Droplets (DROPLETS Trilogy Book 1) (13 page)

     Patrick turned to look at the flat canopied rock and began to make his way through the water toward it. Spotting an area where I could cross to the other side without falling into the water, I hopped from rock to rock until I reached the ledge.

     I took my seat in the center and as promised dangled my feet in the cool, refreshing water. Patrick swam over to where my feet touched the crystal blue liquid and looked up at me; I couldn’t help but notice how the water clung to his eyelashes. Shadows from the leaves played on his young, masculine face making the situation seem all the more serious.

     He broke our steady gaze to look down and find a place to stand. His feet touched the flat stones beneath him and he stood before me, chest deep in water.

     A small crease developed between Patrick’s eyebrows and he broke our silence. “What’s your family like?”

     Surprised, I wondered what his motive was. For a moment I pondered what I could tell him, but then realized I could tell the truth. Curious, I deliberated whether I should tell him the truth. If this was a game we were playing, what was the prize at the end? 

     “I’m sorry,” he said, his eyes wide with innocence. “I didn’t mean to upset you, I just wanted to know.”
But why do you want to know?

     Frustrated, I watched my feet as they moved through the water, back and forth.

     “You didn’t upset me.” I smiled calmly to reassure him. My voice matched his carefree tone perfectly. “I was thinking of something else.”

     He looked even more curious—the small crease reappeared between his eyebrows. For just a moment I thought I saw understanding in his eyes. He knew that I was equally playing the game too.

     “I have a very big and kind of strange family,” I said. Even though I was trying to be controlled, I couldn’t contain the smile in my voice. “What do you want to know about them?”

     “Whatever you wish to tell me.” In a skilled move, Patrick pulled himself out of the water to sit beside me on the ledge. Water ran off him and his closeness made my breath catch. If I so much as moved an inch to the right, our legs would touch. I tried not to think about it as my mouth began to run. He listened, never saying a word, his eyes focused on the water running past our feet in a gentle current.

     “So,” I said coming to a close, “that’s my family.” I shrugged even though a pang of homesickness hit my heart.

     For a moment he remained silent and I wondered at his expression. A deep longing was on his face, an unquenched desire. It was more genuine than any emotion he had shown since we had gotten to the waterfall.

     He took a deep breath, “I have to say, you impress me, Lissie.”

     It was my turn to look confused.

     Glancing to his side he peeked at me and laughed. The sound was deep and rolled over my ears in a gentle sort of way. I felt myself relax slightly.

     “Don’t look so surprised,” he continued. “We both know that your story of how you got here isn’t true. But,” he held up a finger, “I do believe what you said about your family. That I can tell is real.”

     Impressed by his perceptiveness, I matched his claims. “Then you can be honest and give up the carefree act. I know you brought me here to get answers.”

     Again he chuckled and this time the tight air between us seemed to shatter. The tension and distrust floated away on the breeze.

     “Well,” he sighed. “I guess we have wasted some valuable time today.”

     “I guess so,” I answered, my eyes squinting from the bright reflection coming off the water. And then I wondered out loud, “What about you, do you have a family?”

     Again the sorrowful expression passed over his face and he looked over the water. The moment of friendly laughter was past; in its place was the serious face I had come to know. The roaring waterfall was the only sound to be heard as we sat side by side averting our gazes.   

     “Sorry,” I said truthfully and ducked my head, not sure of how to explain myself.

     “Not a problem.” His statement was too matter of fact to make me feel reassured.

     “I didn’t mean to be rude,” my words spilled out quickly “I just wanted to… you looked…” Internally cursing myself, I couldn’t finish my sentence.
What could I say?

     I could feel his gaze on me, but I refused to look up. My hair had fallen in front of my face creating a barrier, and I intended to keep it that way.

     “Lissie,” he said more gently than I expected. Slowly I turned to look at him and met his brown gaze with my own. His chest rose as he breathed deeply. “I’m sorry. I simply forgot what it was like to have a family.”

     Sympathy filled my heart and I regretted prying into his past. He had just as many secrets as I did. Internally I vowed to keep my curiosity hidden from him.

