Chapter 7: Memory
Saturday morning came quickly, and 6.30am I shot awake excited about the day ahead.
Thinking of my odd week over a bowl of chocolate cereal I sat there thinking that none of that mattered now - At last it was Saturday and Gramps and my parents were coming home.
I had missed Gramps so much, he was like father to me and I needed to talk to him about things, things that I felt too weird telling Lydia. I just knew he would understand.
What would I say to them? I thought. I tried to figure out if I was angry or happy with them, but I felt nothing. It was like a giant black hole in me that had swallowed every memory I ever had; even they're faces I couldn't picture anymore. I occasionally reminded myself with the photo of my mom, but what would she look like now?
I headed upstairs to get changed into the outfit I carefully planned all week; it was a black and white checked shirt dress with leggings and pumps.
Quickly getting changed I then attempted to do my makeup as the girls showed me earlier on in the week. After several attempts and a nearly a roll of tissue paper, I managed to draw a semi straight line on the top and bottom of my eyelid. Looking into the mirror and chuffed with the result, I then tackled the hair. Putting it up in a ponytail with a green ribbon and tying it with a bow.
A sigh of relief swept over me, as I looked nice and presentable and would hopefully make a good impression. What a weird way of thinking, they should be trying to impress me.
Heading back downstairs, I was greeted by Lydia at the bottom of the stairs with a load of clean washing.
"You must of gone through you whole wardrobe this week Ness" she said struggling with the big basket upstairs.
"Sorry" I said quietly.
"Oh don't worry dear; I know what teenage girls are like. Trying to impress the boys eh?" she asked from the top of the stairs.
Feeling my face getting hotter with embarrassment as the statement was true, most of the week I had tried really hard to look nice for Adam.
"Yeah Adam remember" I called back in a joking way.
I could here her giggling upstairs.
"Please don't tell you Grandfather about Adam just yet, he's bit funny with the whole dating thing especially at your age"
"Ok" I shouted back, I understood as Gramps was always like that, I remember when I befriended the boy next door last year and he gave me can of pepper spray.
Looking at the clock, it was 9.30am another 2hrs and 30 minutes to go I thought counting down in my head.
Unfortunately for me time just seemed to stop that morning, I tidied up, took Rufie for a walk, read a bit of my book for English. And had even made a round of sandwiches for when they arrived.
When the clock chimed 12, I ran outside and sat on the porch. It was a beautiful day; the sun was shining with not a cloud in the sky. And the birds were cheeping it was a perfect day.
Sitting there waiting, I began to get butterflies in my stomach
And then 12 turned into 1pm and then 2pm but there were still no sign of them.
I started to pace up and down the porch angrily, and then became excited every time a car went by...but didn't stop.
Feeling disheartened, I went inside to confront Lydia.
"He did say 12 didn't he?" I asked her in an angry tone.
"He's probably stuck in traffic" she replied as she looked at her watch. "Go and sit in the living room dear, I bet he will be here any second" she said in a calming voice.
Curling up on the couch with rufie I waited.
It was 4pm when we heard the car pull up in the driveway, both jumping out of our seats, we both ran out to greet them.
Running up to the car, something wasn't right.
Gramps stepped out, and hugged a very excited Lydia but he was alone, the car was empty.
Looking with complete shock, Gramps held out his free arms to me.
Running over to him and into his arms.
"I'm sorry Ness" he whispered as I squeezed him tightly. "They can't come home, not yet"
"But why" I said sobbing; I hadn't realized the effect on them not being here had on me.
He stroked my hair gently and turned me to face him.
"Listen Ness I need to tell you something" he said then pausing. The worry on his face showed that it wasn't good news.
"Your Grandfather Carlisle has died"
With shock, I looked at him, wiping away my tears.
"I know you don't remember him darling but please remember that he loved you dearly" He said obviously looking at my puzzled face.
"Do you remember anything" he asked
I was too shocked to speak, a relative of mine had just died and I didn't know what to say or do.
All I could do was run, just get away.
Bursting into tears I muttered sorry and ran as fast as I could leaving a shocked Gramps behind.
I ran, nobody followed me I headed for the woods, the quiet untouched woods where I could just sit and be alone.
Stopping to catch my breath and to wipe away my tears, I sat on a nearby tree stump with my head in my hands.
It was cold and dark and I was in an unfamiliar part of the woods as I eventually gazed around, there was no noise, not even the sound of the birds in the trees above.
I searched my mind for just a memory of my grandfather Carlisle, but there was nothing. But why did I feel so upset over a person I hardly remember who along with my mom and dad abandoned me.
Sitting there gazing into the dark woods, I was suddenly startled by a snapping noise behind me, and footsteps. Jumping off the stump, I turned round to find a dark figure standing a few yards back getting closer.
Squinting through the darkness, as the person got closer it dawned on me that it was Jacob, he must live around here I thought or he's stalking me.
As he got closer, I stepped back so I wasn't so close.
"Are you ok?" He asked trying to get close, I stepped back again.
"I heard you crying" he had a concerned look on his face.
"I'm fine" I said sternly not letting on that I was upset.
"Are you sure? you don't look ok" he said softly.
"Its just family stuff ok?" I said
"Oh....ok, you don't have to tell me"
"No.... I don't" I muttered
He stood there for a moment obviously thinking of something else to say, with his hands stuffed into his pockets of his trousers. He looked different, his hair was shorter that's it I thought. And he looked smarter and not so barbarian like than the last time we was in the woods.
"So....what problem do you have with Adam?" I quizzed him.
He looked confused.
"You know at the restaurant, when you had a word with him" I continued, waiting for explanation.
He stared intensely into my eyes and said "He's no good for you Ness"
Staring at him with shock I let out a loud sigh.
"I'll be the judge of that won't I?"
"Ok, but just be careful, he's treated girls really badly in the past" he answered quicker this time.
"Ok whatever" I said aloud.
"Just be careful" He repeated
What a bunch of lies I thought; he obviously didn't like the boy and wanted me to think badly of him.
I sat back down on the tree stump with my back to him.
"Can you just leave me alone" I whispered to him.
"Maybe if you talk about what's bothering you, I could help?!" He said as he sat down carefully beside the stump.
I could smell his scent which was very masculine and very familiar as he sat close to me.
Putting my head in my hands again, I started to cry again. I didn't care that he was there.
Maybe he would just leave.
I felt a tender touch on my back, I didn't move, I just let him comfort me.
When he went to touch my hand then that's when it happened, like a shot of electricity running through me. And a bright flash in my eyes, I could picture something in my mind, a memory maybe.
Jumping up, I realized the memory was still playing on as he grasped hold of my hand.
"Ness are you ok?" He asked looking into my eyes.
Letting go of his tight grasp, I dropped to my knees.
"I saw something" I whispered
Jacob knelt down to my level "Ness what did you see?"
"A memory . . . but not mine I don't think. . . . I think it was yours?!" I said staring blankly at him.
"What did you see?" he said a bit firmly.
"My mother" I whispered
