Hey guys, sorry about not posting sooner, i've been really busy with exams and such. But anyway, welcome to the tragic chapter, enjoy...
9. Life goes on
It was a few lonely months after Jack had left on that boat and the whole time Karen hadn't heard from him, the island phone hadn't been working in a while. But as a gift to Karen the villagers had recently fixed it so if Jack did call, Karen would be sure to get it. But still she hadn't heard from him, all sorts of things were going through her mind. Over the months things had got easier without him, but that worried Karen. What if when he came back there was no room in her life for him, but that was nonsense, she would always have room for him. He would always be in her heart, no matter what. She still couldn't help worrying, wondering when he would call. It was taking all the strength she had not to wait hopelessly by the inn phone for him to call, she had to keep going. So she kept busy, helping her parents in the shop and trying to upkeep Jack's farm as best as possible.
Everyday without fail she would go over and weed the gardens or smash some rocks if she had the strength, but it hurt to be at his farm when he wasn't actually there. The starry night festival was coming up and it depressed her thoroughly that she wouldn't be able to spend it with anyone. She had decided that she might spend it with Carter, he was often alone on that night and she liked his company. So on the 23rd she visited him with a few eggs that Lillia had given her from Jack's chickens. She stood inside the musty church and breathed in the delicious scent of incense.
"Myrhh..." She murmured, taking in a deep gulp. Carter walked over and greeted her with a smile.
"Why hello Karen, how are you? Coping?" He asked amiably. Karen nodded slowly and handed him the eggs.
"Here, these are for you, they're from... Jack's chickens..." She said sweetly, though the mention of Jack's name gave her a longing ache.
"Yes... it must be hard for you... especially as the starry night festival is tomorrow." He said frowning and Karen nodded.
"Well, that's what I came to ask you. Would you mind if I ate with you here at the church?" Karen asked hopefully. The young pastor's face lit up as he nodded.
"Of course Karen, that would be delightful!" He said happily. She smiled sweetly and then turned to leave, if she couldn't be happy at least she could spread a little sunshine for others.
"Oh, and I'll cook!" Karen said before walking out of the door. She didn't see the panic-stricken look emerge onto Carters face.
"Dear lord, save my soul." He whispered before turning to clean the alter.
Karen spent the whole of that day learning how to cook a roast dinner from Ann. Eventually she ended up with a delicious dinner, after only four tries! That evening she headed over to the church wearing a beautiful, long black dress that showed as little skin as possible, she would be in the eyes of god after all. She placed the food in front of Carter triumphantly but frowned as he checked it over thoroughly.
"What are you waiting for? Dig in!" She said sweetly. Carter cautiously cut some of the chicken and put it onto his plate before taking a small bite. Karen held her breath and watched as he smiled and began to dig in.
"Delicious Karen, your cooking is improving!" Carter said smiling. She beamed and helped herself to some chicken.
"Well I did take lessons from Ann... so... well it's thanks to her." She admitted blushing. Carter laughed and took a large mouthful of chicken.
"Well Karen, you'll make a wonderful wife to Jack when he comes back. It'll be a pleasure for me to marry you two. You're one hell of a girl Karen, don't forget that!" Carter said seriously.
"Hell, Mr. Carter? Are pastors allowed to say such words?" Karen said in a mock posh accent. Carter smiled and then stood up to clean up the dishes.
"I won't tell if you don't..." He said with a wink. Karen laughed and helped Carter with the dishes.
After the dinner Karen said goodbye to Carter and went for a moonlight stroll on the beach. She had always loved the beach, how the waves rolled gently against the sand and made a soft rushing sound. She looked out across the horizon and saw the stars, winking at her like tiny eyes. She smiled, the thought that somewhere out there Jack was probably looking at the same stars comforted her. The sand seemed to glow with the moonlight and all the crabs were crawling into their holes, hurrying away from the bright moonlight.
"I miss you Jack, please come home soon." She whispered to the stars. Her mother had once told her that if you told a message to the stars they would give it to whoever you wanted to hear it. It was just a silly tale, but somehow the stars seemed so magical that perhaps it could be true.
"Hey, are you alright Karen?" A voice said from behind her. Karen spun around and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it was just Popuri.
