A very big thanks to Charlotte for stepping in to update for me while I'm without internet. Also thank you to Eva, without whom, you wouldn't be reading this. Without further ado, I present chapter two.
Elena:
I'm home. It all feels so surreal. I thank the cab driver as I hand him his pay. I'm wearing the only thing the ship had for me. I look like a man, wearing oversized pants, Greek fisherman's hat and overcoat. Tentatively, I walk towards my house. When I hear voices in the backyard, I walk around the hedges to see two children playing in the swimming pool. My eyes well with tears and I reach up to cover my mouth. My wonderful, beautiful children. I missed so much of their formative years being stuck on that God forsaken island. Not wanting to scare them, I tip toe around the hedges. My feet seem to have a mind of their own as I make my way forward inching ever closer to them.
"Hello, who are you?" Andrew asks curiously.
"He's a sailor. Look at the way he's dressed," Molly chimes in.
"Well hello there," I say wiping tears from my eyes.
"Molly, see, it's not a he at all," Andrew weighs in.
"Are you a real sailor, a lady sailor?" Molly asks.
"No, not really," I answer with a slight smile.
"Our mommy drowned at sea. Didn't she Andrew?" Molly says while kicking her feet in the grass.
"Yeah but daddy doesn't know that we know."
"Andrew, do you miss her very much?" I ask anxiously.
Andrew raises his eyes to me once more. "Uh huh. How do you know my name?"
"I just know. Your sister's name is Molly. Gosh, you've grown into wonderful looking kids." I marvel.
"Daddy says we look like our mommy." Andrew says proudly.
Feeling edgy I utter, "Would you like to have her back?"
"How can we get her back? She's drowned." Andrew replies disbelievingly.
"I'm sorry lady. We're not allowed to talk to strangers."
I watch Andrew run into my house before turning my attention to Molly.
"Molly..." I ask tentatively.
"We're not allowed to talk to strangers," she says softly.
"Is your daddy home?"
"No, only grandma."
I hear a door close. I look up to see my mother in law, Josephine, step outside. I cover my mouth with my hand. I feel so overwhelmed with feelings. When I was on the island, I had to learn to keep them tucked away or I wouldn't have survived the deep visceral sadness at being separated from my family. Lost in my thoughts, I don't even notice how close Josephine was to me.
"Pardon me, I heard you talking to my grandchildren. Is there something... Oh my Lord, Elena," she mutters, in shock.
She starts to sway. I grab hold of her to keep her from falling. Shaking her head, she raises her eyes to mine again. "How?"
"Hello mom. Please don't faint," I answer and wrap an arm around her shoulder. I raise my other hand to wipe the tears threatening to fall from my eyes. I pull her into my arms and hug tightly.
"Come Elena, let's go inside," she says taking a Kleenex from her pocket to wipe away her tears as well as mine.
I walk into my home for the first time in seven years. I'm overcome with emotions strong enough to weaken my knees. There are just no words to express how very happy I am.
Damon covers my eyes with his hands and leads me through the doorway. He lifts his hands so I can view our new home.
"Damon, it's positively beautiful." I'm so excited. I'm pregnant with our first baby. Our apartment isn't big enough so we decided to purchase a home. We'd been looking at properties for a while when Damon came home last night telling me he found us the perfect home.
"I told you so. It's perfect isn't it?" He says with a big teethy grin before pulling me into his arms and dropping a kiss to my crown.
"Come. I'll give you the tour."
"Elena dear, Are you alright?" Mom asks cautiously.
Tears finally begin pouring from my eyes. She hands me another Kleenex.
"I'm just so happy," I reply then wrap my arms around her again.
"Where did you disappear to, Elena?" she queries.
"I was shipwrecked. I didn't die when the boat sank. There was one other survivor who was stuck on the island with me. Somehow we learned to survive. I had all but given up hope that we'd ever be rescued when low and behold, a passing ship sent some men ashore when they saw our fire. That's the reason I'm standing here today." I whisper through my tears.
"How's Damon? I miss him so very much," I ask longingly.
"Damon?" she replies.
"Yes, Damon. Your son, my husband," I say raising my brow.
"Oh, uh, he-he-he's fine. I just can't believe it," she says hesitantly.
"What aren't you telling me, mother?" I ask with more than a hint of anxiety.
"We thought you were drowned. Um, hm, er, Damon, he's married again," she says nervously.
My gut twists as my eyes widen, "Wha.. wha.. what did you just say?"
"It's been seven years, Elena."
"Oh, yes. Seven years... Is she nice? Anyone I know?" I ask, my voice barely a whisper.
"How long did he wait?"
"He just married yesterday, Elena. You were declared legally dead and then Damon married Katherine. They're driving to Yosemite for their honeymoon after a stop over in San Francisco."
"Yosemite! Not our hotel, not our suite?" I respond indignantly.
"Oh, Damon. Right there" I sigh dreamily as his magical hands work marvels on my aching feet. "Where did you learn to do that?" I gasp when he hits a spot.
"Years of practice." he replies with a wink.
I scowl at him when I get his innuendo. "I don't think I want to hear about it."
He laughs then teases, "Is my girl jealous?"
Exhaling an exaggerated huff, I roll my eyes and turn away, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing my newly green tint.
He puts my feet down and crawls up my body. He lays the most mind bending kiss ever on me. My heart is thrumming against my rib cage when I pull back breathlessly only to see a him grinning like the Cheshire cat.
"Elena, dear?" she says, getting my attention. "Damon has business in San Francisco... Oh, my dear. I'm so sorry. If only you would've gotten here yesterday or the day before." She says trying to make this easier for me.
"Does he love her?" I ask anxiously.
"No sweetheart, he doesn't love her. He just married her although I can't begin to imagine why!" she responds disbelievingly.
"Wait a minute. Wait a minute. I'm thinking. Married yesterday, driving to Yosemite. Do planes still fly to Yosemite?"
"Well, I guess so. What do you have in mind, Elena?"
"It's what Damon has in mind I worry about! Mother... I'm flying to Yosemite!" I reply, grinning like the Cheshire cat myself..
Thank you so much for the incredible reception to this story with all your reviews, follows and favorites. Please take a look at my other story in progress, 'The Fugitive'. Please remember to hit those review and follow buttons. Thank you again Charlotte. See you next time.
Unauthorized edit. Hey :) Carol's moving and without internet, yet she still finished all these chapters to update while she's gone so we could all read. Dedication. Plus if you keep track of her reviewing record, again: dedication. It would be way cool if she got a whole bunch of reviews… Night-night! C.