     Time stood still as we sat on the ledge and looked at the water. It was peaceful, yet filled with unanswered questions. The leaves on the bowed tree above us rustled in the wind, taking strands of my hair with it. A gold strand caught my attention, its unnatural movement stirring fright within me that he would notice. Without hesitation, I pulled a hairband from my wrist and secured my waves in a sloppy bun.

     I realized my sudden movement had not escaped the eye of the man beside me. Why had I not pulled my hair back before leaving the cabin this morning?

     Clearing his throat awkwardly, Patrick slapped his palms onto the tops of his legs. “Should we head back?” He asked, sending a very pointed look in my direction.

     “But we just got here,” I protested.

     “Since I’m the only one swimming,” His said in a mock apology, “let’s go find something we can both do.”

     “Okay,” I said and stood up to follow him.

     “But,” he said, turning back toward me, “we do have one thing in common.”

     “What’s that?” I asked; my feet poised upon the wet rock.

     “We are both hiding who we really are,” he said and then made his way back across the rocks to the other side.

     I stood frozen for a moment, knowing that what he said was true. And yet his admittance that he had a hidden past made me trust him.

     Oddly, a small smile curved over my lips and I tiptoed over the rocks to the other side where Patrick stood waiting. His eyes confirmed what I felt.

     Somehow we were now friends.

13. Sisters

Time passed quickly on the island—each day produced something new. The new found friendship between Patrick and I grew slowly. We found that we enjoyed one another’s company and a careful routine wove its way into our lives.

     Patrick took me around the island, showing me his favorite spots and the best views of the ocean from the raised hills. One day he even took me into his workshop and showed me how to carve a fish figurine out of wood. The little object he helped me make was nothing like the intricate carvings he had on shelves throughout the cabin, though.

     The library quickly became one of my favorite spots and I often found myself searching the stacks and rows of books for something to read. Part of my mind knew I would need to return to reality, eventually, but for the moment I was happy to escape Morven’s threats by staying on the island. I tried to attribute my reluctance to leave as fear, but deep down I knew it had to do with Patrick. He was still as mysterious as when I had first met him, but the more I learned of him the more I liked him.

    We spent many afternoons in the main cabin. Patrick would sit in his wooden chair and carve all sorts of things, whether they were tools or animal figures, and I would sit on the couch and read. Sometimes we talked and it was in these times that I felt our friendship strengthen.

     Finishing dinner, we sat in our usual spots by the fireplace with the last light of day coming in through the windows.

     I glanced over at the still figure that sat in the wooden chair before the fire. His eyes were open and unfocused as though he was thinking. The firelight played tricks on his hair, changing it from rich chocolate brown to honey golden in the blink of an eye. His legs stretched leisurely in front of him and his muscular arms were folded across his broad chest.

     The mystery of who he was and why he was on the island was no closer to being solved. I had come close to asking him twice, but in the end decided to maintain the communal silence about our pasts. Reason forced me to think I was entitled to ask since he had questioned me about my past at the waterfall. Taking a deep breath, I decided to try and ask once more.  

     “Patrick?” He pulled himself from his thoughts and calmly looked at me. I bit my lip and tried to gather my thoughts.

     “When you asked me about my family at the waterfall,” I began. He cocked his head curiously. “Well, I was wondering where your family is.”

     He looked away immediately and fidgeted slightly. There was silence in the cabin aside from the popping and snapping of the burning wood. It became uncomfortable and I played with my hair self-consciously, not sure of how to proceed.

     “My family is no longer alive.” A lonesome sadness enveloped his voice.

     Why had I broken our unspoken pact to remain silent about the past? I cursed myself for prying into his business. Once again I stared into the fire trying to ignore what had just transpired. After some time I realized I could feel his eyes on me. I tried to resist the urge to look at him, but gave in quickly.

     His face was composed but regret lined his eyes, and as he blinked slowly he looked away once more.

     “I didn’t get the chance to say goodbye to them,” he said. “One day I was with them and the next I was gone. Then they were gone too and I will always be wondering… never knowing what could have been.” He broke off and placed a large palm across his face, hiding his expression from me.

     Leaning forward, he rested his forearms on his knees. The silence became weighted again and I was unable to speak, afraid I would say something worse. I stared at him, wishing I had never spoken, when he looked up and gazed back at me.