"Oh Poe, you scared me... yeah I'm fine. Where's Kai?" Karen said, sounding distant. Popuri frowned and looked into the dark seaside cottage that was her home.
"He fell asleep straight after eating the dinner I cooked... I swear he won't know what hit him in the morning." She said her hands on her hips. Karen laughed and sat down on the sand.
"You're thinking about Jack aren't you?" Popuri said sympathetically.
"That's no secret Poe, I'm always thinking about Jack," she said with a sigh, "is this how you used to feel about Kai?" Popuri looked at the sand for a few moments then nodded slowly.
"Yeah, I was always wondering if he had some other girlfriend somewhere else. I always thought he might decide not to come back one summer... and that would be it." She said smiling almost fondly at the memories, the magic of time allowing her to laugh at past pain.
"How did you manage?" Karen asked. Popuri laughed nervously then looked at her seriously.
"I didn't." She said, her eyes stonily serious. "It was only when he proposed that I was okay with it... and even then..."
"So there's no coping?" Karen said, sounding almost betrayed.
"Look Karen, you just have to do what I never could, trust him. You've been with Jack for over a year, you owe him that at least." Popuri said kindly. There must have been something about the night time that gave Popuri a wisdom she didn't posses during the day, Karen mused.
"Thanks Popuri. I'll try." Karen said determinedly. Popuri nodded and stood up, brushing the golden sand from her dress.
"G'night Karen." Popuri said yawning cutely, like a tiny pink kitten.
"Good night Poe." Karen smiled and continued to stare out to sea.
The months of waiting for Jack had taken their toll on Karen; she was always tired and always depressed. She still hadn't heard from Jack and it was nearing the New Years festival. The Stocking festival spirit just wasn't in her and she just couldn't be bothered with it. Everyone else was reliving the common popular tales of why they hung up a stocking, but she just moped at home. She was setting up catalogues of possible gifts for people on a rack in the shop when May came scampering in, her cheeks flushed.
"Morning Karen!" May exclaimed and dashed up to give Karen a hug. Karen hugged the tiny girl gently and picked her up smiling.
"What's up May, do you want something?" Karen asked kindly. May nodded, her bright grey eyes shining with energy, and handed Karen a crumpled shopping list.
"Grandpa wants these things, he's gonna make Stocking pudding for the whole village!" May exclaimed excitedly. Karen smiled, it was just like Barley to try and lift peoples' spirits. Karen took the list and looked down it, she then walked around the shelves and picked up the ingredients they stocked.
"And I believe Lillia will sell you the eggs. Oh and here..." Karen said handing May a chocolate bar. "This is for you but don't tell your Grandpa."
"Thank you Karen!" May exclaimed grabbing the chocolate bar in her sweaty mitts and pocketing it. Karen grinned and ruffled May's hair. She then waited for May to leave, but instead she looked at Karen expectantly with puppy dog eyes.
"Is something wrong May?" She asked nervously. May smiled sweetly and cocked her head slightly, her raven black plaits bobbing to the side.
"No silly! Why aren't you coming with me, we have to go to church to listen to the tale of how the stocking festival began!" May said innocently. Karen shook her head and tried to smile.
"Oh I'm sorry May, I just don't feel in the stocking spirit this year, you go on without me." She said. May looked heart broken and she pouted at her, her grey eyes shining. It was not in the child's understanding, after all she'd never suffered an aching heart.
"You have to come, its tradition and you being sad is no excuse, kay?" May said looking slightly cross, her tiny brow furrowed in determination. Karen hated to admit it but the girl was right. There was no point breaking tradition just to mope.
"Okay, you've convinced me." Karen said reluctantly, she reached for the keys and closed the shop. Following May quickly as she skipped down the road. They walked into the big church doors and silently took their seats, it seemed they were the last to come.
"You convinced her to come then?" Carter said smiling. May nodded happily and fidgeted in her seat. Karen grinned, only just overhearing the little conversation, so May had been part of the devious plan.
"Welcome villagers to our yearly service, I hope you are all well. Once again we will remember the story about how the stocking festival came to be. We remember on this day that the stocking festival is not just about the gifts but family and love. Let us begin.
