Beyond the Inner Storm
So...I mentioned yesterday that I wanted to share my first ever completed manuscript with the world (a.k.a, you, who is likely the only person who reads my blog 😉).
This novel was titled "As The Light Shines" to begin with, before I came up with Beyond the Inner Storm, which definitely fits the story much better. I began writing it in a notebook when I was 11/12, and came up with many more stories to follow. (I nearly finished the sequel, actually.) Believe it or not, the first line was born in the middle of Kroger. (Seriously. It just popped into my mind out of nowhere and I had to put it down.) Now, I never want to publish this thing because (1) it's horrible and (2) I've repurposed the characters and do not want to mess up their new stories by having both out there.
Therefore, I have decided to share one chapter every Wednesday for the next 22 weeks on my blog.
So...here goes nothing.
PS: Several edits have been made to the original draft over time and some scenes were added/rewritten later, but I haven't touched it more than two years, so what you're reading is the work of my eleven- to twelve-year-old mind. Bear with me, please.
Prologue
July 1850
Lake Huron, Michigan
Young Arielle Myers watched in horror as the red-orange flames engulfed what was once her home.
She snuggled close to her German shepherd pup, Blessing. The puppy squealed in fear while the smoke rose high, flames growing larger.
Arielle still wasn’t sure the terrifying moment was real, perhaps a dream. She could just open her eyes and it would all be over. But it wasn’t.
Only seconds ago, Arielle was unpinning her hair and getting ready for bed. She had been startled by the sound of her mother’s screams. The fire already reached her father in his room and swallowed him in its blanket of death. Arielle had managed to escape the burning house with her mother, but a blazing wood beam fell on top of her mother, sending her to Heaven with Vater.
Arielle couldn’t take it anymore, she picked up Blessing and ran. She didn’t care where, just anywhere but here.
The evening sun set across Lake Huron behind her. The hot sand stung her bear feet as she ran, but she didn’t care. She had lost everything, what was there to care about now?
“I have you,” Arielle whispered to her puppy, “and that's all that matters now.” A tear slid down her cheek. She sucked in a breath, though smoke still filled the air.
It’s all gone, she thought to herself.
Gone.
Chapter 1
September 1857
Lake Huron, Michigan
Seven years, three months, two weeks, and six days since Arielle Myers was left a homeless orphan. Not that she was counting, mind you.
Arielle and her dog, Blessing had made a home for themselves in an old, unfinished lighthouse off the shore of Lake Huron. No one had made it to finishing the lighthouse, but the small cabin beside it was in good condition. Someone must have lived there once, though she wasn’t sure why they’d left, for furniture filled the house, as did a wood-burning stove and dishes. Practically everything one would need to live, with an exception of pie. Up in the attic, though the area was not in the best of condition, was plenty of nonperishable food, sacks of flour, canned vegetables, and so forth. Tucked away in trunks were multiple dresses that Arielle had altered to fit her over the years. And much to her surprise, there was a chicken coop in the back yard, a few birds still alive. Though it was obvious whomever had inhabited the cabin was long gone, sometimes she felt as though she was barging into another’s home. But she didn’t let it worry her.
Arielle pulled a weed out of the garden she’d planted earlier, during the spring. Most of her fruits and vegetables had died in the summer heat, but a few still produced. Arielle enjoyed gardening; it was canning the produce that wasn’t fun. But if she wanted to live, she had to work.
At that moment, Blessing came bounding out of the house, panting and wagging her tail. Blessing really lived up to her name. She was Arielle’s constant friend. The German shepherd had been a present for Arielle’s thirteenth birthday, four months before the fire. And the only one who knew the pain she’d endured.
“Woof, woof!” Blessing barked as she neared her owner.
“Hey, Blessing girl,” Arielle said as she petted the dog’s head, scratching behind her furry ears as she knew Blessing loved.
