Fairy Shores-Chapter 1 - part2

- continued from part 1 -

Nathaniel White and Bernadette Cobbs have been friends since before they could even talk. They were born and raised on the east coast in the state of Kalen. They grew up together on Fairy Island, the largest island in the archipelago just off the Kalenian coast. The city of Fairy Shores, where they lived specifically, is located on the sandy eastern shore of the island. It is part of the Fairy City Metropolitan Area and is the second largest city on the island, with Fairy City being the largest, of course. Fairy Shores has what is considered some of the finest beaches in the nation making tourism a sizeable part of the local economy. The whole of Fairy Island is the home of the Anji, an ethnic group with deep rooted cultural and historical ties to the island that goes back many centuries. The Anji make up little over half the population of the island, but there are still a significant number of them throughout the entire nation in the several states. Nathaniel and Bernadette are not Anji.

Nathaniel and Bernadette grew up in one of the better communities in the city. Nathaniel had several brothers and sisters while Bernadette was an only child. That changed, however, when Bernadette’s mother married a very wealthy widower, which instantly gave Bernadette her first siblings. This happened when Bernadette was eleven years old so she had some time to get used to having a father, siblings, and wealth. This changed nothing about her relationship with Nathaniel as they continued their friendship even throughout high school.
When they graduated high school it was already well known that Nathaniel wanted to attend Lenza Central University (LCU) just as his father did before him. Bernadette was quite fond of Nathaniel and couldn’t bear the thought of being away from him for so long and so far. The state of Lenza was clear across the country on the west coast nearly 3,000 miles away from where they lived. She knew she had only one choice to make if she wanted to stay near her friend. She had to decide to attend Lenza Central as well. There were no particular colleges that she wanted to go to anyway, so she wasn’t really conflicted when she finally decided to attend LCU. She applied and got accepted which made both her and Nathaniel very happy. Nathaniel was a little worried about leaving his family and being on his own so far away from home, but with Bernadette going with him, he became excited about that idea. It seemed they were guaranteed at least four more years together.

Even though they both thought they would return to Fairy Shores after graduating college, they stayed in Lenza and went their separate ways. Nathaniel became a lawyer and settled in the city of Zina and Bernadette moved to the northern part of the state and became an accountant in Amber City. Nathaniel started a family while Bernadette never married and they weren’t reunited until many years after they separated upon graduating college. Bernadette came back into Nathaniel’s life when she moved to Zina to begin her new job at Lockland Thompson Securities in 2009. Bernadette had a friendship with Nathaniel’s wife since college, which is where they both met her, so her death did affect Bernadette personally. As for Silas and Miriam, they immediately fell in love with Bernadette and she was crazy about them, too. When they lost their mother, Bernadette felt responsible for them because she was the most important person in their lives next to their parents. Bernadette never had any children, but she did develop motherly feelings towards the two. That did concern her a little because she didn’t want them to feel like she was trying to take replace their dead mother. Nathaniel and his kids, however, never thought that she was trying to do that and they appreciated her nurturing attitude towards them. Bernadette’s presence made their loss less difficult than it could have been otherwise.

Over time, Nathaniel and Bernadette had become a lot closer than they ever had been in the past. Though Bernadette lived alone in her downtown apartment, and the Whites in their suburban home, they saw each other almost constantly. One of the secret fears Bernadette has is being separated from Nathaniel again. She knew eventually the kids would grow up and leave home just as she once did; so she was prepared for that. But when it came to Nathaniel, she didn’t want to loose him to anything or anyone ever again. She understood she had no control over that ever happening, so she treasures whatever time they do spend together alone, or with the kids, like now.


