Into the Storm: Into the Storm Trilogy Book One Page 6

  At the mention of Mike’s name, the stiffness in Patricia’s face softened a little, and she thawed a degree or two. “Oh yes, Michael is a lovely young man. I must invite him, and his parents too, back over for another cosy dinner,” she said, and there was a note of triumph in her voice when she saw Violet’s expression. “You know, he’s the first man Elizabeth has been interested in that I’ve approved of,” she added, now clearly starting to enjoy herself at Violet’s expense.

  Beth screamed inwardly. How could her mother tell this girl that she was interested in her boyfriend? For her part, Violet was looking vulnerable, overwhelmed and confused, trying to understand what the woman was referring to. The expression on Patricia’s face made it clear she was insulting her guest, but Violet wouldn’t understand why a stranger would want to do that to her. God, what Beth wouldn’t give to swap parents. She adored Rose, and even Violet’s dad sounded lovely.

  Still, at least Violet would really believe the stories about her mother now. Sometimes as she recounted them they sounded outlandish, even to her, but her friend was experiencing first-hand the haughty woman who lived to upset others, for no other reason than her own amusement. She never worried who the hurt was aimed at – family, friend, associate, stranger – as long as she derived the pleasure of inflicting pain on someone. She was a psychic vampire, draining the life force from people, draining their confidence, making them doubt themselves, making her doubt herself.

  It was time for her to intervene, and save sweet Violet from the discomfort of being in her mother’s presence. Picking up her bag, she clattered down the stairs, to let her friend know she was on her way, and cut her mother off mid-sentence.

  “Why didn’t you tell me Violet was here?” she asked, keeping her voice level with a supreme act of will, and wondering how long Patricia would have grilled her friend before she allowed her inside, or at least let her daughter know she’d arrived. “I’m so sorry,” she said, turning away from her mother and smiling at Violet. “Do you want to come in, or should we head out now?”

  “I guess we should go,” she replied, trying not to sound relieved. She was always so unfailingly polite, even when the person didn’t deserve it. “Mike will be getting there any minute.”

  Beth turned to the hall table, grabbed her keys, then pushed past the ogre in the doorway to freedom. “I shouldn’t be late home Mother, so I’ll see you then,” she said flatly, then fled down the path to the street. Violet watched as the weight her friend had been carrying on her shoulders lifted from her with every step they took away from the house, and within a few blocks she looked like her normal self again.

  “I’m sorry,” Beth offered finally, embarrassment colouring her voice and her cheeks. “I should have just met you both in town.”

  “It’s okay,” Violet said softly. “I just, wow, I’m so sorry you have to tiptoe around her so much. I know I’d always be so scared of offending her – too scared to do anything at all.”

  Beth nodded sadly. “Yeah, I’d forgotten just how claustrophobic it is to be in the same house with her. She just breathes disgust and contempt, and I can’t win – if I appear too cheerful and happy she complains, if I’m supposedly too miserable she complains. If I do nothing I’m lazy, if I do something I’m criticised for it not being perfect,” she sighed.

  “But enough of that, this is our time, so we shouldn’t dwell on my pesky home life. Soon enough I’ll be back in London or Paris and can put all this behind me.”

  “So you’ll leave once the wedding is over?” Violet asked, and Beth felt a warm glow when she realised there was a layer of disappointment in the other girl’s voice.

  Smiling, she inhaled the beautiful sunshiny aroma of the blossoms as they walked around the edge of an apple orchard. “I can’t stay, even if I wanted to. Mother and I bring out the absolute worst in each other – we shouldn’t live in the same village, let alone the same house. But I’ll really miss you and Mike,” she said. And as she spoke she realised that she actually would miss them, and she’d miss both of them, not just Mike.