     Patrick inhaled a shaky breath and rubbed his face again with his palm. He was tense, the muscles in his shoulders and arms seized tightly and didn’t release.

     Before I realized what was happening, I moved closer to him at the end of the bench. Sitting down, I hesitantly reached out and touched his back. In all the time we had spent together, we were careful to maintain a distance from each other. In one short movement I broke the physical barrier between us. My hand rubbed back and forth along the wrinkles in his shirt, concentrating on getting the tight muscles to relax. He slowly began to breathe deeper and steadier trying to calm himself. Finally the muscles in his back relaxed and he lifted his head from his hands.

     I paused. My hand on his back stilled. With a slow movement, he turned to look at me. All signs of loneliness were gone from his eyes; all that remained was a deep warmth. Uncomfortable with my hand on his back, I moved it away. I was unsure of whether it should have been there in the first place.

     The corners of his mouth slightly lifted and his eyes glowed powerfully. He was looking at me as though he had never seen me before, as though he really saw me for the first time. I looked back at him. I was uncertain of what it all meant. The distance between us had somehow closed without either of us moving. I could feel his gaze on me when I looked away. I knew he could feel the change too.

     He moved his hand slowly and grasped my own gently. I could feel the calluses on his palms. Warmth spread through my chest and my heart pumped a little faster. Unsure of what to do, I remained still and kept my gaze averted. 

     I could feel him willing me to look at him. Slowly I turned my head and lifted my eyes to his. He opened his mouth to speak but then…

     “I told you he’d be in!” A high shrill voice poured in through the window.

     Patrick immediately dropped my hand and stood up quickly. The moment shattered.

     Without a knock, the door opened and in walked a young teenage girl with bouncy red curls flowing from her ponytail. Behind her was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, and just behind her was Kryssa. They all paused upon seeing me in the living room. I stood up from the bench to watch them as they entered.

     I looked at the youngest girl. She was staring at me curiously; the hint of a smile played around her lips as her eyes darted from me to Patrick. She was beautiful, more fairy-like than Kryssa and the other woman. Her eyes held the innocence of youth, but her body was that of a young woman. I guessed her age to be around my own.

     The beautiful woman beside her had the same dark hair as Kryssa, only hers fell in soft ringlets rather than in waves. Her face was serious, and her light green eyes seemed perceptive. She was the shortest of the three, but her frame was as athletic and sleek as Kryssa’s. Her stance asserted her authority and the name I had heard before pervaded my mind.
Shaylee
.

     There was nothing harsh in Kryssa’s gaze; somehow I had earned her trust. Maybe it was because I was still here and no harm had come to Patrick. Though how I could ever hurt him when he was so much stronger than me was still beyond my understanding.

     “Lissie,” Kryssa said formally. “These are my sisters, Nixie,” she pointed at the small red haired girl, “and Shaylee.” I had guessed correctly.

     Now that I looked and knew they were sisters, I could see the resemblance. The curly ringlets of Shaylee and Nixie matched perfectly, though the color was different. The three girls also shared the same shade of bright green eyes. The longer I stared the more, I could see that Nixie and Kryssa hardly looked alike; instead they both shared certain features with Shaylee. It was as though Shaylee was a mix of the two girls and they each had different parts of her.

     “It’s nice to finally meet you,” Nixie said in a twinkly voice—the same voice that had come through the window only moments before.

     “When you said you would be back, I thought it would be sooner than a week.” Patrick’s deep voice came as a shock and made me jump. I looked up to find him casually smiling at the three sisters.

    “Yes, well, plans change.” Kryssa’s tone was light and comfortable, but I could tell Shaylee was not so laid back. Her hands were by her sides, her fingers spread apart making me feel threatened. Once more I felt a tingling in my own fingers in response. Before I could wonder about it, Shaylee blurted out. “How long?”

     Everyone turned to look at her, wondering what she meant. When she realized no one understood, she rephrased. “How long has it been since you fell from the ship?” Her eyes bored into mine.

     I swallowed hard, worried she would pull the lies from me. I may have come to an agreement with Patrick about the past but I knew this woman wouldn’t be so obliging. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Patrick glance at me. 