Bernadette was looking at Silas and Miriam sitting on the grass and was hit with a bit of nostalgia. Nathaniel looked at her and perceived that she was thinking about something, so he became a little curious.
“What is it?” Nathaniel asked.
“What is what?” replied Bernadette.
“Nothing. You just looked like you were thinking about something.”
“Oh, I was actually. I was looking at the kids and couldn’t help remembering how we were at their age.”
Nathaniel looked at her.
“They are so close,” she continued, “Just like we were growing up, and just like those two, we’ve always had each other and never once thought of being apart.”
“Yeah,” Nathaniel said, “but even though you and I did separate for a time, we ended up back in each others lives again eventually.”
“You can’t keep good friends apart for too long.”
“I’d like to think so, especially in our case. I really am glad you’re still in my life…if I hadn’t said so recently.”
Bernadette smiled a little and leaned into him, “I’m glad, too.”
“Oh, I almost forgot.”
“What?” Bernadette asked.
“Talking about our past and growing up made me remember something I meant to tell you.”
“Yeah?”
“I talked to my folks in Kalen and arranged a visit with them during the week of spring break. All of my brothers and sisters will stop by for a visit as well. I’m sure the kids will be excited to see their cousins once again.”
“Wow! That’s exciting news. It should be a lot of fun.”
“It will be a lot of fun, which is why you’ll be there, too.”
“Of course I’ll be there. I haven’t been there since we left for college. Besides, I have been meaning to go back for a visit anyway, I just didn’t know when.”
“Then you must be excited about this, huh?”
“I am.”
“Then it’s settled.”
“Oh, did you tell the kids yet?” Bernadette asked.
“No, and that’s what we’re about to do right now.”



Silas looked into his sisters eyes and began concentrating as much as he could. Miriam stared back at him and put on her most serious face. It was easy at first for both of them but the challenge would soon be upon them. Miriam felt it first. It was developing in her throat and on the verge of escaping. She pursed her lips together tightly to keep it in. She wondered how her brother seemed so in control when she was about to give in. He had no expression on his face as he continued to stare at her. Putting up a fight, Miriam squinted her eyes, doing whatever she could to suppress it, but Silas’s face remained calm. Silas noticed her breathing becoming irregular so he knew she was about to burst. All he had to do was produce a few subtle movements with his eyes, nose, and/or mouth and it would send her over the edge. So he did. With the slight movement of his right eyebrow upward came the strained laughter through Miriam clenched teeth and lips. Knowing she had lost, she quickly resigned by letting the full burst of laughter that had been yearning for release a few moments ago escape.
“I win again.” Silas said victoriously.
“Silas, why do we still play these silly staring games? Whoever blinks first loses, whoever laughs first loses? When are we going to grow up?”
“Not too soon, I hope. Besides, you’re only saying that because you always lose.”
“Not always, I’m pretty good at the ‘don’t blink’ one.”
“Not one of my favorites.”
“Of course it isn’t.”
Just then, Nathaniel called for them so they stood up and started to walk toward him.
“What do you think he wants?” Miriam asked.
“He’s probably ready to go.”
“Good, I hope he’s hungry because I really want to get something to eat.”
“I’m not that hungry.” Silas said.
“I wouldn’t think so. I told you that bread was for the ducks only.”
_____________________


