by Mika B. Coit
"Will you not come home?" Iliana asked already knowing what the answer would be but just had to ask anyway.
"I cannot... I want to be nearby when she does awake."
"So do I!"
"I know Blossom... but you are young and you should be out with your friends instead of sitting here all day... You should also be with Yuki who has been sitting and waiting for you out at the entrance all this time."
Even though Iliana checked on Yuki every hour or so, she did feel very guilty for leaving her outside.
"Anyway... how is it living with the Williams?" Father questioned after gulping down his hot drink like it was a cool water.
Iliana’s eyes quickly lowered down to her cup. Kazuki immediately flashed into her mind but after what Cardinal Philippe had said the day before, made Iliana avoid him as much as she could. Iliana was adamant to lock away the growing feelings she has for him, afraid of her heart being broken. In fact, Iliana felt more frightened of the future now more than ever.
"It... is okay, Mr. and Mrs. Williams are most kind and fun to talk to." Iliana answered after a moment of silence. "I do however question why you decided for me to stay with them?"
"That police agent... umm... what was his name again?..."
"Jung." Iliana finished off.
"Yes... Jung, he suggested it, and I thought because you invited their son whose name escapes me, you two were... you know... close." Father explained raising an eyebrow and looking at Iliana with one sided smile creeping across his face.
"His name is Kazuki and we are not close... not in that way." Iliana proclaimed blushing a little. "And what would Mother say when she wakes up and finds out that I have been staying at the Williams’s household for the past few days?... You know how much she dislikes them... you were there when she made that crystal clear."
Father looked a little uneasy in his chair and before replying he cautiously gave a nervous glance at Mother’s direction as if making sure she had not woken up in the midst of their conversation.
"That did not cross my mind at the time. We-we will get to that when the time comes."
Iliana decided to do as Father suggested and take Yuki for a long and well deserved walk with a nice treat afterwards. But before she did Iliana handed Father the bag of spare clothes that she together with Mrs. Williams prepared the night before.
"I am starting to like that woman more and more." He said taking the bag from her.
"She is not the kind of woman that people think she is. I feel for her... everyone judges her before they have even met her." Iliana stated hoisting her bag onto her shoulder.
"You always see the good in people, don’t you? And I love you for it... anyway, have fun and I promise you, I will call you as soon as Mother opens her eyes." Father said opening the door.
Iliana kissed Mother on her forehead before stepping out the room.
"Thanks Father."
Making her way to the exit of the hospital building Iliana recognised a young man with ash blond hair walking into a room further down one of the corridors.
‘Lucas.’ Iliana whispered to herself.
Firstly looking around her as if she was being spied on Iliana started to walk down the same quiet corridor. She stood by the door to the room that Lucas walked into and pressed her ear against it. Iliana could hear muffled sounds of people talking inside but could not make out what they were saying. There was a sudden loud growl which made Iliana jolt, then silence. Curious to what just happened Iliana slowly peeked her head round to the long strip of window on the door. Inside the room was dim but the slit from the closed curtains brought a little light within the room. She could see Lucas towering over a familiar looking woman with a mass of brown ringlets.
‘Mrs. Rawlins.’ Iliana muttered quietly recognising that hairdo from anywhere.
Lucas moved closer to Mrs. Rawlins trapping her against the end of the hospital bed. She cowered as he placed his hands either side of her head and over her ears. But he stopped and turned his head to the door window, his eyes found Iliana’s. Almost in a flash Iliana got away from the window and legged it up the corridor as fast as she could without turning back.
With her heart still racing and her mind swelling with questions Iliana made her way out of the hospital building. As she turned right at the exit door and looked up her heart stopped for a second.
Standing with his back against the wall and his hands in his cream coloured trouser pockets and his ash blond hair blowing in the light breeze was Lucas.
Frowning with confusion Iliana looked behind her then back at Lucas again.
"H-how... did you...?" Iliana started but too shocked to finish her sentence.
