Chapter Two
Provincetown, Massachusetts
A few months later
The two little girls stopped and stared in awe at the beautiful house before them - their new home. It was certainly spectacular. Perched on the edge of a cliff, the sparkling waves of the Atlantic Ocean crashing against the rock less than 20 feet below, the large house commanded attention to any passers-by. Not that there was many. The road leading to the house dead-ended where the girls stood now so there was no through traffic.
Sally's eyes widened as she took in the house. It was large but certainly not large enough to be considered a mansion. An ivy-covered porch wound it's way around the wooden house. The sun shone brightly on the white walls and gleamed off the windows. Sally's gaze was drawn upwards towards what looked suspiciously like a small light-house. The house seemed to have been built around it. The house had three storey's with the light-house peaking to a height of five storey's.
Gillian reached down and grasped her sister's hand, grabbing the large suitcase beside her in the other. Hefting it up, she walked through the gate which was set in the white picket fence and up the small paved path leading up the porch steps.
She stopped suddenly as the door opened, causing little Sally to stumble into her. Regaining her balance, Gillian looked up at the three people standing before her, in the shade of the porch roof.
The first woman smiled down at them.. She looked to be around 35, her long brown hair tumbling in gentle waves past her shoulders. The second woman looked slightly younger, her strawberry blonde hair was coiled up and secured by a bun at the nape of her neck. Her hand was resting on the shoulder of the young girl standing beside her. Gillian immediately noticed the resemblance between the two but the girls hair was a golden blonde colour.
The three hurried down the steps towards the little girls.
"Hello, my darlings," the dark haired one said, as she stopped in front of them. She knelt down, hitching up the skirts of the colourful dress she was wearing, until she was eye-level with Gillian.
"Do you know who I am?" she asked kindly, tucking a stray hair behind Gillian's ear.
Gillian nodded slightly, smiling shyly. "Aunt Francis?" she asked.
The woman beamed back, nodding vigorously. "Yes," she replied.
She turned towards the other woman. "And this is your Aunt Jetty," she continued, waving her hand.
Gillian nodded again. "You're Mommy's sisters," she agreed.
Francis' smile faded slightly and sadness appeared on her face. "Yes, we are," she said softly.
Jetty stepped forward. "This is your cousin, Stephanie, my daughter," she explained.
Gillian looked at the girl and smiled shyly back. "Hi! I'm 12. What ages are you?" Stephanie asked, standing forward and smiling widely.
"I'm 6," Gillian replied. All eyes turned to the dark haired little girl beside her, waiting for her to reply. "3," came the quiet response.
Francis looked back at her sister, a worried look on her face. "Sally?" she asked the little girl.
Sally looked up, her blue eyes glinting in the sun. "Do you want to come see your room?" Francis asked, holding out a hand for Sally take.
Sally looked down at the out-stretched hand and then to the kind face of her aunts and cousins. They all smiled encouragingly at her. Her gaze travelled past them, to the house and then to the sea. After a moment, she finally lifted her gaze to her sister, standing beside her.
Gillian seemed to know what Sally was thinking. She leaned down and whispered in her ear.
"It's okay, Sal. We're going to live here now, with Aunt Francis and Aunt Jetty and Stephanie. Everything is going to be fine. I'm here, and I won't let anything happen to you, I promise" she said softly, so the others wouldn't hear. Pulling back, Gillian looked at Sally.
Sally stared back into her sister's eyes, the exact same blue hue as her own and nodded slightly. Turning back to her aunts, a smile broke out across her face. Reaching out she clasped her aunts hand and nodded. They all breathed an audible sigh of relief.