by Lois Kay
“But…I —.” Alice swallowed hard and took a deep breath. “I can’t. They don’t even know me.”
“I’m sure time will fix that,” Fiona said matter-of-factly. She leaned against the wall and twirled a piece of hay between her slender fingers.
“I could be a criminal.” Alice couldn’t hide the bitterness in her voice. “A junkie, a thief or a murderer.”
Fiona stuck the piece of hay between her teeth and started chewing on it, studying Alice with clear eyes. She shook her head. “I don’t believe that. You look too honest. Besides, you rescued my mom from those thugs. I don’t think a criminal would have bothered.”
“B… but why would they want to?” Alice wondered out aloud.
“Because they’re good people. And my sister knows what it’s like to be on the streets.”
Alice’s head jerked up, and she looked at Fiona. Jody, that gentle woman had been homeless once?
“It’s a long story,” Fiona explained, seeing the question in Alice’s eyes. “Maybe Jody will tell you about it one day. But somebody helped her back then, and that probably saved her life. She wouldn’t turn down an opportunity to help someone else in return. I know my sister.”
Alice pushed back her long hair and tried to determine whether she was living a nightmare and needed to wake up, or if it was a dream she wanted to prolong for as long as she could. It was all so confusing. Only yesterday, her life had been so predictable. She slept wherever she could find a safe spot for the night. She ate whenever she could find some food, or whenever she managed to find some money on the street. Or whenever she was given something by kind people, like Joan. Once she had become used to it, she had embraced the safety of being invisible. Being numb helped. It made it bearable to be ignored, looked down on, or made fun of. It kept away the sadness when people who passed her by on the street looked straight through her or turned their heads, so they didn’t have to look her in the eye. Eventually, she had become a shadow of society. A non-existent.
“So, what do you think? ” Fiona’s voice filled the silence. ” Would you like to stay here for a while?”
Alice had to think about that question. She had to weigh her options and mentally made a list of possibilities. It was a short list. She knew, from previous experiences, that if she refused to stay at Jody’s and Sam, Trishia would be forced to place her in a shelter, until they had found out who she was and where she came from. They had taken her picture at the police station and ran it through a national database of missing children. There hadn’t been any results. Alice concluded nobody must be missing her. Nobody knew where she was from. Alice couldn’t remember either. The only thing she knew was the feeling of dread and panic whenever she tried to remember where she belonged. Of course, she could always run away from the shelter, like she had done before, it’s not like they would send a search party after her. Nobody ever bothered before. But deep down inside, Alice knew this time it would be different. It would be sensible to accept the hospitality that was offered, without questioning it. She would go with the flow and see where she ended up.
*
“Trish, don’t you think that would be a little harsh?” Lucy asked with a frown “I mean, I’m all for honesty and clarity, but would it be wise to confront her like that? It might put her off.”
“Do you really think so?” Sam asked. “I don’t know, Luce. It seems pretty straightforward to me. Alice does seem to be quite intelligent. I don’t think she’d appreciate Trishia beating around the bush. Just telling her what the options are seems fair enough. She does have a choice, you know.”
The five of them had been discussing Alice’s situation and the way it would be handled best. Lucy and Trishia were grateful that Jody and Sam were willing to take Alice in and try and help her as best as they could. But Trishia didn’t want the newlyweds to think she was dumping the girl on them and she promised to work hard to find out who Alice was and where she came from. When she had told them Alice’s picture was not in any missing childrens’ database, Sam and Jody had exchanged a look, and a quiet conversation had taken place. Trishia had watched it with fascination. It was still amazing to her how in tune Sam and Jody were with each other. She had warned them about the suspicion she and Peter had concerning Alice’s past. When she had mentioned that it was very likely Alice had been a victim of abuse, Sam had gone pale.
“Alice doesn’t remember,” Trishia emphasized. “We’re not sure, but we do believe her amnesia could have been caused by severe trauma. If you think that’s too much to deal with, I’ll understand. As soon as we’re able to find out more about her, we’ll get her the help she needs. I’m just afraid she’ll run when she doesn’t feel safe.”
