Bess Lovelace, page 21
‘Can I ask what she looks like?’ Alex whispered, eyes wide and shocked still.
I looked over at where she’d sat on the side of the bed. ‘She…she’s beautiful. Her hair is long, blonde and she’s got bouncy curls in it. She’s wearing blue jeans and a sort-of bra like crop top, with fancy jewelled parts on the ‘V’ section at her neck. She’s smiling…always smiling…she looks happy. She has a little white bag on her shoulder and she’s holding the purse part of it to make sure she keeps her keys safe when she goes out.’
Alex was staring at me, dumbfounded.
When she didn’t speak for several more minutes, I spoke again. ‘Alex? You okay?’
‘I just…Bess; what you described was what she was wearing the night she went out and never came back. The night she disappeared. I remember going into her room before she left and thinking how pretty she looked. She was all dressed up, looking amazing and I thought it-I just didn’t tell her. We were typical sisters, always arguing about something but all of it inconsequential. I wish I’d told her, Bess. I wish I’d told her how beautiful she looked that night.’
‘You just did,’ I told her, softly. ‘She’s here…she’s always here, she says-aside from when she visits you.’
Alex reached up and wiped a tear away from her eye.
‘Hey, I’m sorry…don’t get upset,’ I told her, reaching to hug her.
‘No, it’s fine…it’s wonderful. I’m so glad you can see her and communicate that to me,’ she said, swallowing against the tide of emotion which swept through her.
I looked over as Annabelle spoke and took in her words. Nodding, I turned back to Alex. ‘She just spoken to me, Alex. She said she knows how much you’ve been through and how brave you’ve had to be in the life you’ve faced. She doesn’t want you to feel guilty either. She knows you feel guilt about being the daughter who was left behind alive while she disappeared. She doesn’t want you to feel that. All she wants is for you to be happy. She loves you, Alex.’
‘Can you tell her I love her too?’ she questioned, weeping freely now.
‘You just did,’ I said again. ‘She’s here, Alex. She can hear you. You just can’t see her back,’ I murmured.
Alex nodded, wiping her eyes. ‘Is she…is she okay?’ she asked, tremulously.
I looked at Annabelle for confirmation of this. When I’d listened, I turned back to her. ‘She’s fine…happy…she’s in a good place, she tells me. She comes back when she feels your or your parents’ emotions strongly and then stays and visits with you. She doesn’t want you all to feel this way anymore. That’s why she wants to be found and laid properly to rest. She’s showing me a church and a gravestone, so I’m assuming that’s what she wants…to be laid to rest properly at last.’
‘I want to do that so much,’ she cried. ‘It’s what I’ve wanted for so long. Knowing for sure she’s gone, she deserves to be buried somewhere with a gravestone, her name and flowers everywhere to remember her.’
I nodded. ‘I’m sure we can do that,’ I said, finally looking around the room. I felt like I’d gone back in time and seeing the posters on the wall, the dated décor and the items strewn around, it was like entering a time capsule. ‘Wow, this room is incredible!’
‘I know,’ Alex sighed. ‘It’s like a snapshot in time, right? It’s just as she left it,’ she told me.
‘Right down to the homework left unfinished on the desk,’ I said, walking over and running my hand over the exercise books and scanning the work there. Frowning at the desk in front of me, I lingered a moment, but didn’t know what it meant, so I moved on.
Not wanting to arouse Alex’s mum’s suspicions, Alex then left me to it to explore the room while she went downstairs and distracted her. I looked around, taking everything in and then sat on the bed beside Annabelle, glancing at her.
‘I don’t know what I’m looking for,’ I told her.
She sighed. ‘It’ll come…’
‘But can’t you just tell me? What am I looking for?’ I asked her again.
‘You’ve already seen it; your mind just hasn’t recognised it yet. It’s not time,’ she said, prophetically.
‘No?’
‘No,’ she said, sadly. ‘I wish it was…but unfortunately life has a way of interfering sometimes,’ she murmured.
‘What do you mean?’
