Eden Forest (Part one of the Saskia Trilogy) Read online

  He finishes my sentence. “Taurus. I guessed as much. Are

  you all right?” He places his hand on my elbow to help me rise

  and puts the rose back in my hair. “That’s better. Now you look

  perfect.”

  I smile. “I better go before anyone sees us.”

  He looks conflicted “I tried to make sure it was Nicon that

  you were matched with.”

  I look at Morrick, startled. “Nicon? And why would you do

  that?”

  “I see how he looks at you, and he would have treated you

  well,” Morrick says, looking annoyed.

  This frustrates me. I did not want to be matched with Nicon.

  I wanted Morrick more than life itself, but this would never be possible.

  “Morrick, I don’t want Nicon.” I look away and don’t say how

  I truly feel. It would be unfair.

  But Morrick startles me with his response. “You have my

  word. I will find a way for us to be together.” And then he is

  gone, back to the village.

  Chapter One

  Ireland ~ Present Day

  (Sarajane)

  It’s Sunday so I get muffled up and shove on my black wellies

  that are decorated with pink hearts. I smile to myself. Josh

  bought them for me. Josh is my best friend. We met when I

  was only ten years of age at our local beach, here in Blackrock,

  Co. Louth. From that day on, we never looked back.

  “Sarajane, you can’t keep doing this.” My smile vanishes

  as Dad stands in the kitchen doorway. His face is drawn with

  sadness. I button up my army-green jacket.

  “I can’t stop, Dad,” I say while pulling a black woolly hat

  down over my hair. A car horn beeps outside. I kiss Dad on the

  cheek without meeting his eyes. “I’ll be back before dark,” I say

  and stick my gloves in my pocket.

  “Sarajane.” I turn around and face him. “Please be careful.”

  I force a smile. “Always am, Dad.”

  Josh has the heater up full blast, as it is a cold morning

  outside. He’s wrapped in a puffy black jacket, jeans, and heavy,

  black military-style boots. His blond hair is tucked away under

  a black cap.

  “Love the boots,” Josh says while he reverses out of the

  driveway of our two-story house. We live in a cul-de-sac with

  two other families. We keep to ourselves and so do they.

  I look back at the house and Dad is standing in the sitting

  room, looking out the window, wrapped in grief. I give a small

  wave and then we are out of sight. The drive is always silent as

  we make our way to the forest, my mind racing,

  praying today will be the day we find something.

  Josh pulls in at a filling station. “Coffee?” he asks while

  taking off his seat belt.

  “Yes, thanks.” His door closes and I watch as people go on

  with their daily lives. It looks so simple, no major complications.

  When my mother was around, I never realised how great my life

  was. Josh climbs back in, then hands me my coffee and drops a

  bag onto the floor on my side.

  “What did you get?” I ask as he turns the key in the ignition.

  “Your favourite. Tuna sandwich with lots of mayonnaise.”

  We leave the filling station and I wrap my hands around my

  coffee for extra warmth. We arrive at the parking lot just on the

  outskirts of the forest. I climb out, still clinging to my cup. We

  follow our usual trail. The ground is muddy from the rain. This

  causes my wellies to make squishing noises. Josh has nailed red

  pieces of cloth onto trees to help us remember the area we need

  to search. I send up another silent prayer that today I will find

  something, anything.

  This area was the last place my mother was before she

  disappeared six months ago. She was out that day, walking

  Charlie, our dog. The Garda found Charlie dead, along with

  my mum’s blue rain mac. That is all we have left of her.

  It made no sense, her disappearance. There was no ransom.

  We weren’t wealthy, just comfortable, so that was ruled out

  earlier on in the search. Also, my mother had no enemies. She

  was just a housewife.

  We take opposite sides of our outlined area and comb the

  ground for clues. After two hours of coming up empty-handed,

  we return to the car. Josh gives me my sandwich and a bottle

  of minerals.

  “Josh, do you think when someone dies they would linger

  around?”

  He takes a drink before answering me. “Yes, I suppose, if

  they have unfinished business.”

  I know Josh is just being kind. He really believes if you’re

  dead, that’s it, lights out.

  “I don’t feel her here,” I say.

  Josh places his hand over mine. “That’s good, Sarajane.” Pity

  fills his brown eyes, and it makes me angry.

  I push his hand away. “She is alive.”

  He places his hands on the steering wheel, his knuckles

  turning white from his grip. I know he believes she’s dead and

  I’m in denial. “You can’t keep this up.”

  I seal my sandwich, having lost my appetite. “Keep what

  up?” I ask, knowing fully well what he is talking about. I knew one day I would have this conversation.

  Josh turns to me. “Sarajane, please. Searching for her in the

  same place for the last six months is not healthy.”

  My temper flares. “Sorry for taking up your Sundays.” I

  jump out of his car, slamming the door, and return to the

  forest.

  Josh follows me. “Sarajane, this is not about my time.” I

  keep walking, splashing mud past my wellies up onto my black

  jeans. Josh catches up with me. “Just stop.” He stands in front

  of me. “I’m trying so hard to help you. You know I would

  do anything for you, right? I don’t care about my time. I just

  worry about you.”

