A Secret Fate

by Susan Griscom

  Finn reached into his pocket, pulled out a couple of twenties and handed them to the young man. The guy shook his head. “No need. Do you need a ride into town?”

  “Thank you. We could use a ride to a hotel,” Cael said, then glanced at Finn. “You have more money, right?” When Finn nodded, he added, “I’ll be able to get some as soon as we get to the hotel.”

  “That’s going to be hard without an ID,” Finn whispered.

  “Hmmm. Guess you’re my new best friend then.”

  “Bloody hell,” Finn said. “Let’s go.”

  No way was Cael leaving Finn, especially not knowing why they were wrestling when they materialized here. He decided to just play it out and pretend he was stuck without any means to get by. Maybe in a short time, he’d be able to sneak off and get his wallet. The problem was he had no idea where to go find it. Damn. He knew he could go to the Sectory, but even that might not be any help. He didn’t think he lived there anymore so his wallet definitely should not be there. Asking his mother for money for something stupid like this was out of the question. She’d smirk in that delicate way she had and think him an idiot for not remembering something he surely should recall. Christ, he’d never live it down. Finn had a point. The last person Cael wanted to contact was his mother. However, he could sneak into the Sectory, get to his own personal safe and be in and out before she even knew he’d been there. Not only can I not remember shit, I’ve also been reduced to a common thief, contemplating robbing my own fucking safe. Yeah, I’ll never live this down.

  ***

  Once they got to the hotel, they registered for a room. Finn paid for the room with cash, stating he never carried credit cards, which Cael thought was mighty peculiar and only reinforced his suspicions that the guy was not to be trusted. Who carries around that much cash these days when there’s an ATM on just about every corner and in every grocery store? Well, maybe not here in Bora Bora, so he considered himself lucky that Finn had all that money. He just didn’t know whom to contact about him. This was the strangest predicament he’d ever experienced. Wait and see, he decided. Wait and see.

  They got a suite, two bedrooms split by a sitting room complete with mini bar. Well, at least they’d be comfortable while he racked his brain for answers. Still saddened with grief about Stefan and Claire, Cael opened the small fridge and pulled out a couple of beers. “Drink?” he asked, holding one out to Finn.

  “Yeah, sure.”

  Cael walked out on the deck facing a pretty awesome view of the ocean, sat down on one of the chaises, leaned back and put his feet up. Two seconds later, Finn joined him in the other chair.

  “Nice view,” Finn uttered.

  “Yeah. So tell me about yourself, Finn.”

  He shrugged. “What’s to tell?”

  “Well, I don’t suppose you remember where you were, so how about we start with your last name? I gave you mine, but you never said yours.”

  “Graham.”

  “Okay. How old are you?”

  “Hmmm … thirty-four last time I checked. You?”

  “Twenty-five.”

  Finn made a little scoffing sound and squeezed his eyebrows together. “You look a little older than that, a little more experienced than a kid of twenty-five … especially the way you handle yourself.”

  “Yeah?” Cael wasn’t sure if he was flattered or not.

  “What’d you do with my gun?”

  “I have it here. I’ll just hold on to it for a while if you don’t mind, considering you were pointing it at me when we arrived.”

  “I wasn’t actually pointing it at you. As I remember it, the gun was mostly dangling from my hand while we were latched on to each other as if our lives depended on it. Wish I knew why. Maybe I should be the one leery of you. Speaking of arriving …” Finn took a swig of his beer, “how the hell did we get here? Do you have some magical ability to transport through space?”

  Cael raised his eyebrows at the guy, surprised he would blurt something like that out and wondered how much he knew about his kind of people.

  Finn laughed. “Unless you have a better explanation. I mean, I know a couple of lads back home who can do some fun magic tricks. There’s a guy who can light a candle just by thinking about it, or so he claims. I’ve seen him do it, though I haven’t figured out what his gimmick is yet. Another guy could move a quarter across the table. Those two were always pulling those little stunts, trying to impress the ladies. Worked too, most of the time and since I usually benefited, I always went along with their little jokes, pretending I could do things as well. I learned a few cards tricks and I do a little disappearing act with a quarter and a napkin. Always made the ladies giggle when the quarter appeared in their hair. Gave me a chance to run my fingers through it—a sample of what was to come.” Finn licked his lips and Cael frowned. Is this guy for real?

