in the palm of her hands, whispering. "Take this and some advice, sister. There''s something going in that house but unfortunately, I''m not getting enough paid to know what it is."


    Isobel watched the knife in her hands, she nodded and cried as she said. "Don''t talk like you care about me. You only care about yourself, June."


    "You''re wrong again, sister." She said, sadly now. "I only care about you." She strolled away, and Isobel watched. Somehow, she knew it was the last time they would cross paths. In a way, June knew that Isobel yearned for William''s affection, and in a way, she knew William would never truly give it.


    June never had the chance to say how she really felt. When she closed the car door, she stared back at the shore, hoping to see her sister one last time.


    "What happened?"


    She sniffled a laugh before turning to the man in the driver''s seat. "I guess I''m feeling a bit sentimental." They linked in a kiss but before they drove off, he couldn''t catch his breath. "I''m sorry." She said, pulling a knife from his stomach. "I asked for a getaway car, not a getaway driver." She smirked, opening the door and then kicking him out. The car disappeared, out of Hope and into the horizon. She drove the roads alone, only loyal to herself, only loyal to the girl she used to be. Juniper was a warrior, fighting her own demons, and in her little world,` everyone else was the bad guy. She lived on the edge, using blinded men and naive women for their wealth and riches. In her future, these things never made her happy. Thinking back on her better days would bring her to tears, for she didn''t know why people wanted her around and now she knew; people who are alone and rich seem like there''s nothing missing but they seek the love that the poor are fortunate enough to obtain. She found herself laughing, bitterly. "The poor envy the rich and the rich envy the poor, must be how the world works, huh?"


    There''s nothing more painful than silence, Lily could attest to such a dreadful statement. She knew in her heart something was wrong, she felt it. Something was missing and she didn''t know if she could handle it. She sunk into the bed, letting the pink cloudy sheets comfort her. Her eyes stared into a void, a broad collection of scenarios. They all left the room but she still felt their sympathy, she still saw their faces over and over again. She could see their shadows on the wall when they stopped at the doorway to observe her like a monkey in its cage.


    "You think it''s amusing, don''t you?"  She said, coldly to the person behind her. Their heavy breathing, she could still hear it. "Please leave me alone." She glared at the shadow on the wall, waiting for it to disappear but it held the same space for a while before she heard a walk then a thump towards her. This chipping sound made her curious, it wasn''t anyone she knew. The thought of turning around gave her a freezing burn throughout her chest. "Father?" She jumped up in fright, her lips trembling as she looked at him. All she could do was stare, this figure seized her actions. She watched him limp his way to her side before taking a seat. He seemed so sad, so cold, so alone. "Father." He said, low this time. "Why is this happening to me? Why can''t I just be happy? I''d give anything." She nodded, wiping tears from her eyes. "Anything, Anything... Anything. " She mumbled, opening her eyes.


    "Lily. Lily, it''s okay." She blinked, getting up.


    "J-Jacob?" She panted. "Jacob!" She hugged him and smiled then got sad again, looking at him. "I thought you, I thought you died in the fire." She said, thinking about it. "It was June, she did it." She cursed, watching him hopelessly, wishing he''d believe her.


    "We know but she left town, Lily. She''s gone." He sighed, regretting ever letting her leave his sight. "What matters is that you''re okay." He sat up with a flinch.


    "What?" She touched his face, worriedly looking around. "What happened?" She said, noticing the clutches at hand.


    "It''s nothing major, trust me. Just a sprain, that''s what it is." He smiled at her. "You thought I was dead? I''d never leave you, Lily, not like this." He bit his lip, staring at her.


    "Jacob." She closed her eyes and tried to relax before saying. "There''s something you''re not telling me." She looked at the door, confused and betrayed. "Jacob." She said weakly. "Why, why won''t anyone talk to me?" She grabbed his hands, squeezing them as she says. "Please, what is it that I''m not seeing?"


    She could tell he''d been crying and he tried his best to keep the secret from her. "I''m sorry, Lily."


    "No." She nodded. "Stop saying that. Don''t say that, Jacob."


    He looked at her hand in his, hesitant to hold her. "It''s Peter."


    "Peter? My grandfather? No." She said, firmly. "No. I''m not going to cry. I''m not going to let this hang over my head for the rest of my life."


    "This isn''t your fault, Lily, you must know that." He said.


    "What happened?" She replied.


    "When the fire started, it grew really big so when I went in to get you but  I couldn''t find a way out. It didn''t take much time to break some boards out for you but it was too small for me, Lily. There wasn''t much I could do, I was happy for your rescue but he kept going. They made a passage but by the time they did that, a beam fell on my foot so they rushed in to get me. Peter lifted the beam and John, pulled me out but before Peter could get out~" She heard how heavy his panting got and instantly dropped herself in his arms. "~ Before he could get out, the house... it collapsed. I''m so sorry." He said, almost crying now. Having her in his arms made him appreciate the sacrifice her grandfather made. Without him, he''d never have this shoulder to cry on, and he wouldn''t be blessed with her beauty every morning. Jacob considered the fact that if he was the one that died, Lily wouldn''t be as devastated but he knew he was wrong, she would be. He knew if he was dead, he wouldn''t be able to save her again... and maybe this time, she''d give up but he didn''t want didn''t her to. "I love you, Lily." She heard muffling through her hair, she held him tighter for a minute more.

 Chapter Twenty Six - The Departed

    "You''ve been avoiding me." He said. "It''s been a week, Taylor."


    "I couldn''t do it. I''m sorry."


    "A simple task you failed to see through."


    "It''s harder than it looks, William." She folded her arm. "You talk like it''s merely a game."


    "But it is a game, a game of chess preferably. Aren''t you good at chess?" He clenched his teeth, he swung around. "I assure you, Miss Daniels, your alliance with me holds great benefits."


    "No." She said. "My alliance with you is over. My life is at risk...  I have to leave town."


    "Leaving town? Surely, your father''s life isn''t as important as yours?"


    Taylor sat on the bed, reaching her hand to the bedside. She held a photo. "I''ve realized my father would never approve of such activities. If he only knew that the only reason he was freed was because I killed an innocent person, he''d never look at me the same. He''d rather die." She looked at him, serious yet sad.


    He leaned to the window, watching jolly men just inside the bar across the street. That evening, the night sky was the brightest lamp on the streets and it even made Taylor''s room look dark so much so that only the window illuminated the gray room.


    William bit his lip, his minion was leaving the path he set for her to walk. "Is it fair to ask... who did that?" He paused, watching her unusual face painted with dull colours of black, purple, and blue. "They knew something, it must be the reason for your disloyalty." He turned to her. "Who did it?"


    "A woman by the name of Juniper Stalker." She cringed, standing slowly. "I''ll never forget that name, not after what she said about my parents. People like that are a reflection of the demons that roam the earth, I shan''t get caught in that fire. Not anymore." She said, rising eagerly to fetch her case from beneath the bed.


    "Juniper Stalker." He cursed. "That woman is nothing but a ghost." He started off, running his hands through his hair furiously. "I''ve only met her for a hot minute and we talked for less than a second. She''s a peddler, that''s for sure." He had a scowl now. "But she''s gone now." He murmured.


    "I''m not sure of anything. I''ve kept a lot to myself but now I have to do the right thing." She said, pulling her hair up from under her coat. She picked up the case and then turned to the side. "William, you and that woman, you both stand in the aristocracy. This is your game of chess now and she just called checkmate."


    The night was in its coldest hour, two evil beings in one room, one now accepting the fact that she was going to be the risen devil as soon as she stepped out the door but before she could make that step she fell to the floor. This pain that forsakes her made it tricky to catch the feelings that brew in her.


    "I''m sorry, sweetheart but you''re not going anywhere." He lifted the bottle up to the side of his face, staring at the red luscious liquid dripping off of it. Rubbing his fingers on the light spot, he liked how it tinted the tip of them.


    "There''s only so much you can do, William. The peril that befalls you is..." Taylor said, shaking her head. Her eyes filled up with tears, she felt her throat struggle to open. "Is coming."


    "Care to make that a challenge?" He got down beside her, lifting the bottle up over his head before slamming it down once, then twice, repeatedly until he lost cost. He grunted every time his thrust landed a blow and every time he felt another splatter on his face.


    William sat beside her lifeless body, drinking from the masked weapon as he thought about Juniper Stalker. "Juniper, you sly fox. You''re smart, surely but there''s one thing you''ll never understand; Being tied down doesn''t hinder one''s lust for infidelity, it just heightens it."


    Maybe he didn''t know what he did that night, maybe he slipped and fell for a moment but that''s all it takes, a moment. What is an alter ego? Could this be it? Or is this William Beckingham in his true form? The William Lily knew would never have done this. Or maybe she didn''t know him at all. Maybe it had to happen, maybe this book needed something more and maybe William Beckingham wasn''t as bad as he seemed. Even his mother couldn''t recognize him, even she saw that her son had flaws, obvious ones.


