Between us ~ Martin Garrix

chapter eighteen

Clouds of opaque mist hung below the grey blanket of sky, encasing the valley beneath the old cottage.
"Daisy, are you ready for school?" Deborah zipped up her waterproof coat, tapping her foot in her comfy sports trainers as she checked her phone for the time. Her youngest continued pounding around the wooden floor of the upstairs, her footsteps ranging from manic, to silence, to near, then far again. This indicated to Deborah she was infact not ready.
"For god sake, I can't find my bag," Lily's younger sister moaned from the top of the stairs. It was the first day of the new school year, and Daisy's first day at secondary school. Much to her displeasure, of course. She had been thrown into a teenagers personality many years ago, but then again, she hadn't had much choice. Deborah sighed, beginning to stress about the time as the mountain roads out of the isolated cottage grew soggier in the drizzle.
"Have you packed it? Check your suitcase," She sighed, calling up the antique stairs to the young girl.
"I haven't packed anything don't be so stupid," Daisy groaned in typical teenage etiquette.
"Oh, wait, found it," The girl shrugged, throwing the backpack onto her back and slumping down the stairs towards her mother. Deborah shook her head comedically. One day, she may have found a negative response to Daisy's early morning drama, but the mother now embraced all the positivity she physically could. For her, for her girls, for her son, and for her new life.

Carefully driving down towards the town, Deborahs mind wandered with the surroundings around her. She very much lived in the middle of no-where now, a treacherous drive down the mountain side to the nearest town, that only having a very minute population itself. After the hell that had been caused by her ex husband, not only Lily had decided to pack up and start a new life; Deborah, Daisy and Deborah's current partner, a lovely gentleman named Russell, also packed up and moved to the countryside. They felt safe here. Her mind flicked to her eldest daughter, wandering what she was doing in her own new life. Truthfully, Deborah had wanted to move with Lily. She adored the Netherlands, the windmills, the homely scent of chocolate and cinnamon that contained the whole cobbled streets. But it wouldn't have been fair. It was one thing moving an hour to the mountains, and another to a whole new country. She admired Lily's decision to do so, however, and knew it was for the best.
"You must pack soon, Daisy. Our flight is on Friday morning and it's already Tuesday, don't forget please," Deborah squinted at the fog covered road as she spoke to her daughter.
"Why do I even have to come?" Daisy moaned, folding her arms and looking out the window.
"Because it's your sisters birthday, don't you want to see her?! I know she'll be so surprised to see you!" Deborah exclaimed, the thoughts of the surprise party creating excitement in her mind. Deborah always carried her guilty pleasure with her - her party animal side. Tucking her shoulder length grey hair behind her ear and adjusting her glasses up to the bridge of her nose, she examined the street looking for a parking spot.
"Have a good day! Love you," She smiled as Daisy jumped out of the car, slamming the door behind her. The mother shook her head, laughing to herself. Daisy was a tough cookie. Through years of trauma, she had found it to be the best way to protect herself. After all, it wasn't just Lily that prolonged the haunting after effects of the devil that was James. Deborah shuddered, his name entering her head. Why she'd ever married him, she'd never know.

Back in the Netherlands, Lily remained completely oblivious to the current packing and preparations for her party in just a few days, and not just from her family.
"Are you looking forward to hitting 21, Lils?" Kai asked, his elbows resting on the bar and his chin resting in his hands.
"I mean, it's nothing special really. But it's always nice to celebrate another year," Lily shrugged, holding a mug Close under the coffee machine for the elderly lady sat with a friend in the window seats, watching the rain blow horizontally down the street, people on bikes still smiling as they sped home. Besides the two ladies, the place was fairly empty.
The day continued uneventfully. It was late evening by the time Lily and Kai began to lock up, taking the till out and blowing out the candles. However, the productivity was interrupted as the bell rang above the door, informing them someone had walked in.
"Sorry, we're closing," Lily spoke, turning to the door.
"Oh, um, sorry. I'll try tomorrow," the boy in the doorway locked his blackish brown eyes on Lily, scratching the back of his neck suspiciously.
"We're open from ten o'clock tomorrow," Kai told him, obviously noticing his somewhat worrying presence and stepping closer to his colleague. Without any further words, the man turned to the door and left.
"Do you know him?" Kai asked, his eyes fixed on the male walking down the street, still turning back every few seconds.
"Never met him in my life."