She gasped. ‘Be careful, okay!’ she warned me, and rapidly disappeared. Left alone in the room, I couldn’t ignore the swift beating of my heart as I frowned at her warning. Be careful? What did that mean?
Hurrying back downstairs, I rejoined Alex and her mother in the lounge for a short while before Alex announced our departure.
‘Well, we should get going, Mum,’ Alex said, standing.
‘Of course, honey,’ she said, advancing on me. ‘Bess; it’s been such a pleasure meeting you tonight. I really hope we can do this again soon and chat some more when you’re feeling better. I have so many questions I’d like to ask you!’
I knew she was thinking about Annabelle, and I nodded. ‘Of course-and I’ll help if I can,’ I told her, accepting her hug.
‘Oh darling, you’re such a sweet person. I’m so glad Alex has brought you into our lives,’ she smiled, kissing my cheek.
I felt unexpected tears spring to my eyes. ‘I’m glad too,’ I told her, happily.
‘Bye Mum,’ Alex said, giving her a hug. ‘And take care of Dad, okay? Get him back to the doctors as soon as possible, okay?’
‘I will do,’ she promised. ‘Literally tomorrow,’ she smiled.
‘Okay, well we’ll come back soon. Bye Mum!’
‘Bye Annie,’ I waved, as we headed to the car.
‘Bye you two! Come back soon!’ she waved.
Back in the car, I turned to Alex and smiled.
‘Okay, sweetie?’ she asked me.
‘Yes,’ I nodded. ‘My heart feels full. Your family are lovely,’ I told her, appreciatively.
‘They loved you too, Bess. You’re so welcome with us,’ she told me, reaching over to cup my cheek.
I smiled at her, fondly. ‘Thank you. It means a lot,’ I told her.
Her eyes never left mine as she sighed, her emotions in overdrive. ‘God, Bess…’
‘What?’ I questioned.
She scanned my eyes in the moonlight, unable to look away. ‘I just…I’m falling for you so fast,’ she admitted, her heart hammering in her chest.
I could feel how breathless she felt, how overcome with emotion she was. Telling her how I felt was hard for me, but the way she was looking at me, the moonlight overhead and my erratic heartbeat made it impossible not to. ‘I’m falling in love with you too,’ I told her, softly, my heart in my throat as the words came out sounding strangled to my ears.
‘Bess…’ she breathed, and bent towards me, kissing me softly.
I let my lips touch hers and linger. Her fingers threaded through my hair and held me there, not asking for more, just enjoying the moment.
When she finally lifted her head, she bent her forehead against mine and we breathed together, both trying to calm our rushing hearts as emotions filled us both. It was a strange sensation as I could feel my own turbulent feelings crashing into hers, which was a heady mix.
‘Shall we get home?’ she asked me, lifting her head and meeting my eyes once more.
I sighed. ‘I like it when you call it that.’
‘What…home?’ she asked.
‘Uh huh,’ I murmured. ‘I like staying with you,’ I said, softly.
‘Well, I like having you with me. I mean, if it were up to me, you’d never leave.’
‘Really?’
‘Really,’ she confirmed. ‘I want to be there for you as we work everything out. I was to help you every step of the way so that you’re free of the burdens that you have in your life right now, Bess. I want to help you leave your job and work with me. I want to help you to get divorced and be free of your ex forever. I want to help you to sort out your house, money and finances so that you can be independent and able to make your own decisions. Above all else, I just want you to be happy, Bess. I want to see that smile on your face everyday and know that I’m part of the reason why it’s there.’
‘Alex…’ I murmured, completely and utterly moved by her words.
‘I was hiding the truth before,’ she told me, softly. ‘But only because it’s happened so fast. I’m in love with you, Bess. Totally and utterly completely in love with you, Bess.’
I felt my heart hammering in my chest, and I felt speechless. Her words had been so incredible, so heartfelt and so perfect. ‘I love you too,’ I whispered, afraid to say it but feeling surer than I had ever felt before that I finally felt well and truly, utterly besotted with someone. She was offering me so much and I was so grateful that I had met her when I needed her the most.
