Taylor looked at her phone. “Arthur will be here in twenty-five minutes or so. I packed some sandwiches. If you want, we can sit down on that bench and eat.”
Sara felt a pang of disappointment. Apparently David wasn’t coming. She didn’t dare to ask, however, and ate her sandwich quietly while Taylor chatted away.
Arthur was nothing if not punctual. Exactly twenty-five minutes later, a silver Bentley rolled into the small parking lot. Arthur got out of the backseat, unfolding his tall frame, dressed in casual clothes. He carried a small backpack, completing what Sara considered an awkward look after seeing him in a suit.
He greeted them a little stiffly. As Sara shook his hand, she wondered whether his aloofness stemmed from his uneasiness with the situation more than arrogance. Taylor’s greeting, however, was chilly.
Arthur cleared his throat. “Yes, well, glad you could make it, glad you could make it.”
“Yes, well,” Taylor quipped, “it wasn’t like you left us much choice.”
“I do apologize for the inconvenience. I just thought this was important.”
“That’s all right.” Taylor smiled. “After all, we’ve got nothing better to do,” she said sarcastically.
Arthur gave her an uncertain look. “No, that’s not… that’s not what I meant,” he said feebly.
Sara elbowed Taylor softly from behind. “Let it go,” she whispered. “It’s not his fault his stepmother was so nasty. If anything, he had to live with her.”
Taylor considered this briefly, then nodded. “Okay then, shall we go?” she said, more evenly this time. “You wanted to go back to the waterfall, right?”
“Yes, yes. Thank you. That is what I had in mind,” Arthur said.
“Hey, you guys weren’t going to wait for me?” a familiar voice called from behind them.
Sara looked back; David was walking quickly up to them. He grinned, rendering her incapable of movement and intelligent speech. Luckily he greeted Arthur and Taylor before he acknowledged her. Sara had to remind herself to breathe.
“Hey,” he said, his face impassive. “I didn’t think I’d see you again. You just disappeared.”
Sara swallowed. “I did.” Her voice was timid. “I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, me too,” he said, then turned around and caught up with Taylor, who was walking in front.
Sara’s heart sank. Why on earth had she agreed to come back here? Closure? Well, if this was closure, she preferred unresolved feelings and lost chances. He was disappointed in her—and she deserved it. Dejected, she tagged along at the back of the line.
Sara didn’t pay much attention to the beauty of her surroundings, but it wasn’t long before they got to the fence surrounding the property. As they climbed through an opening, she peeked at the little house. It was basking in sunlight. Observing it more closely, she noticed that, even though it still looked sad and forlorn, the somberness and grimness it had emanated before were gone. Now, it just was an old ruin—a lingering remnant of times gone by. Sara hoped the future would offer it something better.
When they reached the house, she sensed no hostility. But there was something: a stillness, a quiet waiting, hiding in the shadows. Ignoring the house, Arthur walked to the pool, setting down his backpack. The others followed.
Sara stared at the waterfall with mixed feelings. Once it had been the object of her admiration, but now, knowing it had caused Josephine’s death, she felt humbled by its force. That poor little girl…
Arthur cleared his throat, and Sara turned to face him. “I’ve asked you all to come here for a reason.” He paused. “About ten days ago, my stepmother, Charlene, passed away.”
Sara opened her mouth to express her sympathy, but Arthur stopped her with a hand gesture. “My stepmother had many faults, undoubtedly. And as we heard, she ended up destroying your great-uncle’s life, Taylor. I will not defend this behavior—she fully intended to make him look like the guilty one. It was horribly cold and calculated, even if she was contrite later—something of which I’m not even completely convinced.” He shook his head. “My stepmother was never a happy woman, for as long as I knew her. My father bought her anything she desired, and I did my best to be a good stepson, but nothing mattered. There always seemed to be something lacking for her, though at times, she tried hard to return our affection.” He faced the pool of water. “After her story, I think I know what was missing. Or rather, who,” he added softly, almost inaudible over the sound of the waterfall. “She never meant for Josephine to get hurt. But get hurt she did, and so my stepmother spent the rest of her life regretting that one moment of inattentiveness.” He looked back at Taylor. “Just before she died, she asked me to change her will. She wanted you to have this property, Taylor, since it used to belong to your great-uncle. When your aunt put it up for sale, my stepmother convinced my father to buy it for her. I don’t think he had any idea why she asked for it. My guess is she wanted her daughter to rest in peace—in a private place of remembrance, where other people wouldn’t interfere.”
Taylor stared at him, wide-eyed. “I… I don’t know what to say,” she stammered.
Arthur waved a hand. “You don’t have to say anything. Just accept it. There is one condition, though. You are free to correct Ben Stevens’s story and clear his record, and I will corroborate your story, if needed. But my stepmother requested you put up a stone near the pool, a marker in honor of Josephine, so she won’t be forgotten.” He reached into the backpack. When he removed his hand, it was holding something: a little bird, cast in bronze.
Sara gasped, recognizing it. “It’s Benny’s bird!”
Arthur smiled. “Yes, it is. My stepmother had kept the carving. I had it cast in bronze so it can withstand the elements, I hope.” He handed it to Taylor. “Please put it near the marker. It was Josephine’s, after all.”
Taylor caressed the little bird. “It’s beautiful,” she said. “It even looks like a chickadee. What did Charlene call it? An insignificant and powerless little bird?” She passed the bronze chickadee to Sara.
The statue was surprisingly heavy. It really was very well crafted. Ben had been talented. Again, she thought of what he had gone through, those last few months of his life. He must have felt so betrayed. Ben and Josephine—and even Charlene—had all lost something, albeit some more than others. Her eyes stung, and she quickly handed the bird to David.
