Unexpected Events

Chapter 1

Satine flinched at the sun invading her hotel room. It seemed too cheerful for what had happened lately. Satine got up out of bed and went to undress as she turned the shower on.

            As soon as Satine stepped into the shower, she closed her tired eyes and let her mind wander. She remembered the day her aunt Beth, her only surviving relative, had died.

            The police had ruled it as a suicide. After all, why else would you “accidently” fall out of the highest window of your three-story house? Satine didn’t know. She had been at her local university attending class. Still, her aunt wouldn’t have committed suicide. It wasn’t like her. Aunt Beth had always been happy, even if what she’d considered happy wasn’t normal. She had been her own person.

            Satine blinked a few times to clear her head, finished washing herself in the shower, and quickly stepped out and grabbed a towel as the cold air attacked her.

It wasn’t quick enough.

            Satine had always been sensitive to the cold as a child, but lately she was always freezing. She had been to countless doctors and gotten blood tests, but they all said the same thing.

Satine was perfectly healthy.

            Satine slipped on a maroon hoodie and some jeans complete with black converse. She’d never been the one to dress up.

Just like her aunt.

            Satine was an exact replica of her aunt, right down to her ink black hair and ocean blue eyes, which her parents had hated.

            She never understood how her father had hated his sister so strongly. He had said Aunt Beth was crazy.

            Maybe he had thought so, but Satine thought her aunt was brilliant. She was a fantastic storyteller, always making up stories to tell Satine when she had moved in with her after her parents died when Satine was fifteen. Now twenty, Satine realized that those last five years living with Aunt Beth had been her favorite.

            Now her aunt, who had taught her everything and loved her, was gone.

            Satine packed her bags, turned off the lights, and left her hotel room.

            After giving her room key to the lady at the front desk, Satine went and got into her sleek black Camaro. She pulled out a map and set her GPS to lead her to her therapist’s home in rural Georgia.

            She was going to stay there for a few months. Her therapist had suggested that Satine leave her aunt’s North Carolina home to organize her thoughts and process her aunt’s death.

            Satine had never met her therapist. She didn’t know what he looked like, or how old he was. They had just chatted by email. Satine hoped she wasn’t making a mistake.

            From her Alabama hotel, the drive took only a few hours. Satine listened to Beethoven’s 7th Symphony, 2nd Movement. It had always been her favorite piece of music. Now was no exception.

            Satine drove out on an old dirt road with her GPS barked out, “You have arrived at your destination.”

            Satine then cut her car’s engine and actually looked around for the first time in hours.

She gasped.

            Satine laid her eyes on the biggest mansion she’d ever seen. It was stark white, with elegant glass windows and a red brick walkway framed by red roses and jasmine. Her favorite. Satine smiled at the coincidence.

            She was suddenly nervous. Satine was hardly dressed for such a place. Even worse, Satine had never met her therapist in person. It was a friend of her aunt’s, yet she was still anxious. Her palms were sweaty.

            Satine walked up the walkway and climbed the steps slowly. Her therapist didn’t know she’d arrived. She could back out right now. . .

            Satine jumped as the main door was suddenly pulled open.

            She felt her mouth drop. There stood the most attractive man she’d ever seen.

            He wall tall, had mysterious gray eyes, and hair the color of chestnut. Satine noticed he was pale, dressed in a forest green sweater that teased her with glimpses of his collarbone, and expensive jeans. His shoes were dressy, expensive brown leather that hugged his feet comfortably.

He was wearing a killer smile.

            “You must be Satine LeFay. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Dr. Joseph Furns, Practicing Therapist for seven years. Welcome to the Furns Mansion!”

            Satine shook his hand as she stammered, “H-hi. Yes, I am Satine LeFay, pleased to meet you, Dr. Furns.”

            The man’s smile grew bigger, and he looked past her to her car. “Is that where your luggage is?”

Satine nodded.

            “Excellent.” He turned to a man behind him. “Please get Miss Satine’s things and take them to room thirty-one. Also, please notify the other workers that she is here and should be served accordingly.”

            The man gave a quick nod, walked down to Satine’s car, and when she opened the trunk, carried Satine’s luggage inside.

There was no going back now.

            After her luggage was taken care of, Satine followed Dr. Furns to his patio. They sat around a glass table in fancy carved chairs. It took only moments for a worker to get them hot chocolate as they watched the fall leaves float down to the ground.

            Dr. Furns turned to look at Satine and said, “What an elegant name you have, Satine. It comes from an old Australian language and means beautiful, correct?”

“Yes.”

            “Your parents picked the perfect name for you, I do believe.” Dr. Furns smiled and sipped the last of his drink. Satine blushed. She had pictured Dr. Furns to be older, but he had surprised her. There was no denying it. She was attracted to him. Curiosity took over her.

“Dr. Furns, how old are you?”

“Please, do call me Joseph. I’m twenty-five.”

“Oh, forgive me, but I pictured you much older. I thought to become a therapist you had to go through graduate school.”

Satine instantly knew she had made a mistake.

            Dr. Furns’ eyes darkened to a steel gray, and his jaw clenched. He gripped his glass, trying to keep control.

“I was an exception.” Dr. Furns’ words were forced, and Satine felt the urge to run.

Suddenly, he calmed and was amazingly polite.

“I’m terribly sorry, Satine. I’m never like that.”

            Satine forced a smile. “I understand, Joseph. In fact, I am the same way when it comes to my education.”

Dr. Furns grinned and led her inside his mansion to her room.

“It’s gorgeous!” Satine exclaimed.

Indeed, it was.

            The walls were a deep burgundy with white candles placed around the room. The curtains were white lace, flowing softly in the autumn breeze. There, in the center wall, was an enormous glass window, depicting a spring day.

Satine loved it.

Dr. Furns purred, “I thought your personality suited this room well.”

All Satine could do was smile and nod.

            “Well, I will give you time to settle in. We will be having lunch in my office. Come down when you’re ready. Just go down the grand stairs, turn left, and it is the third door on your right.”

With these words, Dr. Furns shut her door and left.