Bear In The Rough: Book 1: Treasure Hunt (BBW Bear Shifter Romance) (43 page)

Chapter Four

Suddenly, Greta saw a large figure in a gray uniform emerged from behind her brother.

“STOP!”

“...three.”

She felt her brother’s hands slip away. Then there was nothing. No Jascha. No Gestapo.

For a moment, there was only rushing air on her back. For a moment in time, everything was

peaceful.

Then her body slammed into the thorny bushes, knocking the wind out of her little body.

Dazed, she lay there. Slowly, the pain of the fall began to overtake her. Everything hurt.

“RUN, GRETA!” she heard, bringing her back to reality. It was Jascha, struggling to

fight off the Gestapo soldier in her little bedroom.

Greta stood, still a little dazed from everything that had just transpired.

“GO!” Jascha cried again.

She couldn’t disappoint her brother, but she didn’t want to leave him. Her eyes welled up

with tears once again as she looked up to the window to see her brother one last time. His blue

eyes were squinted and his jaw was set in concentration. Every muscle on his gangly body was

bulging. He was fighting with everything he had.

For a moment, his eyes broke away from his opponent and rested on her. His strained

face relaxed, becoming boyish and youthful once more. In that moment, he seemed almost

peaceful.

“I will find you, little sister.”

Suddenly, everything around her began to dissolve. The window, her brother, and the

Nazi all vanished before her eyes. She could feel the weight of age return to her body as she

found herself standing on the staircase once again. However, this time she was far closer to the

top than she ever before.

Memories flooded Gretta’s mind, taking her breath away. Her knees buckled beneath her,

throwing her aged body onto the hard, wooden steps. She saw everyone she ever loved and

everything she ever was flash before her eyes. She saw herself escape to Switzerland. She saw

the kind family that had taken her in and the friends she had made. She saw her husband,

children, grandchildren pass through life in a matter of seconds.

A little voice finally pierced through the madness.

“Is that you, little sister?”

Greta looked up, and saw a young, gangly boy with brown, messy hair and blue eyes

smiling at her from the top of the stairs.

“Jascha,” Greta struggled to get the word out. She could feel her strength dwindle with

each passing second.

“I knew I would find you!” he exclaimed, running down to meet her with all the energy

and excitement of his eternal youth. He helped her to her feet with ease.

Chapter Five

“Greta, I have missed you so much! Mother, Father, and I have found a wonderful new

place for us to live,” he continued. As he spoke, a warm light began to grow from the top of the

stairs. “You will love it there, sister. Everything is so beautiful! There is so much to show you.

Are you ready to go?”

The old woman looked at her brother. He was so peaceful and happy. There was no sign

of the grief and fear that had plagued him so many years ago. Her gaze then turned to the

glowing light at the top of the stairs. It was an odd sight to see, but it still held some kernel of

familiarity for Greta. Its glow was not harsh on the eyes, nor was its heat unpleasant to the skin.

Everything about it was peaceful and inviting.

Greta turned back to her brother and nodded with a contented smile. She was ready to go.

Jascha’s blue eyes brightened as he offered his hand to her. Greta accepted it and, reunited once

more, the brother and sister ascended the staircase into the glowing light.

To Be Continued........