  Finn caught Cael’s serious stare. “Oh, come on, man. I’m just grasping at straws here. I haven’t got a clue.”

  Cael nodded. “Okay.”

  Finn ordered a pizza from room service since neither man wanted to go out in the fancy suits they were wearing. The island had an extremely laid-back atmosphere, not many tuxes walking around. They needed to get some clothes sooner or later and Cael needed to get some money.

  Once the pizza arrived, they devoured it in minutes, then Finn stretched out on the sofa, his shirt unbuttoned most of the way and un-tucked from his pants.

  “Too bad there’s no TV in here. I could really get lost in a football game right about now, you know that game you Americans call soccer?”

  “Yeah, I got it, but since this is a honeymoon resort, maybe they figure there shouldn’t be a need for televisions.”

  “Don’t look at me, sweetheart.” Finn made some kissing noises and winked. “I didn’t pick this place … at least I don’t think I did.” Finn chuckled and closed his eyes.

  Cael leaned back and pinched his eyes, willing the onset of a headache away. The minute Cael heard Finn snoring he went into his room, shut the door, then disappeared. Materializing a few seconds later in the vault room of the Sectory, he went to the closed door and listened, just in case. He didn’t want to have to explain to his mother why he was sneaking around.

  Vault room was only a name Cael gave the closet-sized space because it contained both his and his mom’s safes. The door did have a lock on it, even though there wasn’t much to worry about with any of the other people who periodically stayed at the Sectory, nor with any of the permanent residents, like Ben or Red, aka Dr. Flynn. However, Cael didn’t have the combination to his mother’s safe and she didn’t have his. Perfect.

  When he opened the safe, he was surprised to see a small black book among the cash there. He picked it up and immediately recognized it as the sacred book. Well, how did this get in there? I thought Ristéard had it hidden away somewhere. No one else had the combination to his safe. This lack of memory thing was becoming a nuisance, actually more of a worry now that he thought about it. He put the book back inside, grabbed some cash and closed the safe door. A few seconds later, he stood in the middle of the room he might be calling home for a while. He wasn’t quite sure how he was going to explain the cash he now had to his roommate without divulging a little about his ability. That wasn’t something he wanted to do. He’d just have to see how gullible his new companion was when he told him he’d forgotten about the secret pocket in his suit coat. Sure, that might fly, considering neither one of them could remember jack shit.

  Now that he was back in the straw-thatched bungalow in Bora Bora, Cael settled into bed, closed his eyes and thought about Stefan and Claire. He missed his friends. Was it their deaths that brought him to Bora Bora? If so, why bring this character Finn with him?

  It was going to take some time to figure it all out, but hey, he couldn’t think of a nicer place to be than here in paradise. Now that he had some money, maybe he and Finn should check out some of the local dives. No better way to get to know someone than to live a
nd hang out with them for a while. Neither one of them had a passport, so he didn’t think Finn would be in any hurry to go anywhere any time soon. Might as well relax and enjoy the vacation and figure out just who this Finn was and why neither of them remembered anything.

  Chapter 3

  For the umpteenth time over the past two weeks, Addie recited the words over and over again in her head, begging, pleading Cael, please remember me. Please remember you love me.

  Dragging her useless, helpless, and now rail-thin frame from the bed—their bed, his bed—she stumbled into the bathroom, hardly recognizing the person in the mirror. The sunken, dark eyes, her gaunt face with the now indented cheeks, only made her brown eyes look larger and more recessed, giving her face a hollow look. Well, that was fine, now her face matched her hollow and empty soul.