Blessing barked in reply, running right into the garden and beginning to dig up the few plants left. Arielle picked Blessing up and sat her down, away from the garden. “Oh toll,” she muttered in German. She pointed a blame finger at her. “You know you aren’t allowed to dig in the dirt, not if you want to stay in the house,” she explained, turning back around to straighten a trampled carrot.
Blessing’s ears drooped and she started to whimper, her nose pointed towards the ground as she slumped her head in dejection.
“How about we go take a walk by the lake and clean your paws off?” she suggested, moving her head to face her dog.
Blessing perked up as if to yes.
Arielle stood from her crouched position and wiped her hands on her calico skirt. She walked away from the garden, following a path towards the shining Lake Huron, Blessing following close behind her.
As Arielle neared the rushing waves, the fresh air flooded her senses and sent peace over her. Next to the top of the unfinished lighthouse, the lake was her favorite place to be.
Once she arrived at the shore, Arielle unlaced her boots and slipped them off, setting them aside before running straight into the cool water, splashing and laughing in enjoyment.
This is my life now, and I love it.
***
Cade Darren had no idea what he was getting himself into. He was going to complete the building of an unfinished lighthouse and run it. Yes, he fixed up lighthouses before. And, yes, he knew how to work the light, but this seemed like too much.
Cade walked along the shore of Lake Huron, trying to sort out his thoughts and decide if he was truly making the right decision. He had spent a lot of time praying before he moved from where he had been stationed for the past three years to the “haunted” lighthouse here. Seemed he was the only one who dared to take it on.
As he traipsed through the sand, young woman and her dog splashing in the water caught his eye. The girl looked to be about twenty, judging by her height, and had gorgeous wavy, long strawberry blond hair that blew in the wind. The woman must have sensed his presence, for she came to a stop, sent an icy glare to him over her shoulder, and walked away, motioning for the dog to follow.
Cade took in a breath of the salty air and headed back to his horse. He figured it time he make his way to the light house. Cade mounted his horse and rode towards the old lighthouse.
According to what the lighthouse board told him, the lighthouse was supposed to have been built ten years ago, but it was never completed. The local story went that the man who’d been assigned to build it left after the tragic death of his eight-year-old daughter. And because of that, believing the place to be haunted, no one had touched it since. So, Cade took the challenge of fixing it and running the light.
Once he arrived, Cade was amazed at what he saw: a garden, swing-set hanging from a nearby tree, and the small cabin that was built for the keeper. Not to mention a chicken coop, which shocked him the most. The lighthouse didn’t surprise him as much, but it did look like someone had recently made an effort to try and fix it. A few broken glass window panes, but otherwise, fine. For an uncompleted ten year old lighthouse, that is. The keeper’s house was fixed with boards closing in any gaps that might have been. The roof even looked like it could handle a storm. The door was oddly painted an ocean blue color.
Perhaps the board was wrong.
Cade walked up to the door of the keeper's house. He touched a finger to the bright blue paint. Odd choice of color, he thought, Who would have painted the door? A neighbor?
He swung the door wide open, revealing a large entryway decorated with flowers and paintings that hung on the walls. Cade was stunned by how well kept the place looked. He closed the door behind him and stooped over to untie his boots.
At the sound of a closing door and soft footsteps, Cade looked up to find a girl standing in front of him, a glower on her pretty face. Actually, this was the same girl from the beach. Her icy blue eyes peered into Cade, looking right through him. The woman was soaked and in her undergarments. His face flooded with embarrassment. Cade tore his gaze from her and focused on her face. She was the epitome of gorgeous; a perfect nose, full lashes, and lovely lips. If only she would smile.
The girl stood still, not caring about her appearance.
A deep growl came from behind the woman and a German shepherd walked out from behind her. The dog sneered. Obviously not one for company. The dog crept towards him, but the lady snapped her fingers, stopping the animal.
“Mr...?” the girl asked, her voice as smooth as honey, though her expression was far from sweet.
“Darren. Cade Darren,” he responded, not sure he could get the words out. He extended his hand.