Chapter 1

On a very sunny afternoon, Chelsea decided to pay her parents a visit for few weeks after she had worked for long hours on her doctorate degree. On this faithful day, she was really tired and wanted a rest for a couple of weeks. She had thought of staying back but she also thought of it that it will be very boring staying alone, she then decided to go to her parents in Cape Hatton for a couple of weeks. She headed home to pack some of her things after she had completed some of her works. She had been writing a journal which will be published when she’s done. She specialized in molecular genetics. She was finding a means of incorporating a gene in an animal into a human. She had worked on that but still waiting for the result of the experiment. She decided to take a few weeks break until the result comes out. After packing some of her things at home, she decided to go on a ferry. She entered into the ferry with a very tired body hoping to take a nap during the journey. She sat down at the back seat and was about dozing off when she heard the voice calling her name; she acted as if she didn’t hear at first. But when the person kept on calling her name more than two times, she then decided to take a look at the person. Surprisingly, it was Michael Olsen calling her name. She was stunned and overwhelmed. She never thought of it for a second. All she was thinking was that it was someone else the person was calling, but what made her raised up her head was when Michael called her full name, Chelsea Benson. Chelsea quickly got up from where she was sitting moved closer to him. She gave her a full hug and with the look in her face, she was very surprised and happy to see him. Chelsea said to him, Oh! I can’t imagine my eyes seeing you again; it’s been a long time. Hope you are good? Well! I am good as you can see and I hope you are good too. Michael replied. I am good as well, but I am very glad to see you. It feels like I am dreaming. Said Chelsea, with a smile on her face. Oh!! Less I forget you really look amazing. Michael replied with a little grin. Chelsea was very happy to hear that from Michael, she looked at him again with a keen look. Michael noticed they had been disturbing other passengers with their conversation, he then told Chelsea to lets them have a sit. Chelsea who was very tired suddenly became agile when she saw Michael on the ferry. They had their sit very close to each other and they continued with their conversation. You just disappeared on us like that. Chelsea continued the conversation. I am really sorry I did so, but I don’t really have any other option than to do so then. I know I have really offended you and very sorry for that. Things were very tight then and I have no other option than to move away from town for some months. Michael replied. I guess it wasn’t because of Emily’s death. Chelsea asked Something like that! Baby, I know I have really done something bad and I have hurt your feelings by leaving town without letting you know about it, but I really have to do so because people thought I was involved in Emily’s death. Michael explained. I was very annoyed when I asked about you from your elder brother and he told me you have left town and that you are not going to come back for a while now. I seriously wept about that, it really took me a long time to get over it, but I have no option than to do so. Chelsea replied with a soft voice.  I am very sorry because I made you cried. You know, I really didn’t want to leave like that, I wanted to tell you about it, but I knew you won’t let me go, so I decided on my own to leave out of it. It wasn’t easy for me at all, but I just need to put my mind together and move on. Michael explained himself with tears on his face. Chelsea didn’t see anything else on Michael’s face but the truth whenever he speaks. She knows Michael loves her so much, but she was still very angry for the disappearance. Chelsea didn’t know what to say again, she then rested on his chest till they completed the journey. When the ferry lands on the island, they both dropped down. Michael helped Chelsea with one of her bags while they were moving away from the sea. As they moving away from the sea shore, Michael asked if he