We leant in, sealing the words with a searching kiss. I held her close, loving the feelings coursing through her as she savoured the feeling of me in her arms. She never wanted to let go, and I felt exactly the same way.
When we finally released one another’s lips, she smiled down at me. ‘Shall we go home?’ she asked.
‘Yes please,’ I smiled, and the expression reached my eyes, such was the happiness blooming inside me.
‘Come on then, you,’ she grinned. ‘I’ve got plans involving you tonight,’ she chuckled.
I laughed as she started the car, seeing the images she was picturing, of taking me to bed and making love to me the whole night long. Settling back comfortably in the leather seat, I smiled to myself as she began to drive slowly out of the cul de sac.
My calm didn’t last long. My mother’s house was in a small area which turned out onto the clifftop road beyond. As we turned the corner, it was immediately apparent that something was wrong.
‘Shit…’ Alex exclaimed as we drove.
‘What? What is it?’ I frowned, looking over at her, worried.
‘I think there’s something wrong with the car…the brakes aren’t responding,’ she told me, frantically.
We were travelling at about forty miles per hour, but we were on the sea road, overlooking the cliff. There were fences to the right of us, but if we hit them at a certain speed, we’d be gone, nonetheless.
‘Go down the gears! Slow us down!’ I cried, instantly panicking.
‘Fuck! This car behind me is speeding up! Oh my God,’ she fretted, as lights appeared behind us, blindingly close.
I turned to look and saw that the car behind was literally riding her bumper, any closer and would be ouching. The closeness forced her speed and stopped her from slowing down. In the blinding lights, I could see nothing, and yet I knew the truth. I knew who it was.
‘Tess…’ I breathed, my heart hammering in my chest.
A turn came up, sweeping around and Alex couldn’t slow down for it, the brakes unresponsive as she stomped on them hard, repeatedly.
‘They’re not working! Fuck, someone’s cut the brakes!’ she yelled, growing distressed, as she feared for our lives, feared she would be unable to stop us safely.
‘Alex! It’s Tess!’ I cried, knowing without doubt that my ex was the one following us, trying to drive us off the road.
‘She’s cut the brakes! I can’t fucking stop! She’s going to take us off the road!’ she cried.
‘Cliffs to the right!’ I screamed, ‘Crash left!’ I cried, knowing that the only way to avoid certain death was to crash us into the housing to the left of us rather than the cliffs on the right.
I reached over, yanking the steering wheel and we careened off the road and then everything was a blur as we went out of control, the car spinning and then slamming into a brick building, jolting us forwards and instantly knocking us both forwards to smash our heads against the front of the car.
The stop was juddering, but I was still conscious in those moments before the car behind crashed into us heavily, sending my head smacking onto the dashboard once more.
This time, my head span and I couldn’t lift myself from the car. I was conscious, but just barely. I was aware of incessant beeping, alarms and then the car door being pulled open. My arm was tugged painfully roughly, and I was yanked from the car and onto the rough, concrete ground. From there, I was dragged and then dumped, lifted and then dropped and then a slamming sound told me where I was.
I’d been put in the boot of a car and suddenly it roared to life, swerving off into the darkness as I lay bleeding in the trunk of the vehicle. My injuries were too bad to stay awake then, and I drifted into the blackness wondering if this was what it felt like to die. My last thoughts were of Alex, and my love for her. I sank into the abyss with love in my heart and a soft smile on my lips.
Coming soon-
Alex Arden
AJ Estelliam
Alex Arden wakes in the hospital to a sickening reality. The woman she loves has been abducted and taken against her will, and Alex fears that there is little time to save her. Since being hit by lightning, Bess Lovelace has been different. Able to hear the thoughts, emotions and knowledge of others, her psychic ability had become a new part of her life-one which she is learning to deal with and discovering how she can use for the good of others.
Alex is fearful that Bess’s ex wants her dead. Bess has told her of Tess’s evil intent and now that she has kidnapped her, it’s a race against the clock to get to her before she’s killed.
Can Alex save the woman she’s fallen so deeply in love with and fulfil her promises to help her change her life for the better? Find out in…Alex Arden.