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    ¡°Mother! Mother!¡± William swayed through the house, his shirt undone with his hair as soaked as a wet sponge.


    Mrs. Beckingham rushed down the stairs, draping her red robe around her body. She rubbed her eyes, asking. ¡°What, William? What is it?¡± She was used to her son¡¯s night outs but she didn¡¯t know why he¡¯d wake her up this time.


    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t stop screaming, mother. I, I had to make her stop.¡± He grunted, rubbing his face. He¡¯d already reached their living room bar, he slapped a glass down and poured out some liquid. ¡°I had to do something.¡±


    ¡°William!¡± She shouted in a whisper, his mother marched up behind him, her head forward and her feet behind. ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°I killed the girl. I killed her.¡± He said, with little regret and no remorse.


    ¡°My.¡± It was Mrs. Beckingham¡¯s turn to rub her head. ¡°Is it June? Where is she?¡±


    ¡°No, no, it isn''t." He said. "The body''s in, in the car.¡±


    ¡°You brought her here!?¡± She gasped, covering her mouth. ¡°We have to do something.¡± She rushed over to the line but was quickly stopped.


    ¡°Wait. You can¡¯t do that mother. You can¡¯t call the police.¡± His grip on her hand was so tight she flinched. ¡°William? What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°Mother, think about it. What are they going to say when they see her in the trunk with her head bashed in.¡±


    ¡°You put her in the trunk? William.¡± Her gaze was one in fright, she couldn¡¯t recognize these eyes that had met hers. She took her self back to reality when she ordered.


    ¡°We have to get her out of there. Hide her.¡± She couldn''t bear to have her son taken away from her. Her eyes danced around in their sockets as she began thinking of an idea. ¡°But where?¡± She mouthed.


    William pulled her slightly until she followed. ¡°Let¡¯s just move her... To the basement at least. It should give me enough time to come up with something solid.¡± He insisted. She got to the wide-opened door, She shivered, tiptoeing briskly along the pavement and to the back of the car. William got the trunk open, he grabbed the girl''s hands waiting for his mother to get her feet. When she didn¡¯t move, he turned to her with a scowl. ¡°Hurry, Mother.¡± She gasped, going over. She leaned her head down. The hair on her head fell to the side of her face as she picked up the corpse¡¯s leg. She gulped, turning her face away from seeing the lifeless body. She felt her face swell up and in the dark, William could hear sniffing as they went up the steps to the house.


    ¡°Mother, why are you crying? We have to get her in fast.¡± He whispered.


    She nodded, biting her crisped lips as they went inside.


    They got to the basement, the dark lonely room where this girl would sleep for the rest of the night. Mrs. Beckingham ran her fingers through her hair, gripping tightly on the ends as she watched her beloved son wrap the body up in a lily-white sheet that began sucking blood instantly. He pushed her in the corner, behind a pile of crates, and left her there then wiped the sweat from his forehead, counting numbers in his head that his mouth repeated in silence.


    ¡°We can¡¯t leave her there.¡±


    ¡°Look, Mother.¡± He stood in front of Jodi, caressing her shoulder and then holding her face; he pressed his head against hers and sighed. ¡°She¡¯s dead, it¡¯s a body now, Okay?¡±


    She nodded, her eyes closed, fighting her tear duct from letting any emotion out.


    ¡°Go to bed, we¡¯ll, we¡¯ll deal with this in the morning. No¡­ I¡¯ll deal with this in the morning. You''ve done enough.¡± His eyes glanced from left to right at hers. ¡°I know what to do. Nothing¡¯s going to happen to me. Don''t worry.¡± He pulled her into his chest and hugged her for a while. She could smell something raw, unclean on him. She knew what it was. Jodi knew that this smell would never leave her son''s hands; he had blood on them forever but that¡¯s not what she was afraid of. She would be a fool if she said it out loud, she¡¯d be a god damned fool. She was afraid of what he might become, what this meant for them.


    She went up to the study, trembling with a slight headache; she looked at the portrait of her husband for a while before cursing his name. ¡°It¡¯s your fault. It¡¯s your entire fault.¡± She expressed; she regretted falling in love with this man, marrying him, and having his children. She carried on his bloodline. Her mother-in-law warned her. The old tramp used to say that she¡¯d better look before she leaped. She also said ¡°It¡¯s too late, you have my grandchild in your stomach. It¡¯s too late. I took the vow and so did you, now you have to live in this house and face them.¡±


    Jodi poured a glass for herself. She muttered before she went bottom up. ¡°She knew something I didn¡¯t.¡±


    She could hear her son stomping through the hall with a metal bucket in hand. "Could it be?" She wondered. "Could it be that I let all the Beckinghams have their way? Am I just a pawn in their game of chess? These demons that are bound to them¡­. Do they also hold unto those who refuse to let them go?"

 Chapter Twenty Seven - The Murderer

    It wasn''t rainbow and butterflies at the Dale house but it wasn''t thunderstorms and lightning either. The week bred a windy and partially cloudy atmosphere. Even though she had to take care of Jacob for the most part, it was refreshing to see another side of him, mentally and physically. Things were beginning to fit in place and that morning was no exception. Lily loved watching him sleep, even in slumber she still felt safe. The next Monday seemed so sudden, the morning seemed so chill. It was quiet and avoiding but she had to do it, she had to get up. Something still needed getting used to like sharing a table, sharing a meal, and sharing the house but other things didn''t need much effort: like sharing a kiss, a bath, and a bed.


    Lily Dale got up early, she fixed something for Jacob to eat before leaving for work. She didn''t want to wake him so she left a little note: Early morning makes way for a brighter day.


    Leaving the house greeted Lily with a happy dog wagging its tail with barks and sad whimpers from an unscratched ear. "Well, don''t you look lovely today?"


    It was incredible, seeing where she had been and how far she came from then. It was totally remarkable and every second was worth it. This wave that compiled Lily Dale''s life moved her and changed her. She couldn''t see herself going under its trough, she couldn''t feel the water consuming her when it reached its crest and this time she had someone to pull her out when the tide was too much to bear. It was evident, she had a lot of people on her side now, and it was not clear whether or not she would trade them all for her father''s life. She wouldn''t be able to answer that question if asked. How could she put a price on the people she had grown to love? How could she sacrifice their lives for her father''s? Having him would be a blessing and a miracle, surely, but Lily could never do that. Those sleepless nights could never be worth it, never.


    The Beckinghams - she thought - are really supportive. The house watched her with distressed eyes. They were eyes tainted, once again, by a sight it couldn''t comprehend. It held a depressing silence, needed the kind of fresh air that an opened window couldn''t deliver. Lily didn''t hear the plea of the Beckingham manor, the warning, because she was too accustomed to the normal way of things that she never acknowledged the fact that something could''ve been wrong.


    "William? Mrs. Beckingham?" echoed through the house in silence. Lily saw their cars so why was the house in deep sleep? She took of her coat and then her hat, comfortably but when she was going to put away the keys, she found a piece of parchment on the chest of drawers where the family pictures stood.


    Jodi was scared, locked up in her room was the only thing that gave her comfort. She didn''t want to see Lily''s face or wanted her to know about this treachery. This secret was eating away at her, she was disintegrating and being washed away. Hearing Lily Fisher''s voice reminded her everything that happened last night was real.


    Lily picked up the folded paper, it was big enough to spot and small enough to not share too much.


    "Basement." She said in a silver whisper. She didn''t know what to think, it was an anxiety-building word. So many things could be down there, she hesitated about going but she took a deep breath and dreamed on, hoping it wasn''t as bad as it sounded.


    Slow steps made it harder to face this fear, Lily knew bad things were always around the corner but she prayed that this wasn''t one of them. The room was dark and it wore a smug look, the sentiment of the house, surely, adapted its mood from this here room. It only had a wine cellar to the left and a clear pathway: it was clear the Beckinghams never used the space much, then to the right, aligned with the staircase were some crates.


    The tension started to build as Lily¡¯s feet drew closer to them. She saw something, something white within the darkness. Then she jolted with the slam of the door, turning around with a heart-pumping gasp, her lower lips dancing as she clenched her fists. She closed her eyes and with a deep breath, took another step forward to reveal a white cloth dyed in blood. That was when she immediately backed away, feeling a cold touch, and in fright, screamed. It was like a glass had fallen to the floor, that¡¯s how she felt inside. She turned around but it was nothing, just the stone-cold wall at the other end of the room.


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    She walked back up to the mummy-like corpse. She stammered a ¡°M-Mrs. Beckingham?¡± after noticing hair threading from what she assumed was the top. ¡°Mrs. B-Beckingham?¡± She got down on her knees, loosening the sheets as they were. She then saw a blue-faced girl.  Gravity had caused the blood to run down to the side of her swollen cheek, her eyes seemed to give the feeling of despair¡­ despair. Lily quickly covered her nose as she got up, stumbling up the stairs. She pounded on the door and begged.  ¡°Open the door!¡± She cried, turning back down, and glancing to the end of the room. ¡°Open! Please! Mrs. Beckingham! William! Open!¡± It was useless, she fell to her knees, leaning on the door as she wept. Wrapping herself in her arms, she rocked herself back at forth as she hid her face beneath her hair.