could drop her off with his car instead of her taking a cab home. Chelsea was pleased with the offer; she didn’t hesitate at all. She was very happy to hear that from Michael. When they got to the park where Michael packed his car, Michael opened his boot and dropped Chelsea’s bags. Chelsea had already sat in the front seat waiting for Michael to come and drive her home. Michael closed the boot after dropping the bags and went straight to the driver’s seat. He knew Chelsea was so tired, but the most amazing part of it was that he didn’t know what made her got tired. He decided to ask her so that it won’t get bored on their way home. Michael ignited the car engine and headed straight to Chelsea’s home. He knows the place and there was no reason for him to ask for the direction to the place. On their way home, both of them had several questions to ask themselves but that didn’t show on their face at all. As they were going home, both of them started talking at the same time. Chelsea wanted to ask Michael a question and at the same time, Michael wanted to ask some questions too. Immediately Michael noticed that he then told Chelsea to go ahead and ask her own questions. They both grinned and looked at each other’s face. Chelsea then started and said to him, I know it wasn’t easy for you then, but you ought to have told me before leaving, I will understand you better, but you just left like you got nobody here. Moreover, when did you come back to town? And what were you doing over there on the ferry? I am very sorry for that and I think I’ve said that several times today. I came back to town a week ago and I have tried to see you since then, but I really don’t know how to see you. I then decided to go to your house but unfortunately for me, I met no one. I then decided to be on my own since, but I know we will somehow meet each other one day which we did today. I am so glad to see your face again. Michael replied with a full serious look. Alright, so what do you come to do in town? Chelsea asked. I have actually come back home fully and I am also here to support my brother’s campaign here in town. Michael replied. Wow! Good idea, what have you been doing since all this while you’ve left town. Chelsea asked Oh! I completed my course and I also applied for my master’s immediately which I am through with. I have enrolled for my doctorate degree, but I have stopped that because of the campaign I came for, you know I need to be available always and I have to attend some meetings too. Michael replied. Oh really, you mean you are done with your masters. I have completed mine too and I am on my doctorate degree now. I have done a lot of research and paper works, but I need some rest, which is why I am going home. I don’t really think you should stop your doctorate degree because of your brother’s campaign, you can do that on a weekly basis; I mean you can choose a day or two in a week. Chelsea replied with a piece of advice. Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate you. I am glad to know that you have started your doctorate degree. Michael replied. I will like to have a dinner with you tonight, will you be available for that. I really want to speak with about some crucial things. I will really appreciate it if you can make it tonight. I have missed you and I am sure you have missed me too. Michael explained. I missed you too, but I am very sorry, I can’t go out with you tonight. I know how it feels and it’s very obvious that we have missed ourselves, but it’s not just easy for me to start going out with you immediately, after leaving me for a very long time. I am sorry I can’t do such. Chelsea explained to Michael and gave her reasons. Well, I understand you more than you can think of. Michael replied. Deep down in Chelsea, she was not really happy with the response she gave but she just wanted to feel secure and not
played upon by Michael. She was very surprised with the way she had been conversing with Michael even though they had seen each other for a very long time. She still feels a spark of attraction for him, but she doesn’t want to look cheap or played upon. She still feels hurt and confused as to why he just disappeared so abruptly from her life without a word.