  She couldn’t work, couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat. Gerry threatened to give her job to Darcy permanently if she didn’t snap out of it and get her rear end into the bar soon. She didn’t care. Why should she? Let Darcy have the damn job. She didn’t need it. She had her trust fund, didn’t she? She couldn’t face going in there, seeing all those people, everyone asking how she was getting along … without Cael—the unspoken part of the sentence. Well, how the hell did they think she was? She just lost the man she loved. Lost her dad the year before. Who would she lose next? Maia? The twins, who weren’t even born yet? Unthinkable. But, as the old saying went, bad things happened in threes. Maybe if she stayed home, away from other people, nobody else would die or disappear. Her family, friends, had all taken turns checking in on her, Darcy one day, Maia another. Gerry and Cael’s uncle Bart even stopped by. Once a day, someone would come knocking on her door, trying to coax her out of the house. “Not ready,” she’d say. “I need time.” How much time does a person normally require before they learn to cope with the loss of a loved one? Learn to cope? She didn’t want to learn to cope. Addie hadn’t had much time with Cael to begin with. She felt cheated and resentful that she didn’t get to love and enjoy her soul mate for any longer than only a few short months. According to Maia, Cael and Addie were fated. She and Cael had joked, laughing about it being a secret fate because of Addie’s secluded and sheltered childhood. Well, fate was cruel, wasn’t it?

  Standing at the enormous window in a bedroom fit for a princess, Addie stared out at the picturesque view as the waves crashed against the rocks below. It was much like any other day, but today, the way they smashed and splashed up the side of the cliff reminded her of another time—a pleasant but scary time. Most days she avoided this window. The bittersweet memory stabbed at the ache already in her heart. Today, though, Addie stood mesmerized, reliving the events of the first day she ever looked out this window in the fairytale of a house she now lived in, alone.

  The sorrow overwhelmed her as her fingertips tingled. She held out her hands as the flames grew into a ball, rising up her arm. The heat across her chest didn’t seem to bother her as much as the broken heart within her. The flames died out and she sighed, wishing the heat had smothered her pain. She should have been shocked at the unusual and dazzling display of what she’d just done, but nothing seemed to evoke any emotion from her these days. She closed her eyes, and practically zombie-like, ventured down the stairs, pointing her fingers at the fireplace on the way, causing flames to flare up.

  “Shit.” Too strong. She hurried to the fireplace and closed the metal screen. The fire warmed her bare legs. She hadn’t bothered to get dressed, hadn’t for a couple of weeks now, and was still wearing Cael’s black silk boxer shorts and his over-sized dark green wool sweater that hung down to her mid thighs. It was basically the same outfit she’d worn for the past week, just switching to another of his shirts and shorts every couple of days; refusing to wash them. They all smelled like him. Addie rejected the idea of wearing her own clothes, needing Cael’s masculine scent of musk close to her nose, and some of his sweatshirts still carried a hint of sea salt from when he’d walked or jogged along the beach. Besides, there was nobody Addie wanted to get dressed to impress. Addie shrugged thinking of Cael’s uncle, realizing why he’d stopped coming by. He must have sensed how his presence reminded her too much of Cael. When Darcy or Maia showed up at her door, they didn’t care what she wore. In fact, Addie thought they understood how she needed to have a piece of Cael close to her. They both had men of their own. Lovers. They knew how much it would hurt to lose one of them ... or did they? Maybe that was one of those things you never really knew how it felt unless it happened.

  Darcy came by yesterday around dinnertime, doing her best to coax Addie out to the bar and grill for something to eat. Addie assured her friend that she was okay and promised Darcy that she would come out in a few days. “I only need another week,” she told her, more to convince herself than Darcy. Addie would probably cave by then and go, mostly because Darcy threatened with the old “if you don’t, I’ll drag your butt out whether you want to go or not” approach.

  The knock at the door shouldn’t have startled Addie, but it did. She didn’t want to be bothered today, but knew if she didn’t answer and it was Maia, her aunt would only continue to knock until Addie responded. Sure enough when she opened the door, Maia stood complete with a sweet smiling face and very pregnant stomach, clutching a round plastic container. Addie caught a whiff of chicken tortilla soup—Maia’s specialty.

  “Hi, sweetie.”

  “Hi,” Addie mumbled back.