    She smelled the stench of death, tasted the sharp metallic liquid on her tongue¡­ It felt like she was in that room with her father and all those other people again. It was deafening, she was going insane trying to stay sane, and in her mind, this nightmare wouldn''t end. It felt like hours and hours and hours until finally, she sensed that the door was ajar. She squinted, glaring at the astounding light that lit her auburn face. She crept up the stairs, slowly only because she was exhausted and confused. She didn''t know what to do but the moment she reached the top, her next move was to say. "William." She saw him, staring at her like an eagle and its prey. He didn''t say a word just yet, all he did was continue stirring from his cup.


    "What did you do?" She murmured, weakly.


    "I''m sorry." He stopped, leaning on the counter. "You shouldn''t have seen that but I didn''t know what else to do."


    "You''re right." Her eyes glistened, she felt vulnerable as William knew she would be so he took the opportunity to take advantage of her. "Who are you?" She said. Everything they ever were before, all the memories and conversations, everything she felt, faded like footprints in the desert sand. This voice she heard led to a face hidden by darkness, she couldn''t match his voice to his face. She couldn''t possibly believe that they were the same person. "Who are you?" She said again, having a seat in that little chair by the stove. She stared at her lap then lifted her head for an answer. "Why did you it?"


    "It was an accident, believe me."


    Why should she? Lily saw her, Taylor wasn''t the same girl. Those hits, those obvious repetitive blunt hits weren''t an accident.


    "You have to believe me." He told her. "We''re in this together." William lifted his cup with a smirk before sipping from it. He was off the deep end now, something changed him. Maybe that something revealed his true colours. Lily was trapped without a choice, before she knew it, she was doing his dirty work. He told her to take the car for a long, long drive and she did. Every time she thought about what was in the back, she was tempted to run off a cliff, into a tree, into the sea. During that drive, she dared herself to have a cold heart, to not cry but it was too hard. She had to think about the past, she had to think about William.


    Was he ever genuinely sensitive? "When you lose someone so valuable, you begin wishing it never happened. I guess you wish that things would go back to the way they were. So you think that if you kept things the way they were then eventually it would be like it used to. Everything would be okay and in your mind, it''s like she never left."


    Well, was he? "Don''t push yourself, Lily Fisher."


    How could he say those things to her? "Whatever you were afraid of before, you must remember it''s different now. You don''t have to be scared, I know you can do it." Now he''s the one she''s terrified of.


    "You''re brilliant, Lily and sometimes I forget it."


    "You''re not obligated to remember." She reminisced.


    "Someday I might be."


    Staring blankly at the road, she cried. It was diminishing, she felt unstable. Taylor Daniels'' body was in the trunk and she was responsible for getting rid of it. She cried because she was hurt, it pained. She had to stop the car, she had to pull over, and take a break. She rubbed her running nose, shocked to see the blood draining from it. Lily wailed, slapping the wheel in frustration, screaming to put up with all the built-up anger. She finally came to the end of the drive, a two-hour drive. She found a secluded clearing where she planned to bury her. He panted heavily, pulling open the sheets to witness her entire body. It was hard to look at her, it was even harder thinking about what Jacob would say if she told him. She found a box of cigarettes in Taylor''s jacket but she didn''t judge her, she couldn''t help but think about what Taylor faced all by herself. Next, Lily checked through her other pockets and found a lighter, to which she lit one of the blood-stained cigarettes and placed it between her lips. Just pulling one time made her break down and fall into the dirt, crying.  She watched the blue skies fade into a tale of yesterday. She didn''t want to think about what she did that day, so she locked it up so tight and far, no one could find it... not even Jacob.


    "I lost her, I don''t want to lose you too."

 Chapter Twenty Eight - The Storm

    To feel like you''re standing in front of thousands of people whose only focus is you felt guilty. It''s easier and it doesn''t require commitment, just one bad decision, and a dead body. To thread a scary lonesome path without a way to scream for help, be the bad guy; you won''t have a choice, it''s you facing your consequences. It''s everyone turning their backs on you because you''re an outsider. If you want the hours to feel like days, just happen upon a corpse where you least expect it, happen upon a person that used to be a part of the living but now resides with the dead. What agony it is to hold a secret so volatile, a secret that could change the course of your life, anyway it likes, by just whispering into the wrong ear.


    "Sounds like you have a lot of built-up anger, my child."


    "Resentment, Sadness, Pity... and" She took a deep breath, staring through the carved-out wood. "And I shouldn''t talk wildly about it. It''s just a story anyway. When I was in school, the teacher said that if you''re having a hard time getting through something, it''s best to let it out in some other way first. I wrote it down, but that didn''t work."


    "So now you''re here." She heard a loud sigh. "The Lord will show mercy, child, for you have repented."


    "But he''s never going to pardon me, not for this. I might not have done it but, surely, I participated... and that''s just as unforgivable."


    "Only he can attest to that."


    "That''s what I fear." She said, cupping her things with a steady hand. She walked out, glaring at the building.


    When Lily got home, she managed to get to the steps quietly.


    "Lily? Coming down for dinner?" Said Jacob. She smiled at him for a moment, thankful she didn''t spoil his mood.


    "Sure." She nodded in a whisper. It would break his nimble heart if he only knew. He would tell her to quit working for the Beckinghams so she didn''t want to pressure him with this information. They were both fixed on getting money for their new home, they wanted a family. They both wanted a new start and now this. She had to deal with this, alone.


    They sat down to eat, the little lamp on the wall, lighting the black room. She watched out at the swaying trees through the kitchen window.


    "Is something wrong?" Jacob glared at her. "They say the storm will pass."


    "Maybe." She said.


    " Lily?" He lowered his utensils. "Is it the Beckinghams?"


    He hit the hammer right on the nail. "The Beckinghams?" She said, feeling careless with her emotions.


    "Yeah." He said slowly, confused by her nervousness. "William was here today. If you want we-"


    "W-William was here? What was he doing here?"


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    "He said you weren''t at work today, Lily." Jacob got curious. "Where were you?"


    She felt cornered, she didn''t understand why he would go to such measures. Going to her house, what was he thinking? Why did he tell Jacob she wasn''t there when he was the one who sent her to run a  special errand? She wondered if this was a test or a warning. She drew her chair out and stood up. "I''m sorry, Jacob, I''ve lost my appetite."


    "Don''t do this." He stood up and got beside her, holding her hand. "It''s you and me, remember? What William says or does, you don''t have to give in to."


    "What? What did he say?" She watched with a scowl.


    "He said it to me once before." He sighed, rubbing the back of her hand. "Bad decisions always lead to bad consequences. Lily... What did you do?"


    She felt her mind slip for a moment, and found herself terrified of this man. She really didn''t know what he was capable of. All she could do was fall into Jacob''s arms and cry, Lily knew that her life was now bound by William''s call. She heard the sound of thunder clash simultaneously with that of her heart. It was hard to tell him, so hard. He took her upstairs, with the lamp lighting the way then in the middle of the gale, she curled in his arms for warmth and comfort. Over the slapping above like the roof would blow off, they talked with the flickering low light of the lantern.


    "Where were you?" He said, serious, staring at the ceiling. He ran his hands down her hair as he waited for an answer. "I need to know, Lily. I''m worried about you. What is happening in that house?"


    She took a deep breath, flinching from every flash it made, gripping his chest tighter every time. "I went into the house and things started falling apart. I started falling apart, I kept thinking about Peter and I lashed out at William and Mrs. Beckingham, I didn''t mean to. It must''ve caught him by surprise, maybe Jodi wanted him to remind me of my place." She wept. "I acted really nasty and I hope that you never see that side of me." She stopped, still feeling his hands through her hair. "Jacob."


    "It''s okay, Lily. These things can have that effect on people, it''s what makes us human."


    She sighed. "I didn''t want to lie to you." It burned her every time she topped one lie with another. "I went to see my father and then I went to see a Priest."


    "I didn''t realize~" They heard a big rumble, Lily gasped cloaked under Jacob''s arms as if it were her mother''s.


    On the other side of town, Isobel''s door pounded over William''s drenched call. She finally opened, shocked to see him soaked from head to toe.


    "William." She gasped, watching him come in with a broken umbrella. She quickly closed the door and gave him an old towel. "What are you doing here?"


    "I needed to see you, Bella."


    She had almost given up and him, but seeing him come all this way and through a storm nonetheless, there was something chivalrous about it. This had to be her happily ever after beginning at this moment.


    "Since the Wedding, I''ve been thinking alot about what you said-"


    "Oh my." She stood, dumbfounded and surprised. "Really? Are you sure?"


    He grinned, rubbing her cheek. "More than ever."


    She smiled, ear to ear. "Daddy!" She called and Mr. Stalker came out.