The girl didn’t reach out and shake it, but instead placed both hands on her hips. “Well, Mr. Cade Darren, I would greatly appreciate it if you would leave my home,” she sneered, her lips curled upward to create a face that resembled some kind of monster rather than a woman beautiful as a princess.
“Your home? I’m afraid you are greatly mistaken; this is my home. I work here,” Cade said, puzzled. Surely she didn’t live here? The board had said not a soul had touched it for the past ten years. And the board wasn’t wrong. Besides that fact, everyone thought it haunted. If the girl were from around there, wouldn’t she believe so too? Then another thought crept in. What if she were the ghost so many spoke of? As soon as the idea appeared, Cade pushed it aside. He knew good and well that ghosts didn’t exist. Then why was she here?
The girl’s eyes widen with surprise. No, horror. “That’s absurd. The lighthouse isn’t even complete. How could you work here? I’m afraid that you, sir, are mad if you think you can just waltz in here saying that you work here.” At the matter-of-fact statement, she cocked her head, obviously awaiting his confirmation. Not that there was any.
“Sorry, miss,” Cade pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it, extending it outward.. “This is the board’s letter to me, saying I work here.”
She snatched it from his hands and scanned it over and over again. “Not possible. This can’t be happening, God,” she muttered under her breath, her eyes not ceasing their frantic searching through the written words. She raised her voice back to its normal volume. “I’m sorry, I can’t leave here. I just can’t,” she stated, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, only serving to make the jewels shine even more.
Cade took the paper from her hands, folding it and stuffing it back into his pocket. “I’ll give you one week to pack and leave,” he commanded, crossing his arms over his chest in an attempt to seem more powerful and controlled, when in reality his heart broke for the girl.
Her face turned bright pink, bringing the red tint in her hair out more. “This is all I have, Mr. Darren. I’m not leaving,” she hissed, those tears leaving her eyes and getting caught in her lashes.
“Don’t you have family somewhere?” Cade inquired, not entirely sure why he bothered to ask. Her well-being was her own problem, not his. Okay...That might be a little un-Christlike of a thought. But what was he supposed to do? Build her a house? Of course, you dummy. You’re supposed to help other people. Show ‘em God’s love. His conscience might be right, but practicality won him over.
The woman wiped a tear from her eye. “No. And even if I did, they don’t know I even exist.” To punctuate her remark, she buried her face in her hands and cried.
Without thinking, Cade stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, rubbing circles across her back with his hand to try and comfort her as he could remember doing with his baby sister years ago. He expected her to pull away and sneer at him, but she didn’t, in fact, she laid her head on his shoulder and sobbed even deeper, if that could be possible. It was obvious she had a lot of pent up tears waiting to fall.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Darren, I don’t know what got into me.” The girl sniffled as she pulled back, not quite meeting his gaze. “By the way, I’m Arielle Myers,” she told him.
Cade smiled. Arielle fit her. “That’s a beautiful name,” he stated, attempting to lighten the mood, maybe bring a hint of a smile to her face.
Not likely. Instead she huffed and replaced her hands where they’d once rested on her hips.“I didn’t tell you my name because I wanted compliments.” Well, she had definitely regained her confidence.
Feeling defeated, he took a small step back, though the motion could’ve been more for his well-being. One wrong move, and she might just pounce. “Very well, then. Now, back to our original conversation. You...um...might want to put on some clothing and start packing,” Cade said, motioning to Arielle’s body.
She immediately took a step back and wrapped her arms around her waist. Arielle fled the room, her embarrassment visible by the blush that had returned to her cheeks. “Oh toll,” he heard her mumble as she ran. “Sorry, sir,” she called once she had made it to her room and closed the door.
Cade stifled a laugh. Poor thing.
***
Arielle was so mortified, she would have jumped off the roof to keep from having to endure something such as a total stranger seeing her almost naked.