What she was trying to say was, how on earth could he be standing there when he was just inside a private hospital room with Mrs. Rawlins where Iliana dashed away from.
Lucas studied the perplexed look on her face and a smirk twitched at the corner of his mouth.
"You know... spying on people can be considered as a crime as well as being rude." He said, his fiery eyes buried into Iliana’s.
"It is only a crime if the victim has been spied on frequently in private and especially if they have solid evidence supporting that fact." Iliana retaliated, remembering Mother using a similar phrase when she was practising for a court hearing a few years back.
"Like Mother, like daughter." He hissed as if he had read her mind.
"However... harassing an English teacher whilst in her private hospital room can be considered a crime." Iliana said now really sounding like Mother.
"Looks like you got the wrong end of the stick!" Lucas retorted. "Your accusations will get you nowhere."
"Oh... really? And even if that is true... I still have doubts about you Lucas Baddesley." Iliana said in a scornful tone. "And I am curious to know what your role is in all this."
Lucas laughed showing his set of brilliant white teeth which Iliana had not noticed in the past.
"Why do you assume that I am the bad guy?"
"You have not exactly given me much choice to think otherwise. Do not tell me you have already forgotten our first meeting when you almost strangled me to death!" Iliana said fiercely but in a low voice as a group of people looked over their direction.
"How could I forget... it was a memorable night." He replied with a sneer. Further up ahead Iliana could see Yuki tied up on one of the benches where she had left her there most of the day. Yuki’s eyes were on Lucas and was continuously growling deeply at him. Clearing her throat and avoiding Lucas’s eyes Iliana began to walk pass him and made her way towards Yuki. Knowing that she was wasting her time and not getting anywhere with him. For a moment Lucas did not move and allowed her to walk past in front of him. However, when Iliana had her back to him Lucas grabbed her from behind and pushed her back against the wall with his face inches from Iliana’s. He leaned his right elbow on the wall covering Iliana from view of the people walking in and out of the hospital door.
"You are delving into matters that are way beyond you... even for a Purifier!" He commented, his voice was so deep and guttural, he almost sounded like Darth Vader.
"So you do know about the Unknown World then?" Iliana said looking up at him but felt very uncomfortable with her back being pressed hard against the red brick wall of the hospital building.
"I know enough."
"And clearly you are not going to share what you know... Why? Afraid of what your own Father might do to you?... Or are you already possessed?... Maybe that explains why your eyes are so soulless." Iliana said acting all confident but in reality was a little scared of Lucas and the strange aura he was radiating.
Lucas sneered before he answered pressing his body harder against Iliana. His left arm pinned her across her chest and prevented her from moving.
"If only you knew the true nature of things such questions and accusations that are directed at me, would not slip from your lips so lightly." Lucas whispered glaring at Iliana but his eyes then lowered to her lips.
Suddenly he stepped back releasing Iliana from the wall. He looked up at the pastel blue sky and after smiling to himself in an uncanny way, he gave a little bow.
"Guess that was my cue to leave." He said standing up straight then turned round and walked away.
Iliana was about to call out to him but a little white fluffy feather floated down in front of her eyes. Iliana laid out her hand and the feather softly landed on her palm. She looked up at the sky, it was clear with not even a wisp of a cloud. When Iliana lowered her eyes Lucas had vanished.
Walking for what seemed like hours with Yuki trotting proudly beside her Iliana held on to the little white feather. The sky was now changing from pastel blue to light orange. Iliana did not even realise how late it had become. She remembered Mother telling her when she was very little, that if a white feather falls in your path it means your guardian angel is watching over you. Ever since then Iliana had always believed that. The words of the female voice which spoke to her when she was at Lord Baddesley’s mansion, echoed in Iliana’s mind.
‘I will always be watching over you. When times are dark, I will help and support you and your companions.’
‘Are you still watching over me?’ Iliana whispered, gazing up at the orange tinged sky. ‘Are you my guardian angel?’