    He rubbed his eyes and then gave a jolly laugh. "William." He said. "What a brings ya''? Isn''t it a bit rainy?"


    Isobel knew what William wanted to say, she glared at him waiting for a nod and he did. "Oh, Daddy!" She shrieked. "William and I," She said shyly. "William and I are in love and I really want your blessings."


    "She''s right, sir." He hugged her, staring at Mr. Stalker, they were both excited in their own ways. "And I already have plans for our future together." His crude look, wet hair, and devilish eyes were mimicking a scheme in mind as he thought about her, Lily Fisher-Dale.  "I''m going to marry your daughter."

 Chapter Twenty Nine - The Pessimist

    Desperate are those who play God for their own desires and goals. How does one person change so much, in such little time, in under a year? When everything looked clearer, he realized the mistakes he made. Being out of character on stage was the last thing he wanted to do. Playing the perfect savior, he could''ve had it. He felt defeated, betrayed, and alone. Defeated because of a battle he failed to win, betrayed because after loving something so much she was disloyal ... and alone because when you''ve been defeated and betrayed all you ever feel is alone.


    All the money in the world and still it wouldn''t be enough to buy her heart for she was a soul lover. She was a blind woman who loved something she couldn''t see but feel, a humble and ever-growing feeling that never boiled over, a feeling that was never heightened by lust but by memories of precious moments that a picture could never capture.


    Lily watched the Beckingham house. It felt cold and unloved, she felt unattached from the eeriness it carried. It was like she''d grown corns on the back of her feet and on the knuckles of her toes. Like her shoes had annoying little pebbles inside that made them difficult to walk with. And if walking wasn''t a problem, maybe the bottom was torn, flapping with every step she took, threatening to expose itself if she ever made the wrong one.


    "Lily." She heard and to its call, she came.


    She first laid eyes on William who watched her like he had something to say her, he was restless but composed. The second person in the room was Isobel, sitting beside her lover proudly for the first time in a long time, her face flushing a bright red like the sun was at the tip of her nose. Then it was Mother, Lily, and Jodi both eyed each other as if they held a skeleton the other didn''t already know about.


    Jodi sat up, setting herself with moody pouts and occasional grits. The last person she wanted to see that morning was Isobel Stalker, she didn''t once look at her. How could she with the things she just heard? She needed a break. That''s why she called Lily, to ask for a drink.


    "Coming." She said, trying her hardest to seem forthcoming. She was still curious and bothered as to why Isobel came to the Beckingham manor. She was even more so when her friend told her she didn''t come to see Lily. But she knew, Lily knew from the time she saw them share hands like they were born that way.


    "Thank you." Jodi said, taking a long burning swallow. "Lily." This time it was harsh and agile.


    "Yes." She wanted nothing to do with this family, let alone be included in their affairs.


    "Oh, how funny I find it~" She said~ "that my son has gone and chosen a tramp for a lover. How foolish could he be? What led him to such a decision?" She gazed at Lily before saying. "Or who?"


    "Pardon me!" Isobel leaped from her seat in true rage. "He didn''t choose a tramp for a lover just like he didn''t choose a drunk for a mother! Take that back you, you-" She was frustrated and almost out of breath.


    "Really? " Mrs. Beckingham stood up with folded arms. "So you mean it just happened?"


    "You talk like you were born on the highest throne in England, Jodi but you were nothing but a poverty-ridden woman like me."


    "Stop!" William looked at them, serious and without expression. "Both of you."


    "No. She has gotten away wi-"


    "I said to stop, Isobel." When his voice deepened, Isobel felt a grim interference on the tails of hair attached to her porcelain skin.


    Jodi scoffed, watching William take Isobel upstairs. Lily excused herself, she sat quietly in the kitchen on the little chair beside the stove.


    "Why must I run in circles?" She expressed deep thoughts out loud. "At this point, I know something bad is bound to happen, I''m just not sure I want to know what it is."


    Lily wandered in the garden, the place where she first met the Beckingham boy. It was a good productive day, considering the state of mind she was in then, but she didn''t understand why she felt pain every time she thought about it. Was the lad she met that day this William? He was so pure, so perfect, so different. It seemed like a dream, someone like that couldn''t possibly exist... Then she figured it out, he didn''t. It was a convincible delusion, a magic trick used to capture one''s attention. It tricked them into thinking this was the perfect scenario. William scared her but she was more worried about Isobel, she was in it deeper than Taylor. Lily knew that Taylor was an old-time friend of Williams, she wondered if he had the desire to kill Isobel it would surely be without mercy. "How could he do this?" She mumbled, worrying to the point it soaked some strains of hair onto her forehead.


    "How could he do what?"


    Lily jumped, shocked to hear Isobel''s voice and even more so when she found that the girl was right beside her.


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    She wasted no time in saying. "You can''t do this. Don''t. I''m begging you, please. Find someone else, not him. Just not him."


    She grabbed her arm but Isobel shoved her, surprised that she begged for a man that wasn''t her husband. "Lily." She said. "I was happy for you, actually finding someone like Jacob. If you don''t stop this, I''ll tell him everything."


    It was so hard to swallow and speaking wasn''t easier. "Isobel, you have to understand. I didn''t mean to. It was William, he made me do it."


    "Oh, please. Shut up. Just shut up, Lily! It''s you, it''s all on you." She drowned in regret but she knew she had to say something. "You were supposed to be my friend, the one I loved deeply, the one I would die for. What happened to that girl who used to be the one to curl under me when she was scared of Betsy, huh? You were supposed to be the good one but no, you slipped and now you want to take all of us down with you? I didn''t think... that you''d have the audacity to do that to Jacob and on your wedding day."


    "What?" Lily froze. "I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    "Of course, you don''t. You said you''d forget it ever happened, didn''t you? But for William, it rested on his conscience this whole time. Why did you do it? To Jacob, to William, to me? Why? Why did you have to kiss him?"


    Lily felt someone had slipped her something medicinal, something that allowed her to wake from this fantasy slumber. She never knew someone could be so malicious with their words. William had taped her mouth shut, all she could do was snivel in defeat.


    "That''s not true." She was helpless, silenced by someone who never stopped fabricating their stories. His insincerity made way for a vacant slot in her heart. She cared for him and trusted him and this was what she got from it. He was going to break Isobel too but how could she save her?


    "Isobel." She said, calmly looking at her. "William is not the one for you, stop fooling yo-"


    She felt a tight wring against her cheek, stinging from Isobel''s hand.


    "Stop. I don''t want to hear what you have to say, I don''t. Listen to me, Lily, I love that man and I would do anything for him, anything. So before you attempt to get in the way of that, I''m telling you... Stay away. You hear me?"


    Isobel felt so betrayed, she couldn''t stand the thought of Lily taking William away from her. She was scared of this since the beginning and if she had to show some tough love, she thought it would work. She gave a long reprimanding sigh then gave in to their friendship, casting a hug upon Lily. "I''m sorry I slapped you... but you''re not thinking straight." She watched Lily, nodding. "I was happy for you, all I''m asking is you do the same for me."


    Lily stared blankly, stammering. "But he, he, he~" She wanted to tell her friend the dreadful secret she kept but she knew the hold William had on her and Isobel. She bowed her head saying finally~ "He won." She almost gave up, almost gave in to the theory that William had her in the palm of his hands, but she knew someone that could possibly change Isobel''s mind so she paid him a visit.


    "What father wouldn''t want to protect their daughter?" She said, saddened by his decisions.


    "What father wouldn''t put his daughter''s needs first?" He asked. "This is what she wants, Lily girl. I''m afraid me can''t change that. Marrying William is gonna'' to make her happy. Stop worryin'', Lily. Go home with your husband and be happy."


    William and Isobel must''ve talked to him- she thought. He never acted this hostile before but it seemed like he had a lot more to hide than just the bundle of money she saw fattening his mattress. There was nothing she could do now.


    Crushed and tired, she went straight to bed crying until she filled the pillow with tears. It was only a short time later when Jacob came home. He too was tired but he didn''t want to just go to sleep without checking on her. When he did, pulling the covers, her skin was burning hot and she was very pale. He instantly slipped on his coat and ran out to fetch his sister, maybe she could tell him what the matter was.


    "Jacob?" Lily turned her head, weakly.


    "No. It''s me, it''s Tammy."


    "Lily." He held her hand.


    "I think she''s stressed, something must''ve made her worry to the point she got sick."


    "It''s that house." He watched his wife''s face in despair. "I''m sure of it. Ever since she''s been back, she has been distant and depressed and, and she''s been having these nightmares all the time."


    "I''m fine." She sat up, letting Tammy cushion some pillows behind her.


    "No, you''re not. You''re getting thinner every day and it''s only been a week."


    "He''s right," Tammy added. "Something''s on your mind." She watched her, remembering the girl she first saw months ago. She ran her hair to the side.


    "I, I" She thought about it, it made her stomach turn; she saw her again, Taylor''s cold face on the gray-coloured concrete, she memorized everything. She saw it in front of her, what she had to do to get rid of the body. It was gruesome, it was upsetting.


