The Eternal Community

by J Meverington

  ‘You loved them so much, but the silly thing was, they weren’t your real parents.’

  What did he mean?

  ‘That’s right you posh stuck-up bitch, you were adopted. Your real parents didn’t want you, and your adopted parents had to die to get away from you. We don’t want you either, you no good piece of crap. You think you’re so smart but you’re not. You had no idea did you?’

  How he could say something so mean?

  ‘You stupid girl, how could you not see they looked nothing like you! You think you’re so much better than us but you’re not. You’re just a stupid stuck-up bastard shipped in from England!’

  ‘NO, you’re lying.’

  He lunged towards her, but she sidestepped him again.

  ‘Well you carry on believing what you want princess.’ He leered at her, coming for her again. Her karate training kicked in as she deflected him, causing him to fall. She stood back and watched as his head hit the corner of the table on the way down. Then he lay still.

  Aunt Melissa raced over to him screaming, ‘What have you done to him? You’ve killed him!’ Alice bent down to check his pulse, but Aunt Melissa screamed. ‘Get away from him. Get out of this house now.’

  ‘But what about school?’

  ‘I don’t care, you’re eighteen and old enough to fend for yourself. Get your belongings and leave now!’

  Melissa bent down to check on her husband as Alice raced upstairs. She extracted the metal money box from her hiding place and took the cash from it. She pulled some of the new clothes from the trash liner and shoved as many as she could into her backpack.

  On the way out of the front door she noticed Uncle Nat still lying on the floor unconscious and Aunt Melissa on the phone to the paramedics. She didn’t wait to see if he was okay, and fled as quickly as she could. It was time to put her plan into action.

  Chapter 20

  Present Time

  Damion followed Mrs Kyriacopoulos into a cluttered living room adorned with oversized furniture and knick-knacks collected over the years.

  ‘Take a seat,’ she said. ‘Coffee?’

  ‘Yes please, that would be nice.’ Exhausted, he flopped down on a sofa and sank into it, unsure if he had the strength to drive back to the motel he had seen earlier. He would ask Mrs K if there were any nearby.

  After a few minutes, she arrived back in the lounge with a jug of coffee and some cookies. Mrs K poured him a coffee while he helped himself to a cookie to stave off his hunger pains.

  She filled him in on Alice and how her parents had died when she was only eleven, and her being fostered out to that horrible family, Nat and Melissa and their daughter Krystal.

  Damion listened intently, keen to hear all about his daughter, but also appalled at what she had been through. He waited for Mrs K to finish before enquiring if she had any photos of Alice.

  ‘Oh of course, one moment, I’ll see if I can find one.’

  She disappeared into another room and he heard a lot of bumping and banging going on. Finally, she emerged carrying a small box. She picked out a photo and handed it to him. ‘Here’s one my late husband took.’

  Damion held it in his hand as if it were a precious stone. The girl in the photo smiled at him. Behind all her hair she was a pretty child, with dark eyes and olive coloured skin like his, and Camilla’s nose and mouth. A tear rolled down his face as he absorbed every detail. He still couldn’t believe they had given up this beautiful girl, and as a result she’d had a terrible life.

  ‘Do you know where she might be?’ he asked.

  ‘The last I heard, she was working in a bar in New York. I have a postcard from her somewhere.’ Mrs K rummaged around in the box and produced a faded postcard of a New York city skyline. Damion read the brief message on the back of the postcard.

  Hi Mr and Mrs K, I’m having a great time in New York and am working in a bar in Soho. Made lots of cool friends. Hope you are well. Lots of love, Allie xxx

  A grin spread out over Damion’s face as he realised the irony of it. His daughter, following in his footsteps by running away to work in a bar. And in Soho! Okay, it was Soho in a different city separated by the Atlantic, but still, how awesome was that? And it narrowed down his search to New York. He had no idea whether she still lived there, but at least he had a place to start looking. He checked the back of the postcard again and it was dated almost five years ago. She could be anywhere by now. He also noticed the postcard was signed with a different name.

  ‘Did she always go by the name Allie?’ he asked.

  ‘No, she was always called Alice when she lived here. Perhaps she wanted a fresh start with a new name.’

