A Second Glance

26

Twenty years later

Unlike Lorelei, Hallie pursued an education further than most girls in a far stretch of the country. She had the talent to achieve great things, and one of those things was developing Raven's business into an international success.

Their signature bottles exported to various parts of the nation, and gained popularity as one of the finest bottles of wines since the 1800s.

Savannah had sold the vineyard to Pablo and his family, and they paid her as they worked. Within ten years, Pablo had paid her off completely, and still provided Raven with the produce to carry on his business. But with Papa Colt's suggestion, they bought their own vineyard, creating better accessible production.

Papa Colt died before Hallie could celebrate her twenty-first birthday, and soon after, Raven got into a car crash, ending his life at only thirty-five.

Yet again, the two sisters were left to fend for themselves. But that time, they actually had the means to live comfortably without the help of a man.

It didn't take long for Lorelei to find out Savannah's whereabouts after she disappeared, but by the time they could take a trip up to her aunt's place to visit her, she was already gone. At a certain point, they had to accept that Savannah didn't want to see them again. And it broke both Raven and Lorelei's hearts.

Lorelei couldn't say that she didn't love Raven. Of course she loved him. But maybe not in the way one should be in love with a partner. He became her best friend, and husband. They worked towards great things and got along quite well. But she never felt that heart throb for him that she felt for Savannah.

It took two years after Raven's death for Lorelei to decide to start seeing someone else. But it didn't last. Within a month, she didn't want any man to set foot in front of her, yet alone touch her.

That's until she met Jenna Maple. And let's just say, the things that she felt for Savannah, intensified when it came to Jenna. Lorelei still thought about Savannah everyday, and wondered what could have been.

If it was possible, she'd track Savannah down. But no one knew her whereabouts anymore, not even her parents. After she came out to them about being a lesbian, they shunned her, causing her to have no reason to come back.

"You're thinking hard again," Jenna giggled, as she crawled into bed next to Lorelei. Placing a kiss on the blonde's lips, she looked at those mysterious, brown eyes for a moment, "you okay?"

"Yeah," it was already nine at night, and Hallie was probably off at the theatre with her fiancè. She was getting married in a matter of months to one of the richest ranch boys in the South.

"Mama gave me this book, and I think you'd like it," Jenna flipped a few pages and found a poem, "I'm not sure. But I think I've read this poem before."

Jenna showed Lorelei the page, "really, what's it about?"

"It's about a woman with beautiful, blonde hair."

"I didn't know that you like poetry," Lorelei's eyes fluttered over the words, and her heart stopped. The poem was extremely familiar—almost identical to one she'd read over twenty years ago.

"Not really. But this poet is amazing. Mom's book club is introducing poetry to their sessions and she thought you'd like this book."

Lorelei turned the book over, and looked at the author's biography and photograph. It wasn't difficult to recognize those beautiful, red curls. She looks so mature.

"Savannah," the name left her lips without her realizing it.

"Yeah. Savannah Kingsley. She's gorgeous, isn't she?" A tear almost escaped Lorelei's eye. Maybe I should go see her, "hey, what's wrong?"

Jenna noticed Lorelei's distress and pulled the book away. Placing it onto the nightstand, she searched for those sad, brown eyes.

"Oh, nothing," Lorelei tried to wipe her tears away, "it's a beautiful poem."

"It really is. Too bad Miss Kingsley died, else I'd take you to one of her book readings."

Blood rushed from her lower stomach till to her throat. Lorelei wasn't sure if she heard correctly, or if her mind was tricking her.

"What?" Jenna furrowed her brows, "she died?"

Jenna grabbed the book and showed Lorelei the last line of the biography.

Savannah Kingsley died on June 23, 1945.

Lorelei threw herself backward as more tears managed to erupt. She could remember when her father died two years into her marriage with Raven. She cried so much, even though she despised him. He was her father after all—her own flesh and blood. And all the deaths after that were even more painful than the last. Even with all the years that she hadn't seen Savannah, and heck, she'd only known the woman for a few months, her heart grieved more than how it did with all the other deaths combined.

"What's wrong, Lory?"

Lorelei pulled on the necklace around her neck—the bead necklace that she'd cherished for many years. And it burst into pieces—the beads scattering all over the bed.

Jenna was extremely worried, and didn't know what to do.

"I, I—" she closed her eyes and tried to breathe, but her lungs wouldn't let her.

"You, what?" Lorelei turned her face, unable to look into Jenna's eyes.

Lorelei couldn't say that she regretted marrying Raven. But if Savannah had given her the chance to choose, Lorelei would've probably never gotten married. Lorelei did reciprocate everything that Savannah felt. If Savannah had confessed her feelings, Lorelei would have done so too. They both neglected to assure each other. And Savannah ran away. If only she had stuck around...

"I lost the love of my life."

Jenna took a breath, realizing where she'd read the poem from before. It's the same poem she keeps with her cherished possessions...

It never hurts to take a second glance at things. Who would have thought that Lorelei and Savannah were anything more than just friends? No one really noticed, did they?

THE END