    "Quick, Jacob!" Tammy yelled. "Bring a bucket. Hurry!" He scurried down the hall, unbothered by his sore foot, and got one just in time. "It''s okay, Lily." She rubbed her arm.


    It was hard to look at her like this, he needed answers. He wanted to know the truth. "I''m going over there."


    "No!" She managed to say, surprising both of them. "Jacob, you can''t!"


    "Then tell me what''s going on?" He went to her side, touching her face. "Please."


    She glared at them both then bit her lip. "It''s my friend, Isobel. She''s going to marry William but they all treat her horribly. And I feel helpless, there''s nothing I can do for her or to stop her." Lily learned that night, lying repeatedly never made it any easier. She hated it, just the thought made her heave.


    "Oh, Lily." Tammy cringed, rubbing her back with the bucket at hand. "You''re going to be okay. You''re going to be fine."

 Chapter Thirty - The Forlorn II

    The curtains were slowly closing, the night, this story, the perfect picture Isobel painted for herself. She knew it was but she didn''t want to let go, her naivety made her think that he could be fixed, that he told the truth. She thought that with her, h still had a chance to prove himself as the perfect person.


    "You still seem quite distant, William. I did what said I would, I apologized, and I told her I''d try to be the best daughter-in-law in the world.  I take it that something''s still wrong." She screwed her lip, watching him glare out the window as if he''d been staring at someone.


    "Of course." He said. "There always is."


    "She had it coming. After what you said, I just couldn''t let her talk to me like that."


    "You slapped her." He answered, replaying the moment he saw them. "She''s never going to forgive me." He told himself. "Never.¡±


    "William." Isobel never understood his mind. She could never decipher his thoughts. "She doesn''t have to."


    "She has to, Isobel, or else, all of this would be for nothing."


    "Nothing? This isn''t nothing, this is our lives." She got closer to him, hugging his arm as she watched up at him. "You and I are so much more than nothing. I know that, in my heart.  That''s why I fight for us."


    He turned to her. "You shouldn''t have talked to my mother that way. " Looking at her, all he saw was Juniper.


    "Your mother disrespected me." She walked away, folding her arms. "She deserved it."


    "Isobel." He grabbed her with brute force. "You are nothing compared to my mother or Lily." He drew her closer. "You''re just an asset. This fantasy that subdues you is just a fantasy. You are blind, girl. You don''t see the truth but the truth is you''ve gone against everything I stand for and that angers me."


    Isobel tried wringing her arm loose but as much as she tried, it provided no improvement. She felt threatened and frightened by the face she saw but hoped to find the face she once knew.


    I love you, William. " She said but he still didn''t let go, instead he first replied "I hate you, Isobel Stalker."  then threw her against the chest of drawers where she hit her face then fell to the floor.


    "Why are you doing this?" She still hoped, feeling distraught. She kept her hand over her face, crying as she felt the pounding pain it gave.


    "You asked for this. You''re the one that wanted to marry me. I didn''t have to beg you. It surprises me how easy you were, really, it does." He gave a breathy chuckle, running his hands through his hair. "I really didn''t have to try."


    "You didn''t have to try?" She watched him, only feeling sorry for herself. She remembered everything her father thought her, he told her how she must always stick up for herself, and how she shouldn''t let anyone silence her or put her down. "You didn''t have to try?!" Isobel got up, marching towards him. "You were the one that said you loved me!"


    He went quiet, watching how brave she was then he backhanded the left side of her face with such pressure, she fell unto the bed, screaming and bursting out in tears of heartbreak and pain.


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    "Saying it and meaning it is two different things." He then held her hands down, admiring her bruised face. He liked hot helpless she looked. "You thought you had me in the palm of your hands, didn''t you, Isobel? How pathetic." He kissed her bleeding cheek; the ring he wore must''ve been the cause. The Stalker girl tried to fight, she tried to get off of him but her efforts proved useless to the situation. "You''re crying? Your sister~" He paused, just thinking about her made him feel more aggravated and disgusted. "She came here and made a mess I had to clean up." She opened her eye, the only one that would open, listening keenly to everything he had to say. "Now look, you''re paying this price. She took my minion, my father, the love of my life. Ha, the only thing she left me with... was you but you aren''t all those things."


    "Let go of me, William." Her words were calm.  "Or I scream until hears me."


    "Go ahead." He whispered. "I dare you, ''cause really, there isn''t anyone here to help you or hear you.  Jodi''s never sober, what makes you think she could build the strength to save you and even if she had it, why would she?" He felt powerful, he was a powerful coward. He loved the rush of her submissive actions and it fueled him negatively just thinking about what she did so he smacked her. "You disrespect my mother! Nobody gets away with that." Then he hit her again. "And you disrespected me!"


    No matter how hard she cried, deep down she knew he was right. Nobody could hear her, nobody heard her. She fought and fought, twisted and turned. "Let me go, William, please. Just let me go." She stopped then turned to him with disappointing eyes, heart and soul. "You''re not going to let me go, are you?"


    "No."  He said, sad and thoughtful, glaring at the room. "I have other plans for you, dear."


    "What are you going to do?" She swallowed the blood the busted lip gave her. "What are you going to do? Kill me? Like you killed her?"


    The next day left the night before as a blur. William woke with the slightest feeling that he might''ve done something wrong. He looked to the next side of the bed, greeted by Isobel.


    "You''re awake. It''s already noon, you know." She said, staring at herself in the mirror. She watched all the marks that made her look as battered as a punching bag. "I know you didn''t mean to do that, William."


    He pulled the sheets down and sat up, rubbing his head. "What exactly did I do?"


    She began pacing the floor indecisively. "It was the most horrible night of my life, I''m glad it''s over now." She thought about it, everything that happened then:


    "You didn''t have to try?" She watched him, only feeling sorry for herself. She picked herself up and marched towards him. "You''re the one that said you loved me, William."


    "Saying it and meaning it is two different things."


    "Well, you shouldn''t say things you don''t mean.  It''ll backfire in the end." She said, softly and almost so hurt you could feel the moment her heart broke.


    "Leave." William clenched his fists, trying to control himself. "Leave., Isobel, before I do something else I''ll regret."


    She laughed at herself, how stupid she''d been for even considering the fact that William loved her. "I don''t want to."


    "And why not?" He was tempted, her actions fueled a fire.


    "Because I love you and I want to make this work, I still want to marry you."


    "You want to save yourself the embarrassment." He knew how excited she was, telling everyone she was going to marry a Beckingham like it was something sacred. If they only saw her, they''d laugh at her too, seeing how damaged she was now. She knew what Lily would say, she''d be the one to enjoy this the most. Isobel loved something that destroyed her in the end, it was always about Lily from the beginning. Always. She knew that but she didn''t care, she stared her killer straight in the eyes and held his face towards what used to be hers. "I''m staying." She said. "Because I love you." He thought about how pathetic she was to stay and to say such things then he kissed her and replied. "I know, I know."

 Chapter Thirty One - The Understanding

    "So that''s what happened." He felt tortured, his template pounding like a blacksmith on a sword. "Gyah!" He groaned, hitting his forehead. "God, Isobel.¡± He fretted.


    ¡°What? What is it, William?¡± Confused, she rubbed his shoulders but he nudged her hands away.


    ¡°Go get me something for my head." He ordered and she nodded.


    She gulped, throwing a hat over her head and rushing down the stairs, wondering why she was even in the house. So caught up in her world made her clashed with Lily who had been taking up the washing that morning. Her heart dropped and so did her head, she stammered as she said. ¡°O-out of my way, will you?¡±


    Lily steadied her stance. ¡°Isobel.¡±


    Isobel stopped, holding unto the stair rail. Lily flipped off her hat and stuffed it between the clothes before saying.  ¡°Why wear a hat in the house? It¡¯s a disrespectful act.¡± She shrugged at the sight of her badly bruised eye before turning her head straight and saying. ¡°And congratulations on your engagement.¡±


    In turn, Isobel fixed her robe before turning her head straight and saying~ ¡°Thank you.¡± before prancing down as if she had no worries but as soon as she slipped around the corner, she gave a distressing howl, falling into the kitchen floor.


    Just two friends, skipping along the pathway of life as they grow older. That path gradually splits into two and they each pick one path away from the other. The friends gave up that synchronizing hand-in-hand strut. Didn''t expect any different when it came to Lily Fisher and Isobel Stalker, they are like a fish and a dog anyway. Their smiles fainted to frowns when the time came to pick their own way. Surely, through the bushes and trees, they could not see how unhappy it made each one be without the other. A bond stronger than that of a sister''s, how did it manage to break so easily? Was it not strong enough? Was the lust of a flower enough to untie an invisible string that was deemed invincible? Collided hearts that are drawn apart make way for collateral consequences that always lead to a reputed karma. Will they both pay the price? Both of their agonizing hearts never thought of such defiance from being too naive, in their own ways.