Sam glanced at Jody and found comfort in the look of love and understanding that was sent her way. “It’s not too much,” she said. Sam’s voice was strong and confident. “Jody and I will try and make Alice feel at home, that is, if she wants to stay here.”
“And if she does, we’ll take it from there,” Jody added. “We’ll just take it day by day and see how things develop.”
“That’s a great start,” Trishia said. She grabbed Lucy’s hand and entwined their fingers. “If Alice has a place where she can feel safe and find some rest, she actually might remember who she really is and where she comes from.”
“I hope so,” Joan said. She carefully touched the purple bruise on the side of her face. “She seems to be a sweet girl.”
*
Alice had followed Fiona into the stables and had kept a safe distance from the horses that looked like giants to her. Azrel was a black stallion, who nickered softly when he caught sight of Fiona, while Norah was a light brown mare, who thoroughly enjoyed Fiona’s hand rubbing her nose. Despite Fiona’s statement that the horses were ‘absolute angels’ and were just ‘big horses disguised as teddy bears,’ Alice had kept her distance. She had shivered when Fiona opened the door to Azrel’s stable and stepped into the box with the big animal.
“See?” Fiona had called out with a smirk. “He’s a sweetie.” But she must have seen the fear in Alice’s eyes because after giving both horses a piece of carrot, she had taken Alice back outside. They had strolled down the hill, back toward the house, enjoying the cool ocean breeze that brought some relief after a hot day.
“I’ve never met someone who is terrified of horses, are you sure you’re an Aussie?” Fiona gently teased.
“I don’t know,” Alice heard herself answer, to her own surprise. She usually kept to herself and never shared information with strangers. And in her world, everybody met that qualification.
“Really?” Fiona asked, glancing at the girl next to her. “That must be so weird, not knowing who you are. So, how do you know your name is Alice? ” she asked in the straightforward Fiona way.
Alice shrugged. She was bone tired. Her day had been long and challenging. And most of all very frightening. But Fiona’s question was an honest one and logical, and somehow Alice didn’t mind her asking her questions. “I don’t know. It seemed…familiar to me, so I just thought that could be my name.”
They had arrived at the veranda and climbed the stairs. The adults were enjoying the view and the chattering of birds in the distance, where there was a waterhole. Jody and Sam were snuggled up on the bench. Jody was leaning against Sam’s chest, with Sam’s arms safely wrapped around her body. They didn’t move when the teenagers arrived, having decided that, if Alice did want to stay with them for a while, she had to know what kind of relationship they had.
“Azrel and Norah say ‘hi.’” Fiona grinned, falling in a chair and motioning Alice to do the same. “Azrel didn’t understand why I couldn’t take him out for a ride. I told him you didn’t trust me.”
Sam grinned and refused to take the bait. “Brat,” she grumbled, which made Jody chuckle.
“Do you like horses, Alice?” Jody asked Alice, who was sitting in one of the chairs, staring at her fidgeting fingers. Alice looked up with something close to panic in
her blue eyes. It was obvious Sam and Jody loved their horses. How would they respond when she told them she was afraid of them? Would they laugh?
“I…um…they look beautiful, but…I—,” she stammered.
“I used to be afraid of horses,” Jody explained, guessing what Alice’s problem was. “I thought they were big and scary, I always made sure to stay away from them. “
“What changed that?” Fiona asked, surprised by her sister’s confession.
” Megan,” was the simple answer.
Jody turned and peeked up, seeing Sam look down at her with an expression of pure love and devotion.
Alice saw the interaction between them and suddenly experienced a feeling of loss. One only had to look at Sam and Jody to see the love that flowed between them. The expression on their faces when they looked at each other didn’t need any explaining. And again, Alice realized how utterly alone she was. She cast down her gaze and swallowed hard, feeling the tears sting the back of her eyes.
“How?” Fiona’s voice penetrated her painful thoughts.
