A broken Swan Read online

  Chelsea came downstairs to grab something to drink. She saw us kissing and told us to get a room. And then walked out. We both laughed.

  I realized that I needed to dress up today. I didn’t have anything to wear. I really only had one dress, which was the green one I wore already. So I went and sought out Aunt Helen. She was surprise and pleased. She told me she had something to show me. She said that she saved me mom’s dresses in case some day I’d come asking her for her help. I was so happy I gave her a hug. There had to be at least 20 dresses. I realized that mom and I were around the same size. She had beautiful dresses. I use to watch her dress up for dad when they went out on dinners. The thought of it made me happy. It was my turn to dress up.

  “I want you to wear this dress. It would be perfect for today,” Aunt Helen said holding a white strapless sweetheart neckline dress. It was made of cotton. The top bodice had beautiful white silk ruching. There was a thick dark red ribbon that was tied in a bow on the waist. It was perfect for Valentine’s Day.

  “It’s beautiful. I remember mom wearing this for Valentine’s Day with dad,” I whispered. It’s been four years without my parents. Four years without a birthday party. Mom and dad made such a big deal every year. But after they died, I denied myself a celebration. Aunt Helen must have seen it on my face. She came up to me and gave me a hug.

  “I have something for you. I kept some photos that your mom took, of you, of your dad and the three of you together. I had pictures put together into a book for you,” She said and handed me a large wrapped present. I slowly opened it. The cover of the book had a picture of my parents. The title was Alissa, Simon and Odette forever. My hands starting shaking, my vision began to blur. I opened the book and there was a picture of me, my hand holding up a blue paper swan. I remember the memory “Mommy, look what daddy help me do! Take a picture of me with my swan!” She laughed and starting snapping away.

  Uncle Robert came into the room as I was flipping through the book. I’d smile, choked out a laugh at some funny pictures, tears running down my face. I sat on their bed between them, the three of us looking the memories. One picture stood out, it was me. I had to be 6 years old at a time. I was wearing a flower dress, same auburn hair. It was a sunny day. I had my arms thrown open, smiling face looking up at the sky with folder paper swan in my hand. I remember screaming “I’m flying mommy!” and giggle while running. It was in an open field with all the colors of flowers.

  I gasp. “What place is this?” I asked anxiously. Both Aunt Helen and Uncle Robert looked at each other.

  “Honey, that’s the land on the Ryan’s side. It’s about a mile away from here. Your mom and dad use to go picnicking there when you were little. It gave her time to take pictures and time for the three of you together. You use to love that place. I’m surprise you don’t remember,” Uncle Robert pointed out.

  I did forget. My mind must have suppressed some memory and this was one of them. But I remember now. I also remember seeing this place recently.

  “Mom and dad came to me when I was unconscious at the hospital. I thought it was heaven at first. I was in this same field when I saw them….” I choked out. “They told me it wasn’t my time to join them. They said they were together,” I cried.

  I think Uncle Robert needed to hear it the most. Never realizing that he carried his own guilt for the death of his brother. Never knowing that he had his demons to overcome because he couldn’t save his brother. That my mother was killed. That I was almost killed. He felt like he failed as his job to protect and serve the innocent. His own family. He and dad had been receiving threat notes weeks before mom and dad were murdered. Uncle Robert thought he took all the necessary steps to prevent Mr. Boland from hurting any of us. But it was too late for dad. It couldn’t been prevented. Now he knew that dad was fine. That mom was with him. That even in the afterlife, his brother was at peace and dad knew that his brother was doing his best to take care of his little girl. That he was giving all his love to his little girl like she was his own daughter. Uncle Robert and I held each other. I realize even more that he and I were finally at peace together. Dad was right. I was like Uncle Robert in more ways. A person of actions.

  Chapter 19

  I finally got to my room to put on the dress. I was trying to see if I wanted to wear my hair up or down. As I slipped on the dress, zipped it up and looked in the mirror. It fit me perfectly. For a moment I imagined my mom standing with her arms around my shoulders staring together in the mirror. I could see her approval in her face.