    From the top of the stair, Lily could hear the sobs of the unhappy. She pitied Isobel for she did not heed her words and she didn¡¯t know what the family had in mind for her. She shook the thought from her head and attempted to move when the voice behind her caused her to stop.


    ¡°Lily, come here for a minute.¡± He said.


    She dropped the basket to the floor and turned back to William Beckingham''s room.


    ¡°What do you want, William?¡± She dreaded every time she had to say his name. Who would want to look up to such a low and dirty man like him?


    ¡°I¡¯d like to talk to you.¡± He gestured for her to have a seat on the bed and she did but to her relief, William had already gotten up and he was undressing.


    He started with. ¡° I overheard your conversation with my fianc¨¦e.¡±


    Lily had it in her head that he was possessive, traits she couldn''t see before. She answered. ¡°Yes? Is there¡­ a problem?¡±


    ¡°I wonder.¡± He started. He chuckled to himself before continuing. ¡°I wonder¡­ Do you approve of my engagement to Isobel?¡±


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    Not in the slightest¡­ but could she say that, oh no, of course not.


    ¡°Your engagement to Isobel is none of my business, Mr. William.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± William was a man of his own demands, anything he wanted, he took. If money couldn¡¯t buy it, then it would be by force.


    He draped a towel around himself and then made way for her. He stretched his hand out to her, Lily¡¯s heart it was pounding, she didn''t know how twisted she was or what he''d do to her if she refused him. She already saw what he did to Isobel but she was braver than that. She looked at his hand and then up at him. ¡°Well then.¡± He laughed. ¡°Take it.¡±


    ¡°I will not!¡± She exclaimed.


    ¡°Oh, you will, Lily Fisher.¡± His voice came in higher than hers as she grabbed her legs and split them. ¡°You will and I¡¯ll enjoy it.¡±  She gulped, glaring into his eyes as he was now straight in front of her, stooping. but she refused to submit to his cowardly request. "I understand you and Isobel have an understanding, but I refuse to tolerate any defiance against my virtue."


    The sound of the car¡¯s engine saved Lily from doing something she¡¯d regret. All William could do was scoff.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you leave for now, Love.¡± He flipped his fingers up from her chin and got up, stretching as he wandered into the bathroom and closed the door with a despicable grin. She swallowed up the spit that stopped her from talking, then bit the back of her knuckles before saying. ¡°Oh, dear God.¡± And heading out into the hall. She quickly picked up the basket and headed for her Jodi Beckingham''s chambers, steadying her trembling fingers.


    ¡°Mother, you¡¯re back.¡± Isobel exchanged a hug and then a kiss with the tramp. They held each other, arm in arm, and headed for the kitchen so Jodi could get some water..


    ¡°Oh, yes, and I found the perfect color for your dress.¡± She smiled.


    ¡°Really?¡± She asked confused, she lifted her head before saying. ¡°I thought it would be white. Always pictured it that way.¡±


    ¡°White? No, darling. White is for the pure ones.¡± She explained with a grin. ¡°It¡¯ll be sky blue¡­ Isn¡¯t that lovely?¡±


    ¡°Lovely, it is¡­. Mother.¡± She said.  Mrs. Beckingham did anything in her power to belittle poor Isobel; it seemed like everyone in the house was against her and would do anything to get her out, even William.


    "Speaking of blues, what happened to your eye?" She grinned.


    "Walked into a door." She chuckled nervously. "But don''t worry, I''m going to stop drinking soon."


    ¡°Speaking of your bad decisions, there is something we must discuss.¡±  She rubbed Isobel¡¯s hand as if to assure her, and her face seemed a bit more serious as she looked down at the hardwood floors they passed. ¡°Why don¡¯t we have a seat in the study first?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡± She nodded to fulfill his mother¡¯s demands.


    In the study, Isobel was seated Jodi poured a glass of wine and then joined her.  ¡°Well, you see¡­¡± She sipped the red liquid, making sure to take note of her daughter-in-law¡¯s face every moment. ¡°It¡¯s about, Lily, our maid.¡±


    ¡°Lily?¡± She sat up, worried, tilting her head.


    ¡°Mrs. Beckingham.¡± Speak of the devil, Lily stood at the door, all dressed to go. ¡°I¡¯ve done the washing and dinner, and I cleaned out the attic as you¡¯ve asked. I¡¯m heading home now, is there anything else you need?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± She gave a slight smile but that of annoyance. ¡°No.¡± She chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll be seeing you, Ms. Fisher.¡± Lily gave no wave nor greeting to Isobel, it was as if she didn¡¯t exist in her mind.


    ¡°So you said it was about Lily?¡± She reminded.


    ¡°Oh, yes¡± She swung one of her legs over the other and say before taking another sip. ¡°She won¡¯t be with us anymore.¡±


    ¡°I beg your pardon, ma¡¯am.¡± Isobel¡¯s eyes pranced from the door where Lily was then back to the tramp. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Next month, just after your wedding.¡±  Jodi peeped at her with a whisper. "You''ll be taking over her duties as the wife of the house."

 Chapter Thirty Two - The Consequences

    The next morning, Lily woke up to distant bells, dinging and donging as the sun grew bright and high before her eyes through the old wooden window on the other side of the room. She tried not to think about it but it was the first thing that came to mind. Lily didn''t want to spend another day in that house so she just had to confess to somebody, to him.


    She ran her hands beside herself but he wasn''t there, immense sounds coming from below: sizzling, rattling, and running water made her acknowledge the fact that he was already up and about. She slept late so Jacob wanted to do something special for her, she always took care of him and he wanted to do the same. The bright morning, the warm custard soft sheets that clashed with the cool far-off sea breeze and a sound of heaven all in one. If Lily didn''t think about what happened yesterday and prior to that, she would''ve had to pinch herself. It was difficult to enjoy the good things because the bad experiences always stuck in her mind but this, this was a great escape for a little while.


    "Maybe I did have a good life." She yawned, curling up under the blanket. "But I can''t have a good one now." She ended sadly. His twisted words could only be understood if read under a microscope.


    "You can have a good life, Lily." There he was, the perfect man, the perfect husband, the perfect everything. He watched her, leaning by the door with folded arms. Jacob jumped on the bed, making both of them giggle into a hug. Everything about him, she grew to love. It was incredible, everything he did for her.


    Holding the back of his head, she had to ask. "Is this real?" Lily bit her lip, crying with a smile.


    "Course it is." He convinced her but Lily stayed skeptical. She didn''t believe in perfect illusions, perfect pictures, a perfect life, a perfect anything. She couldn''t accept this perfect scenario, it was deemed ''too good to be true'', so she said. "There''s something I need to tell you."


    "That''s funny," He said with a smirk, hugging her waist tighter. "because there''s something I need to tell you. You should go first." He sprung up with excitement.


    It made Lily sad to think about how devastated Jacob was going to be once she told him.


    "Well?" He waited, his smile faded when he saw her face.


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    "It''s about Taylor."


    "Taylor? You don''t think I~?"


    "No." She stated, giving a slight gleam. "I know you would never do that."


    "Then what''s wrong?"


    She couldn''t hold it back any longer. "Taylor''s dead." She said. "William killed her."


    Jacob took a deep breath; he couldn''t understand why Lily kept this from him, he didn''t understand why this affected her so much but then he started putting the pieces together. "Did he, did he make you~?" He got up.


    "Jacob."Lily was ashamed, she grabbed his shirt to stop him from leaving but she couldn''t look at him when she said. "There''s something else."


    ¡°Lily? Lily, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Jacob¡¯s voice; it was so calming like the lake waters, it always told her she was safe, she was safe in his arms. He lowered his head to hear her whilst holding her hands. She flinched as she turned away. ¡°You can talk to me.¡± He insisted.


    ¡°Jacob, I, I can¡¯t bear to be at their wedding. You don¡¯t know what they¡¯re doing to her¡­ W-what he¡¯s doing to her.¡± She fell into his arms and automatically soaked his shirt with her tears. All he could do was listen, thinking it was over but she then dragged her gaze back to him. ¡°William, he,¡± Her lips trembling, it seemed for a moment she had gone numb until she took a good look at her husband. ¡°He tried to..." These words came out like a silent scream, she couldn¡¯t say it any louder than that.  She felt her heart drop as the words came out of her mouth, she felt their happiness shattered into bits and pieces. Jacob went blank, he now had had a temporary disability, that of blindness. He was staring into nothing until he said.


    ¡°He what?¡± Jacob yelled, now filled with anger. Lily couldn¡¯t believe how fast this man found his coat and, and his gun. She jumped up and ran up to him, grabbing hold of his shirt. ¡°Oh, Jacob, don¡¯t.¡± She could barely get the words out.  ¡°Jacob!¡± She yelled, running down the steps, gripping the door¡¯s edge, staring as he turns on the engine and drives off.


    Her eyes jumped around, she went from one end of the porch to the other, pacing around until she saw Mr. Cambelle, the baker¡¯s husband in his van selling bread. She ran up to him, quickly wrapping her scarf around her neck.