“Well, Megan has been riding ever since she was a kid. When we became… friends, she wanted to share that passion with me, ” Jody explained, feeling Sam chuckle because of her choice of words. She playfully pinched her arm and continued her story. “I didn’t want to disappoint her, so I decided to give it a try. After a little while, my fear was gone, and I even started to like them.”
“Good for you.” Fiona grinned. “You are a credit to the McDonnell clan.”
Jody looked at Fiona and made a face. A quick look at Trishia and Lucy told her it was time to have a talk with Alice.
Fiona immediately noticed the silence and the eye contact between the adults and when she looked at Alice she winked and rolled her eyes, making the blond girl smile. “We already talked about it,” she said calmly.
“Talked about what?” Lucy asked carefully.
“The fact that you girls are going to ask Alice to stay here because Trishia’s place is the size of a shoebox,” Fiona answered candidly. “And it’s not like she has a choice, you know. But I think it’s cool she’ll stay here. Murrook Farm is a great place.”
Lucy stared at Fiona, not knowing whether to be angry or amused. When she looked at Trishia, she saw the twinkle in her eyes and Sam was biting her lip, trying not to laugh. The expressions on Jody’s and Joan’s faces were almost identical. They both looked at Fiona with a mixture of dismay, admiration, and affection.
“Well,” Trishia’s voice finally broke the silence. “Thank you for the update, Fiona. But I would like to hear this from Alice as well.” She turned her attention to Alice who looked like she wanted to jump up and run. “Alice? ” Trishia asked. Her voice was gentle. “I’ll leave it up to you. It’s your choice.”
From the corner of her eye, Trishia saw Fiona open her mouth to say something, but with a look of warning, she silenced her. Fiona’s mouth snapped shut, and inwardly Trishia rejoiced. The look she had given her always had the same effect on Lucy.
Alice twisted the hem of her T-shirt in a knot to hide the trembling of her fingers. A voice in the back of her mind kept yelling at her to take the chance she was being offered. But a feeling of dread and fear threatened to take over. “I… if it’s not too much trouble?” Her voice was barely audible.
“It’s no trouble at all, Alice,” Jody replied. “We’re happy to have you here.”
Sam smiled when Alice looked up. “Welcome to Murrook Farm.”
Chapter 5
Lucy yawned and stared out of the window, while Trishia concentrated on steering her car safely through the busy streets. Friday evenings brought out every tourist who stayed at one of the many hotels, motels and bed, and breakfast at the coast. The intense heat of the day had disappeared when the sun had set, and the cool ocean breeze had brought some much-needed relief. The evening air was still warm, but not uncomfortable.
“Idiot,” Trishia mumbled, barely able to avoid hitting the car in front of her when its driver suddenly turned lanes without using his indicator light.
“Yeah, where are the police when you need them?” Lucy joked, trying to lighten the mood. She glanced aside and noticed Trishia’s frown. Immediately she reached out and gently rubbed her thigh. “What’s up, Trish?” she asked.
“I’m worried about this whole situation with Alice,” Trishia said, not taking her eyes off the busy traffic in front of them. “I can’t help wondering if I did the right thing. What if —?”
“What if she’s not who she seems to be?” Lucy helpfully added. “It’s a risk we take Trish and do you notice how I said ‘we’? You’re not alone in this. I’m right behind you, and so are Sam, Jody, and Mom. We all have the same feeling about Alice, and I can’t imagine we are all dead wrong.”
“What feeling is that?” Trishia asked.
“That there’s a lot more than meets the eye, positive things,” Lucy answered, gently squeezing the warm skin underneath her hand. “I think we all believe that Alice is a victim of circumstances that are still unknown to us but trust me, if somebody has a chance of revealing them, it will be my family.”
That last comment made Trishia smile. “Between you and Fiona, the kid doesn’t stand a chance,” she said wryly.
“But we’ll be gentle about it,” Lucy promised. “Seriously, we will. That poor thing is so tense, she’s almost pulsating. And if her memory loss is linked to a traumatic event, the next few days could be stressful.”