  And then I realized. The dress was more revealing on top. It showed the scar from where the bullet went through. There was an indentation on my skin. It was just above my left breast near the center of my chest. I ran my finger on it. I wasn’t sure I was ready to show the scar. No one’s ever seen it except Uncle Robert. I use to think it made me even uglier, made me even more broken. I must have stood there for a long time contemplating it. I heard the wind blowing through my window. I was surprise that there was wind because I didn’t feel it earlier. All of a sudden, I heard whispers, “Happy birthday baby girl.” A whisper that sounded like my mom’s voice. I ran downstairs through the backdoor, glad that I still had my white sneakers on. I ran outside in the cold air trying to listen to the wind, trying to catch the voice again. I stood by the fence and stared out into the vast opening. I closed my eyes and felt the gust of wind blow onto me, through my hair. I heard the voice in the wind again, this time it was dad, “Happy birthday honey, Happy birthday. My little girl all grown up.” Was I imagining things? Am I hearing my own thoughts? Were they here somehow, watching me?

  I kept my eyes closed, hoping to hear their voices again. The wind stopped blowing, but I was still concentrating so hard that I didn’t even hear the person behind me approach until he put his arms around me.

  “Odette,” He whispered my name in encouragement to open them. My eyes shot open and I looked up at him. His eyes were shining as he looked at me, his beautiful ocean blue eyes.

  “Love, what are you doing out here in the cold with no jacket on?” he asked with concern.

  “Sorry, I thought I heard something.”

  I looked down at myself and realized the hair that covered the scar blew out of the way and bared it for him to see. My hands automatically shot up and covered it. He shook his head, grabbed my hand and bent down to kiss it. It was so intimate that I gasped. He looked up with his eyes letting me know that no scars would change his mind about me. He stood up straight and kissed my lips.

  “Odette, you are so beautiful,” his deep voice whispered against my ears. “I love you,” he said. I pulled back and looked in his eyes. He was smiling. I threw my arms around his waist and tightly held on. He said he loved me. I knew he loved me but it was the first time he said it in words. I didn’t realize that I needed to hear it too.

  He pulled me away and pulled out a red velvet box. I held my breath. It’s not a ring. No, it was a bigger box. His eyes showed amusement because all I did was stand there and stare at it. So he opened the box for me. It was a necklace. A beautiful thin silver necklace. On the necklace laid a charm. A small white swan with blue diamond eyes. Like his eyes. I choked out a cry and covered my mouth with my hand. He pulled it out, slipped it around me and kissed my neck.

  “A beautiful necklace for a beautiful girl,” he said and kissed me sweetly.

  And then I realized. “Your present is bigger than me,” I whined against his mouth. He threw his head back to laugh.

  Then from behind us, “Come on guys, this party isn’t just for me, it’s for the three of us. Let’s get a move on,” Gemma said with her hands on her hips tapping her feet. She looked beautiful in her blue dress that accentuated her curves. She wore heels, which made her even taller.

  I went up to her and gave her a quick hug and went into the house. Gabriel wasn’t too happy I went ahead without him because he wanted to keep me close. It was sweet. There were a lot of people. My social skills were out of touch.
Chelsea was a great host. Mark was by her side most of the time. They made a great couple. Both were tall, blond and good-looking, they complimented each other.

  There were people there that I knew and then there were people I didn’t know. Gabriel proved to be a great host himself. Very charming and of course, he was gorgeous too. He had on black blazer that made his chest look broad, black dress pants and he had a dark red shirt that fit the color of my ribbon on my waist. It was funny that we matched without even realizing it. Every now and then my hand went to touch the swan on the necklace. I tried to pull my hand out of his to go grab my camera because I was so used to being the one behind the camera. He’d stand firm, keep a grip on our hands, shake his head and said that tonight I would be in front of it. I pouted, which I never do, and all he did was touch my lips with his thumb and kiss me. I just felt out of my element.

  I greeted people. I was enjoying myself and I was trying not to look ridiculous. Charlie came up to me and told me I had great shoes on. I looked down and forgot that I still had my sneakers on. We both laughed.

  There were a lot of food and music playing. There was a DJ and a photographer. I recognized him. It was Pete, my boss. He winked at me while taking photos. Maybe he did help my mom start her career, I giggled to myself. I tried to escape again to talk to him but I felt Gabriel tightened his arms around me. I never realized how protective he was of me. I arched him an eyebrow in question and he blushed. He loosened his grip.