"A long time ago, before our town became the thriving one it is today there was a poor family that had virtually nothing. They lived by the goddess pond and ate whatever they could find and stored the rest for the winter. One winter they found that their food reserves had ran out and they had nothing left to eat. They starved for a week and by the eve of the 25th they were desperate. They had hung up there final pair of stockings to dry before they would travel the long journey to the market on the other island to trade them for food. That night they prayed to the goddess to protect them and as they slept a strange thing happened."
"The Goddess sent her harvest sprites to put in each stocking food enough to last them until spring. The family was saved by their faith in the goddess, and the goddess herself of course. So that is why on the 25th we give each other gifts to celebrate the giving of food from the goddess. Thank you for coming today folks!" Carter finished, beaming at the congregation.
Everyone was left with a warm fuzzy feeling inside preparing them for the festival, even Karen. So she walked home feeling better and prepared for the festival. That night she hung up her stocking over the hearth feeling happy as she smiled thinking about the presents she had given everyone. To each of the girls she had given a different gold necklace with a jewel, for Popuri pink diamond, for Ann topaz, for Elli sapphire and for Mary black pearl. It had been rather pricy but Saibara had given her a discount for four necklaces. She had given the whole village beautiful gifts but mainly gifts they could use too. Buying the gifts for others had helped her forget about Jack for a while. But it hadn't stopped her buying a beautiful golden wristwatch for when he came home. She couldn't wait to see his face when she gave it to him. After putting up her stocking she went up to bed and sat against it. She looked up at the sky through her window and saw one single star, and she prayed to the goddess.
"Dear Goddess, please make Jack's stocking festival a good one, thank you." She said softly. She then buried herself beneath her warm duvet and closed her eyes.
In the morning she ran downstairs as she had done for so many years just like she was a carefree kid again. She could smell the sweet scent of mince pies and mulled wine just like every year. It was so comforting and she felt so warm and so happy, hoping that for just that day she could forget about her worries. She grabbed her stocking and weighed it in her hands.
"A good haul this year!" She said to herself and pulled out the first present. It was wrapped in silver paper and had a pretty pink ribbon on it, an obvious sign it was from Popuri. She read the label quickly to check.
"Dear Karen, happy stocking festival, I hope you like my gift!" It read.
"Hey Mom, Dad, can I open the presents yet?" Karen yelled excitedly to the next room. Sasha and Jeff walked in with a tray filled with mince pies and three mugs of mulled wine.
"Sure why not, we'll grab ours." Sasha said putting down the tray. Karen ripped off the paper and found a beautiful long black skirt with a golden belt. Karen looked at an obviously homemade label that had Popuri sewed onto it, proving Popuri had made the dress herself.
"Oh it's beautiful." Karen said tearfully. She then found Ann's which was wrapped in gold paper. She picked up the label and read it.
"Dear Karen, this sort of goes with what Poe made, we made them both together, love Ann." Karen guessed it was some sort of T-shirt and sure enough when she unwrapped it, it was a matching low-cut t-shirt. Karen smiled and put it next to the skirt, they were great gifts. She then unwrapped Mary's and Elli's gifts, Mary had given her a shining golden letter opener in the shape of a sword and Elli gave her a pretty pearl bracelet. Everyone else gave her standard things that were either useful for her or typical of them. Then she came to Saibara's gift, wondering if it would be a lump of iron ore or something. She opened it and found a necklace just like the one she's given the other girls but with an amethyst, on the note it read.
"Dear Karen, I didn't want you to be the odd one out, you're all jewels." She smiled. What a great gift. But her mind couldn't help saying that the best gift of all would be for Jack to come home like it happens in the cheesy Hollywood movies, where the man suddenly arrived at the last minute and swept the girl into his arms. But Jack didn't come home. She made herself one single promise for that day though, the smile would not fade even though he was all she could think about. She visited everyone handing out mince pies she swore to everyone that her mother had made. They each took one after that promise, nothing like people refusing mince pies because you might have cooked them to make you feel on top of the world. Her final visits were to Ann and Popuri, Karen pictured them, both snuggled up next to their boyfriends.
"I don't want to be alone for Christmas, Jack. Please just come home." Karen begged, she felt tears trickle down her face as she hastily wiped them off.
"I promised I would keep smiling." She said to herself trying to keep a smile. But she couldn't and she collapsed on the pathway. She cried and watched her tears drip onto the cold stones of the path. Suddenly she heard footprints behind her and she felt warm arms pick her up.