    ¡°Mr. Cambelle, could you please drive me up to the Beckingham manor?¡± He gets to the driver¡¯s seat and the man looks down at her.


    "The Beckingham manor? It''s such a far drive, lass. I''m sorry but I can''t." He shrugged, driving off slowly before blowing his horn.


    But Lily didn''t give up, she ran back to the vehicle.  ¡°Please take me there. Please.¡± She begged, rubbing the tears away.

 Chapter Thirty Three- The Confrontation

    He acted hasty and repulsive, rushing into the Beckingham''s home with no rational thoughts.


    "Where is he?"


    Isobel froze, staring at the gun he had. She noticed it was just like the one Lily''s father had, she didn''t know what was going on and she didn''t want to be an upshot of anything catastrophic. "What are you doing here?" She tried backing away.


    "Where is he?" His eyes dart to all corners of the room, paying her no mention.


    "You need to leave, Jacob... before you do something foolish."


    He looked at her, she thought she had gotten through to him. He blinked his sorrow-clouded eyes before lifting the gun towards her. "I should be the one telling you that." He watched her face, how she frowned and looked like a rotten fruit with that swollen eye. ¡°She was your friend. She stood by your side and you betrayed her. How could you let this happen?¡±


    "I am her friend, s-so you can¡¯t kill me." She trembled, raising her hands slowly.


    "Then get out of my way."


    ¡°I can¡¯t let you do that.¡± She pleaded. ¡°Please, I love him. He¡¯s my only hope.¡±


    Jacob clenched his jaw, almost lowering his hand before lifting it up. ¡°You should get out of here, Isobel. Before it¡¯s too late, before he takes you too.¡±


    Isobel chuckled to herself, letting her tears fall from her cheek. ¡°He already has.¡±


    No doubt, he was serious, she knew it. She gulped, slowly shifting to the corner of the room, still feeling like she was going to die, even though he had already made it up to the second floor.


    Pacing down the halls, he couldn¡¯t have predicted his next move. Everything moved so slowly, he checked the first two doors, wishing he could just lay eyes on the bastard so he could be rid of him and end Lily¡¯s sorrows. He pondered on this family long enough and had let them get away with too much. He couldn¡¯t let them do this too. It was at the third door down the hall where he heard the voice.


    "Didn''t think you''d come." He said.


    William knew Jacob was at the door, he knew what he was doing there and why he came but he didn''t think Lily could do it. He didn¡¯t think she¡¯d bring herself to speak so freely with her husband when he had such a secret over her. He had little faith in her but she proved herself to be braver than he was. Staring out the window, he could still see her in the garden reading as usual. It was the one thing she loved doing in her free time.


    "Why''d you do it?" Jacob begged for an answer, feeling lightheaded. "Damn it, William, why''d you do it?!"


    "Because I loved her." He said calmly, turning around. "I loved her even before you were a part of her life."


    "You¡¯re pathetic." He cursed, lowering the gun. "You planned this whole thing. You killed Taylor."


    "So she did tell you everything." He grinned, feeling accomplished.


    "And you killed her father too." He watched him, holding the gun up again. "Didn''t you?!?"


    "If you weren''t there, this didn''t have to happen. ¡°Taylor didn''t have to die, Jacob."


    "Does she know?" Jacob felt his heart sink, he should''ve seen it coming. "Why did her father quit working for your family?"


    "Because he was sick, Jacob." William glared at him. "He was sick, that''s all there is to it."


    "No. No. He wasn''t sick, he was never sick. I had my uncle do an investigation on this wretched family. He got into an accident on the ranch, your father''s ranch. That''s where you saw her. "


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    "She never noticed me, how could she? After what I did to Sarah, Fullin didn''t want her to have anything to do with me." William, now in a state of complete desolation, didn''t know what the point of fighting was. He knew he was cornered and the secrets he had where too much, it overwhelmed him. The steady nightmares and bad dreams never stopped, for twenty years they threaded on and the more things he did, the more intense and vivid they got. ¡°He forbade me from marrying her and even said, she didn¡¯t have to be reminded of my existence.¡±


    "So you got rid of him." He said, heavily.


    ¡°I gave him a choice. You know what he said to me?¡± William scoffed. ¡°Over his dead body.¡±


    "It wasn¡¯t a damn accident and I¡¯m positive he wasn¡¯t the first one." Oh, how William wished Jacob would end his misery. ¡°Your sister.¡±


    "You¡¯re right.¡± He glared at the man. ¡°It got easier."


    "Even after losing their daughter, they still let you off the hook, how predictable."


    "Jacob Dale, why don''t you tell me how normal your life was?" He smirked. "It had to be normal for you to judge me... and be a hypocrite."


    "This isn''t about me."


    "I''m positive that you didn''t come here to talk about me either."


    "You''re right."


    Lily found herself staggering up the steps of the Beckingham Manor. It was all too quiet for her liking. She felt the coldness of the house, creeping up her back and resting on her spine. ¡°Jacob!¡± She shouted but to no avail. The young woman had burst through the door, stumbling as she checked each room. With the sound of a Bang! Cramps ran through her body like lightning, she held her heart as she screamed out. ¡°Jacob!... Jacob!¡± She continued along the corridor until she reached the door where Jacob had been lying, on the floor, almost out of breath. She glanced up at the black-haired girl with red plumped lips, pale white skin, and a knife. ¡°Isobel? You stabbed him?!¡± She screamed, almost like a whistle. She dropped to her knees instantly, the shock throughout her body continued as she draped his shoulder onto her lap.


    ¡°J-Jacob?¡±


    He held her hands before answering. ¡°Are you scared, Lily?¡± He struggled to get out the words because the blood filling his lungs. Her hands trembled as she moved them around his abdomen where the pool started expanding around him. With her hands now a scarlet red, she moved them up to his face and nodded.


    ¡°N-no, I¡¯m not¡­ I¡¯m not.¡±


    He coughed some blood, which splattered onto her chest she flinched. ¡°Oh, Jacob.¡± She pushed back his hair some more. By then Isobel had disappeared but she wasn''t worried. Lily didn¡¯t care if she too was stabbed, it would¡¯ve been the perfect time to be dying beside her husband.


    ¡°As long as he was alive you¡¯d never feel safe.¡± He said, his eyes welling up as he gave a weak smile.


    ¡°Jacob, I- I¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Lily. I know.¡± His eyes were sad, not by emotion but by the slow coming of the afterlife. ¡°You never have to be alone again. You¡¯ll always have a piece of me with you.


    ¡°Be¡­ with me~¡± He gulped before fighting the words. ¡°Till my last breath, okay?¡± Her hands had been drawn to the chest by his.


    She nodded. ¡°I will, I will.¡±


    Upon hearing these words, he smiled¡­ almost as if to show his contentment. She felt it, his heart beating. It started fast but somehow, Jacob had relaxed himself but he continued to hold her hand until he was not allowed to. His heart started skipping beats until she felt his final breath against her neck then his hand slipped out of hers.


    She kissed his forehead and closed his eyes with an ¡°I love you.¡±


    Jodi came out of her room, draped in a towel with wet hair. "Oh, my god. " She said, looking at Lily. Her first instinct was to check on her son so she ran down the hall and saw him. He was dead as she predicted, Lily killed him. It was her fault- she thought. She never wanted the girl there in the first place, she was skeptical from the beginning. Jodi picked up the weapon with quivering wet hands. "You did this." She said then screamed. "You did th-" Pow! Lily heard, screaming. "Ah!" She covered he head, shocked and scared by the terrifying sound it gave.


    "I''m not going to let you kill her," Isobel grunted, holding Jodi''s hands apart. They both fought each other, Isobel tried to take the gun from her but Mrs. Beckingham was set on killing this girl first. If there was one person she hated more than Lily, it had to be Isobel. She was sick of her strutting around like a peacock and Isobel thought the same about her. They went back and forth, back and forth until they reached the rails that overlooked the grand hall. Jodi''s strength was enough to push Isobel off the edge but she fought, long hard until they reached the steps then the gun went off again and Lily screamed even louder, crying and wishing someone would come and save her from this nightmare.


    Isobel gasped, not knowing where to look. "What did I do?" She said, taking a step back on the stair only to trip and tumble to her death. Jodi froze in place with widened eyes, she looked at Lily one more time then looked down at her stomach, watching the blood soak her white cotton shirt. Mrs. Beckingham dropped the gun and then fell to her knees, tumbling down the stair behind her soon-to-be daughter-in-law.


    Then it all went silent. The bakers couldn''t bake, the thinkers couldn''t think, the lovers couldn''t love and the drinkers couldn''t drink.

 Chapter Thrirty Four - The Funeral

    It was December 11th when Jacob died and two days later, there was a funeral. They called it the Beckingham Massacre. I wore black as usual, and I remember the night before vividly. I tried to be strong but when Tammy fell to the floor, pleading for her nephew''s life. I couldn''t stop myself. The man I love was dead. We embraced each other that night and cried until we passed out. The dreadful sounds of a victim''s family are not something to understate. On the day of my husband''s funeral, I was met with wailing of Jacob''s family. His sister, Tammy, shook all night long and it was the first time I found myself being strong for another person.