All of a sudden Iliana felt herself kick something hard and flew forwards, crashing onto the concrete ground face first.
"Ow-ow-ow!..." Iliana groaned picking herself up.
Sitting on the ground Iliana gently massaged the side of her face but winced as she did. A smudge of blood appeared on her fingertips. Standing in front of her Yuki whined as she nudged Iliana’s arm with her nose.
‘Yeah... I am fine.’ Iliana said to her, stroking her back then adding in sarcasm. ‘Looks like I forgot pavements still existed. Guess my guardian angel did not watch over me at that point.’
Iliana slowly got up to her feet then brushed off the dust from her calf length black leggings and her long light blue and black printed chiffon blouse with long sleeves. Looking up ahead she realised she was standing in front of the iron gates leading to her home.
"Look Yuki... without knowing we somehow walked all the way home." Iliana said walking up close to the black iron gates.
"Miss D’coye... long time no see!" Called a voice from behind her.
Iliana whipped round to find a couple crossing the road and making their way to her with a golden retriever on a lead but was trotting ahead of them. The slightly rounded lady was in her late fifties, her dark burgundy dyed hair was short but was naturally in tight curls. Her light green eyes were framed with long lashes that was touched with black mascara. She was wearing black flared trousers with an electric blue blazer on top of her plain white blouse. The man next to her was taller and thinner. He was probably a few years older and was wearing a light green and brown tartan flat cap. He wore a matching coloured tartan blazer with dark trousers. His thin rimmed silver spectacles made his pale blue eyes look bigger than they were.
"Mr. and Mrs. Croppe... good afternoon!" Iliana said as the couple stood in front of her.
Iliana bent down and stroked the golden retriever’s head, it’s tail wagging excitedly behind him.
‘Hello Rupert... it is good to see you too.’ Iliana added.
After Iliana stood up, Yuki too acknowledged Rupert by rubbing her nose under his chin in a friendly way.
"My goodness my dear girl... those hooligans must have hit you quite badly!" Mrs. Croppe commented. "Just look at your face... it is still so raw looking."
"Actually..." Iliana started feeling a little embarrassed. "I just tripped over the pavement a few minutes ago and grazed my face. It was not from those... umm... hooligans."
"Oh... thank goodness for that. I thought they had beaten you harshly. A friend of mine is a nurse at the hospital and she told me about your Mother. Clive and I felt awful and still do." Mrs. Croppe stated sympathetically.
"But we are glad you were not hurt too badly." Mr. Croppe added.
"Thank you for your concerns." Iliana said smiling.
"I must say... I think your Mother well deserves a good rest anyway. That Lord Baddesley overloads her with many jobs. I have seen that poor woman run around the city for him." Mrs. Croppe said then turned to her husband. "Do you not agree Clive?"
"I do agree my dear. Lord Baddesley has many other people under his influence including your Mother... even those at the City County Hall follow his orders." Mr. Croppe commented nodding his head.
"Do you work for him too Mr. Croppe?" Iliana asked.
This was the first time Iliana had a good conversation with the couple instead of just the Hello, Goodbye, how are you and ‘thank you for looking after Yuki today’. She actually knew nothing about them apart from how much they treasured their house and Rupert.
"Oh... no, no, no my dear girl. Although I am a senior member of the City Council, I try to stay well clear of Lord Baddesley when he has his frequent visits to the City Hall. Now more than ever... especially this past year, he has been rather moody."
"It is a shame... he was never like that many moons ago!" Mrs. Croppe remarked. "I will never forget that time at Beach Cove... Do you remember that Clive?"
"Remember what Deborah?" Mr. Croppe asked scratching the side of his head under his cap.
"You know... the first time Beach Cove was deprived of fish and then..."
"Oh... yes, yes I do remember. Golly... that was many moons ago."
"I am sorry... I do not follow. What happened?" Iliana asked utterly lost to where the conversation was heading.