CHAPTER 2

After talking for a while, they arrived at Chelsea’s home. Michael didn’t want anybody to notice him at her house. He was afraid of her family will say to him. He helped Chelsea to drop her bags from the boot and he also opened the door for her. She gave a hug and she really thanked him for the ride he gave her. Michael doesn’t feel like he did anything special for her, after all, they used to be lovers. He nodded his head in response to what she said and told her that she is always welcome. “I will do anything just to make you happy,” Michael said to her. Chelsea replied him and said “Thank you very much for being there”. Michael went back into his car and drove off. Chelsea waved to him as he was going before she picked her and moved in. When Chelsea entered the house, she saw Antonia and Cecilia in the living room watching TV. Immediately she shut the door, Antonia and Cecilia knew someone was at the door but they didn’t know it was Chelsea. When they saw her, they were thrilled to see her and they were both happy to see her again. Cecilia helped her with her bags and she carried them into Chelsea’s room. Antonia, on the other hand, was very happy to see her daughter again. Before they started they their conversation, Chelsea asked for her stepfather, Colin. Antonia answered her and said he had travelled for a business trip. Chelsea also asked for Bobby, her younger brother, and she was told that he had gone to school and that he will be back in the weekend. Chelsea was glad to hear that everyone was fine at home. She moved closer to her mother and gave her a hug. She told her mum that she had missed her and everyone at home. Antonia replied her that she had missed her too and that they need to talk about what she just heard. Before she said what she heard, Chelsea told her that she saw Michael at the ferry and that he was the one that dropped her home before he left. Antonia was stunned to hear that, he couldn’t believe Michael and Chelsea had seen each other even before she came home. As they were talking, Cecilia came out of the room where she went to drop Chelsea’s bags. Antonia quickly told Cecilia to go and set the table for dinner so that Chelsea could eat. She knew Chelsea would be hungry and that she needs to taste a better meal since she had left home for his Doctorate degree. Cecilia did as her mum had said; she went straight to the kitchen to get the food served on the dining table. After Cecilia had left, Chelsea told her mum, Antonia, that she needs to take a shower before eating in order to have a better gist; she needs to take a bath and feel relaxed so that they can talk better. Antonia had no choice than to allow her to have a shower before they could continue with their discussion but deep down in her mind she was kind of upset because of what Chelsea had told her about Michael, that he gave her a ride home. She was very sure that they must have talked about something before Chelsea could allow him to give her a ride home. She never wanted Chelsea to continue the relationship with Michael simply because of what had happened after Emily’s death. She looked worried a bit after Chelsea had left for the bathroom. She thought of things she could do to separate them but at the moment she was unable to figure out anything because of it looks sudden to her and she really was expecting such thing. Few minutes after, Cecilia came out of the kitchen to inform Chelsea and Antonia that the table is set for dinner. Surprisingly, she didn’t find Chelsea in the living room. She asked for her from her mother, Antonia and she told her that she had left for the bathroom. Cecilia sat down waiting for Chelsea to come out of her room. As they were waiting for her, Antonia tapped Cecilia and told her about what Michael did for Chelsea that evening. Cecilia was shocked when she had Michael’s name, she thought something bad has happened to him. But when Antonia finished her talking, she felt relaxed. Obviously, Cecilia likes Michael but due to what happened she felt confused. Although Michael’s action showed that he was more or less like a crook by leaving the town. Cecilia couldn’t know exactly what to say, she didn’t know Michael had come back to town, she was just hearing this for the first time. She then replied, “I don’t think there is anything wrong in that. Obviously, Michael and Chelsea used to be a lover before the occurrence, they can continue with their affair if they still feel something great for each other”. Antonia was stunned to hear this from Cecilia; she thought Cecilia will be on her side by rejecting Chelsea and Michael’s affair. She told her to shut up and never to intervene into the matter whenever they are discussing it. As they were talking to each other, Chelsea had already finished her bath. She put on her pyjamas and her slippers like someone preparing to go bed, but in her own case she was about to have dinner. She stepped out of her room and moved to the living room where her Mum and her sister were sitting. Immediately her Mum, Antonia saw her, she led her to the dining table where the food had already been served. They all had their seat and ready to have dinner. Antonia told Chelsea to say the Lord’s Prayer before they start eating. Chelsea told everyone to close their eyes and she said the Lord’s Prayer. They all started eating. “Good meal” Chelsea commented on the taste of the food. As they were having their meal, Chelsea continued her discussion with her Mum. She told her all that had happened during her Doctorate degree, the stress she had and how she was able to go about it. She also talked about how tasking her course was. As she was talking about what she heard in school, Antonia was just listening, she was responding but not as she did when they were talking about Michael. Cecilia was enjoying the conversation because she loves Biochemistry too, but she was still in high school then. Chelsea noticed that her Mum was not really following what she was saying, she then decided to change the topic and talked about what Michael told her. Suddenly, Antonia asked what Michael told her. Chelsea replied her and said, “Michael asked to come and join him in a restaurant tonight, but I declined that. I decided not to follow him because of how he just disappeared on me”. “Yes! You have done well by not going out with him. I heard he came to town because of his brother’s campaign. Lawrence, his brother is running for