by HR Mason
Runa hefted the box from Asta’s hands and stacked it on top of the glass counter.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m beat.” Asta sighed. “I’m too old for all this physical labor.”
“Old? I don’t think so, Mom.” Runa laughed.
Asta grabbed her nearby water bottle and took several large gulps. Runa grinned as her mother wiped beads of perspiration from above her upper lip. At forty-seven, Asta didn’t look a day over thirty. She certainly didn’t appear old enough to be the mother of a twenty-nine-year-old.
With their long pale blonde hair, blue eyes, and overall Nordic good looks, the two women were often mistaken for sisters, which never bothered Runa. She had always been proud to look like Asta. But although they were nearly mirror images of each other, their resemblance ended at the physical.
Asta, a massage therapist and energy healer, was confident, bold, and fearless. She grabbed life with both hands and held on for the ride. She knew exactly who she was and what she wanted. Runa had always envied Asta’s mettle and secretly wished some of it would rub off on her.
In contrast, Runa was fearful, questioning, and uncertain. She was a bit naïve, too kindhearted for her own good, and had a hard time seeing the bad in anyone, qualities which made her the target of abuse in more than one relationship.
When Runa finally ended things with her fiancé, it was long overdue. She’d been broken for so long she couldn’t remember how it felt to be whole. When Runa told Asta she was leaving Portland, Oregon, and moving to the tiny coastal town of Departure Cove, her mother thought she’d lost her mind. But opening Runa’s, her upscale clothing boutique, felt like the right thing to do. It was the first decision in a long time of which Runa felt certain.
Although she was supportive of her daughter’s plan to start a new life, Asta was openly uneasy about the town in which she’d chosen to do so. Departure Cove was a new town for Runa but a far too familiar one for Asta. It was the town in which she’d grown up, the place she’d told Runa she couldn’t wait to leave.
For Asta, Departure Cove held too many bad memories, and she’d shared her wishes that her daughter choose anywhere else. She’d suggested several alternate locations, but Runa remained steadfast in her plan, knowing Departure Cove was the right place for her to set up shop.
“I can’t believe we’re standing here, in your boutique, in my hometown.”
Asta shook her head slowly, trying to wrap her brain around it.
“It’s perfect, isn’t it? I know Departure Cove wasn’t your first choice for me, but it’s going to be great, Mom.” Runa smiled.
“I’m sure you’re right, sweetie.”
Asta smiled, but Runa noticed the expression didn’t quite reach her mother’s eyes.
Runa had visited Departure Cove only once in her life before moving there. She’d been a girl of only ten years old when she and Asta had gone for her grandmother, Celine’s, funeral. Runa had only seen a picture of her grandmother, but she still felt a connection to the woman who so closely resembled her and her mother.
Although the visit to Departure Cove had been brief and long ago, it made a lasting impression on Runa. She was drawn to the gray skies, frequent drizzle, and sound of waves crashing on the shore. She felt compelled, called by the water. She’d always wanted to live near the ocean but had never been willing to take the plunge. After the breakup, it was time to make a change. As much as she feared the unknown, something pulled her toward the small seaside town.
What Runa hadn’t shared with Asta was that she’d been dreaming of Departure Cove since she was a child. She’d always known she would end up there, although she didn’t understand why. About a year ago, the dreams began occurring frequently—vivid dreams of Departure Cove and Runa’s place in it. She saw herself living there and operating a business. She dreamed of the house she would move into and the building where she would open Runa’s.
When she began searching for houses and storefronts, she’d found the exact home and business she’d dreamed of on the classified page of the Departure Cove Sentinel. They were there, waiting for her. Everything had happened quickly. Runa signed the rental contracts on both the house and business within a week.
In spite of her reservations, Asta was nothing but supportive of her daughter. She’d taken time off, traveled the two hours from Portland to Departure Cove, rolled up her sleeves, and helped Runa move into her new life. That was the kind of mother she was, and Runa was grateful. She knew she couldn’t do it alone.
Runa loved Asta fiercely. Her mother had been the one constant throughout her life, and she was thankful for the woman’s strength. Asta was Runa’s true north. She needed her, especially now when her life was in a state of complete chaos. They had always been a tight unit, a team. It was the two of them against the world.
Just eighteen when Runa was born, Asta had left Departure Cove and never looked back. She never mentioned Runa’s father, and Runa didn’t ask. When she was young, it hadn’t really mattered. Asta was father and mother all rolled into one, and Runa never questioned a paternal absence.
As she got older, she became curious. She brought up the subject once, and Asta told her he was dead. The sadness she’d seen in her mother’s eyes made Runa never speak of him again.
“I guess it’s time to start unpacking these boxes and making this place look like a boutique instead of a storage unit, huh?” Runa twirled her hair around her finger as she looked around the room.
“You’ll get it whipped into shape before you know it. You’ve always had a knack for making things pretty,” Asta answered as she popped open the cardboard box at her feet.
“I hope so. If not, I’m in the wrong line of work.” Runa laughed, smiling as she looked around her shop.
The women began unpacking boxes and hanging the beautiful clothing on rolling racks. Runa was pleased with her inventory, and she couldn’t wait until she was able to open.