AJ Estelliam, Bess Lovelace
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I looked over at where she’d sat on the side of the bed. ‘She…she’s beautiful. Her hair is long, blonde and she’s got bouncy curls in it. She’s wearing blue jeans and a sort-of bra like crop top, with fancy jewelled parts on the ‘V’ section at her neck. She’s smiling…always smiling…she looks happy. She has a little white bag on her shoulder and she’s holding the purse part of it to make sure she keeps her keys safe when she goes out.’
Alex was staring at me, dumbfounded.
When she didn’t speak for several more minutes, I spoke again. ‘Alex? You okay?’
‘I just…Bess; what you described was what she was wearing the night she went out and never came back. The night she disappeared. I remember going into her room before she left and thinking how pretty she looked. She was all dressed up, looking amazing and I thought it-I just didn’t tell her. We were typical sisters, always arguing about something but all of it inconsequential. I wish I’d told her, Bess. I wish I’d told her how beautiful she looked that night.’
‘You just did,’ I told her, softly. ‘She’s here…she’s always here, she says-aside from when she visits you.’
Alex reached up and wiped a tear away from her eye.
‘Hey, I’m sorry…don’t get upset,’ I told her, reaching to hug her.
‘No, it’s fine…it’s wonderful. I’m so glad you can see her and communicate that to me,’ she said, swallowing against the tide of emotion which swept through her.
I looked over as Annabelle spoke and took in her words. Nodding, I turned back to Alex. ‘She just spoken to me, Alex. She said she knows how much you’ve been through and how brave you’ve had to be in the life you’ve faced. She doesn’t want you to feel guilty either. She knows you feel guilt about being the daughter who was left behind alive while she disappeared. She doesn’t want you to feel that. All she wants is for you to be happy. She loves you, Alex.’
‘Can you tell her I love her too?’ she questioned, weeping freely now.
‘You just did,’ I said again. ‘She’s here, Alex. She can hear you. You just can’t see her back,’ I murmured.
Alex nodded, wiping her eyes. ‘Is she…is she okay?’ she asked, tremulously.
I looked at Annabelle for confirmation of this. When I’d listened, I turned back to her. ‘She’s fine…happy…she’s in a good place, she tells me. She comes back when she feels your or your parents’ emotions strongly and then stays and visits with you. She doesn’t want you all to feel this way anymore. That’s why she wants to be found and laid properly to rest. She’s showing me a church and a gravestone, so I’m assuming that’s what she wants…to be laid to rest properly at last.’
‘I want to do that so much,’ she cried. ‘It’s what I’ve wanted for so long. Knowing for sure she’s gone, she deserves to be buried somewhere with a gravestone, her name and flowers everywhere to remember her.’
I nodded. ‘I’m sure we can do that,’ I said, finally looking around the room. I felt like I’d gone back in time and seeing the posters on the wall, the dated décor and the items strewn around, it was like entering a time capsule. ‘Wow, this room is incredible!’
‘I know,’ Alex sighed. ‘It’s like a snapshot in time, right? It’s just as she left it,’ she told me.
‘Right down to the homework left unfinished on the desk,’ I said, walking over and running my hand over the exercise books and scanning the work there. Frowning at the desk in front of me, I lingered a moment, but didn’t know what it meant, so I moved on.
Not wanting to arouse Alex’s mum’s suspicions, Alex then left me to it to explore the room while she went downstairs and distracted her. I looked around, taking everything in and then sat on the bed beside Annabelle, glancing at her.
‘I don’t know what I’m looking for,’ I told her.
She sighed. ‘It’ll come…’
‘But can’t you just tell me? What am I looking for?’ I asked her again.
‘You’ve already seen it; your mind just hasn’t recognised it yet. It’s not time,’ she said, prophetically.
‘No?’
‘No,’ she said, sadly. ‘I wish it was…but unfortunately life has a way of interfering sometimes,’ she murmured.
‘What do you mean?’
She gasped. ‘Be careful, okay!’ she warned me, and rapidly disappeared. Left alone in the room, I couldn’t ignore the swift beating of my heart as I frowned at her warning. Be careful? What did that mean?
