~*~*~*~
Nichola Aisling Ravensdale first opened her tiny little eyes on a chilly February morning, as the sun began to peek around the buildings and through the lace curtains of the Ravensdale windows. Nearly a month premature, she was lacking in size, however was for the most part healthy, and even had quite a mess of dark hair already on her head.
"A Survivor!" The doctor had said and smiled warmly. "Like her mother."
Taryn laughed. Her fiery spirit had returned in full during passing months without her husband. She felt whole again. Even now, so close to Adair's supposed return, everything was right in her small world.
The days were passing all too soon. Not having to work, Taryn was able to spend every moment with her daughter. Days were spent at the market and lounging around the house, and evenings were set aside for reading, playing, laughing and learning. Adair, was almost a fading memory, lost among so many of the past. In Taryn's eyes, Nichola was all there was in the world; the revitalizing hope in a place so dark and cold.
Taryn kicked a stone out of her way, before bending over to retrieve the stuffed cat that Nichola had once again tossed over the side of the buggy.
"Well do ya want it, or don't ya?" she raised her thin eyebrows at the child, who stared almost blankly back up at her. "Well, do ya?" The black kitten was waved temptingly in the young woman's hand, and the baby extended her arm, making a fist and then stretching it out again. Taryn's lips parted in a radiant smile.
"Ya want it back?"
Nichola just giggled and grabbed for the animal. Her mother sighed and tossed it back inside the stroller, and they continued merrily on their way home.
"Taryn! Oh Taryn, dear!" Mrs. Williams stood smiling, out on her porch, waving her hand to get the young mother's attention.
"Good mornin' to ya, Mrs. Williams!" Taryn beamed and approached the house.
"Oh Taryn, darling, he's back!" The elder woman exclaimed excitedly.
Taryn furrowed her brow and rocked back on her heels. "Who's back, Mrs. Williams?"
The woman laughed heartily. "Why, that lovely looking man you live with, dear!"
The blood drained from Taryn's face. Her hands began to tremble, and she gripped the buggy to steady them. Darkness closed in around her. Adair? But he couldn't be home... he wasn't due back for at least another month! Terror ate it's way through her skin, past her heart and in to her very soul.
Seeing the look spreading on Taryn's thin face, the elderly woman on the porch let her expression fall from it's joyous smile to a very concerned frown. She took a reluctant step forward. "Is everything alright?"
It was as if time stood still. Taryn looked down and noticed the sun dancing on the cobblestone street. The old woman's words echoed in her ears. She felt as if she was suspended underwater... her eyes grazed over the skyline, and she found herself blinking rapidly as her gaze fell upon the sun itself. The cold feel of the buggy handle became suddenly noticeable in her clammy palm.
The baby cooed.
Reality hit Taryn like a speeding train. Time swept past her, a woosh of color, and the silence screamed in her head. Her eyes snapped upward, meeting the other woman's, as she braced her knees to keep them from going out on her.
"Please," Even through a single word her voice faltered, seething desperation. "Please, you've got to take Nichola."
Mrs. Williams opened her mouth to speak, but said nothing. She eyed the young woman standing before her warily. How, after so many pleasant greeting and kind words, this girl could appear so desperate and frightened, she did not understand, however the anxiety in her eyes was saying it all. There was a pause, in which Mrs. Williams jaw shook slightly, and then she ushered Taryn toward her.
"Well come on then, dear, let's get you inside..."
"Oh, dear, sweet, Jesus." Taryn muttered as she let out a long awaited breath. She hurried the buggy up the steps and into the gracious woman's home. "It'll only be for a bit, I swear it on my grand da's grave, Mrs. Williams, I'll repay ya in any way I can, I... I..." she bit her lip. "Where is 'e now?" she asked, as calmly as she could manage. She needed to figure out how much time there was to make everything appear as it had when Adair had left.
"Actually, we didn't speak, so I'm not quite sure, really..." her face appeared genuinely apologetic.
Taryn was on automatic pilot. Red curls bounced around her shoulders as she shook her head. "Not much time." She thanked Mrs. Williams once again and dashed out of the house, heading next door to her own. With growing determination, she raced up front the steps only to find the door locked, and the key she usually hid under the mat vanished.
"Bloody bastard!" Taryn shrieked, taking in breath after indignant breath. Her thoughts were frantic, having no idea what to do. He had undoubtedly been inside the house. "Please, God." she crossed herself, praying allowed. "Please let him not have seen anything..." Her mind was racing. She had to get inside. A window! Somewhere there must be a window she could get through... Hastily, she scoured the entire outside of her home, spotting finally a ground level window that she could probably climb through. The question now, was how to get it open. Her grey-blue eyes flitted about, in search of something to pry it with.
"Shit!"
Nothing. There was absolutely nothing. As well as absolutely no time. Adair would be home any moment now. All would be lost. Her family would perish. Taryn dared not think of he might do to she and her child. It was all over. Everything.
Before even registering her actions, Taryn tore a piece of siding from the exterior wall.
"I will not let you ruin me..." she grumbled while fiercely prying the window open. Finally, it budged. The fire blazed in Tayrn's eyes. Nothing could stop her now. She would win this battle, oh yes.