  But he was lucky. A slow song came on and he pulled me to the dance floor. He held me close, as I enjoyed how he felt against me. I melted. Who would ever think I would find a sweet guy like him? He may not be perfect, but he was to me. I love you, I sighed dreamingly with my eyes close. I shot them open and realized I said it out loud. He smiled with his face close to mine. He drew me closer and gave me a kiss on my forehead.

  “Forever,” he whispered.

  The three of us blew out candles together laughing. Gemma cried when she opened my gift and hugged me. She and Gabriel held each other for a long time, a moment they needed for themselves. It was a moment of remembrance and forgiveness. It was beautiful.

  Chapter 20

  I never took the necklace off. I loved it too much. The pictures from the party turned out to be beautiful. Pete did a great job at capturing the moments. There was one picture that Gabriel loved so much he blew it up into a bigger picture to put on his wall. It was me and him on the dance floor, his forehead against mine, hand in hand. The sun shone through the window creating a halo above us. Like my mom and dad was there, watching over me. It was as if they sent me an angel to watch over me, my angel Gabriel.

  Mrs. Sinclair came back to work. Gabriel and I worked on the assignment separately. I didn’t want him to know what I wrote.

  So she wanted us to write three things we wanted to do differently this year that will help change our life. And she wanted us to tell her why. I wrote that if I failed this assignment, I was fine with it. I only wrote two sentences; that I wouldn’t do anything different this year because I didn’t need anything else to change in my life. Changes came in unexpected ways and it was up to us to accept it as good or bad.

  Gabriel confessed that when he first met me at the cemetery, he knew who I was. He said that when Grandpa Paul mentioned me a few times, he wanted to meet me. He said he fell in love with the first time he saw me. He thought I was perfect.

  He said that on the assignment, he wrote “I wouldn’t change a thing because I already have everything I need. That is in Odette Callaghan.” I kissed him.

  Mrs. Sinclair came back and told us that we both got A’s and said that we understood the concept of the assignment much more than the other students.

  The months went by. Graduation came along. It made sense for me to walk the stage with Chelsea since she told me earlier in the year that it was what we were going to do. Gabriel walked the stage with his twin. All of our families were in the front row, screaming and rooting for us. Chelsea was right about one thing, this year was the best year for us.

  In June, I received a letter stating that Frank Boland died of a heart attack in prison. In a sense, I was relieved. I stopped feeling afraid a long time ago. Justice had been served. But this was a closing chapter for us. I showed Uncle Robert the letter to read. He and I went to mom and dad’s grave together to drop off flowers.

  I called Gabriel and told him. He asked if I wanted him to come over. I told him I needed to be alone. He understood. I told him I was going to go to the field on his land that my parents and I use to go picnic on. The flowers would all be looking in full bloom. It only took about a half an hour to walk. I looked for the spot that I remember sitting with mom and dad. I found it by a tree.

  The wind was blowing, flowers moving with the wind. I could hear laughter; imagine myself running with my dad. My mom smiling and taking pictures capturing as many memories as she could. I closed my eyes and let the wind blow in my face through my hair. I felt something blow onto my chest and caught it before it flew away. It was a blue paper swan, like the one my dad folded for me many years ago.

  I knew what it meant. A tear dropped down my cheek. I knew that they were here with me somehow.

  I saw something from a distance. It was Gabriel riding along on Midnight. My Midnight rider, I smiled. I knew he wouldn’t be able to stay away long. He came close to me and looked down with concern. “Are you all right love?” he softly asked. I held my hand up to him to tell him that I wanted to get on the horse with him. He helped me up and sat me in front of him. His strong arms held me tight as he held onto the reins.

  I turned my head, kissed him on the chin and whispered, “I love you Gabriel.”

  “I love you too Odette, my swan princess,” he whispered in my ears. It tingled down my spine.

  “Faster,” was all I said. And he knew what I wanted. He pulled the reins and led Midnight into a fast pace. I threw my hands up feeling the wind against us, Gabriel laughing holding on tight never letting me go. I closed my eyes and smiled. I let go of the paper swan from my hands and thought in my head:

  “Mom, dad, your swan princess is finally flying away!”

  And in the wind, I could hear them whispering their love.