  I look away, shaking my head. Tears fill my eyes. “If I stop

  looking, it means I’ve given up on her.” My tears spill over. Josh

  pulls me into his chest and lets me cry. Afterwards, I use my

  glove to clean my face and nose.

  “I will come with you every Sunday forever, but I just think

  there is nothing to find here.”

  I look into his brown eyes. “I won’t stop.”

  He wraps an arm around me and kisses my head. “Okay, we

  won’t stop, then.”

  We search for a few more hours, but find nothing. Josh drops

  me off at my house just as it’s getting dark.

  Jessica and Dad are in the sitting room when I arrive home.

  “Sarajane, is that you?” Dad calls from the couch.

  “Yes, just getting changed.”

  I kick off my muddy boots and leave them at the door. Then

  I race upstairs to change into my pyjamas bottoms and a T-shirt. I tie my hair up and splash cold water on my face before heading to the sitting room. I take a deep breath and plaster a smile on my face before entering.

  A bowl of popcorn sits on the coffee table. I’m not hungry

  by any means, but I need to look fine. “Oh, popcorn!” I grab a

  handful and sit down beside Jessica, eating one at a time. We sit

  there and watch It’s A Wonderful Life, Jessica’s favourite film.

  It feels so depressi
ng to watch it tonight. Once it ends, we all

  head to bed. I feel more down than I did earlier, and Jessica and

  Dad look no better.

  BLEEP, BLEEP, BLEEP! My alarm clock wakes me out of

  a nightmare. I sit up in my bed and push my hair away from my

  damp forehead. The clock flashes seven a.m., plenty of time for

  a shower before work. Once showered, I pull on a clean pair of

  black jeans. I finish it off with a blue T-shirt and black boots.

  Scooping up my black curly hair, I place it on the top of my

  head.

  “Jessica, it’s time to wake up.” I bang on my sister’s door

  again. “Last chance or I’ll come in there and pull you out of

  bed.” A few seconds later, the door creaks open.

  “I’m awake, okay, Sarajane, so stop bugging me.” She rubs

  her eyes, squinting at me. “Since you’re dressed, you can make me

  breakfast.” While rolling my eyes, I head for the stairs. Jessica

  is normally a morning person, but since Mum’s disappearance,

  it’s taken its toll on us all.

  I finish my breakfast and head for my car. It’s an old Renault.

  My parents bought it for my eighteenth birthday, which was

  three years ago. I beep the horn just as Jessica is coming out the

  door with toast in her mouth.

  “You need to learn some patience,” she says with her mouth

  full.

  Ignoring her statement, I pull out of the drive and make my

  way to Jessica’s secondary school.

  “Have a good day,” I say just as she slams the car door and

  races over to her friends. I mumble to myself as I drive away.

  “Have a good day yourself, Sarajane. Oh, and thanks for dropping me to school.”

  I arrive at work with fifteen minutes to spare, so I head into

  our local shop for a takeaway coffee.

  “Morning, Sarajane, how are you today?” Mr. McCormack

  owns the shop. He’s about seventy years old and has known

  me all my life, so I know his concern is genuine, unlike Mrs.

  Parkinson, who loves to gossip. She’s the town’s daily newspaper

  and I see her in aisle three.

  “I’m good, Mr. McCormack.”

  “What can I get you, dear?”

  “Black coffee, please.” When he comes back with my coffee,

  I place the money in his hand and leave just as Mrs. Parkinson

  is making a beeline for me.

  “See you,” I call back to Mr. McCormack over my shoulder.

  “Good-bye, dear,” he calls after me.

  I cross the road and make my way into work. Susan and

  Christine are already in the bookstore, talking about Susan’s

  new love interest of the week.

  “So who is the lucky fellow this time?” I ask while stashing

  my bag under the counter. Susan fumbles with the books in her

  hands while Christine makes herself busy.

  “Oh, no one you know.” Susan places the books on the

  trolley and starts pushing it down the aisle. I catch up with her,

  blocking her way.

  “Why are you guys acting so weird?”

  Christine stops what she is doing. “Susan, just tell her.”

  I place my hand on my hip, feeling irritated. “Tell me what?”

  Susan lets out a heavy groan. “It’s Max. Look, I know you

  guys had to listen to me after… well, you know, the last time,

  but he’s changed. Really, Sarajane, he has.”

  Oh God, Susan is asking for trouble and she knows it, but

  I’m not her mother. “Whatever makes you happy, Susan, but

  please, be careful.”

  She gives me a smile. “He has changed. But what about Josh?”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll talk to him and make sure he’s at least

  pleasant.” Susan looks so relieved. “But if he isn’t, I really can’t

  blame him.”

  Christine joins in. “Me neither, Susan. Josh really helped you

  out the last time with Max, and I don’t blame him for hating

  the guy now.”

  Now Susan looks worried again, but she keeps defending

  Max, her ex, who hit her at a party. If Josh wasn’t there, I don’t

  know how far he would have went, but yes, he was really drunk

  and thought Susan kissed someone else, which she didn’t, but in

  my mind, it was no excuse.