He placed it in his outstretched hand. “I don’t think Ben gave her a chickadee because it was powerless or insignificant,” he said. The others looked at him expectantly. “Chickadees are songbirds. They’re social and not afraid of humans. They’re everything Ben was not. But Josephine was, if I remember Sara’s dreams correctly. She was social, talkative, and she accepted Ben despite his speech problems—she even got him to talk. If anything, the chickadee was a compliment.” Noticing the others staring at him, he blushed and looked away. “My father had a thing for birds,” he said curtly. “I picked up a thing or two.”
Sara looked at him, warmth spreading through her body. Suppressing the urge to hug him, she turned around to face the house and took a few steps toward it. It looked the same as before. “I am so sorry,” she whispered softly. “I hope you can find some peace.” She briefly sensed the stillness, the quiet waiting—and then it was gone.
All that was left was the little ruin of a cabin, and the rushing of the waterfall behind her.
She stood there for a while, looking at the house, the conversation of the others undulating in the background until she heard them begin to pack up.
“I have to return to Seattle,” Arthur said abruptly. “Maybe we can discuss the particulars of the will on the way back, Taylor?” He grabbed his backpack, and the two of them slowly walked off down the trail.
Sara lingered behind, still staring at the house. David walked up to her.
“Is he still there? Ben Stevens, I mean? Or whatever was in there?” David asked.
Sara shook her head, smiling slightly. “No. I think he
may have just left, actually.”
“Good.” David nodded. “I hope they leave you in peace now. Come on, I’ll take you back to Taylor’s car.”
Sara grunted. “Remind me to swipe her car keys. Someone should take away that woman’s driver’s license.”
David laughed. Their eyes met, and they looked at one another for a long minute until David broke away. “Let’s go,” he said, walking away.
Sara didn’t move. “David?” she said hesitantly.
He turned around.
Sara took a deep breath. “I’ve been a complete idiot.”
She wanted him to say something in return, but he just stood there. Making up her mind, she walked toward him. Facing him, she placed both her hands on his cheeks and looked into his warm brown eyes, then stood on her tippy-toes and kissed him. For a moment he looked stunned, but it didn’t take him long to recover. As he wrapped her in his arms, their bodies pressing into one another, Sara forgot everything around her. When they finally let go, Sara looked up at him.
“I’m sorry,” she said breathlessly. “I shouldn’t have left like that. It was wrong. I assumed you and Taylor had something going on. And… I was also afraid. Afraid of getting hurt again. I’m afraid to care for people… and then lose them. But a wise man once said: don’t be afraid to fight for something you think will bring you happiness.”
David raised his eyebrows. “Which wise man?”
“Your grandfather, actually.”
“Pops?” David rolled his eyes. “Please don’t tell him you quote him—I’ll never hear the end of it.”
Sara laughed. Then she looked briefly at the pool. “Life is short. Not living it, running away from it—it’s such a waste of time. I don’t want to spend my life regretting things.” She paused for a second. “I like you, David. A lot.”
A kind smile curled David’s mouth. He reached out his hand and tenderly tucked a loose lock of hair behind her ear. “I like you too, Sara—a lot.”
They stood there like embarrassed teenagers, both of them unsure what to say.
David flashed his familiar grin. “Did you know,” he continued in a casual tone, “that fall is very pretty around here? You wouldn’t want to miss it. I think you should come visit every now and then… or often. I happen to have a nice cabin that’s available this season, if you’re interested.”
Sara laughed. “Is that so?”
“And winter,” David went on, taking her hand as they started walking back. “Winter is also awesome.”
“Winter? I don’t know, seems to me that winter might be cold.”
David put his arm around her shoulder. “There are so many ways to stay warm,” he said, grinning again. He pulled her close for another kiss, making her whole body tingle.
He leaned his forehead against hers. “We can take it one step at a time,” he said softly. “Just don’t run away again before talking to me, okay?”
Sara nodded.
“Good. Let’s head back.” He took her hand. “I can help you wrestle Taylor for her car keys.”
Sara chuckled. “No offense, but I think she’d kick your butt.”
David shook his head. “Ye of little faith…” Still holding her hand, he lifted it up and kissed it. “I’m glad you came back, Sara.”
Sara smiled, squeezing his hand. “Yeah, me too.”
In silence, they walked back hand in hand. As Sara looked at the trail ahead, vanishing into the forest, she thought of the two girls who had walked here before, so many years ago. Gone, but not forgotten.
Life could be cruel sometimes, and sad. But right now, it felt pretty good to her. She was going to hold on to that as she took the trail ahead, one step at a time.
Acknowledgements
First of all, I’d like to thank my wonderful and patient husband for his endless support, as well as his superb reading skills and suggestions he has offered throughout my writing ordeals. I could not have done this without him. Craig, you rock, and I would marry you all over again any day.
I would also like to thank my parents and sister for sharing their love of reading with me as a child, their infinite support and encouragement, and as always being one of my first readers.
My first readers also include my beta readers, who have been honest, supportive and flush with great suggestions on how to make the story better. Thank you: Ali, Stefani, Marlies, and Francine, for your time, feedback and friendship.
Last, I’d like to thank Leah for polishing my writing and her honest feedback, and Keri for the cover and her insights.
Thank you for reading The Charm of Lost Chances. If you’d like to leave a review, either on Amazon or Goodreads, as always, it’s much appreciated!
Will Sara have more adventures? I am still thinking about that one. If you liked the story, you can follow me on any of the sites below. I would love to hear your comments and will keep you posted about new releases.
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Thanks again,
Lucia
The Charm of Lost Chances Page 9