Arielle shook her head at the thought. She had worse things to worry about. Like having that same total stranger take her home right out from under her. She would have to find another place to live or figure out a way to get rid of Cade Darren, though something told her that wouldn’t be easy.
Who does that man think he is? The light keeper, that’s who.
Arielle pulled a clean blouse over her head. She should have put on something before seeing who had barged right in to her home. The situation could have been much worse. That was one thing she could be grateful for. At least the man was honorable. Maybe.
But something that definitely took her by surprise was the confidence she had displayed. Under normal circumstances, she probably would’ve coward at even the thought of someone taking her home. But then again, normal circumstances had disappeared when the fire had stolen everything from her.
Arielle finished dressing and walked out of her room, only to find Mr. Darren petting her dog.
“You had better not be trying to take my dog, as well as my home, Mr. Darren,” she scolded him. Arielle crouched down beside Blessing and motioned for the dog to come to her.
“On the contrary, the dog came to me,” Mr. Darren said as he stood. His gaze met hers and made her stomach turn flips, his cinnamon brown eyes no longer filled with stern authority. Though she had to harbor some kind of ill feeling towards the man―who wouldn’t?―she couldn’t deny the fact that she found him dreadfully handsome, what with his gorgeous brown eyes and caramel waves that were tossed over his head that lead her to believe he hadn’t picked up a brush that morning.
“Now, shall we discuss the lighthouse, Ms. Myers?” Mr. Darren asked most formally, though practically everything about him said he was far from formal. That is, in normal circumstances.
“I’m afraid there is nothing to discuss, Mr. Darren. This is my home and you have no right to barge in and claim it, papers or not.” Arielle inwardly smiled at her confidence, and Mr. Darren seemed amused himself. But in the back of her head something said she needed to be a bit more lenient. The poor man hadn’t expected to find her here. He was just doing his job, after all.
“Home or not, the lighthouse is going to be put back to use, whether you like it or not.” The words were spoken so rudely, her earlier thoughts vanished into thin air. How dare he?
But still, defeat rushed over Arielle. She knew there was no use arguing with Mr. Darren; he had the government on his side for heaven’s sake, while no one even knew Arielle existed.
“Ms. Myers?” Mr. Darren was obviously looking for a retort.
Arielle let out a sigh, all but giving up. “It’s no use. You are right. Keep the lighthouse. I’ll find somewhere else to live.” Like where? She had no idea where else to go, never had a reason to worry about such. No one knew she hadn’t died in the fire with her parents. Why cause an uproar now?
Perhaps all was not lost. Mr. Darren would needed someone to help him cook and clean as he worked on the lighthouse. Surely he would have pity on her and allow her just a small amount of time to stay. Maybe.
Dropping down onto her knees, Arielle took hold of the hem of his pants and begged. “Please, sir, allow me to stay for just a little while. Until I can find somewhere else to live. Please?” Yet another tear fell from her eye, landing on a less-than-shiny shoe.
“I don’t need your tears,” Mr. Darren said, “I have enough already.” He motioned to his wet shirt.
“S-sorry, sir.” She sniffled, telling those tears to get back into her eyes. “Please, let me stay. I’ll do whatever you ask,” she offered, her hopes high.
“Stop crying,” Mr. Darren commanded, his arms folding over his broad chest again.
“What? Oh, yes.” Arielle stood, wiped her eyes, and smoothed her skirt. Her plan was working.
Mr. Darren ran a hand through his curly brown hair. “One week. We’ll see about getting a place for you to stay in the meanwhile.”
“Okay! I can help you fix the lighthouse, if you want me too,” she said, “I’m a hard worker.” Joy overcame her. All she had to do now was show him how amazing she could be, and hopefully he’d let her stay even longer. She just had to keep from breaking down in front of him so often.
Mr. Darren’s gaze swept around the room. “I can see. I’ll hold you to that, Miss Myers.”
Arielle held out her hand. “Please, call me Arielle.”
Mr. Darren shook her hand. “And you can call me Cade.”