  They lapsed into silence for a few blocks, but it was a comfortable one, where they both thought about the growing friendship between them. For her part, Violet was overjoyed to have found a friend, especially one who was open to coming to rituals with her. Most of her classmates at school thought she was weird on a good day, and working with the devil on the bad ones. She did have a black cat, Shadow, and her mother was considered a witch by some because she ran ceremonies to celebrate the seasons and honour the phases of the moon. But there was nothing evil about that, they were just attuning themselves to the energy of the earth, an energy anyone could tap in to.

  And Beth was equally grateful that Mike and Violet had welcomed her into their lives, and into their relationship. That they cared for her because of who she was, not which family she came from, and encouraged her to be herself. Not like her parents, who wanted to turn her into something they thought she should be. It was sad – her mother had no idea what she wanted to do or be, and zero interest in finding out.

  So maybe the three of them really would stay in touch when she left, not just mouth the platitudes then forget. Maybe they would write letters to each other, or send postcards at least. Maybe they’d invite her to their wedding. And perhaps Violet would even visit her in France, and she could take her to the sacred places of the west coast she knew she longed to see.

  Excited at the possibilities, Beth wrenched her attention back to her friend, just as they reached the cafe where they were meeting Mike after his morning delivery job. Her heart sped up when she caught sight of him. He’d snagged their favourite booth table, and as Violet opened the door and they walked over to him, he gazed at her with such love and welcome on his face.

  Beth was embarrassed to admit that she was jealous of the way Mike looked at Violet, and of all the little moments they shared without even being conscious of them.

  The way they leaned in to kiss every time they paused before crossing a road. The way Mike shielded her from wind, rain and rowdy revellers with his body. The way they both deferred to each other and never made a decision without checking with the other, in a way that was considerate rather than co-dependent. The way Violet could soothe Mike when he was upset with just a touch of her hand or a flicker of warmth in her eyes. The way they were each so hyper-aware of where the other one was, even when they were away from each other in a crowd, speaking to other people.

  It was so beautiful – and it made her sad and envious. She yearned for someone to love her the way Mike loved Violet, but she swallowed it down and tried not to reveal her resentment, because spending time with them, even when it filled her with longing, was so much better than being stuck at home.

  She was still surprised they wanted to hang out with her though. If she had a boyfriend like Mike, she wouldn’t be letting a pretty girl tag along on their dates – but they were both so sweet that their compassion for her overcame their desire to be alone together. When she’d pressed Violet about this she’d just laughed, and told her that she and Mike had forever to be alone together, and they liked her and enjoyed spending time with her. In another time, another place, she and Violet might have become life-long friends.

  * * * * *

  Beth’s relationship with her sister was also improving, as they made an effort to spend time together away from their parents. She had always been a little jealous and a lot in awe of Jenny, who was just that bit too much older than her to have been a friend or confidant, and who seemed to have such a great relationship with their mother. But her older sister laughed uproariously when Beth mentioned that.

  “Oh sweetie, I spent every day of my life desperate to leave home, to get away from her and her condescension, her expectations, her casual cruelty. Why do you think I studied so desperately in my final two years? I knew which university I wanted to go to – perhaps not coincidentally, the furthest one from here – and I knew that I’d need a full scholarship, because she�
��d already told me they would pay for me to go to the local college but nowhere else, so they could keep an eye on me I suppose, keep controlling me.”

  She smiled fondly at her sister. “Did you think you were the only one she tried to manipulate? I wanted to study science, which she never approved of, and so I had to make it happen for myself. When I decided to major in renewable energy, I kept it a secret so she couldn’t pressure me to change it. She still thinks I studied business, so I could go into the family firm, and I’ve done nothing to dissuade her from that belief.”

  Beth stared at her sister, mouth open in shock. She’d always thought Jenny was the perfect daughter, always doing exactly what their parents wanted and expected. But it seemed she was just a much better liar than her. “No way!”

  Jenny laughed at the expression on her face. “Absolutely. And when I fell in love with Josh my first year at uni, I never told her about him. I knew she planned to set me up with one of Father’s business cronies, to try to marry me off for her own advantage – just like she’s going to try to force you to marry Mike, so our family’s business can merge with his.”

