Chapter Two

Kate stood the easel up in the middle of the living room and placed her painting on it. She studied her work under the bright lights, noticing a few places here and there that could use a touch up, but all in all she was extremely pleased. She slowly began to wander around the cottage, it was so tasteful and exquisitely decorated. It was exactly Kate's style and she found it very comforting.

After brewing a steaming mug of tea Kate stepped out onto the back porch. Like most other homes in this sleepy town she had a perfect view of the ocean. A vibrant full moon had replaced the blazing sun on the horizon. The sky was clear and the millions of twinkling stars and steady glow from the moon made the night seem impossibly bright.

As she sat down on the heavy wooden porch swing she thought about how romantic this moment would be sitting hand in hand with the one she loved, gently rocking back and forth. Shaking her head Kate quickly shoved those thoughts far away. There was no room in her life for romance or love right now, there were far too many things that needed to be untangled before she could even begin to indulge in such pleasures.

This trip was all about finding her self, shining the spotlight on each and every twist and turn until the path was finally strait once again. Kate knew the only way to do this was to start at the very beginning and take it one step at a time, slowly undoing the ties that were binding her, keeping her from true self actualization.

Tomorrow Kate would begin her journey into unfamiliar territory, the first few years of her life. Very few people can vividly remember their early childhood and even fewer can remember infancy. We must rely on others to remind us of those times. Or use pictures, and our imagination to relive those precious moments.

Kate slipped a tiny black and white photograph out of her pocket and gazed at the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. A vision of loveliness stared back at her and tears once again stung her eyes, just like so many times before. It was her mother's face that had elicited these emotions from inside her. The picture of a woman who Kate could not remember had reduced her to tears. Since the moment she first laid eyes on the photo she was curious about the woman but until several months ago Kate never imagined it would be possible to find out who her mother really was or where she came from.

Only minutes before Kate's father had died, so many years ago, he handed his young daughter the small picture that she still carried with her to this day. He whispered two words with his last breath, "Your Mother", and he was gone forever. Kate could not remember a time when she hadn't loathed her father but she had never felt more rage towards another human being than she did at that moment. For years Kate had begged him to tell her about her mom but his response was always the same, "She left us." Why would he torture her like that? Leaving her with only a picture? No name, nothing. Not a clue as to where Kate might find this woman. Was she even alive? There were plenty of questions but never any answers. Eventually Kate was able to push the thoughts away, she gave up on ever finding her mother, it was just another impossible feat that she would never overcome. Or so she thought.

The discovery she had made many months ago was unbelievably surreal and Kate still could not quite grasp the entirety of what she had found. Kate was conducting intense research on the history of North Eastern fashion for an upcoming project highlighting that particular region. She spent countless hours scanning old news articles in the microfiche archives. One afternoon just as she was about to pack it in for the day a tiny photo caught her eye. Her jaw dropped and she couldn't take her eyes off the lovely face. It was the same face that adorned the photo she was currently holding in her hand. Her mother, Selena Lynn Williams.

Kate's hands started to shake and her eyes filled with tears. The heading at the top of the page read "Obituaries". She had finally found her mother but in mere seconds the thrill came crashing down when Kate realized she was too late, several years too late.

It wasn't until just a few short weeks ago when her life was seemingly out of her hands that she realized the magnitude of the treasure she had found. She had a link to her past, she knew her mother's name and where she was from. There was so much more she could learn, so much more she needed to find out right away. The realization had provided her with a spark of hope for her future. Albeit only a tiny glimmer but enough to rejuvenate her spirits, at least for a little while.

The following day she made the arrangements for this trip. And now here she was, striking out, all alone. Trying desperately to put together enough pieces of the puzzle of her life to motivate her to keep on living. Then someday in the future she would reflect on the finished product and know that the effort had all been worth it.

Spending the day on the beach in quiet solitude had been just what Kate needed. No interruptions, no worries, just her and her paint brush becoming one, as the creative juices that had been locked away were finally freed once again. But tomorrow might not be so relaxing. Kate was about to learn just what happened all those years ago and how love, lust, and deception could forever change the lives of so many people. A wife's betrayal, a husband's jealousy, a lover's death were all a part of the pathway that led her to where she was right now.

Kate shivered and stepped inside once again. It was late and she was exhausted. She flipped of the lights as she made her way to the bedroom. Snuggled under the heavy blankets Kate felt a sense of satisfaction. For the first time, in what seemed like years, she fell asleep looking forward to the next day.