“I’m going to grab some more boxes out of the car, Mom. I’ll be right back.”
Runa pushed open the glass door and stepped onto the sidewalk. The afternoon had grown overcast, and it was raining. Normally she loved rain, but not when she had to transport boxes of expensive clothing from her car to the building.
Looking up at the sky, Runa watched the gray clouds swirling above.
“It would be nice if it could stop raining long enough for me to get the last boxes inside the store,” she said aloud.
Suddenly a trickle of energy ran down her spine. She shivered, having never felt anything like it. It was like a jolt of electricity. The current radiated through her body as the raindrops slowed to a stop. The clouds receded, and the sun peeked out from behind them. As quickly as it had come, the electrical phenomenon made its way out of her body.
“What in the world was that?” Runa asked as she looked around, wiggling her fingers as they tingled. “Weird. It stopped raining.”
Remembering she was headed to her car, she continued down the sidewalk. Out of nowhere, a large body plowed into her from behind, causing her to lose her balance and topple to the pavement below.
Caught off guard, she sat on the ground trying to gather her wits.
“I didn’t see you there,” a deep voice said from above. “Let me help you up.”
Reaching to grab the man’s hand as he pulled her to her feet, Runa smiled as her eyes met his. “Thank you. No real harm done, I suppose.”
Rather than return her smile, the dark-haired man gaped at Runa, a look of shock overtaking his stunning features as his face grew pale. Slowly, he shook his head, as if trying to dispel the image of Runa from his mind. His body began to tremble, and he shoved her hand away with a force that nearly sent her tumbling back to the pavement.
Without another word, the man took off running, not even glancing back. He couldn’t seem to get away quickly enough.
“Well, that was rude. What’s his problem?” Runa steadied herself and brushed off her jeans. “He looked like he saw
a ghost.”
Two
Two weeks later, Runa took one last glance at her inventory list and dropped the notebook onto her desk. Closing the office door behind her, she walked to the front of the store. Her eyes scanned the room, and she smiled. A wave of pride washed over her as she took it all in. She had actually done it. It was opening day for Runa’s, and she had pulled it off. Her dream was finally coming true.
Fixing her eyes on the clock, she breathed deeply before opening the front door and flipping the sign from Closed to Open, signaling the start of business. Waves of excitement washed over Runa, and her stomach knotted in anticipation.
The one downside to the day was that Asta wasn’t there to share it. She had stayed in Departure Cove for two weeks, unpacking, moving, and helping her daughter settle in. As much as Asta wanted to be there for Runa’s grand opening, she’d needed to return to Portland. She had her own business to run, and she couldn’t afford to be away from it any longer.
“It’s all right. You can do this,” Runa whispered to herself. “All you need is customers.”
Runa had no way of knowing whether opening day would be busy or slow. She realized it might take a while for people to come in and check out the store, and she’d tried to mentally prepare herself for that. She’d run an ad in the newspaper, plastered signs all around town, set up social media sites on all the platforms she could find, and tried to get the word out as much as possible. All she could do was wait and see.
Asta warned her that the people of Departure Cove were slow to warm to newcomers. At first that hadn’t deterred Runa. However, after having been in town the past few weeks, she had to admit Asta was right.
Runa had experienced the town’s frigid reception firsthand. As a general rule, she wasn’t an outgoing person. For the most part, she kept to herself, preferring her own company to a crowd. But knowing her business depended upon the residents of Departure Cove, Runa had tried to socialize. She’d done everything she could to take herself outside of her comfort zone since she’d arrived. She drank coffee every morning in the diner next door, even going so far as to strike up awkward conversations with those around her. Most people barely acknowledged her existence, and she’d tried not to take it personally when folks didn’t engage.
As a last resort, she’d gone out the night before to the local pub. She’d had dinner, a glass of wine, and dessert. She’d tried to smile and appear open and ready for interaction, but in the end, she’d spent the entire evening sitting alone at a table in the corner. No one even glanced in her direction. In a last-ditch effort to do something out of the ordinary, she’d settled for leaving a stack of business cards next to the sink in the women’s restroom.
Runa had trudged home, discouraged and more than a little concerned about her future in Departure Cove. Normally she would have called her mother to complain, but she didn’t want Asta to know she’d been right. In spite of everything, Runa loved the little town. So far, it seemed the affection was one-sided.
“Today is a new day. Things are going to be just fine, and customers are going to come into my store,” Runa whispered to herself.
No sooner had the words escaped her lips than her body began to tingle. It was similar to that day on the sidewalk, but that had been more of a jolt. This time it was a hum, like her skin was vibrating. As the tremor passed through her body, Runa felt her discouragement leave, and in its place was a sense of calm.
“Why is my body tingling? Maybe I’m getting sick. I’ve been working myself too hard.”
The feeling wasn’t altogether unpleasant, but it was more than a little disconcerting. Trying to ignore it, Runa busied herself behind the counter. After a couple of minutes, the sensation faded. She was straightening her display case when the bell on the entrance door jingled. Runa’s stomach clenched as she realized she had her first customer.
