by Daya Daniels
“I don’t know, Violet. I’m really sorry.”
Elijah
After clicking on the tree lights, I stood and ambled across the room to turn on the stereo, smiling at the Christmas music that echoed from the speakers. Light chatter filled the house and the scent of pine and cinnamon wafted through the air along with the aroma of rosemary from the lamb that Violet had roasted.
It was Christmas Eve.
James and Fiona were here at the house, which was a relief. They came with gifts and wine and seemed to be in good spirits. They’d spent the past two days enjoying everything Cannon Beach had to offer and were staying at a small inn that was about ten minutes away from us.
James was a serious older man who had a very dry sense of humor and his wife Fiona, Violet’s stepmother was much younger than I’d expected.
Violet had spent the last few days, moving her things into the house from Portland, since we’d decided she would be living here permanently.
This house would be full of life once again and I couldn’t wait.
I huffed when I spotted Violet pouring herself more wine and I knew the letter that her mother had sent to her all those weeks ago, was still nagging at her. Her mood was somber and she was quieter than usual.
I should’ve cancelled this dinner.
I headed across the den and pressed a kiss to her temple. “Are you okay, baby?”
“Yeah.” She whispered, while I gave her a skeptical look certain that her mind was preoccupied.
“Should we have cancelled this?”
“No, absolutely not. I wanted you to meet my dad, Elijah.”
I kissed her lips, spinning her under the length of my arm and pulling her back against me to the music.
She giggled. “I love you.”
“I love you.” I mouthed the words to her, before picking up a few glasses and heading across to the dinner table to set them out.
“Have you finished your next collection?” Fiona asked Violet.
I lifted my eyes to stare across the room. Violet adjusted her glasses and blinked a few times and I knew the answer that was about to spill from her lips wasn’t going to be kind.
“Yes, why do you ask Fiona? You’ve never cared about my art before?”
Fiona huffed. “Violet, I’m just trying to make conversation. It’s Christmas.”
Inwardly, I rolled my eyes and moved around the table.
James popped the top to another beer, taking the time to peek around the house. “This is a nice place. I’m a builder. I can tell you built this.” He said bobbing his head a few times, admiring the stone fireplace and the high ceilings above us.
“Yeah, my dad built it back in the sixties but I’ve helped him to renovate it since then a few times. It was expanded a few years ago.”
“Very nice.” He complimented.
“Thanks.”
James headed over giving me a stare that told me he wanted to say more. I stood straight, pushing one of the chairs to the table back in.
“I just wanted to say thank you, Elijah.”
I ran a hand through my hair, meeting James’ narrowed eyes. He glanced over his shoulder at Violet who was slicing up the turkey.
“I’m glad she has you now.” He whispered. “She’s different, you know. She’s still the same but different.”
I nodded.
“It’s like you saved her from herself.” He said softly. “I was always afraid for Violet.”
“Maybe she saved me.” I mumbled, giving him a smile.
Violet
The more wine I drank, the more infuriated I became. I finished slicing up the turkey and the lamb, plating everything up, feeling insanely aggravated by these stupid fucking glasses I had to wear sometimes.
Fiona lingered in the kitchen close by me, attempting to make conversation every now and again about this and that.
We’d never be friends. It was something I’d accepted long ago but for her she was yet to realize that it was one of those universal truths that couldn’t be denied. James made occasional chit chat with Elijah as he set the table.
I smiled at his attire – a navy blue mock neck sweater and jeans. His thick hair tumbled across his forehead each time he leaned forward to adjust a place setting. And his eyes. I could get lost in his eyes. They met mine across the room and held my gaze for a second and I laughed.
He’s silently asking me to behave but tonight I feel agitated, aggravated, fucking confused and enraged.
“Please, dinner is served.” I announced, taking the platter across the room and setting it on the table that was decorated in burgundy and green.
Everyone headed over and took their seats. Fiona was all smiles and my father was full of beer and chocolates. We all bow our heads in grace and James makes his typical speech about honesty and faith and family.
“Please let’s eat.” I said softly, watching everyone dig in.
“So, you’re a doctor?” Fiona asked Elijah, cutting into the turkey on her plate.
“Yes.” He said.
“Where’d you go to school?” Fiona questioned, reaching for her wine glass taking a long gulp.
“Columbia University.” Elijah told her.
“Impressive.”
“Fiona why don’t you tell Elijah what you do in between your shopping and all of the vacations you take for rest and relaxation.”
“Violet.” Elijah whispered.
“Violet, please.” James muttered, meeting my eyes with his brown ones. “It’s Christmas. Can we just get along?”
The table was silent for a moment and the house was filled with the sounds of the music bellowing from the stereo and the screech of silverware and the clank of glasses.
James went on about work and told a few stories about me when I was younger and how Brooke and I’d been the best of friends. This was the first Christmas that I’d spent without her.
“They were the best of friends.” James laughed. “Wherever Violet was, there was Brooke.”