Copyright © 2020 Grace Ann Johnson
All rights reserved.
This novel was titled "As The Light Shines" to begin with, before I came up with Beyond the Inner Storm, which definitely fits the story much better. I began writing it in a notebook when I was 11/12, and came up with many more stories to follow. (I nearly finished the sequel, actually.) Believe it or not, the first line was born in the middle of Kroger. (Seriously. It just popped into my mind out of nowhere and I had to put it down.) Now, I never want to publish this thing because (1) it's horrible and (2) I've repurposed the characters and do not want to mess up their new stories by having both out there.
Therefore, I have decided to share one chapter every Wednesday for the next 22 weeks on my blog.
So...here goes nothing.
PS: Several edits have been made to the original draft over time and some scenes were added/rewritten later, but I haven't touched it more than two years, so what you're reading is the work of my eleven- to twelve-year-old mind. Bear with me, please.
Prologue
July 1850
Lake Huron, Michigan
Young Arielle Myers watched in horror as the red-orange flames engulfed what was once her home.
She snuggled close to her German shepherd pup, Blessing. The puppy squealed in fear while the smoke rose high, flames growing larger.
Arielle still wasn’t sure the terrifying moment was real, perhaps a dream. She could just open her eyes and it would all be over. But it wasn’t.
Only seconds ago, Arielle was unpinning her hair and getting ready for bed. She had been startled by the sound of her mother’s screams. The fire already reached her father in his room and swallowed him in its blanket of death. Arielle had managed to escape the burning house with her mother, but a blazing wood beam fell on top of her mother, sending her to Heaven with Vater.
Arielle couldn’t take it anymore, she picked up Blessing and ran. She didn’t care where, just anywhere but here.
The evening sun set across Lake Huron behind her. The hot sand stung her bear feet as she ran, but she didn’t care. She had lost everything, what was there to care about now?
“I have you,” Arielle whispered to her puppy, “and that's all that matters now.” A tear slid down her cheek. She sucked in a breath, though smoke still filled the air.
It’s all gone, she thought to herself.
Gone.
Chapter 1
September 1857
Lake Huron, Michigan
Seven years, three months, two weeks, and six days since Arielle Myers was left a homeless orphan. Not that she was counting, mind you.
Arielle and her dog, Blessing had made a home for themselves in an old, unfinished lighthouse off the shore of Lake Huron. No one had made it to finishing the lighthouse, but the small cabin beside it was in good condition. Someone must have lived there once, though she wasn’t sure why they’d left, for furniture filled the house, as did a wood-burning stove and dishes. Practically everything one would need to live, with an exception of pie. Up in the attic, though the area was not in the best of condition, was plenty of nonperishable food, sacks of flour, canned vegetables, and so forth. Tucked away in trunks were multiple dresses that Arielle had altered to fit her over the years. And much to her surprise, there was a chicken coop in the back yard, a few birds still alive. Though it was obvious whomever had inhabited the cabin was long gone, sometimes she felt as though she was barging into another’s home. But she didn’t let it worry her.
Arielle pulled a weed out of the garden she’d planted earlier, during the spring. Most of her fruits and vegetables had died in the summer heat, but a few still produced. Arielle enjoyed gardening; it was canning the produce that wasn’t fun. But if she wanted to live, she had to work.
At that moment, Blessing came bounding out of the house, panting and wagging her tail. Blessing really lived up to her name. She was Arielle’s constant friend. The German shepherd had been a present for Arielle’s thirteenth birthday, four months before the fire. And the only one who knew the pain she’d endured.
“Woof, woof!” Blessing barked as she neared her owner.
“Hey, Blessing girl,” Arielle said as she petted the dog’s head, scratching behind her furry ears as she knew Blessing loved.
Blessing barked in reply, running right into the garden and beginning to dig up the few plants left. Arielle picked Blessing up and sat her down, away from the garden. “Oh toll,” she muttered in German. She pointed a blame finger at her. “You know you aren’t allowed to dig in the dirt, not if you want to stay in the house,” she explained, turning back around to straighten a trampled carrot.