Hurrying back downstairs, I rejoined Alex and her mother in the lounge for a short while before Alex announced our departure.
‘Well, we should get going, Mum,’ Alex said, standing.
‘Of course, honey,’ she said, advancing on me. ‘Bess; it’s been such a pleasure meeting you tonight. I really hope we can do this again soon and chat some more when you’re feeling better. I have so many questions I’d like to ask you!’
I knew she was thinking about Annabelle, and I nodded. ‘Of course-and I’ll help if I can,’ I told her, accepting her hug.
‘Oh darling, you’re such a sweet person. I’m so glad Alex has brought you into our lives,’ she smiled, kissing my cheek.
I felt unexpected tears spring to my eyes. ‘I’m glad too,’ I told her, happily.
‘Bye Mum,’ Alex said, giving her a hug. ‘And take care of Dad, okay? Get him back to the doctors as soon as possible, okay?’
‘I will do,’ she promised. ‘Literally tomorrow,’ she smiled.
‘Okay, well we’ll come back soon. Bye Mum!’
‘Bye Annie,’ I waved, as we headed to the car.
‘Bye you two! Come back soon!’ she waved.
Back in the car, I turned to Alex and smiled.
‘Okay, sweetie?’ she asked me.
‘Yes,’ I nodded. ‘My heart feels full. Your family are lovely,’ I told her, appreciatively.
‘They loved you too, Bess. You’re so welcome with us,’ she told me, reaching over to cup my cheek.
I smiled at her, fondly. ‘Thank you. It means a lot,’ I told her.
Her eyes never left mine as she sighed, her emotions in overdrive. ‘God, Bess…’
‘What?’ I questioned.
She scanned my eyes in the moonlight, unable to look away. ‘I just…I’m falling for you so fast,’ she admitted, her heart hammering in her chest.
I could feel how breathless she felt, how overcome with emotion she was. Telling her how I felt was hard for me, but the way she was looking at me, the moonlight overhead and my erratic heartbeat made it impossible not to. ‘I’m falling in love with you too,’ I told her, softly, my heart in my throat as the words came out sounding strangled to my ears.
‘Bess…’ she breathed, and bent towards me, kissing me softly.
I let my lips touch hers and linger. Her fingers threaded through my hair and held me there, not asking for more, just enjoying the moment.
When she finally lifted her head, she bent her forehead against mine and we breathed together, both trying to calm our rushing hearts as emotions filled us both. It was a strange sensation as I could feel my own turbulent feelings crashing into hers, which was a heady mix.
‘Shall we get home?’ she asked me, lifting her head and meeting my eyes once more.
I sighed. ‘I like it when you call it that.’
‘What…home?’ she asked.
‘Uh huh,’ I murmured. ‘I like staying with you,’ I said, softly.
‘Well, I like having you with me. I mean, if it were up to me, you’d never leave.’
‘Really?’
‘Really,’ she confirmed. ‘I want to be there for you as we work everything out. I was to help you every step of the way so that you’re free of the burdens that you have in your life right now, Bess. I want to help you leave your job and work with me. I want to help you to get divorced and be free of your ex forever. I want to help you to sort out your house, money and finances so that you can be independent and able to make your own decisions. Above all else, I just want you to be happy, Bess. I want to see that smile on your face everyday and know that I’m part of the reason why it’s there.’
‘Alex…’ I murmured, completely and utterly moved by her words.
‘I was hiding the truth before,’ she told me, softly. ‘But only because it’s happened so fast. I’m in love with you, Bess. Totally and utterly completely in love with you, Bess.’
I felt my heart hammering in my chest, and I felt speechless. Her words had been so incredible, so heartfelt and so perfect. ‘I love you too,’ I whispered, afraid to say it but feeling surer than I had ever felt before that I finally felt well and truly, utterly besotted with someone. She was offering me so much and I was so grateful that I had met her when I needed her the most.
We leant in, sealing the words with a searching kiss. I held her close, loving the feelings coursing through her as she savoured the feeling of me in her arms. She never wanted to let go, and I felt exactly the same way.