  Damion had wondered the same thing. He would ask Doofy if he could trace someone called Allie Willows in New York, but for now he needed sleep.

  ‘Are there any hotels or motels near here?’

  ‘Not for miles. Stay the night here, if you don’t mind sleeping on the sofa.’

  Damion remembered the threat Nat Willows had made and worried about the distinctive Mustang with Californian plates parked on the street. He decided it would be best if he left town.

  ‘Thank you so much for the kind offer Mrs K, but I had better get going. I passed a motel on the way here. I think I’ll head there for the night. Do you mind if I take this photo of Alice?’

  ‘No, not at all. I hope you manage to find her.’

  He hugged her, then left, feeling he had taken a step closer to his daughter.

  Chapter 21

  Two Months Earlier

  Alice loved working in the bar and was having the time of her life. She’d spent the previous two weeks perfecting a new cocktail and was ready for somebody to taste it.

  ‘Jenna, try this for me please,’ she said, and handed it to her.

  She took a sip. ‘Mmmm, that’s heaven in a glass. What’s it called?’

  ‘Heaven in a glass,’ Alice replied.

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Well, it is now. I didn’t have a name for it before, but I think you’ve nailed it.’

  ‘Did you create this?’

  ‘I’ve been working on it for a few weeks, but yeah.’

  ‘We’ve gotta get Aiden to try this. It must go on the menu! Aiden, get your ass over here and take a taste of this!’ Jenna yelled to their bar manager.

  He ambled over, and Jenna thrust it in his hand. He took a sip. ‘Whoa! That’s amaaaaa-zing! What is it?’

  ‘Allie invented it,’ Jenna boasted proudly for her friend.

  ‘Really; do you have a recipe for it?’

  ‘Yep,’ Alice replied. ‘On my phone. Want me to send it to you?’

  ‘Yes please. We’ll put this up as cocktail of the week. What’s it called?’

  ‘Heaven in a glass,’ both girls said in unison, then burst out laughing.

  ‘Right, Allie, I’ll leave it up to you to train the other bar staff how to make it and next Monday we’ll make it cocktail of the week. Good work!’

  The bar started filling up around 9:00 pm. At 9:30, Allie sensed something that caused her to look up. A stranger, dressed in an expensive suit, strode towards her. Their eyes locked, and for a moment everyone else in the bar disappeared. Not breaking eye contact, he ordered three vodka shots.

  Her hands shook as she poured his drinks and watched as he arranged them in a perfect line. She wanted to talk to him, but had become tongue-tied. He downed his shots, one by one, his long tanned hands making a perfect arc as he raised each glass.

  Once finished, threw her a $100 bill then turned and walked towards the exit, taking all of his mystique with him.

  ‘Did you see that guy? He was hot!’ she said, to Jenna.

  Jenna raised her eyebrows. ‘Don’t tell me you fancy him?’

  Alice blushed, and Jenna continued. ‘Little ole Allie who doesn’t like men. Seriously? Hey Luke, Allie’s found herself a man!’

  ‘No way,’ Luke replied. ‘A man? I thought you didn’t like men!’

  ‘I’v
e never said I don’t like men. I’ve just never found one I’ve been attracted to.’

  Alice had fallen for Carter Willis back in high school, and since then, no man had captured her heart. She’d been asked out on numerous occasions, but had never sensed that special spark.

  But who was the dark stranger she just served? Was she attracted to him? Or his mystique? Why would he come in, order three shots, pay a large tip, then walk out? What was his story? She resolved to find out.

  That night after their shift, Alice, Jenna and Luke went back to their apartment, located above the bar they worked in. Luke had his own room and Alice and Jenna shared one. The arrangement worked out well; they had a lot of fun both at work and at home. They collapsed on the sofa and Luke lit up a joint, then passed it around. Alice lost herself in a haze of marijuana, the mysterious stranger consuming her thoughts.

  She’d come a long way since those terrible days in Kentucky, a life she’d thankfully left behind. She had grown up a lot so perhaps she was ready to take on a love interest. Nothing too serious of course, as she was only twenty-three.

  ‘I’m going to go out with him,’ she said, out loud.