Blessing’s ears drooped and she started to whimper, her nose pointed towards the ground as she slumped her head in dejection.
“How about we go take a walk by the lake and clean your paws off?” she suggested, moving her head to face her dog.
Blessing perked up as if to yes.
Arielle stood from her crouched position and wiped her hands on her calico skirt. She walked away from the garden, following a path towards the shining Lake Huron, Blessing following close behind her.
As Arielle neared the rushing waves, the fresh air flooded her senses and sent peace over her. Next to the top of the unfinished lighthouse, the lake was her favorite place to be.
Once she arrived at the shore, Arielle unlaced her boots and slipped them off, setting them aside before running straight into the cool water, splashing and laughing in enjoyment.
This is my life now, and I love it.
***
Cade Darren had no idea what he was getting himself into. He was going to complete the building of an unfinished lighthouse and run it. Yes, he fixed up lighthouses before. And, yes, he knew how to work the light, but this seemed like too much.
Cade walked along the shore of Lake Huron, trying to sort out his thoughts and decide if he was truly making the right decision. He had spent a lot of time praying before he moved from where he had been stationed for the past three years to the “haunted” lighthouse here. Seemed he was the only one who dared to take it on.
As he traipsed through the sand, young woman and her dog splashing in the water caught his eye. The girl looked to be about twenty, judging by her height, and had gorgeous wavy, long strawberry blond hair that blew in the wind. The woman must have sensed his presence, for she came to a stop, sent an icy glare to him over her shoulder, and walked away, motioning for the dog to follow.
Cade took in a breath of the salty air and headed back to his horse. He figured it time he make his way to the light house. Cade mounted his horse and rode towards the old lighthouse.
According to what the lighthouse board told him, the lighthouse was supposed to have been built ten years ago, but it was never completed. The local story went that the man who’d been assigned to build it left after the tragic death of his eight-year-old daughter. And because of that, believing the place to be haunted, no one had touched it since. So, Cade took the challenge of fixing it and running the light.
Once he arrived, Cade was amazed at what he saw: a garden, swing-set hanging from a nearby tree, and the small cabin that was built for the keeper. Not to mention a chicken coop, which shocked him the most. The lighthouse didn’t surprise him as much, but it did look like someone had recently made an effort to try and fix it. A few broken glass window panes, but otherwise, fine. For an uncompleted ten year old lighthouse, that is. The keeper’s house was fixed with boards closing in any gaps that might have been. The roof even looked like it could handle a storm. The door was oddly painted an ocean blue color.
Perhaps the board was wrong.
Cade walked up to the door of the keeper's house. He touched a finger to the bright blue paint. Odd choice of color, he thought, Who would have painted the door? A neighbor?
He swung the door wide open, revealing a large entryway decorated with flowers and paintings that hung on the walls. Cade was stunned by how well kept the place looked. He closed the door behind him and stooped over to untie his boots.
At the sound of a closing door and soft footsteps, Cade looked up to find a girl standing in front of him, a glower on her pretty face. Actually, this was the same girl from the beach. Her icy blue eyes peered into Cade, looking right through him. The woman was soaked and in her undergarments. His face flooded with embarrassment. Cade tore his gaze from her and focused on her face. She was the epitome of gorgeous; a perfect nose, full lashes, and lovely lips. If only she would smile.
The girl stood still, not caring about her appearance.
A deep growl came from behind the woman and a German shepherd walked out from behind her. The dog sneered. Obviously not one for company. The dog crept towards him, but the lady snapped her fingers, stopping the animal.
“Mr...?” the girl asked, her voice as smooth as honey, though her expression was far from sweet.
“Darren. Cade Darren,” he responded, not sure he could get the words out. He extended his hand.