the Governor of the state and he needs his brother for the campaign and all that. I never knew you two will see each other so soon but let me warn you, you shouldn’t get involved in his campaign thing” Chelsea looked furious with the advice her Mum gave her, she tried to defend Michael by saying, “He had already told me that and we have talked about it. He also told me he is now back fully, I told him he can’t continue running and perhaps, will he keep running for his entire life. I know he is not guilty for Emily’s death but he scared and that is why he decided to leave the town”. Antonia started laughing when she heard Chelsea’s reply, even though Chelsea sounds weak due to the fact that she had no strong evidence to defend her point. Moreover, Michael looks guilty by running away. Cecilia looked confused as they were talking about the issue; she tried to ask for more details from Chelsea because she knew her Mum won’t give her the detail. Cecilia decided to ask Chelsea about what happened and why everyone thinks Michael was responsible for Emily’s death. She was young then, but she doesn’t really know all that happened. She knew Michael used to come to their house then, but suddenly, she didn’t see him any more until they started talking about him that evening. Chelsea didn’t hesitate to tell her the true story, she started narrating the whole story to Cecilia by saying, it all happened like this: Five years ago, there was a clambake that all the residents of Cider Creek, which is the upscale section for Cape Haltom, had to attend. Everyone in the neighbourhood was there and I have to be present at the party. Seafood’
were used to be served, since I was dating Michael and Emily, who happens to be a friend (but not very close) of mine was dating Jay, Michael’s friend. Michael took me to the party as his date and Emily went to the party as Jay’s date. Emily and I were friends from childhood, but we were not really close when we grow up, maybe due to distance or something else, but we were able to spend much time together during that summer because our boyfriends were best friends. We went to the party that night and everyone were having fun at the party, but I was not really feeling too well, but I just have to go to the party because of Michael. That very night, I noticed a tension between Emily and Jay, I decided to ask Emily about it, but she locked up that night, she didn’t tell me what was going on. I called Michael’s attention to that and I told him to talk to Jay in order to know what was going on. I was unable to stay longer at the party; I decided to come that night in order to treat the cold I was dealing with. I tried Michael’s cell phone to let him know that I was going but to my utmost surprise, his number was not going through. I left the party for home without seeing anyone of them. After I had come home, Michael tried to reach me but amazingly to him, I had already got home. He later found out I had gone home when we spoke on the phone and I told him to please help me talk to Jay in order to know what happened between him and his girlfriend, Emily. Surprisingly, we got a call the next morning from Wendy, who happens to be Mum’s friend and Emily’s Mum. She called in a panic to inform us that Emily had never come home the night before. I was stunned to hear that Emily had never come home the night before. I picked up my cell phone and put a call to Michael to inform him about what I just heard about. Mum and I decided to go Wendy’s house, I tried to explain the whole situation to her but to my utmost surprise, Jay, Emily’s boyfriend said Emily left the party the same time I left the party, which I didn’t know at all. The last time I saw Emily was when she was speaking with Jay and Georgina. I was unable to tell them that I was leaving because I was only looking for Michael to tell him I was leaving. I was fuzzy on the information because I really wasn’t feeling well that night and I didn’t pay more attention to what was going on. After few hours when we didn’t see any sign of Emily, we decided to set up a search party. Michael had come around wondering where Emily could have gone to. Michael and I decided to look for her at the beach maybe she was drunk and fell asleep in the beach. Other people had gone to look for her in other places where they think she could have gone to. Michael and I walked along part of the beach that borders the estate where Michael’s family lives. I wanted to search the estate, but Michael talked me out it, saying it would be a complete waste of time. We continue to search for her but we found nothing, we decided to go back to Wendy’s house. As we were going back, suddenly, we noticed a commotion in front of the Olsen’s compound. We rushed up to see what was happening but to our highest surprise, we found out that Emily’s body was lying on the ground very close to where Lawrence, Michael’s brother lives with his newlywed wife. I was shocked, so do Michael too. I left for home with the hope that I will talk to Michael later. Before I got home, Michael had already called me several times, but when I called him back, I was able to get only voice mail. Michael came to see me later, but he doesn’t stay long. I knew he was troubled, but there wasn’t I could do at that moment. I tried to press him to know what went wrong but he, unfortunately, Mum came to interrupt saying we have to go to Wendy’s place. I left Michael that very day with the hope of seeing him in the evening or the next day, but something else happened. I couldn’t see him again until today on the ferry which was five years after the incidence. I wondered why he left like that. After narrating the whole story to Cecilia, Cecilia felt confused and asked a very tangible question as to why Michael left the town immediately after the incidence. He made it look as if he was the murderer. Chelsea couldn’t know the answer to the question but deep down in her, she trusts Michael to an extent. They all went to their bedroom after finishing the discussion to have a night rest. They greeted themselves good night and they went to their separate bedroom. Chelsea went into her bedroom with a wondering heart. She was wondering about the question Cecilia asked, that why did Michael leave the town so soon. Chelsea still wonders why Michael could have done such a thing, but her trust for him was still very firm. She fell asleep as she was thinking about the whole issue.