Back Again
Prologue: When He Never Showed Up
By: Rena K. Stilton
Category: Romance, Alt. Un.
Rating: PG-13 (may change to R in later chapters)
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and it's characters belong to Ms. Naoko. I'm just stealing them for just a bit. Everything else, situations, etc., belong/copyright to Rena K. Stilton.
Summary: She loved him once, and she still does. But when he left her several years back, things began to change. Left alone to take care of her daughter, unbeknownst to the father of the child, she promised to protect her daughter from ever hearing or seeing Darien Sawyers, ever… But he's back again, and nothing ever goes as planned.
Author's Addendum: I posted this on FF.net several years ago, but only the prologue. Now that I'm finally finished with this story as a whole, I will show it to all of you. I would greatly appreciate it if you would take the time to review. If I get a great amount of feedback, expect to see the chapter within a week. If this story is a dud, well, I won't bother posting the rest.
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Serena Anderson smiled at the delicate ivory-and-gold angel she held in the palm of her hand. Darien had had given it to her just this morning when she'd stopped at the building site where he was working. It was the first, the only gift he'd ever given her, and she loved it almost as she loved him.
Leaning back in the old-fashioned swing on the wraparound porch of her parents' cottage on Crane Lake, she closed her eyes and pictured Darien Sawyers. He was tall and lean and very tanned from working outdoors in construction all summer. How she loved to run her hands over the hard muscles of his arms and solid chest, then let her fingers roam his coal black hair as she watched those devastating blue eyes turn hazy with hunger. Hunger for her.
Serena shifted, stretching her long legs, her thoughts causing her body to respond. It'd been like that from the moment she laid eyes on Darien Sawyers. And for him, too, she knew. As if they were meant for each other, though it had taken her a while to break through Darien's reserve. He was from the wrong side of the track's, he'd told her repeatedly, and way out of her league. As if it mattered, Serena thought.
Still, she had to admit it might matter to her father.
Kenji Anderson owned nearly everything worth owning in the small town of Port Henry, situated on Ohio's Sandusky Bay. But he hadn't always, for the family holdings traced back to Serena's mother's family. Kenji had the intelligence and ambition, but very little cash, when he'd married into Ilene's wealthy clan. He'd cleverly tripled their vast holdings in short order--a poor boy who'd made good. That was why Serena had reason to hope her father would one day relate to Darien.
If only Darien's father wasn't the town drunk, a man who housed his family in what was little more than a shack at the edge of the woods. Tom Sawyers, loud and boorish, was rumored to beat his wife. She'd had introduced Darien to her family sooner if not for his father's unsavory reputation.
So she'd waited, biding her time until this Labor Day weekend at the lake cottage and the end-of-summer picnic that her parents always hosted, inviting family and friends from miles around. Surely, in this pleasant setting, surrounded by familiar faces, Kenji would see Darien for what he was and not judge the son by the father's mistakes.
Listening to the gentle squeaking of the swing, Serena prayed things would work out. Because next week she'd have to go back to Ohio State to begin her sophomore year, when all she really wanted was to stay home and be with Darien. He was four years older, working full-time and taking evening courses because he couldn't afford to go away to college. He'd finish though, she knew he would, because Darien badly wanted to prove himself, to overcome the shameful legacy of his father.
Serena hugged the angel to her breast, her heart bursting with love. Everything would work out. It had to. Dad would realize Darien's potential, maybe even offer him a job at Anderson Enterprises. Mom would see through Darien's tough façade to the sensitive man beneath, the one Serena had discovered. Then one day, they'd get married and life would be wonderful. She'd never really wanted to work at the family business, nor be anything but a wife and mother. She felt a twinge of conscience, for she knew she'd be just another disappointment to her father, like the loss of her brother and the wild antics of her sister. But being with Darien was all that mattered, all that she could think of.
A distant rumbling caught her attention. Looking across the lake, Serena noticed a lightning bolt split the evening sky. She glanced at her watch and saw that it was after eight. What could be keeping Darien?
The cottage was their favorite meeting place, one they'd visited every chance they'd had during the long , hot summer. The weekend activities wouldn't begin until Saturday, so they arranged to spend Friday alone. Earlier, when she stopped by to reconfirm with Darien, he'd seemed distracted, but he'd given her the angel, kissed her thoroughly, and promised to meet her at the cottage around seven. It wasn't like Darien to be late.
Serena watched the first raindrops begin and felt a quick jolt of apprehension. Surely he hadn't gotten cold feet about meeting her folks and decided not to come. No, he wouldn't stand her up; he'd tell her face-to-face if there was a problem. A loud clap of thunder had her shuddering. Surely he hadn't had an accident. No, Darien was a careful driver.
The heat of summer drifted away. It grew cooler on the deep, shadowy porch with only the glow of the lamp coming through the window to add a little light. She glanced at the silent phone next to the lamp. Everything was alright, Serena told herself. She was just being a worrywart.
Giving in to a yawn, she set the angel on the three-legged table alongside the swing and curled up under a light afghan. She'd just close her eyes for a short time, and the next thing she'd be aware of would be Darien taking her into his strong arms and kissing her awake. On that delicious thought, she settled down.
Darien was on his way, Serena assured herself as she felt her limbs grow heavy. He'd have a perfectly reasonable explanation for being late. He knew she was waiting for him, and he'd never disappoint her.
The rain gradually became heavier and the wind picked up. Serena wasn't sure if it was the misty moisture that sprayed onto her face or the sound of something breaking that startled her awake. With a shake of her head, she sat up, blinking. While she'd slept, the storm had drifted in from the lake and now was blowing a gusting its fury at the cottage. Feeling foggy from her nap, she disentangled herself from the afghan and swung her legs over the side of the swing.
It was then that she spotted her angel on the wood floor of the porch. Apparently the wind had sent it flying. Slowly she picked up the two perfect halves and felt tears fill her eyes. How could she have been so careless with her beautiful gift? What would Darien think?
Darien! She checked her watch and was shocked to find it was past ten. He should have been here long ago, or should have called. What would have delayed him? Frissons of fear raced up her spine. Something terrible had to have happened.
Where was Darien?
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Author's Addendum: It's a cliff hanger! *gasps in shock* if you review, you'll find out what happens next! ;)
Thank You's go to those kind souls who reviewed this chapter in the past. Chapter One will be new to everyone, so no worries. It still would be nice if you review again.