Captive

Chapter Two

There was something about the swirling leaves in the autumn which made her think of Canada. The reds and oranges and yellows were so beautiful, an act of last defiant beauty before the grey of winter crept in. At sixteen Juliet had grown into a pretty girl, still with unruly chestnut curls which she rarely bothered to try and tame though she constantly had a scrunchie about her wrist just in case. Her wide green eyes were as full of innocence as they had been when she was a four year old child and she still had a love of nature and of books. It was some time since she'd visited with her family in Canada, maybe three years. Rebecca had been unwell for a time and Rachel had been of the opinion she didn't need anything else on her plate. Juliet had learnt that her stepmother suffered from brain tumours. She'd been successfully treated already on two occasions, going into remission but Juliet  understood that Rebecca was likely to be living on borrowed time. Because of that Rachel had agreed that her daughter could go across to Canada for Christmas. Autumn had come late that year and at the tail end of November the leaves were still dancing their colourful dance. Miss Ivy had been most understanding of her pulling Juliet out of school before the Christmas break to go and spend some time with her stepmother and family in Canada; the private school had a little more leeway than a state school would have had with her being away in term time and Juliet was provided with assignments to complete while she was away.

As she placed the last couple of sweaters in her case Juliet pulled the zip round and then looked at her list, ticking off the last items. She had two cases, one with her clothes and the other with gifts for her family and her school work. Her hand luggage was packed neatly with her passport, tickets and a few books to read on the plane. Rachel was sat at the table when she came through to the kitchen with a cup of tea and a pile of papers to grade. She smiled up  at her daughter.

"There's fresh tea in the pot if you want one," she said.

"Thanks Mum," Juliet replied, pouring herself a cup and then sitting down opposite her mother. "Are you sure you don't mind me being away for two months and for Christmas?"

"Of course not darling. Edward and I have plans anyway and it will be nice for you to spend a Christmas with your family. You might even see that boy you're so fond of." Juliet blushed a little and smiled as she thought of Bret. She hadn't seen him in over three years and was quite certain he would have forgotten all about her, even if she did still use the bookmark he had made her and sometimes lost herself in memories of him holding her in his arms. But he would probably see her as a child now. She was sixteen, fast approaching her seventeenth birthday but he was twenty now, an adult. What would he want with her?

The truth was though she would be only too happy to not be here when Edward Turner, her mother's fiancé was. She'd never admit it to her mother but Edward gave her the creeps. He seemed to always be watching her when she was home with them and she didn't like the way he looked at her. There was no denying he was a handsome man with floppy black hair and deep blue eyes but he was also pretentious and arrogant, full of himself and believing himself irresistible to women. She almost dreaded coming home these days unless he was away because the thought of having to listen to him pompously giving his opinions on everything as he looked at her for a reaction made her skin crawl.

"Will both your brothers be home?" Rachel asked, getting up to put her cup in the sink. Juliet nodded.

"Yes. Mark is coming back from Texas with his girlfriend Daniella and Kane is still living with Mom and Dad anyway. He's a mechanic by day and a wrestler by night I think."

"He doesn't have a girlfriend?"

"Kane is a little  shy Mum. I think he'd run a mile if a girl looked at him."

"Maybe. Did you get a gift for Daniella?"

"Of course," Juliet replied, smiling. She'd bought her brother's girlfriend a pretty bracelet she'd seen in the gift shop in Merriton that she'd wanted to buy for someone just because it was so pretty.