  Fortunately she didn’t notice Beth’s hiss of indrawn breath, or the flush that stained her cheeks.

  “I’d actually planned to elope, so she couldn’t do anything to stop me, but Josh convinced me otherwise. Although he would also prefer to get married back home, on a windswept beach in the Orkneys with only seals for witnesses, he convinced me that fighting her on this just wouldn’t be worth the grief, not long term. It’s one day, one small thing, and if she feels like she’s won on this issue, she may be less inclined to anger on other things.”

  “But shouldn’t your wedding day be just the way you want it? Be special?” Beth asked.

  “Neither of us are that fussed about the wedding, we just want to be married, to be husband and wife. The ceremony is for others, it’s only the vows we make to each other that are important – and whether I say them barefoot on a beach in Scotland or wearing stupid shoes in a church here in front of a cast of thousands of people I don’t know, none of that changes the magic of what we are committing to. And if it helps smooth the way for me to finally admit to Mother the job I’m actually taking, it will have been worth every torturous moment.”

  “Wow!” Beth breathed, amazed. “I had no idea.”

  “Of course it will be much easier confessing to my degree and my new employer from a safe distance,” Jenny said with a laugh, before turning serious. “But I am sorry that I left you with them, and that I wasn’t strong enough to stay,” she continued sadly.

  “You have no idea how happy I was when I heard you were going to London to study, and even more so when you moved to France. I figured you would be far enough away from her to be able to live your own life. I really had to search my conscience before I invited you to the wedding, because I know how weak I become in her presence, how much easier it is to bend to her will than to fight her, and I didn’t want you to feel that you had to come home for it just for me. But I’m glad you did,” she said suddenly. “I’ve really missed you Beth.”

  Beth smiled, incredibly touched. Underneath the resentment, she’d always adored her sister, and to know that she cared about her too made the suffering of her trip home worth it.

  “Besides, I hoped that together we could be strong enough to stand up to her, and to shift the power in our dealings with her, and I think we have. I feel braver because you’re here, and I hope you feel the same way. That’s why I was so determined to let you have the bridesmaid dress you wanted – it became a representation of us making the decisions we wanted despite her,” Jenny said with a grin.

  “I know it sounds silly, to feel that a simple dress is worth fighting a battle for, but it seemed symbolic somehow, like the tide started to turn when she capitulated on that.”

  Hugging her sister, Beth nodded eagerly. “That meant the world to me. And I know it’s just a dress, but it was you standing up for me that was so important, even more than the dress itself. I always figured that you agreed with her, that you thought I wasn’t good enough, that I didn’t live up to our supposedly honourable family name,” she said sarcastically. “I thought you would think I was stupid too, wanting a black dress, so you defending me against her was really touching.”

  Jenny took her hand. “Oh sweetie, I’d never think that. She’s always driven me crazy, but I was so desperate to get away myself, I tried to seem as though I was going along with her ideas until I had the strength and the means to escape.”

  Beth sighed. “Well, I could definitely learn from that, because you fooled me. I guess I need to swallow my pride and pretend I agree with her a little more often.” She laughed, trying to make it sound like she was joking, but she vowed that she would start that very night.

  * * * * *

  A sharp knock on her door a few days later woke Beth from a surreal dream, and she sat up in bed and rubbed her bleary eyes as she tried to shake it off. “Yes?” she called out.

  Her sister burst into the room. “Quick, get up! There’s a spiritual fair on today, a few villages away, and if we leave before Mother gets back from the hairdresser, she won’t be able to stop us from going.”

  “What?” Beth asked, staring at her through sleep-dull eyes.

  Jenny grinned. “Come on, you said you wanted more magic in your life! Isn’t that why you like that Violet girl?”

  “Well, partly, I guess,” Beth admitted, wondering if that was true, and suddenly feeling bad about it.

  “So come on, let’s go! There are psychics and healers and tarot demonstrations and fire eaters and clothes stalls and all kinds of things. It will be fun!”