    "I failed my husband." Lily cursed herself then Snickered. "I don''t understand why you can''t hate me"


    "You''re not at fault for Jacob''s decisions. He knew what he was getting into. And if he could I know he''d do it again in a heart beat."


    "He shouldn''t have to. I wanted to stay to watch over Isobel. I made the wrong decisions."


    "No one could have told you this would happen." Tammy tried to comfort her but she shook her head.


    "No, I knew. So many people died for me, even when they didn''t want to over some obsessed man who could let things go. I am to blame."


    "As you said, Lily, obsession poisons us. You''re not to blame." She got up, folded her arms then walked off.


    Lily could hear the rustling trees around them, and her only thought was the first time she noticed when Jacob was in love with her. They went for a walk at the end of her father''s pastures and had a picnic. Even though she could tell it at the time, She realized he loved her even then. She even hear his voice yelling her name when she was up on the roof trying to fix the television. He was there when he was scared and wanted more with her life. He was there when she met her grandfather and learned about her mother''s past. He was there when laughed when she cried, she was over joyed, and when she was scared. He was there for her even when she didn''t ask him to be. He was a unique man and his spirit emitted the beauty hidden beneath his honey brown eyes. He saw her potential, and the reasons for her cries, he was patient with her truth and even with her lies. He never let a soul lay a hand on her, he protected her when she needed. That''s more than she could ever ask for. Jacob Dale, How can such a year change a young woman? A passionate and adventurous man with a pessimist for a wife. How did he have in him to love someone so high-maintenance.


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    There she was standing beside me. Even on the worst day of her life, she had to have a smile on her face. I


    "Lily Fisher." She scoffed, taking out a cigarette. The black lace gloves exaggerated her look and for a second I swore I had recognized the hate she wore.


    "June." I hoarsed out.


    "My sister is dead."She said. It was the first time I ever saw her break down. Even if she wasn''t bawling or wailing like the others, she broke down. Her voice weakened to even mutter those words. "And you''re standing here... still breathing."


    "That is the consequence of our own actions, June." I turned to her, her stature always made her look intimidating. But she wasn''t going to let that stop her. "She will have to die with hers, and I will live with mine.


    She pulled out a lighter and began to laugh. "You never fail to amaze me with the amount of crap that can come out of that mouth. You think I care about consequences!? I live creating consequence, Lily Fisher. You can''t tell me about that." She snickered. "But you, you''ve never been punished a day in your life. You deserve something to actually cry about and I''m going to be it"


    "You''re threatening me." That was all I could say, I was still weak in denial but I found it funny how fast the tables could turn.


    "I''m telling you what going to happen next, love." She breathed out some smoke and then whispered. "I want to take away everything from you, your life will never be yours as long as I have breath enough to curse you. Happiness will be a luxury you can no longer afford."


    "What makes you think I''ll ever be happy again?" I shook my head. "Your threats have always been empty, ever since we were children. Don''t you come to my husband''s funeral, when you almost had him killed on our wedding night, to give me threats? I will personally strangle you. I have nothing left to lose. Find your way back to whatever hole you''ve been choosing to die in." I felt as though I could''ve cried right then and there. I had to get out of there, I made my way past Juniper as I began to leave but then I heard.


    "I know you''re pregnant, Lily." I halted, refusing to turn back. How did she even put it together? "A child can be a wonderful thing, so innocent, so beautiful and if he''s the spitting image of his father, your heart will be even more immune to his laugh. Then... I will find you again, and I will kill your child."


    Instantly, Lily could feel her lungs collapsing on themselves, she started to pant and weep right there on the path. "I, I swear. If you ever harm my child..."


    "You''ll kill me? " She walked up to Lily and watched as she struggled to put hers elf together. "You don''t have it in you."


    That was the last time I had seen Juniper. I''m not sure when she''ll be back or how she will find me when I''m gone.


    But I did meet someone else on that day.

 Chapter Thirty Five - The Ending?

    Lily found herself standing in front of the Beckingham manor. It was bare in now, nothing to show for itself. It wasn''t as lively as Lily made it the same, she didn''t bother to imagine the horror of the news to those who were just partying in the great manor of the Beckinghams. Except, it seemed like a sentimental place for one. There it was a shiny, blue car sitting in the driveway of the estate and there it was, and a shadow lurking by the upstairs balcony window. Lily just stood there, a big case at her side and a brown coat. This was her last stop. Not to admire a house so deadly but to say goodbye to her love. On the other hand though, held a bottle of gasoline. These flames will extinguish the aura of a cursed history and it will feel good to end this torment of the existence of that house.


    She watched as the tall shadowy figure made it through the house, her eyes followed until she couldn''t. After all of that, came a well-suited man who opened the front doors of the manor. Lily dropped her case and the bottle on the floor and proceeded to walk up to the man. As she got closer, she noticed the blue eyes he fashioned and the perfectly curled hairs on his head. It was also evident that he was probably foreign based on the type of tailored jacket he wore and his scarf. He stopped at the door and glared at her. "You must be Lily Fisher." He said, stuffing his hand into his pockets.


    The crisp cold breath of his as he breathe almost looked smooth.


    "Yes, I am." She said, cold and uninterested. "You''re the man who betrayed his family."


    "Abandoned." He cleared his throat in a nod. "I abandoned my family."


    "Why?" She asked, curious as to why he would answer in such a manner.


    "You think I''d be standing here talking to you if I didn''t?" He clenched his jaw and then added. "My wife was crazy, obsessive and my son. He was crazy and impulsive."


    "Obsessive." She added and he laughed before asking.


    "I must assure you, I''m nothing like that." He grinned. "My methods of owning a person are a bit more sexual.. than that."


    Lily raised a brow to him, her head pounding at the thought that this man was trying to sleep with her. "I''m married."


    "If I recalled your husband was killed." He checked his time. "You don''t want to be alone for the rest of your life, do you?"


    Lily arms folded in on then self and she began to rub them,


    "I''m sorry. What I mean to say is you''re a beautiful girl. I''d hate to see that go to waste. Now that my wife is dead, I can come back home in peace... I can take..." His eyes trailed from her hair to her neck, down to her bosom, and then to her waist. "I can take care of you." He bit his lip.


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    Lily started laughing, a small chuckle and then a peal of hysterical laughter. "I''m so sorry, darling. A moment ago I was about to leave this town and now I''m being given the opportunity to leave a luxurious life. This can''t be happening."


    "Forgive me for my forwardness, but I don''t like to waste time. If I see something I like I take it." He smiled, then said to her. "How about we discuss this in the living room?"


    Lily lowered her head, and then she nodded. "I''d rather we discuss in it the shower first."


    The man check his watch again and then hesitantly nodded. "I have the time."


    "Lovely. We can play a little game then." She looked away shyly. "You go ahead and I''ll sneak up behind you."


    "You were just crying about your husband a moment again." He walked up to her and grabbed her by the head. "What changed?"


    "I never want to miss an opportunity." She smirked then ran her fingers down his chest. "Do you mind if I ask you a question?"


    "Anything."


    "Do you know Mr. Fullin?"


    "Fullin?" He thought about it for a moment. "No, I can''t say if I do. Why who is he?"


    "Nobody important." She chuckled and then pressed her lips against his. The Beckingham wanted so much to continue but with that peck, Lily pulled away. "Not as yet, darling."


    He nodded and walked inside.


    Although Mr. Beckhingham had let his suspicions down on this woman that had been responsible for the death of his family, he figured it was just the way of the world. Every poor vagrant seeks a way to the top. He believed the girl just couldn''t help herself. He didn''t mind it, he had enough to keep himself satisfied even if he wasn''t going to give the life, he so suddenly promised. He go into the shower and waited there for her and in the midst of the running water, the time was ticking, and still not activity. Mr. Beckingham grabbed a towel and tried to make it to the door, and when he did, he could get it open. He pounded at the door and called for her. "Darling, Open the door! Please! Let''s start our game!"


    He realized what was happening and he rushed to the window and peered down at the girl outside.


    Lily scoffed standing back. "You can try to scream. No one will hear you though. Besides." Her lips curled into a smile. "Even if they did, why would they help you?" She grabbed her case and jumped into the blue shiny car parked up. Although the man couldn''t see the roaring flames just below him. he could smell them creeping up on him. He knew he was dead the moment, he saw the door in front of him blackening with every touch of the flames.


    Lily was all alone again, she started the year by herself, what were the odds that it would''ve ended that way too? But she wasn''t alone, she had a savior, someone who was going to fight for her. When she got to the train station, she wasted no time rushing inside and grabbing her seat, and as she sighed heavily, Lily stared at her stomach. She was never really alone when it happened and now she didn''t have to be, she had him: A conqueror, a vanquisher, a champion... a Victor.