The girl didn’t reach out and shake it, but instead placed both hands on her hips. “Well, Mr. Cade Darren, I would greatly appreciate it if you would leave my home,” she sneered, her lips curled upward to create a face that resembled some kind of monster rather than a woman beautiful as a princess.
“Your home? I’m afraid you are greatly mistaken; this is my home. I work here,” Cade said, puzzled. Surely she didn’t live here? The board had said not a soul had touched it for the past ten years. And the board wasn’t wrong. Besides that fact, everyone thought it haunted. If the girl were from around there, wouldn’t she believe so too? Then another thought crept in. What if she were the ghost so many spoke of? As soon as the idea appeared, Cade pushed it aside. He knew good and well that ghosts didn’t exist. Then why was she here?
The girl’s eyes widen with surprise. No, horror. “That’s absurd. The lighthouse isn’t even complete. How could you work here? I’m afraid that you, sir, are mad if you think you can just waltz in here saying that you work here.” At the matter-of-fact statement, she cocked her head, obviously awaiting his confirmation. Not that there was any.
“Sorry, miss,” Cade pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it, extending it outward.. “This is the board’s letter to me, saying I work here.”
She snatched it from his hands and scanned it over and over again. “Not possible. This can’t be happening, God,” she muttered under her breath, her eyes not ceasing their frantic searching through the written words. She raised her voice back to its normal volume. “I’m sorry, I can’t leave here. I just can’t,” she stated, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, only serving to make the jewels shine even more.
Cade took the paper from her hands, folding it and stuffing it back into his pocket. “I’ll give you one week to pack and leave,” he commanded, crossing his arms over his chest in an attempt to seem more powerful and controlled, when in reality his heart broke for the girl.
Her face turned bright pink, bringing the red tint in her hair out more. “This is all I have, Mr. Darren. I’m not leaving,” she hissed, those tears leaving her eyes and getting caught in her lashes.
“Don’t you have family somewhere?” Cade inquired, not entirely sure why he bothered to ask. Her well-being was her own problem, not his. Okay...That might be a little un-Christlike of a thought. But what was he supposed to do? Build her a house? Of course, you dummy. You’re supposed to help other people. Show ‘em God’s love. His conscience might be right, but practicality won him over.
The woman wiped a tear from her eye. “No. And even if I did, they don’t know I even exist.” To punctuate her remark, she buried her face in her hands and cried.
Without thinking, Cade stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, rubbing circles across her back with his hand to try and comfort her as he could remember doing with his baby sister years ago. He expected her to pull away and sneer at him, but she didn’t, in fact, she laid her head on his shoulder and sobbed even deeper, if that could be possible. It was obvious she had a lot of pent up tears waiting to fall.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Darren, I don’t know what got into me.” The girl sniffled as she pulled back, not quite meeting his gaze. “By the way, I’m Arielle Myers,” she told him.
Cade smiled. Arielle fit her. “That’s a beautiful name,” he stated, attempting to lighten the mood, maybe bring a hint of a smile to her face.
Not likely. Instead she huffed and replaced her hands where they’d once rested on her hips.“I didn’t tell you my name because I wanted compliments.” Well, she had definitely regained her confidence.
Feeling defeated, he took a small step back, though the motion could’ve been more for his well-being. One wrong move, and she might just pounce. “Very well, then. Now, back to our original conversation. You...um...might want to put on some clothing and start packing,” Cade said, motioning to Arielle’s body.
She immediately took a step back and wrapped her arms around her waist. Arielle fled the room, her embarrassment visible by the blush that had returned to her cheeks. “Oh toll,” he heard her mumble as she ran. “Sorry, sir,” she called once she had made it to her room and closed the door.
Cade stifled a laugh. Poor thing.
***
Arielle was so mortified, she would have jumped off the roof to keep from having to endure something such as a total stranger seeing her almost naked.
Arielle shook her head at the thought. She had worse things to worry about. Like having that same total stranger take her home right out from under her. She would have to find another place to live or figure out a way to get rid of Cade Darren, though something told her that wouldn’t be easy.