  I change the subject, much to Susan’s relief, and we talk

  about the upcoming ball that is in the next couple of days. I

  didn’t get tickets, but around our small town there’s always

  great excitement leading up to it.

  The day goes by quickly and I’m grateful. I don’t know what

  Susan is thinking, but she really seems adamant.

  After work, I head home and stick a lasagna in the oven.

  Food isn’t great since Mum’s missing and I was elected the chef.

  I tidy over as I wait for the lasagna to cook. My phone vibrates

  on the table. A text from Josh.

  What are you doing tonight?

  Sitting in with Dad and Jessica. I hit send and set the table.

  My phone vibrates again.

  Want company?

  Sure.

  Two minutes later, another text. See you at eight thirty.

  Okay.

  Dad arrives home as I’m dishing out dinner. He lands a kiss

  on the top of my head. “Smells lovely.”

  I laugh. “Don’t lie.”

  Dad smiles back, but it’s weak. The circles under his eyes

  indicate weeks of barely any sleep.

  “Any word from the Garda today?”

  Dad sits down and removes his glasses, rubbing his eyes.

  “No, love, nothing, not a trace.”

  I squeeze his shoulder. “We’ll find her, Dad. I know we will.”

  He places his hand over mine and pats it gently. “Yes… we

  will.”

  Jessica strolls into the kitchen. “Hey, Dad.” She hugs him

  from behind.

  “How was school, love?”

  Jessica sits opposite Dad and starts at her dinner. “Boring.”

  “Your mother would not like to hear that.”

  “Yeah, well, she’s not here.” Jessica throws her knife and

  fork down.

  “Jess, we’re all upset,” I say.

  “Don’t, Sarajane.” She storms out of the kitchen and up the

  stairs.

  “Sit down, sweetheart, and eat your dinner,” Dad says, his

  voice drained. He gives me a small smile. “You know how she

  is.”

  I start eating my dinner, well, more like pushing it around

  the plate. Jessica is highly sensitive and seems to find it hard to

  control her emotions. When she’s in a bad mood, she can drain

  a room, but in a good mood, she lights it up.

  Dad and I finish dinner in silence, both caught up in our

  thoughts.

  After dinner, Dad goes to bed so I clean over the kitchen and

  then curl up on the couch in the sitting room, flicking through

  the stations. I’m not even focusing on what I’m doing.

  “Hey, Sarajane.” Josh stands in the doorframe, nearly

  touching the top. He’s over six foot tall and he’s well built, as he

  plays rugby for our local team.

  “Jesus, Josh, I didn’t even hear you come in.” I move over to

  make room for him on the couch.

  “The door was unlocked. So what are you watching?”

  I turn off the TV. “Nothing, was just flicking. So any
news?”

  He sighs. “No, work was slow and I just went to practice

  after.” He gives a big stretch.

  “Well, I had an interesting day at work.”

  He raises an eyebrow. “Oh, did some new romance novel

  come in for you and the girls?”

  I hit him with a cushion. “You’re funny.”

  “Yeah, I’ve heard that before.” He grabs the remote and

  turns on some car show.

  “Do you not want to know what happened?” He has the

  attention span of a flea when the TV is on. I grab the remote

  and switch it off, getting his full attention.

  “Okay, I’m listening.”

  I go to the kitchen to get a drink. “Do you want a coke?”

  “Sure,” Josh calls after me. I come back with two cokes and

  hand Josh his. He doesn’t open it straight away, but rolls the can

  around in his hands. “So tell me.”

  I get comfortable on the couch. “Well, Susan is back with

  Max.” Josh doesn’t respond. “But I know we’ll bump into them

  at different times. So could you, like, try and be nice to him?”

  Josh opens his coke and takes a long drink. “No.” I give him

  an evil look, but he isn’t giving in. “No way, Sarajane. That guy

  is a jerk, and to be honest, I don’t care what Susan does. I don’t

  want you around him.” His words surprise me. Josh isn’t one

  for telling me what to do.

  “I am not allowed around him?” I say questioningly.

  He gives me a look. “You know what I mean. He’s bad news.”

  I tuck the cushion against me. “Well, I’ll be nice to him for

  Susan’s sake.”

  Josh turns back on the TV. “Suit yourself,” he says and starts

  to watch the car show.

  But my mind can’t focus. It has gone straight back to Mum,

  wondering where she is now. Or what she’s doing.

  I can see Josh look at me from the corner of his eye and he

  lowers the volume. “You want to talk?” he asks. He knows the look on my face when I’m thinking about Mum.

  “I miss her, so much, and I don’t know how I’ll cope if I never

  see her again. I keep telling myself she’s on vacation and soon

  she’ll walk in the door and start fretting about the mess of the

  house and what meals we’ve been eating lately.” I give a small

  laugh at the end, knowing she would be at her wits end if she

  knew we had cut out vegetables since she was gone.

  I can feel the tears falling down my face. I didn’t even realise