  Luke and Jenna cracked up laughing at her outburst.

  ‘Whaaaa?’ Luke said.

  ‘Vodka shot guy. He’s gorgeous and I wanna go out with him.’

  ‘You gonna ask him out?’ Luke drawled.

  ‘No way. He can ask me out. I just gotta figure out how to get him to do that.’

  Jenna started giggling and couldn’t stop. Luke joined in.

  Wondering if the stranger would ever return to the bar, Alice got up, went into the kitchen, and put some bread in the toaster. She could hear Jenna and Luke still giggling in the lounge. Usually she would be laughing with them, but this guy had gotten to her.

  Alice spent the next few days teaching the bar staff how to make her new cocktail. She had created some cards with the recipe on it, but she also wanted to show them how to make it, to ensure the flavour was perfect. Everyone who tasted it, loved it, and reckoned she had a hidden talent.

  Vodka guy hadn’t returned to the bar and she wondered if she’d ever see him again. She kept herself busy and started working on a second cocktail. It gave her something to do in the quiet times and took her mind off him.

  The next evening she saw him walking into an expensive restaurant with a glamorous lady on his arm. Alice watched as he guided her in, his arm resting on her lower back. A stab of irrational jealously pierced her in her stomach. Her reaction surprised her, having never felt anything like it before. Who was this guy who had gotten under her skin?

  Alice arrived at work, her mouth set in a scowl.

  ‘Whoa, what’s up with you?’ Luke said, as soon as he saw her.

  ‘The love of my life just walked into a restaurant with another woman. How dare he!’ she said, putting on her best pout.

  Luke laughed. ‘Well, you’ll have to put on some competition, girl! I can’t imagine she’s as gorgeous as you.’

  But the lady was stunning, even though she looked ten years older than Allie. So did Vodka guy for that matter, but she didn’t care, perhaps an older man would be good for her.

  It was Monday night and her cocktail special had started and the customers loved it. The low she’d felt earlier in the day lifted and a feeling of pride took over as she watched people’s reactions when they drank her creation.

  ‘Your cocktail’s a hit, Allie,’ Aiden said. ‘Might be a little bonus for you this week.’ He winked at her. She smiled, feeling good about herself, then Vodka guy walked in... alone. Her spirits soared as he strode up to the bar.

  ‘Hello again, how are you this evening?’ She threw her best smile at him. He didn’t smile back but ordered his three vodka shots. She tried again. ‘We have a special cocktail on tonight if you would like to try. It’s my own special recipe.’

  ‘No thanks,’ he replied, in a gruff but sexy voice.

  Well, that didn’t go very well. She poured three shots and watched as he lined them up neatly before drinking them. As before, he threw her a $100 note and walked out of the bar, taking her elation with him.

  Jenna, who had been watching the whole episode, walked over. ‘What happened there?’

  ‘I tried to make conversation with him, asked if he wanted to try my cocktail, and he dismissed me like an annoyance.’

  ‘Hey, forget about him. He’s a douchebag and far too old for you anyway.’

  For the next week, Alice pined for a love lost. Vodka guy had been into the bar twice since then, going through the same routine, but still paying her no attention. How could she feel so much for someone she didn’t even know? Jenna was annoyed with her and her constant whining.

  ‘Allie, you need to snap out of it, or do something about it. Go get yourself a one night stand or something, you’re driving me mad with your moods.’

  ‘I can’t help it, Jenna. There’s something about him. I know he’s the one, I know it.’

  ‘Well you should get over yourself and ask him out!’

  ‘No way!’ Alice replied.

  ‘Come on Allie, this is the 21st century, New York. Girls can ask guys out.’

  ‘You really think I should?”

  ‘Yes! Just do it. What’s the worst that can happen?’

  ‘He says no.’

  ‘So who cares, that would be his loss. You are gorgeous, girl! Besides, I’m sick of you going on and on about him. This will decide it one way or the other.’

  Alice decided Jenna was right; her obsession had gone on long enough, and it was time to take the plunge. The next time he came into the bar, she would ask him out.

  That night, the opportunity presented itself. He sauntered up to the bar and ordered three vodka shots as usual.