“She hides underneath an indifferent attitude. Did you see the look on her face when Sam was telling her about that… that… Delta dam thing in her home country? She positively glowed. And when Jody thanked her, just before dinner, she looked like she wanted to jump up and run, but then something changed, and I bet she was just soaking up the kindness. I think they connected, Jody and Alice.”
“You’re a good observer, Trishia Waters,” Lucy said.
“I’m a police officer, Lucy McDonnell. It’s what I do.”
Lucy grinned and leaned in to give Trishia a quick kiss on the cheek, which made Trishia smile.
“Careful now, honey. You don’t want us to crash,” Trishia teased.
“Not in a car, no,” Lucy admitted, wrinkling her nose at the thought. “But, collapsing in bed, in an air-conditioned room, together with you… naked… now that sounds like something I’d like to do.”
“Is that an invitation?” Trishia asked, trying to concentrate on traffic and not on the vision of a naked Lucy. Her heart rate picked up when she remembered the feel of Lucy’s skin, the silky texture of the long, dark hair brushing against her skin, teasing fingers and lips driving all coherent thought out of her mind.
“You bet.” Lucy let her hand wander up Trishia’s leg and underneath the blue cotton of her shorts, approaching dangerously close toward a very sensitive area.
“Lucy.” Trishia almost squeaked. “Please!”
Laughing, Lucy withdrew her hand and returned it to its previous position on Trishia’s leg. “Sorry,” she grinned, not at all sounding repentant. “I just wanted you to have something to look forward to.”
“Right.” Trishia snorted. “Just be careful, because you know what paybacks are.”
“Mm… yes,” Lucy answered. “Up until now, I’ve always loved those.”
“That’s only because I h-ven’t used those handcuffs yet,” Trishia quipped, glancing aside and seeing the dark blush creep up Lucy’s face.
Lucy groaned. “I am going to kill Fiona for that one.”
“I thought it was funny.” Trishia laughed. “You should have seen your face, it was priceless.”
Lucy shook her head and stared out of the window. She loved her younger sister dearly, but sometimes she could just shake the teenager until her teeth rattled. Mentioning the handcuffs had been one of those moments. If it had been in the presence of Sam and Jody only, she would have been embarrassed enough, but with her mother there as well, the damage had been double.
“Are you
upset by what she said?” Trishia’s concerned voice interrupted her thoughts.
“Not really. I just wish Fiona wouldn’t be able to embarrass me to death on occasion. That kid is something else. Did you see my mom’s face? Oh, crap.”
Trishia laughed out loud and lovingly patted the hand that was still resting on her thigh. “Try not to worry about it, love. I think your mother is pretty open-minded.”
“Yeah, but I bet she doesn’t feel the need to know what her daughters could be doing in their bedrooms, right?”
“I guess not.” Trishia chuckled. “And vice versa, of course.”
“Of course.” Lucy grinned. “There are certain rules, and one of them is that parents don’t have sex.”
Trishia smiled. “Which makes it hard to explain how we got here.”
“They just did the deed a few times when they were young, and that’s it.” Lucy chuckled. “No more after that.”
“Well, I guess I need to ask my grandmother to have a talk with you,” Trishia teased. “She might be in her eighties, but she still enjoys some action, as she puts it.”
“Your granny is something else. Just remind me to never have her and Fiona in the same room at the same time. I have a feeling those two would get along a little too well for my liking.”
Just as Trishia wanted to respond, the cell phone that was clipped to her belt buzzed. She quickly handed it to Lucy. “Could you answer that for me, please?”
Lucy tapped the screen. “It’s Pete,” she said. “Hi, Peter. No, it’s Lucy. Trishia is driving right now, so …you want me to ask her to pull over? Oh… ok. What? … Where?… Now?… Right… yes, I’ll tell her. Alright, see you there.”
“What was that all about?” Trishia asked as soon as Lucy had pressed the ‘off’ button. “Is there a problem? What is it?”
“They found a body on the beach, and he wants you to come and have a look at it,” Lucy said, not able to suppress the shiver that ran down her spine.