Elijah gave me a handsome smile.
“The two of you seem to be in love.” Fiona smiled.
“And you know about love, Fiona?” I asked lifting a brow, knowing full well the only reason Fiona was with my father was for money. Plain and simple.
“Violet, it’s Christmas.” James scolded, twisting his face at me. “It’s the season of giving, kindness and honesty.”
“Is it?” I murmured, meeting my father’s perplexed expression. “I was hoping you could tell me when you decided to keep Victoria away from me. Why, Dad?”
“Violet.” Elijah growled. “Don’t do this tonight.” His voice dropped when he said the last few words.
I shot up from the table, my entire body shaking with fury. “No! I want to know!”
James wiped the sweat from his furrowed forehead with a napkin and stood. “Violet, maybe we should talk about this in private.”
“It’s true then. Isn’t it?” I demanded to know.
James scanned the table nervously with his guilty eyes as he stood. “How did you fin-?”
“Find her?” I completed his sentence, earning a faint nod from him.
Elijah stood from the table.
“I hired someone.” I snapped. “You told me you hadn’t seen her in years. That she disappeared.” I laughed, shooting irritated glances between Fiona and James, throwing my hands up in the air. “Apparently, Victoria lives right here in Portland. She’s been in Oregon for the past thirty years it turns out.”
“James.” Fiona whispered, covering her mouth.
“Why would you keep her away, Dad? I needed her!” I screamed, while Elijah’s large hand had come to rest on my shoulder. I shrugged it away forcefully keeping my eyes trained on my father.
“Answer me!” I shouted banging my hand on the table.
Tears slipped from James’ eyes but still he hadn’t spoken. He took a deep breath, “You don’t understand, Violet.” He said softly.
“Well, then tell me.” I tasted my
own tears as they slipped between my lips, salty and warm.
“Violet, I love you.” James mumbled. “She left us.”
“It was a mistake, Dad.”
James shook his head vigorously, scrubbing his face with his hands. “She abandoned us, Violet. It was years before she even thought about you. You were having such a difficult time adjusting to school and I was working so hard just to take care of us.” He swallowed hard. “I taught you everything you know, Violet. How to paint. How to get around without a cane. How to take care of yourself. How to be strong.” He said with a tremble in his voice, staring at the half-eaten plate of food in front of him. “Victoria doesn’t just get to swoop in and save the day, Violet. She doesn’t.
“She went off and found someone else - another man. He was wealthy, more successful. He had money. Things I didn’t have at the time, Violet.” James hung his head as he said the words. “She married and had more children. She forgot about her life with me, with you. We were long gone memories to her.”
“Dad, I needed her. All those times growing up I needed her!” I said angrily. “I spent my whole life thinking she hated me, Dad. Thinking that she didn’t want me! Feeling like she was ashamed of me! Do you have any idea how that feels?”
“I was there always, Violet. I tried my best.” James said softly.
“There were some things you couldn’t help me with.” I told him.
James stared at his hands that were visibly trembling. “I loved your mother, Violet. I really did.” He said in a small voice.
“It’s that what this is about, Dad? Another man?” Disbelief colored my tone. Dad?”
“I loved her Violet and she left us.” He reiterated as our eyes locked in an intense gaze.
Fiona’s black eyeliner was heading south down her cheeks from her endless tears.
The soft melody of Frank Sinatra’s singing Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas echoed around us.
A thick tear slipped from James’ left eye as he looked around the table at everyone, bewildered. “Violet, I love you.” He whispered just before he lost his balance and collapsed.
Elijah
One Month Later
Christmas didn’t go exactly as planned. It went horribly to be honest. The gifts that both Violet and I had purchased for each other remained under the drying tree in the den. In the stack of boxes was an engagement ring I’d planned to give her but now was not the time, so I knew it would have to wait.
James was still in the hospital recovering after he’d suffered a heart attack on Christmas Day. He was expected to make a full recovery but would be in the hospital for a recovery period, that now was of undetermined length.
James was and had always been Violet’s world. I’d never seen a girl so in love with her father the way Violet was. It had always been just the two of them so the shock of the incident still weighed heavily on her.
Fiona blamed Violet for James’ heart attack and of course Violet blamed herself. Her next show had been postponed for a few weeks. We’d spent time at her loft in Portland looking at all the pieces which were incredible.
I’d finished renovations on the house we now sat in, making Dylan’s old room larger and building an art studio for Violet with the help of my father. My patient Melissa had recovered from her overdose and was now in a drug treatment program. I continued to help patients throughout the Portland area. I’d never give up on helping people.
This morning Violet sat across the kitchen table from me looking bewildered as she sipped her morning coffee. Her hazel eyes were sheened over with tears and her voice shook ever so slightly each time she spoke.
Her breakfast rested in front of her slowly going cold and still untouched. I ran my fingers over her cheek, soothing her red and swollen eyes. She held a lot of guilt over the argument she’d had with James. He was her world – her everything but in some way, he’d betrayed her.