  When Addie didn’t say anything else, Maia added, “Are you going to let me in? It’s a little chilly out here.”

  “Oh. Sure. Come on in.” Addie opened the door wide and shivered a little as the cool air swept over her arms and bare legs. “You really don’t need to keep bringing me things to eat. I can fend for myself, you know.”

  “Yes, I know you can, but I also know you’re not.” Maia stepped closer, her hand brushing away the dirty strand of hair hanging over Addie’s eyes, studying them as if she’d find the key to all Addie’s emotions. “Addie, you can’t keep this up. Hibernating here in Cael’s underwear is not going to make him come back.”

  Addie shot her an indignant glare. Outrage poured through her veins. Unable to look at Maia any longer for fear of saying something she’d regret, she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the floor. How dare Maia talk to her that way after everything she’d been through?

  “Don’t give me that look. You know it’s true.” Maia shoved the plastic bowl at her. “Here.”

  Stunned a little, Addie held the bowl and stared at it. “Thanks.” Forcing her eyes back up to Maia’s she managed to add in a soft, shaky voice, “I’m sorry. I’m just feeling a bit lost. I’m sad, so, so sad, Maia.”

  Maia placed her arm around Addie as they walked into the kitchen. “I know, honey. We are all sad right along with you, but you can’t keep hiding here. You need to start taking care of yourself a little bit better.”

  “I will. I just need more time.”

  Maia removed her arm from Addie, stepped back and narrowed her eyes into a glare, crossing both arms over her chest and causing them to rest on top of her pregnant stomach where twin baby girls grew. “How much time, Addison?” Her voice stern, her lips thinned into a straight line, she continued, “How much time do you need to waste away so far that you can’t come back?”

  Addie blinked. Maia never called her Addison, ever. At least not that she could remember.

  “I don’t know!” she shouted back. “I’m sorry. I am doing the best I can right now. I’ve never been in love before. I didn’t know it could hurt so much.”

  Maia sighed. “You can’t keep this up. I won’t let you.”

  “I’m not going to apologize for missing and loving Cael. It … it just isn’t fair.”

  “Nobody said life was fair and God knows you’ve had your share of heartbreak. No one is arguing that.”

  “We were …” she stole a blurry-eyed glance at Maia. “You said it was fate, remember? You said Cael and I were meant to
be together and that it must be fate. Only, how could that be true when we didn’t have much time?”

  “I know, honey, but you can’t go on moping around like this. Listen. Breena’s birthday party is this weekend. You are coming, right?”

  Addie shrugged. She didn’t want to go, didn’t want to see Breena or Cael’s mother. It would only be another reminder of Cael. She sighed heavily and put her face into her hands. Everything was a reminder of Cael.

  “You promised Breena you would be there. It’s her tenth birthday and Cael won’t be there for her. You have to go.”

  Addie nodded, barely looking at Maia. “I know.”

  “Okay. Gerry and I will pick you up at noon. Siana will be coming to get us at twelve-thirty to go to the Sectory. What did you get Breena?”

  Addie stared blankly at Maia. “Oh no! I haven’t gotten her anything, yet.”

  “Well, you have all week, but don’t worry. I took the liberty and bought something for you to give her. It’s a heart pendant and I had it engraved. Here.” Maia shoved a small box into Addie’s hands. “I figured you would have forgotten since you are consumed with grief, which I’m not negating, but you really need to snap out of it. Cael wouldn’t want you doing this to yourself.”

  The words were harsh, but Addie knew Maia loved her and only wanted the best for her so she let them slide. “I will. I mean … I’ll try.” Addie sighed, watching Maia place her hand over the twins inside her womb. “I’m sorry. How are you feeling? Are they giving you any pain?”

  “No.” Maia laughed. “Though I’m sure they will later. They’re just active this morning, which is good.” She strolled to the door. “Eat the soup, Addie, and come to the bar tonight. Everybody misses you.” As Maia strolled toward the door she called over her shoulder, “Oh, and if you don’t like the pendant, I got it at Sheila’s on the beach. She said you can still return it and get something else, even though it’s engraved.”