  Alice became tongue-tied and didn’t know what to say, so Jenna stepped in to help.

  ‘Soooo, have you met Allie?’ she said to the man, then stepped away.

  ‘Yes, we’ve met on a few occasions,’ he said.

  ‘So, what brings you in here so often ordering the same drink?’ Alice asked.

  ‘That’s rather personal I’m afraid.’ He knocked back a shot.

  Okay, this is not going well. At that moment Jenna popped her face in again. ‘Allie has something she wants to ask you.’

  Alice could have killed her.

  ‘Sounds interesting,’ he said, his eyes connecting with hers.

  ‘Go on Allie,’ Jenna stirred, then disappeared again.

  ‘Um... well... I was just wondering... um... if you wanted to... um... go out with me some time?’ she said, lacking in confidence and feeling embarrassed for herself.

  ‘That’s rather forward of you.’

  ‘Um... sorry, um... my friend said...‘ Alice stuttered, lost for words.

  ‘Hey, don’t be too hard on yourself, I’m an old fashioned kind of guy.’ He downed the other two vodka shots and Alice’s heart sank with them.

  ‘I believe the man should ask the woman out, not the other way around.’

  ‘Oh.’ Alice blushed.

  ‘How would you like to meet for coffee tomorrow morning at ten? At the cafe across the road?’ he asked.

  Did he just ask her out? One minute he’d been rude to her, the next he’d asked her for coffee.

  ‘Um... sure,’ was all she could manage to say.

  ‘Great, I’ll see you tomorrow.’

  ‘Nailed it,’ Jenna said, once he had gone. ‘Well done, you.’

  Alice still couldn’t believe she had a date with him; she didn’t even know his name.

  The next morning she was a bundle of nerves. ‘What do I wear for coffee?’ she asked Jenna.

  ‘Just be yourself,’ she replied.

  ‘So ripped jeans and a T-shirt?’

  ‘Seriously Allie, it’s coffee. Just wear some nice jeans and a blouse. You don’t want to appear over keen, but nor do you want to be a slob.’

  Alice arrived at the coffee shop right on the dot of ten. She
spotting him at a table by the window where he sat reading a newspaper. When she approached his table, he stood up and pulled out a chair for her.

  Wow, a gentleman.

  ‘So Allie, where are you from? I detect an accent, but I can’t place it.’

  ‘I grew up in California, but when my parents died, I was fostered out to a cousin of my Dad’s in Kentucky.’

  ‘Aaah, that explains the unusual accent. I’m sorry to hear about your parents. How old were you when they died?’

  ‘Only eleven, and it was the worst time of my life. Living in Kentucky was awful, and I escaped as soon as I could. I love New York and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.’

  ‘I totally agree with you there.’ The server came over to their table and Allie ordered a coffee.

  ‘I’ve realised I don’t know your name,’ she said.

  ‘Oh, how rude of me. Charles Montgomery.’ He held out his hand and she shook it.

  ‘Nice to meet you Charles, I’m Allie Wilson.’

  ‘Nice to meet you too, Allie.’

  There was an uncomfortable pause.

  ‘So, what do you do for a job?’ she asked, trying to break the silence.

  ‘Oh, a bit of this and a bit of that.’

  Alice wondered what that meant, but felt she shouldn’t push it. They drank their coffee and kept the conversation neutral. Charles asked her a lot of questions about herself, but wasn’t forthcoming about his own life. She did find out he was thirty-five years old, twelve years older than herself, but decided it didn’t matter.

  After an hour, Charles looked at his phone and said he had to get going, but he arranged to take her out for a proper date on Wednesday night, to Hobo, a Michelin-starred restaurant. Of course Allie had heard of it and knew you had to be the right sort of person to even get a booking there. She agreed, and he arranged to pick her up from the bar at 7.00 pm.

  ***

  Wednesday came around fast and Allie flapped around in a tizzy as to what to wear. She tried on a tight black dress of Jenna’s and found it fitted her perfectly. Alice eyed herself in the mirror and almost wolf-whistled at her reflection, not used to seeing herself dressed up. Jenna did her hair and makeup and by the time she was ready to go out, she looked amazing.