Who does that man think he is? The light keeper, that’s who.
Arielle pulled a clean blouse over her head. She should have put on something before seeing who had barged right in to her home. The situation could have been much worse. That was one thing she could be grateful for. At least the man was honorable. Maybe.
But something that definitely took her by surprise was the confidence she had displayed. Under normal circumstances, she probably would’ve coward at even the thought of someone taking her home. But then again, normal circumstances had disappeared when the fire had stolen everything from her.
Arielle finished dressing and walked out of her room, only to find Mr. Darren petting her dog.
“You had better not be trying to take my dog, as well as my home, Mr. Darren,” she scolded him. Arielle crouched down beside Blessing and motioned for the dog to come to her.
“On the contrary, the dog came to me,” Mr. Darren said as he stood. His gaze met hers and made her stomach turn flips, his cinnamon brown eyes no longer filled with stern authority. Though she had to harbor some kind of ill feeling towards the man―who wouldn’t?―she couldn’t deny the fact that she found him dreadfully handsome, what with his gorgeous brown eyes and caramel waves that were tossed over his head that lead her to believe he hadn’t picked up a brush that morning.
“Now, shall we discuss the lighthouse, Ms. Myers?” Mr. Darren asked most formally, though practically everything about him said he was far from formal. That is, in normal circumstances.
“I’m afraid there is nothing to discuss, Mr. Darren. This is my home and you have no right to barge in and claim it, papers or not.” Arielle inwardly smiled at her confidence, and Mr. Darren seemed amused himself. But in the back of her head something said she needed to be a bit more lenient. The poor man hadn’t expected to find her here. He was just doing his job, after all.
“Home or not, the lighthouse is going to be put back to use, whether you like it or not.” The words were spoken so rudely, her earlier thoughts vanished into thin air. How dare he?
But still, defeat rushed over Arielle. She knew there was no use arguing with Mr. Darren; he had the government on his side for heaven’s sake, while no one even knew Arielle existed.
“Ms. Myers?” Mr. Darren was obviously looking for a retort.
Arielle let out a sigh, all but giving up. “It’s no use. You are right. Keep the lighthouse. I’ll find somewhere else to live.” Like where? She had no idea where else to go, never had a reason to worry about such. No one knew she hadn’t died in the fire with her parents. Why cause an uproar now?
Perhaps all was not lost. Mr. Darren would needed someone to help him cook and clean as he worked on the lighthouse. Surely he would have pity on her and allow her just a small amount of time to stay. Maybe.
Dropping down onto her knees, Arielle took hold of the hem of his pants and begged. “Please, sir, allow me to stay for just a little while. Until I can find somewhere else to live. Please?” Yet another tear fell from her eye, landing on a less-than-shiny shoe.
“I don’t need your tears,” Mr. Darren said, “I have enough already.” He motioned to his wet shirt.
“S-sorry, sir.” She sniffled, telling those tears to get back into her eyes. “Please, let me stay. I’ll do whatever you ask,” she offered, her hopes high.
“Stop crying,” Mr. Darren commanded, his arms folding over his broad chest again.
“What? Oh, yes.” Arielle stood, wiped her eyes, and smoothed her skirt. Her plan was working.
Mr. Darren ran a hand through his curly brown hair. “One week. We’ll see about getting a place for you to stay in the meanwhile.”
“Okay! I can help you fix the lighthouse, if you want me too,” she said, “I’m a hard worker.” Joy overcame her. All she had to do now was show him how amazing she could be, and hopefully he’d let her stay even longer. She just had to keep from breaking down in front of him so often.
Mr. Darren’s gaze swept around the room. “I can see. I’ll hold you to that, Miss Myers.”
Arielle held out her hand. “Please, call me Arielle.”
Mr. Darren shook her hand. “And you can call me Cade.”
Copyright © 2020 Grace Ann Johnson
All rights reserved.
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