I shut J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which was the last book in the series. Violet’s pretty hazel eyes followed the action. I reached across the table to take her small hand in mind.
“You finished it.” She mumbled. “You finished them all.”
I gave her a smile. “I did. I promised him I’d finish them all.”
She nodded. “And you always keep your word.”
“Of course.”
She exhaled. “I want to live, Elijah – really live. I want a family. I want a life, with you.”
I pulled her into my lap and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Of course. We rebuild and we start over, together.”
She sobbed with a smile and repeated my words. “Together.”
“Yes.” I whispered into the soft skin on her neck. “Together. Always together.”
EPILOGUE
Five Years Later
Violet
Elijah’s jogged ahead of me, smiling and laughing. His thick dark hair blew in the wind and his blue eyes that were as clear as the sky today, widened each time he met my eyes.
James, who had just turned four followed behind him, giggling and throwing his hands up in the air. His little feet left indentations in the wet sand behind him.
“Come on.” Elijah teased, encouraging our little boy to keep up with him.
I folded my arms across my chest, looking at all the raw beauty that surrounded me. The beach was a welcome respite after a long day.
I sold my loft four years ago and moved to Cannon Beach permanently, after Elijah proposed. We married six months later in a Lutheran church on Irving Street in Portland.
Dylan’s old bedroom now belong to James. We had made the house a home again. It was a mixture of things already there, plus quirky items from where I used to live and surprisingly everything seemed to blend in comfortably with each other.
Brooke and Kyle came here often to spend time with us. Our friendship was almost the same but different. Brooke was now a mother herself of a little girl they named Rose. She had the chance to focus on her own life, which she deserved.
I bumped into Jared every now and again. He married the bimbo he brought to my art show all those years ago and seemed to be happy.
I spent time with my mother Victoria occasionally. It amazed me after to getting to know her how much alike we were in our mannerisms, likes and dislikes. She was my mother after all. I likely inherited the color of my hazel eyes from her, since she had the same ones.
Victoria and I never discussed my father and I preferred it that way. As much as my father’s decisions angered me, I knew I could never put myself in his shoes having to raise me on his own.
My mother and her husband Owen doted on James, since he was their only grandchild so far. I had three sisters, Lauren, Gloria and Jane. We were all close in age and got together whenever we could for lunch or family celebrations.
My art gallery remained in downtown Portland. Lindsay Johnson continued to run it full time and managed all the artists that fell under my brand as well. She turned out to be a Godsend. I continued to put on shows and work on collections but at a much slower pace now. The last collection I finished was all clay sculptures as I’d planned. It was well received by the art world and garnered ecstatic reviews, since it was the last collection I’d finished while completely blind. The focal piece was the head of Elijah. Elijah marveled at how uncanny the resemblance was to the real him.
“You have a gift, Violet.” He whispered into my ear at my opening event.
We were expecting another baby soon - a girl. Elijah continued to work from home, helping people and doing what he loved. He spent a lot of time with us since he worked a lot from home. We spent time a lot of time on the beach and we barbequed year-round. We spent a lot of time with Asher and his wife Kate (who he remained married to although they’d contemplated divorce so many times) and Rory and Kieran.
Dr. Randall continued with his groundbreaking work at the Oregon Health and Science University Hospital and had restored sight to twelve other people born with my condition. I was fore
ver grateful to him.
In the past five years, Elijah had two more surgeries. It was difficult to get him to venture out during the day at first but after another surgery he left the house more. And after the very last one, the scarring on his face was drastically less visible but it was still there.
Elijah would never forget the day he lost his son and almost lost his own life. The scars would always be there just like mine were on the inside but it didn’t matter. He was beautiful in my eyes, inside and out.
The scars reminded us that we were all less than perfect. Weren’t we?
-THE END-
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lover of words. Poetry glutton. Cynic. Idealist. Art collector. Lip gloss addict. Wife. Mommy. Music fan. Book whore. Beach Bum. Water rat. Wine drinker. Bermudian. Las Vegas resident -wannabe. Hopeless romantic.
I'm an independent author who had this crazy idea during one very, very hot summer to start writing books and I haven't stopped. I'm loving the ride and I appreciate all the readers who take the time to enjoy my stories.
I live on the small sub-tropical island of Bermuda in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean with my husband and two children. If you can't find me here on the beach, you can bet your G-strings that I'm in Las Vegas!
Love is what keeps the world spinning! XOXO
Follow me on Instagram @ authordayadaniels
Email: [email protected]
OTHER BOOKS BY DAYA DANIELS
Finders Keepers Series
Part I
Part II
Stand Alone Novels
An Education in Calcutta {A Period Novel}
The Space Between Rachel and Evie
Once Upon a Time {A Dark Romance}
In the Eyes of Adeline {A Period Novel}
If Only {An LGBT Romance}
Murphy’s Bedfellow