     “About a month before Patrick found me,” my voice was nervous.

     “And where were you between falling off the ship and then?” Her gaze was piercing.

     “I already told them,” I said weakly, trying to be innocent. I dropped my eyes to the floor. “I don’t really remember what happened or how I got here.”

     “Yes, we know.” It was Kryssa who spoke, her tone softer than the other day.

     I felt terrible deceiving all of them, but Patrick understood. There was something in his past that made him just as keen as I was to leave old memories unstirred.

     “Come on,” Kryssa nudged Shaylee, forcing her to loosen her stance. “I told you all of this. She is innocent and you know it.”

     I gazed at Shaylee, hoping she would see something in my face. She continued to look back, but after a moment she dropped her gaze and sighed.

     “I know you already told me,” her hard features softened and her gaze fell upon Patrick instead. “It just causes one to wonder about—” She broke off suddenly.

     I glanced over at Patrick to see what he made of the situation, but he was calm. “That’s exactly how I felt when I first saw her.”

     The tension in the room eased between the girls, but I felt more uncertain about my situation than ever before. What was it that Patrick saw in me?

     “I presume you have a reason for showing up so unexpectedly?” On the last word Patrick caught my eye and winked. His actions puzzled me. Not only was he being more friendly than normal, but his words were so carefully spoken that I felt he was trying to hide something.

     “Yes, but let’s sit.” Shaylee’s authoritative voice was once more in place. Hardly moving from where I stood, I sat down on the wooden bench as the sisters took their seats. Patrick stood beside the fireplace while he let Shaylee take his own chair.

     Shaylee’s eyes snapped to mine and I knew she was all business; this was not a meeting for the faint of heart. Trying to keep my wits about me, I gathered my courage and flicked my eyes to Patrick. He stood leisurely with an arm against the wood carved mantle, but the lines in his face spoke differently than his casual body language.

     “Lissie, I am unsure of all my sister told you, but I gather you know we do not live here on the island?” At my subtle nod, Shaylee continued. “Where we live there are many others, who like us, would be concerned with your arrival. For that reason your whereabouts have remained a secret. We three are the only ones to know about your presence here.”

     Patrick exhaled softly. I glanced at him quickly and saw the relief on his face.

     “What I need now from you is very important.” Shaylee’s words rang with truth and I held my breath in anticipation. “You have to tell me the truth of who you are and why you are here.”

     Alarm filled my heart and every nerve in my body stood on edge. I wanted to flee. There was nothing they could do to make me tell the truth. I would have to leave.

     Feigning ignorance, I tried to maintain a calm façade. “I don’t know what you mean. I have told you who I am and where I came from.”

     “I understand that, but it’s this month period in which you claim you had amnesia that has me worried.” Shaylee’s eyes pierced into mine sharper than ever before. She was able to read me like a book; somehow I got the feeling she had done this numerous times before.

     Fear and confusion riled inside me, making me see an approach I hadn’t considered before. With more confidence than I had expected I forced myself to speak clearly.

     “You are right,” I said. Shaylee’s eyebrows rose slightly at my words; to the side I saw Patrick straighten his posture as though on alert. “I didn’t speak truthfully. I remember everything that happened during that month. But I still won’t tell you.”

     Nixie, who was sitting beside me, inhaled sharply while I continued to focus my gaze on Shaylee. Miraculously, my mind was calm even though my heart was beating out a staccato rhythm.

     Kryssa stood up from the bench, but her eyes were not on me. Instead she looked to Patrick. “If she will not tell us the truth, then we have to take her. I know you didn’t want it to come to this, but she is too much of a liability to not be taken.”

     The words made no sense to me, but Kryssa’s logic seemed to be working on Patrick. I could see it in his gaze as he lifted his eyes to my face. He nodded his head slightly, without looking at Kryssa.

     “Why won’t you tell them?” Patrick’s voice floated through the room just above the sound of the fire.

     “Because I can’t.” I said, my voice growing stronger. “If I tell someone the truth, I endanger their life. I won’t risk your life for this.”    

     Shaylee broke in forcefully, yet a hint of respect was threaded in her words. “It does not matter your reasoning, we need to know or you will have to come with us. It would be much easier to do things here.”