"Jack?" She whispered hopefully. The warm arms brought her into a hug and she saw the beige overalls wrap around her. It wasn't Jack. She was just thinking wishfully.
"No it's Gray. Karen, are you okay? Come on inside the blacksmiths, don't worry Grandpa's out, he won't see you... like this." Gray said softly. He sat her down on Saibara's bed and made her a cup of hot chocolate.
"The holidays are hard, huh?" He said, his usually depressed face held a nervous smile. Karen nodded and accepted the hot chocolate gratefully.
"I'm sorry Gray... I just... I just..." She began but she felt herself break down again.
"I don't know why I'm so upset... it's so stupid." She said, angry at herself for seeming weak.
"I know how you feel, I always miss my parents." Gray said sadly. Karen smiled at him sympathetically and he nodded.
"Pathetic huh?" He laughed. Karen shook her head quickly and took a deep sip of hot chocolate.
"No, I shouldn't be so upset. I just miss him, where are your parents?" She asked. Gray cringed at a painful memory and closed his big blue eyes.
"I... don't know. Dead, maybe... maybe just somewhere far away." Gray said trying to shrug. Karen beckoned for him to sit down next to her and she gave him a hug, both leaning on each other for support.
"Carter used to always say a worry shared is a worry halved, or something like that anyway." Karen said sweetly and Gray nodded.
"I remember the day I left. I came here to live with Grandpa. My dad had put all my belongings into a suitcase, with just enough money to get here, nothing for food or anything. Mom was crying and he handed me the suitcase and pointed out of the door. He told me to go somewhere and make something out of myself, because they sure as hell wouldn't support me anymore. So I left. Winter always reminds me of that, because it was winter when I left, and the snow was falling and I walked for miles until I could find a boat. I was lucky to have remembered where Grandpa lived and I looked him up, I tell you this place is hard to find." Gray said, almost laughing at the bitter memories.
"I remember when you first came here, we were all quite young. The first thing I remember about you were your eyes, they were just so blue... they still are." Karen laughed. Gray smiled and blinked, Karen could tell that a close moment was difficult for him.
"Anyway, let's not stay in the past. It's too painful anyway. How are you and Mary?" Karen asked and drained her cup of hot chocolate. Gray winced and shook his head.
"Not good. We may have the love of reading books in common but not a lot else. We never talk when we're together, we're too shy. We never talk like this." Gray said bitterly, gesturing between them. Karen nodded in understanding, relationships truly were hard.
"She does like you a lot, she's just shy and I know you are too. Talk to her, that's all she wants you to do okay? Talk about anything, share your interests!"
"All I would end up talking about is being a blacksmith." Gray admitted smiling shyly.
"Then talk to her like you talk to me, that's easy enough isn't it?" Karen asked smiling. Gray nodded slowly.
"But you're so easy to talk to!" Gray protested.
"Just talk to her, don't be nervous, it's just because you like her so much." Karen said. The thought crossed her mind that who was she to give relationship advice, she'd almost destroyed hers several times.
"I'll... I'll give it a try." Gray said giving in.
"Good, now I've got mince pies to deliver. Come round and talk to me any time okay? I could do with the company." Karen said smiling. She gave Gray a big hug then proceeded out of the door.
"I do like her, but not as much as you." Gray whispered to himself before continuing his work.
Karen headed round to Ann's and was given a drink of mulled wine, Ann's was the best around. After a hearty chat about whose hot chocolate was the best hers or Popuri's Karen finally went to visit Popuri for a mug of her famous hot chocolate. Popuri invited Karen in and handed her the mug of sweet hot chocolate ready for her arrival, the mug was huge with whipped cream and pink marshmallows oozing delicious and submerging into the milky brown liquid. She took the mince pies happily and gave Karen a hug. Kai then walked down in his underwear before hurrying back upstairs to change. He then came down again and greeted Karen with a hug.
"Happy holidays Karen! Another round of mulled wine on the house!" Kai slurred. Popuri sighed and handed Kai a glass of water instead.
"No more, he's drunk Karen." Popuri said shaking her head.
"I'm not drunk, you believe me right Karen. You know Karen, you're my only friend, you're the only one who cares, I love you." Kai said falling onto Karen for a hug.