When we finally released one another’s lips, she smiled down at me. ‘Shall we go home?’ she asked.
‘Yes please,’ I smiled, and the expression reached my eyes, such was the happiness blooming inside me.
‘Come on then, you,’ she grinned. ‘I’ve got plans involving you tonight,’ she chuckled.
I laughed as she started the car, seeing the images she was picturing, of taking me to bed and making love to me the whole night long. Settling back comfortably in the leather seat, I smiled to myself as she began to drive slowly out of the cul de sac.
My calm didn’t last long. My mother’s house was in a small area which turned out onto the clifftop road beyond. As we turned the corner, it was immediately apparent that something was wrong.
‘Shit…’ Alex exclaimed as we drove.
‘What? What is it?’ I frowned, looking over at her, worried.
‘I think there’s something wrong with the car…the brakes aren’t responding,’ she told me, frantically.
We were travelling at about forty miles per hour, but we were on the sea road, overlooking the cliff. There were fences to the right of us, but if we hit them at a certain speed, we’d be gone, nonetheless.
‘Go down the gears! Slow us down!’ I cried, instantly panicking.
‘Fuck! This car behind me is speeding up! Oh my God,’ she fretted, as lights appeared behind us, blindingly close.
I turned to look and saw that the car behind was literally riding her bumper, any closer and would be ouching. The closeness forced her speed and stopped her from slowing down. In the blinding lights, I could see nothing, and yet I knew the truth. I knew who it was.
‘Tess…’ I breathed, my heart hammering in my chest.
A turn came up, sweeping around and Alex couldn’t slow down for it, the brakes unresponsive as she stomped on them hard, repeatedly.
‘They’re not working! Fuck, someone’s cut the brakes!’ she yelled, growing distressed, as she feared for our lives, feared she would be unable to stop us safely.
‘Alex! It’s Tess!’ I cried, knowing without doubt that my ex was the one following us, trying to drive us off the road.
‘She’s cut the brakes! I can’t fucking stop! She’s going to take us off the road!’ she cried.
‘Cliffs to the right!’ I screamed, ‘Crash left!’ I cried, knowing that the only way to avoid certain death was to crash us into the housing to the left of us rather than the cliffs on the right.
I reached over, yanking the steering wheel and we careened off the road and then everything was a blur as we went out of control, the car spinning and then slamming into a brick building, jolting us forwards and instantly knocking us both forwards to smash our heads against the front of the car.
The stop was juddering, but I was still conscious in those moments before the car behind crashed into us heavily, sending my head smacking onto the dashboard once more.
This time, my head span and I couldn’t lift myself from the car. I was conscious, but just barely. I was aware of incessant beeping, alarms and then the car door being pulled open. My arm was tugged painfully roughly, and I was yanked from the car and onto the rough, concrete ground. From there, I was dragged and then dumped, lifted and then dropped and then a slamming sound told me where I was.
I’d been put in the boot of a car and suddenly it roared to life, swerving off into the darkness as I lay bleeding in the trunk of the vehicle. My injuries were too bad to stay awake then, and I drifted into the blackness wondering if this was what it felt like to die. My last thoughts were of Alex, and my love for her. I sank into the abyss with love in my heart and a soft smile on my lips.
Coming soon-
Alex Arden
AJ Estelliam
Alex Arden wakes in the hospital to a sickening reality. The woman she loves has been abducted and taken against her will, and Alex fears that there is little time to save her. Since being hit by lightning, Bess Lovelace has been different. Able to hear the thoughts, emotions and knowledge of others, her psychic ability had become a new part of her life-one which she is learning to deal with and discovering how she can use for the good of others.
Alex is fearful that Bess’s ex wants her dead. Bess has told her of Tess’s evil intent and now that she has kidnapped her, it’s a race against the clock to get to her before she’s killed.
Can Alex save the woman she’s fallen so deeply in love with and fulfil her promises to help her change her life for the better? Find out in…Alex Arden.
AJ Estelliam, Bess Lovelace
