The Words

Chapter 1

Katherine

They're five minutes late. Should I call them again? Maybe I can call a cab. A shout of my name from behind me causes me to whip my head in the direction it came from, my brown curls creating a minimal gust of wind. Coming towards me is a beautiful woman with dark brown hair and perfectly plucked eyebrows, standing next to a tall blonde girl who looked like she could be her younger sister, but was obviously her daughter.
"Mrs. Campbell!" I say happily, walking over to her.
She throws her skinny arms around me in a comforting but firm hug.
"Katherine, it's so good to finally meet you, sweetie." We release each other and I'm instantly grabbed into a hug by her daughter, Lana. The blonde stands over me by a few inches. She's thin, but muscular, and is 100% legs.
"How was your flight?" Lana asked me with a smile.
"Not too bad." I replied, as each of them grabbed one of my suitcases.
"We could've used Michael's help with these bags, yeah, Mum?" Lana said with an amused tone.
"He's back at home preparing brunch. We've got a full house waiting to meet you." Joanna smiled at me as we packed my bags into the back of her car.
"Mum's got the entire Heardshire PTA and staff at the house to meet you." Lana whispered. "And some of our family too."
"I can't wait to meet them," I said honestly, sitting in the backseat of her car.

*****

England wasn't different than Vermont. They drive on the left hand side, speak with funny accents, and have slang words that they don't like to explain. The Campbell's lived in a large house in the country, set almost like the Earnshaw house in Wuthering Heights.
"I'll introduce you to everyone as we go, Katherine. We'll put your stuff away and eat dinner. Then my friends are coming to pick me up around nine." Lana turned around in her seat to look at me.
"Maybe Katherine could go with you, Lana. It'll be good for her to meet the gang before school starts on Monday." Joanna suggested with a smile. These ladies smile an awful lot..
"Only if she wants to. Do you want to?" Lana asked. "You probably don't have anything else to do."
"I was just going to read a little, that's all. Maybe if I get everything put away, I'll join you." I replied, staring out the window. We came to a stop in the gravel driveway of a large estate. "Is this it?"
"This is it." Joanna answered proudly. We got out of the car and brought my bags inside, instantly being greeted by a handful of adults.
"Katherine, Lana and I will bring your bags upstairs. You go have something to eat and mingle a little." Joanna gestured for me to go into the living room, and I was suddenly whisked away by an older lady with blonde-grey hair.
"I'm Mrs. Higgins; my husband and I were almost your host parents, but Joanna beat us to it." The lady giggled and wrapped her arm around me. "Could I get you a cup of tea? Or do you Americans prefer coffee?"
"Oh, I'm fine, thank you." I shook my head politely.
"At least have some food. Joanna and Michael set up a lovely spread for you." I took a cherry off out the fruit salad and stuck it in my mouth. "Oh, here he is now!" I turned around and popped the cherry out of my mouth, coming face to face with who I could only assume was Michael.
"Katherine, it's lovely to meet you. I'm Michael O'Callaghan, Joanna's boyfriend." Michael had an accent different than Joanna and Lana's, short, wavy, light brown hair, which came down to a short stubble and mustache. His eyes were a dark shade of blue, like my favorite pair of denim jeans. He towered over me at about six foot, estimating from my 5'7 frame, including my shoes.
Michael stuck his hand out, which struck me out of my slight daydream, and I shook it politely.
"Yes, it's great to meet you too. Are you living here, too?" I asked him curiously.
"Ah, no. No, I live in London." Michael shook his head and smiled. "Have you ever been there?"
"No, but it's always been a dream of mine. England in general has been a dream." I laughed softly, looking down, and finally ate my cherry.
"Really? How so?" Michael asked, crossing his arms curiously.
"It's the birthplace of classic literature. Jane Austen, Emily Brontë, Thomas Hardy..all of them." I chuckled, and realized I needed to spit out my cherry pit, but there wasn't a napkin in sight. I smiled politely, and as nonchalantly as I could, swallowed the whole pit. Yes, I swallowed my cherry pit.
"Do you have a passion for writing?" He asked, looking at me intently.
"I wish I was better at it. I'm more of a reader." I shook my head.
"Writing is a hard profession. I failed miserably at it." Michael disclosed confidently. "I'm sure you're talented enough."
"I'm no victim of false modesty. And it's mainly personal things I write, you know? Just for me." I shrugged.
"Ah, there you are!" Joanna sounded from behind Michael. He turned as she laid a gentle kiss on his lips. "I see you've met our guest, Katherine."
"Your Michael here was just talking my ear off," I said, humorously.
"He tends to be very closed off at times, and then an open book at others." Joanna laughed, laying a hand around Michael's waist, as if a low-key way to say "he's mine, bitch."

*****

It wasn't particularly uncommon in America for an older woman to be with a younger man, but the pairing of Joanna and Michael was so odd to me.
After our short conversation, I didn't speak to Michael for the rest of the day. The guests stayed until nearly ten o'clock, and I was growing increasingly tired by the minute.
By the time the final teacher left and the last glass of wine was poured, I was curled up in the guest bedroom—well, my bedroom—with my copy of Tess of the D'urbervilles in my lap. There was a soft knock at my door, and I hadn't realized I was chewing on my necklace until it dropped out of my hands when I was startled.
"It's just me, wishing you goodnight." Joanna whispered ever so loudly, smiling wide at me. "You decided not to go with Lana?"
"Mrs. Higgins wore me out. I figured I should just stay in tonight." I answered softly. "I was planning on exploring the city tomorrow."
"I could take off of work and show you around if you'd like?" She suggested.
"Oh, no, I'll be fine. I wouldn't want to interrupt your work. Thank you though." I shook my head as sweetly as possible.
"Okay, love. I'll see you tomorrow morning. Goodnight." She shut my door slowly as I whispered a goodnight. I shut off the small light on the bedside table and got up to shut the curtains, out of habit.
Out of the open window, I could see Joanna kissing Michael goodnight.
"I like her, Michael. Maybe this'll do me and Lana some good." Joanna sighed.
"She's a barely tolerable American, Jo." Michael rubbed her arms. "She won't last long in this house."
I watched as he pulled away and she walked inside. Before he turned around to walk to his car, his eyes met mine and I looked away quickly, shutting the blinds.