"Right you are Kai." Karen said rolling her eyes. Popuri picked Kai up and propped him onto the sofa.
"It's a good job this is just a Stocking festival thing." Popuri pouted putting her hands on her hips. Karen laughed and nodded then she drained her hot chocolate.
"Well, I'll leave you two alone, I'm sure you're dying for some drunken fun." Karen said smiling mischievously.
"No Karen, please." Popuri begged but Karen shook her head before darting out of the door. She chuckled to herself before walking through mother square. The snow had begun to fall and she caught a snowflake on her tongue. A thin layer of snow had formed on the orange bricks of the square making it look like an iced cake. Rick trotted up to her and gave her an unwanted hug.
"Happy stocking festival Karen. See you around." He said. Karen nodded trying to avoid scowling. She watched with joy as he walked off afterwards. She then headed home ready to hibernate.
The time until the New Year's festival up on Mother's Hill dragged on and on with her longing for Jack, but eventually it arrived. She was sitting watching the sun fall quickly below the horizon and the moon rising up to take its place. The sky was salmon pink and the moon was like a silver penny being flicked into the sky, ready for the heads or tails outcome.
Karen always spent this time thinking of her New Year's resolution, for many years it had been to give up chocolate. She had never succeeded though, girls seldom do. But that year she had an even better one, one that would benefit everyone, not just her figure. She was going to forget all the past grudges she had and start a clean slate with people. She would still remember all the nice things they'd done for her, when they'd helped her when times were rough. But she'd forget the petty grudges that made her relationships with people so much harder. It would be harder to forgive some people than others but she swore she's do it no matter what. That meant forgiving even Rick, which would be hardest of all. Rick walked over to her, his hair the same colour as the sun and he smiled sheepishly.
"Karen, I want you to know that my New Year's resolution is to be a better person. Meaning that I'll never do anything like I did to you again. Now I don't expect you to forgive me, but I just wanted to let you know, I'm sorry." Rick said and for the first time in ages looking at him didn't make her feel sick. She smiled and hugged him.
"Want to know what my New Year's resolution is? It's to forgive everyone who's hurt me in the past, including you. So let's start on a clean slate okay?" Karen said sweetly. The hugest smile appeared on Rick's face as he let her go.
"That sounds like the best Stocking festival present ever, even if it was a little late." He said smiling. Karen nodded, and she felt a huge weight lifted off her shoulders. Suddenly Ann ran towards her with a huge smile on her face.
"Karen, you'll never guess what! Jack's called!" Ann exclaimed. Karen's heart did a summersault and she ran towards the inn.
She ran feeling as light as a feather, he'd finally called. She found it almost strange that as soon as she forgave Rick, Jack called. It was almost like some divine being was rewarding her for doing the right thing, which led her to wonder whether she should do the right thing more often. She grabbed the phone and took a deep breath.
"Hello?" She asked nervously.
"Hi Karen, I've missed you." Jack said. She smiled at hearing his voice for the first time in ages. It was like the sweetest music in the world played by a league of angels.
"I've missed you too." Karen said, she felt her throat tighten, she was about to cry.
"I'm so sorry I haven't called, I've been so busy, watching over dad and helping him through his operation. It was some sort of heart problem, but he's getting better. I can come back soon, I just want to stay until he's recovered, is that okay? But if you tell me you want me to come back now I will." Jack said quickly. Karen breathed in, her selfish side wanted to say, come back now, but she knew she couldn't.
"No Jack, staying a few more weeks won't hurt, I want you to see him recover. The longer I wait the better it will be when you come back." Karen said, trying to sound brave.
"Really?" Jack said, even over the phone he could tell what she really wanted. But she hated him questioning her, it made it so much harder.
"Yes." Karen said sounding as definite as she could.
"Really?" Jack asked again. Inside her something was screaming, no, no make him come back, but she ignored it.
"YES!" She said in a don't-argue-with-me voice. She heard Jack laugh and that made her smile.
"Karen..." He said slowly.
"Yes Jack?" Karen asked. She then heard some voices in the background.
"Mr. Hunter, your father is waking up, please come quickly." A nurse said. Karen heard Jack mumbled "I'm coming" and sighed. They weren't going to get a long conversation after all.