Zina, Lenza
Downtown
Outside Bernadette’s Apartment Building
9:37pm

Once again family day has come to a close. En route to Bernadette’s home Miriam fell asleep in the back seat while Silas stared out the window thinking about random things. Nathaniel and Bernadette made small talk to fill the time until they reached her place. When Nathaniel pulled up to the curb and stopped the car, Miriam sensed it and woke up. She stretched, yawned, and looked around trying to make sense of where they had stopped. Judging by the familiar surrounding she knew it was time for Bernadette to leave. She turned her head toward the front passenger seat in front of her where Bernadette was sitting. Bernadette was already looking at her.
“Rise and shine…well, without the shine.” Bernadette said, which elicited a chuckle from Silas.
Miriam smiled, still a little groggy from her little power nap.
“Good night baby boy.” Bernadette said as he blew Silas a kiss.
“Good night, Bernie.” Silas and Miriam said in unison.
“Silas,” Nathaniel commanded, “get in the front seat while I walk Bernadette out.”
“Yes, sir.”
Nathaniel and Bernadette got out of the car and walked quietly to the stairs of her building. Nathaniel stopped at the foot of the steps but Bernadette stepped up a couple before turning around to face Nathaniel. There were a few seconds of silence and looking around awkwardly before either one of them said anything.
“So…” Bernadette started, not knowing what to say exactly.
“Yeah…” Nathaniel said, having the same predicament.
“I had fun today, Nathaniel.”
“So did I.”
“We should do this again sometime.”
“We do this every Sunday.”
“I know, but that’s not exactly what I meant.”
Nathaniel paused and thought, Not what she meant? He walked up to the same step she was on and looked down at her. “What do you mean?” he said, wanting to be sure because he did have an idea.
“I…” she started.
Nathaniel said nothing.
“I…well, I don’t know how…I…”
“Bernadette, its okay…”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t be.”
Bernadette sighed and paused a moment, “Well, I guess this is goodnight then.”
“Yeah.”
Bernadette moved a little closer to him and started to rise on her tiptoes. Nathaniel answered this by lowering his head a bit hoping that he might actually go through with it this time. Bernadette, however, hoped for it more than he did. For the first time their lips were so close to the other’s that their noses touched and Bernadette almost smiled because she felt her wait was over, finally. At the last second Nathaniel turned his head which caused Bernadette to release a sigh of frustration.
“I’m sorry, Bernadette.” Nathaniel said genuinely.
“It’s okay, Nathaniel,” Bernadette assured him, “I understand.”
Nathaniel felt bad about giving her a little hope and then taking it away. The truth was he did want to kiss her, just like he wanted to all those times before. He went over it again and again in his head and convinced himself, intellectually at least, that kissing Bernadette didn’t mean he had stopped loving his late wife. But turning his head at the last minute signified that he still had trouble letting go and Bernadette understood this and was willing to wait for him to get past it.

Bernadette always loved Nathaniel as he always loved her. They were best friends after all. Though, throughout college when they were becoming young adults she had difficulty figuring out how she truly felt about him. So much was changing inside of her and him at the time. But when Nathaniel got his first girlfriend, which soon became is wife, Bernadette knew that she had to step down as the number one girl in his life. With him romantically involved with another female, it didn’t much matter how she felt about him anyway. Losing Nathaniel to that situation was bittersweet because she knew he was happy, but it wasn’t to be with her. That separation was a lot for her to bear and was a major reason for Bernadette deciding to go her own way. Nathaniel never knew this.

One thing that surprised Bernadette was that she was convinced she loved Nathaniel very much, which she did. But over that past few years she began to love him in a way that astounded even her. Being around him and his children for so long produced the purest form of love in her that she didn’t realize she was capable of feeling. Where there was some doubt and uncertainty before, there was only clarity now. She loved him unequivocally and effortlessly. Her life was no longer more important to her than he was and she would’ve given any and everything to prove it was true.

Bernadette soon realized that this almost inexpressible love she felt was what he must’ve felt for his wife, or something close to it. She couldn’t totally relate to what he was feeling at the time because she had never loved anyone like he did his wife. But over the years Bernadette began to love him as such, thus she developed a keen appreciation for his unique pain. She imagined losing him to death, and that was unimaginable. Nathaniel must’ve felt like he was plunged into the deepest dark when he lost his wife, unable to make sense of anything afterwards. Knowing this, Bernadette was compelled to be there for him in anyway she could. Though she didn’t know the impact she had on him personally, she hoped she could shine some light in his darkness. Bernadette wanted Nathaniel be happy again because she could still sense an emptiness inside him; how he was almost terrified to love again for fear of losing it. She knew it was only a matter of time before he came around because Nathaniel had fallen in love with her, too. However, he was still too conflicted to fully understand it.