"It was along time ago... the Williams’s used part of Beach Cove as their very successful fishing business. But for about four months on the trot there were no more fish... no matter how far you go out to sea. The young Lord Baddesley who I think was at the tender age of eleven... yes, because I just turned twenty-two at that time. Anyway... he decided to go into the sea water and did not rise for a good five minutes. Clive and I along with a small group of people who were there began to worry, and were about to dive into the water to find him. But then he suddenly appeared up from under the water." Mrs. Croppe informed, telling the story theatrically. "And following behind him were masses of fish splattering on the top surface of the sea water... it was monumental."
The image of the large painting that hung in the William’s dining room flashed back into Iliana’s mind.
"It fed the whole of Primrose Bay and the City for years and even made Primrose Bay rich. When we told our friends about young Lord Baddesley, they all thought it was a coincidence. But Deborah and I believed he did something out of this world... magic." Mr. Croppe added with a little hand jive.
Iliana’s eyes widened.
‘Could Lord Baddesley be a Miracle?’ She thought in disbelief, then asked out loud. "So... how did Beach Cove become what it is today?"
"I believe it was when Lord Baddesley was about your age... sixteen or seventeen. Apparently the day his father died he had a very loud argument with his friend at Beach Cove and everyone who was there heard every word of it. They even had a fight in the water... and after that the fish was no more, up until this day." Mrs. Croppe replied. "The William’s had to think of another business so they decided to harbour expensive yachts which kept the family name clinging to the end of the rich list even to this day."
‘Kazuki’s Father was Lord Baddesley’s friend?’ Iliana thought to herself, wondering if Kazuki knew of his Father’s past.
"It was lucky our Lucy met Lord Baddesley a few years later." Mr. Croppe said after looking down at Rupert who had sat down. "Our little Wagtail calmed the storm within Lord Baddesley’s world."
"Ah yes... I miss her so." Mrs. Croppe agreed, her green eyes filled with sadness. "And she still loved Lord Baddesley no matter how obsessed he became in splitting the rich from the poor... not that she agreed with it though. She loved helping the less fortunate side and even gave money away... Lord Baddesley did not like that, bu
t he did not stop her... God only knows why... They were like chalk and cheese. It still baffles me to how well they got on together."
"Was she a relative of yours?"
"Yes... our little niece... our little Wagtail was what we used to call her." Mr. Croppe replied looking up the sky as if reminiscing the good times. "She did not deserve to die such an horrific death."
"That was when Lord Baddesley turned again. It was like a light went out in his world. He rarely spoke to anyone who was related to her, not even his own son who awoke from a month in coma... I think that was why Lucas was transferred to London Academy. I was very surprised to hear that Lucas came back... I thought he would have stayed away for good!" Mrs. Croppe said with a sigh before adding sorrowfully. "We did not even get invited to his welcome back party... That plucked at our heartstrings."
"It feels as if both Lord Baddesley and Lucas had forgotten about us... I hope neither of them have not forgotten about our little Wagtail!" Mr. Croppe remarked sliding an arm round Mrs. Croppe’s waist and pulling her closer to him.
"Did Lord Baddesley love her?"
Mr. and Mrs. Croppe exchanged looks then both smiled.
"We think so..."
Iliana leant on the big rocks at Beach Cove staring down at her toes through the clear sea water that came up to her ankles and lashed lightly against the rocks behind her. The white feather still in one hand and her white plimsolls in the other. Yuki occupied herself by splashing around in the low waters near Iliana who was in her own world with....
‘Lord Baddesley is a Miracle... A Miracle with a broken heart’... ringing constantly in her head.
‘After what he done in the recent past, it just did not seem possible. His Father died, he broke up with his friend, and his wife died a tragic death years later... His heart and soul had been battered most of his life. No wonder he gave into his inner demon.’
Iliana thought twiddling her toes into the soft sand.
‘If I understood him more... maybe I can Purify him... after what happened to Mother, I do not want to turn my back on anyone anymore.’