"I'll be back in a few weeks, maybe a month. I've got to go now, sorry we couldn't talk for longer. I love you, goodbye." He said quickly, Karen could hear his reluctance to hang up.
"I love..." Karen began but she heard the phone beep, he'd hung up. Karen slid down the wall and onto the floor. She felt tears slide down her face, both happiness and sadness. But finally after months of waiting, he was coming home.
For the next month she anticipated his arrival, she couldn't wait to hug him, to feel his warm arms around her, making all her sadness wash away. She had only a few more days to wait and she was dancing around waiting for his boat to arrive. Only one boat came from the mainland every month and she was sure he would be on that one. She had got the time off Zack and was waiting eagerly at the beach for him to arrive. She had Ann on Popuri on her side, watching with glee as Karen danced around.
"He'll be here soon!" Karen exclaimed. Popuri and Ann nodded, after the fifth time of hearing it. For three hours Karen waited on the beach for the boat that never came, for three hours she looked hopefully out at the sea. Afterwards she realised that the boat wasn't coming, and an hour after that she sat on the beach crying. All Ann and Popuri could do was watch hopelessly as their best friend cried her tears into the sea that had betrayed her. Karen was then helped home before she collapsed onto her bed escaping into her dreams. Popuri then walked back home with Ann.
"That lying scum, I can't believe he would do that to her. He should at least call!" Popuri said, her anger evident. Ann was silent, making Popuri panic.
"Ann no, I know what's going through that head of yours no. He would not cheat on Karen." Popuri said, shaking her head in disbelief.
"Maybe your right. But I'm just saying, he didn't call for a long time before. Who knows his dad isn't already dead." Ann said shrugging. Popuri gaped at her and stood still while Ann carried on walking. Popuri then trotted after her.
"Ann for once, just believe in him and think that he missed his boat or his dad got sicker okay and don't tell your suspicions to Karen okay? That's all she needs right now." Popuri said. Ann shrugged but nodded, they then walked home in silence.
For the next few days Karen moped at home, no one saw or heard anything from her not even her parents.
"I'm getting worried, she hasn't even come down to eat." Sasha said panic-stricken to Popuri.
"Don't worry Sasha, she wouldn't do anything drastic. She's just upset, she'll come when she's ready." Ann told Sasha.
"Speak of the devil." Jeff said as Karen emerged. She looked terrible, like she hadn't washed or even moved in three days. Her hair was bedraggled and her face was dirty with tear stains running down it. The mascara she had put on when she though she would meet Jack had run down her face and her green eyes were dull.
"Karen you look terrible." Popuri gasped before clapping her hand over her mouth. Ann glared at her then went to hug Karen.
"Thanks Popuri." Karen said sarcastically. She saw their worried faces and sighed. "I'm fine honest, I've just had a rough few days."
"Are you sure you're okay, after...?" Popuri asked nervously. Karen gazed at Popuri blankly.
"After what Poe?" Karen said, her eyes dared Popuri to mention it.
"Nothing." Popuri said in a small voice.
"Right." Karen said and grabbed herself a bowl of cereal. She munched it down and then helped herself to another bowl while her family and friends watched worriedly.
"I'm going to have a shower if no one objects." Karen said casually. She then grabbed a towel and walked into the bathroom. Everyone exchanged worried glances before carrying on with what they were doing. They had no idea that for the past three days Karen had been willing herself to forget the incident and carry on as normal and finally she had been able to do it. When she emerged from the bathroom she looked much better, she gave everyone a smile then went back to her room to change and do her hair. She then left the house to take a hike up the mountain. Leaving everyone bewildered.
That evening she arrived back home giving everyone a smile like nothing was wrong. Suddenly Zack burst into the house with a call for Karen.
"Karen there's a call for you, from Jack's parents, they won't speak to anyone else. It sounds urgent." He said worriedly. Karen's heart began to thud as she ran down to the inn, her mind running a mile a minute. Was he missing?
"Hello?" She said worriedly as she picked up the phone.
"Is that Karen?" A women's voice asked.
"Yes."
"I'm Jack's mother." She said, she sounded distraught, her voice wavering dangerously.
"Is Jack's father alright?" Karen asked worriedly.
"Yes he's fine he made a full recovery. But it's about Jack... Karen he's dead."