~*~*~*~
Nichola Aisling Ravensdale first opened her tiny little eyes on a chilly February morning, as the sun began to peek around the buildings and through the lace curtains of the Ravensdale windows. Nearly a month premature, she was lacking in size, however was for the most part healthy, and even had quite a mess of dark hair already on her head.
"A Survivor!" The doctor had said and smiled warmly. "Like her mother."
Taryn laughed. Her fiery spirit had returned in full during passing months without her husband. She felt whole again. Even now, so close to Adair's supposed return, everything was right in her small world.
The days were passing all too soon. Not having to work, Taryn was able to spend every moment with her daughter. Days were spent at the market and lounging around the house, and evenings were set aside for reading, playing, laughing and learning. Adair, was almost a fading memory, lost among so many of the past. In Taryn's eyes, Nichola was all there was in the world; the revitalizing hope in a place so dark and cold.
Taryn kicked a stone out of her way, before bending over to retrieve the stuffed cat that Nichola had once again tossed over the side of the buggy.
"Well do ya want it, or don't ya?" she raised her thin eyebrows at the child, who stared almost blankly back up at her. "Well, do ya?" The black kitten was waved temptingly in the young woman's hand, and the baby extended her arm, making a fist and then stretching it out again. Taryn's lips parted in a radiant smile.
"Ya want it back?"
Nichola just giggled and grabbed for the animal. Her mother sighed and tossed it back inside the stroller, and they continued merrily on their way home.
"Taryn! Oh Taryn, dear!" Mrs. Williams stood smiling, out on her porch, waving her hand to get the young mother's attention.
"Good mornin' to ya, Mrs. Williams!" Taryn beamed and approached the house.
"Oh Taryn, darling, he's back!" The elder woman exclaimed excitedly.
Taryn furrowed her brow and rocked back on her heels. "Who's back, Mrs. Williams?"
The woman laughed heartily. "Why, that lovely looking man you live with, dear!"
The blood drained from Taryn's face. Her hands began to tremble, and she gripped the buggy to steady them. Darkness closed in around her. Adair? But he couldn't be home... he wasn't due back for at least another month! Terror ate it's way through her skin, past her heart and in to her very soul.
Seeing the look spreading on Taryn's thin face, the elderly woman on the porch let her expression fall from it's joyous smile to a very concerned frown. She took a reluctant step forward. "Is everything alright?"
It was as if time stood still. Taryn looked down and noticed the sun dancing on the cobblestone street. The old woman's words echoed in her ears. She felt as if she was suspended underwater... her eyes grazed over the skyline, and she found herself blinking rapidly as her gaze fell upon the sun itself. The cold feel of the buggy handle became suddenly noticeable in her clammy palm.
The baby cooed.
Reality hit Taryn like a speeding train. Time swept past her, a woosh of color, and the silence screamed in her head. Her eyes snapped upward, meeting the other woman's, as she braced her knees to keep them from going out on her.
"Please," Even through a single word her voice faltered, seething desperation. "Please, you've got to take Nichola."
Mrs. Williams opened her mouth to speak, but said nothing. She eyed the young woman standing before her warily. How, after so many pleasant greeting and kind words, this girl could appear so desperate and frightened, she did not understand, however the anxiety in her eyes was saying it all. There was a pause, in which Mrs. Williams jaw shook slightly, and then she ushered Taryn toward her.
"Well come on then, dear, let's get you inside..."
"Oh, dear, sweet, Jesus." Taryn muttered as she let out a long awaited breath. She hurried the buggy up the steps and into the gracious woman's home. "It'll only be for a bit, I swear it on my grand da's grave, Mrs. Williams, I'll repay ya in any way I can, I... I..." she bit her lip. "Where is 'e now?" she asked, as calmly as she could manage. She needed to figure out how much time there was to make everything appear as it had when Adair had left.
"Actually, we didn't speak, so I'm not quite sure, really..." her face appeared genuinely apologetic.
Taryn was on automatic pilot. Red curls bounced around her shoulders as she shook her head. "Not much time." She thanked Mrs. Williams once again and dashed out of the house, heading next door to her own. With growing determination, she raced up front the steps only to find the door locked, and the key she usually hid under the mat vanished.
"Bloody bastard!" Taryn shrieked, taking in breath after indignant breath. Her thoughts were frantic, having no idea what to do. He had undoubtedly been inside the house. "Please, God." she crossed herself, praying allowed. "Please let him not have seen anything..." Her mind was racing. She had to get inside. A window! Somewhere there must be a window she could get through... Hastily, she scoured the entire outside of her home, spotting finally a ground level window that she could probably climb through. The question now, was how to get it open. Her grey-blue eyes flitted about, in search of something to pry it with.
"Shit!"
Nothing. There was absolutely nothing. As well as absolutely no time. Adair would be home any moment now. All would be lost. Her family would perish. Taryn dared not think of he might do to she and her child. It was all over. Everything.
Before even registering her actions, Taryn tore a piece of siding from the exterior wall.
"I will not let you ruin me..." she grumbled while fiercely prying the window open. Finally, it budged. The fire blazed in Tayrn's eyes. Nothing could stop her now. She would win this battle, oh yes.
~*~*~*~