  Smothering a yawn, Beth tried to think. She’d never been a morning person, and part of her wanted to curl back up under the covers and sleep a bit longer. But escaping her mother’s plans for the day was definitely tempting, and Jenny looked so excited. She’d never taken her sister for the new age type, but it seemed there was a lot she didn’t know about her.

  “Okay, just give me a minute and I’ll get dressed,” she finally said. “Do I have time for breakfast though?”

  Jenny jumped up and skipped to the door. “Nope, no time. We have to leave fast, but I’ll toast you a bagel while you put some clothes on and you can eat it in the car. And there will be coffee once we get there, I promise.”

  Laughing at her sister’s enthusiasm, Beth dragged herself out of bed and threw on her most colourful dress, hoping to somehow match Jenny’s early morning energy. Then she brushed her teeth and ran downstairs, the thought of their mother coming home early and stopping their adventure adding speed to her steps. Soon they were heading off down sunshine-dappled laneways, music turned up and laughter bubbling between them. Beth couldn’t remember the last time she’d spent any real time with her sister, and she was grateful for these precious moments.

  The fair was busier than they’d expected, and filled with colour and sound. Stalls selling everything from crystal bowls and Tibetan bells to velvet dresses, silver jewellery and herbs dotted the field, and vivid-hued tents advertising gypsy fortune tellers and psychic mediums already had lines outside their doors. And over it all, the smell of frying food, baking treats and freshly brewed coffee hovered, drawing them in.

  Jenny raced over to the drinks cart, and quickly handed Beth a steaming mug of coffee. “Is all right with your world now?” she said, mock-serious, and her sister laughed.

  “Yes,” she admitted sheepishly. “And, um, I’m sorry I was so grumpy before. Thank you for dragging me along despite that – this looks like it will be fun. And it’s so nice to be doing something together, just the two of us.”

  For the first hour they simply wandered around, checking out all the stalls, admiring the beautiful items for sale, trying on clothes they wouldn’t usually wear, pausing to observe artists at work, and being amazed by all the different people.

  Beth smiled as she watched her sister watching a juggler, her face radiant. �
��Are you happy Jenny?” she asked wistfully, when she finally caught her eye.

  “Well, I’ve been pretty stressed while I’ve been here – being around Mother always does that to me – but yes, I really am. Josh and I have a wonderful life up there, and I loved my studies, and can’t wait to start working in the field. There are so many amazing renewables projects in northern Scotland, and I’ve already accepted a job with my mentor, who I did work experience with, and I’ll start there as soon as I get back home. Of course Mother still thinks I graduated with a degree in business, and I won’t correct her. I just don’t have the energy for another one of her arguments,” she said, rolling her eyes.

  “And I’m glad you’re happier now Beth. I was worried when you arrived. You seemed really sad, but you’ve been looking so much stronger the last few days. Are you happy?”

  Taking a big sip of her second coffee, Beth gazed around the field, trying to gather her thoughts and decide how much she should share with her sister.

  “Hey, you don’t have to tell me anything,” Jenny said, touching her shoulder and peering more closely at her.

  Beth smiled. “No, it’s fine, I want to, I’m just not sure where to start. I was really happy in London – it was amazing to discover who I actually was, once I didn’t make every decision based on how Mother would react. And France was beautiful. I travelled around the countryside for a while, spending lots of time submerging myself in the sacred places there, which whispered to me of freedom and faith and my own self-development.” Her face glowed as she spoke, and Jenny smiled with relief.

  “And I fell in love with Paris, and with the family I was working for – I felt like I’d come home. I was looking after children, educating them, which is what I’ve always wanted to do. I even investigated part-time courses I could do there to get my qualifications while still enjoying my job with them.”

  Throwing her arms around her sister, Jenny hugged her tight. “I’m so glad,” she whispered. “And you will be an amazing teacher. You’re so kind and empathetic.” When Beth froze, she released her hold on her and peered into her eyes. “But?”