Glancing up from her work, she was surprised to find the man walking through the door was the same one who had knocked her down a couple weeks ago. Runa frowned, her nose crinkling with distaste. She thought he was a very rude man, and she didn’t know why he had come into her store. Nevertheless, he was a customer, so she forced a smile and greeted him.
“Hello. Welcome to Runa’s.”
The man stopped about halfway to the counter and stared at her. Once again, his face grew pale and his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed hard. The look on his face was a mixture of sadness and disbelief. He didn’t move from his spot on the floor as he shook his head and took a deep shuddering breath.
Not sure what to do, Runa decided she would try again. “Is there something I can help you with, sir?”
“I… uh… well…,” the man stammered as he pulled a silk handkerchief from the breast pocket of his designer suit and wiped beads of perspiration from his forehead.
Runa noticed the man looked like he was going to pass out. “Sir, are you all right? Do you need to sit down?”
He dabbed his forehead once again, gently folded the handkerchief, placed it slowly back into his pocket, and took a deep breath. “Thank you, but I’m quite well.”
“You don’t look at all well,” Runa persisted.
She was worried about what she might have to do if the man fainted on the floor of her store.
“I’m sorry. I’m just fine. I guess I must be overheated or something,” he said with a wave of his hand.
Runa thought that seemed unlikely, as it was cool and cloudy outside. Rather than argue with the man, she reminded herself that she was a businesswoman and he was in her store.
“Well then, welcome to Runa’s. You’re officially my first customer,” she said with a tentative smile.
“Is the store named after you?” He took several steps forward until he was standing across the counter from her.
“Yes, I’m Runa Brandon,” she answered with a nod.
“Well, Runa Brandon, it’s nice to officially meet you. I’m Chase Everwine.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too. What can I do for you?”
“To be honest, I stopped by because I had to get another look at you,” Chase blurted, looking a bit embarrassed as the words left his mouth.
“Get another look at me? I don’t understand what you mean, Mr. Everwine.” Runa bristled.
“I’m sorry. It seems I just keep making an even bigger mess of things,” Chase said with a sigh. “What I’m really trying to do is apologize for my behavior the last time we met.”
“You’re referring to the day you knocked me to the ground and ran away?” Runa demanded. “You acted as if you’d seen a ghost.”
“A ghost… yes….” A strange look covered his face, and he cleared his throat loudly.
“Well, I don’t believe in ghosts,” Runa stated matter-of-factly, her hands on her hips.
“I didn’t think I did either,” he mumbled under his breath.
Runa gazed at Chase. He was tall, standing well over six feet. His hair, the color of mahogany, framed a jawline that was square and chiseled. His brown eyes, pools of melted chocolate, were deep enough for a woman to get lost in if she wasn’t careful. He was one of the most handsome men Runa had ever seen.
He exuded an air of sophistication, and a sense of brooding magnetism practically rolled off his perfect skin. She had taken an immediate disliking to him after their first encounter, but now he seemed kind, if not a little disoriented. Perhaps she’d judged him too harshly.
“Are you looking for something specific, Mr. Everwine, or did you come in simply to apologize?”
“My poor behavior has bothered me since that day. I assure you I’m not usually this awkward, and I’m sorry I ran off like that after I knocked you down. I was… well… uh… in a hurry, I suppose. But that’s no excuse,” he offered, shrugging his broad shoulders.
“Apology accepted. Let’s forget about it,” Runa said with a dismissive wave of her hand.
“That’s very kind of you, Ms. Brandon.”
“Please, call me Runa.”
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“Very well, but that means you must call me Chase. What brings you to Departure Cove, Runa?”
“I needed a change of pace, and this place seemed to fit,” she replied, giving the most basic of explanations.
“And how are you enjoying our little town so far?”
“You mean besides random men plowing into me as I walk down the street?” Runa asked with a grin.
“Yes, besides that, of course.” He chuckled.
“Well, I think it will take some getting used to. It’s quite a change from Portland, and folks seem slow to warm up. I’m hanging in there, though, and I’m hoping I’ll be able to drum up some business and make a go of it,” she explained, surprised at the ease of their conversation. She hadn’t expected that.
“Give it some time. Before long, everyone in Departure Cove will be smitten with you.”
Chase gave her a lingering look, then turned abruptly on his heel.
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” Runa chuckled.
“Why not? I already am.”
Smiling at the look of surprise on Runa’s face, Chase gave her a quick nod and walked out the front door.
Three
Vardø, Norway, 1683
With one final straining push, Ella screamed as her baby entered the world. Panting, she wiped sweat from her forehead as her weary body collapsed onto the bed.
“It’s a girl,” the midwife said with a smile as she worked to quickly clean the screaming infant.
“I know,” Ella replied with a sigh. “I’ve always known.”
“She’s a fighter. Listen to those lungs. This girl’s a healthy one,” the midwife declared as she placed the squirming bundle into Ella’s arms.
The infant squealed angrily, and Ella raised her shift. The baby rooted around until she found her mother’s breast. Content, she latched on greedily.
“All of the women in our family are fighters. We’ve had to be,” Ella replied as she watched her daughter closely.