Chapter 1

Four years ago

Tate

There’s a picture frame in my hand.

It’s my moms smiling face in the picture encased in the frame. Looking at her now, I realize how much the similarities between us are. A beautiful smile that displays neat white rows of teeth and that little chip at the bottom of the second incisor. I have one too. It isn’t hereditary though. My mom had hers from an accident when she was little and i got mine at 10 when I jumped too high on the bed and ended up face first in the headboard. Our chips are similar though. It’s uncanny how the creator decided to make sure we looked almost like twins. Her light, almost transparent brown eyes are another thing we have in common; the most similar thing actually.

She was a very beautiful lady that had heads turn at every turn. “Was” because she died. Horrible twist of fate. I thought I’d have her till she meets my kids and that’s the problem. I had way too many happy wishes for us that it made it all harder to accept her death. I haven’t even accepted it and I feel like a coward each and every time I think of her because it’s quite hard to let go. I’m stuck on her death and still cry whenever I see her pictures or have random memories of her pop into my head. I try not to cry around my dad though because I won’t like to add to his burdens. He’s getting older and it hurts me to see my once very strong happy man become older and weaker.

Like now, as he steps into the room looking very weary. I hide the frame under the cushion pillow behind me and watch him as he drops his work tools by the door before taking off his hat and hanging it on the coat hanger. He was- is a handsome man with salt and paper hair and the wrinkles on his face that seem to increase every day. He’s not up to 50 but his work as the gardener of this manor weighs down on him a lot. I wish I could do more than watch him grow frailer.

“How was work?”, I ask, sounding a little less nicer than I want. He looks up at me, seemingly noticing my tone, he’s used to it.

“Went well, at this rate, I might be able to take next week off”

“While battle Bridget is still alive?”, I scoff “yeah right”

“Tate, let’s not start”, he says pleadingly. Picking up my sweater from the back of the couch, I rise and make my way towards the door.

“What would you like to eat? I can go the kitchen and whip you up something to eat”, I change the topic

“Not really hungry right now, I’d be leaving in the next hour to complete the rest of the yard lawn”

I drop my hand from the door handle and stare- almost glare- at my stubborn father.

“No you’re not, you look tired enough as it is”

“Tate, I have to finish my work sweetie”

“Dad, no. I’ve had it with that woman and her obnoxious way of managing her staff. It’s disgusting how she thinks overworking you is humane. Not surprised though, never really pegged her human. She fits perfectly right somewhere between witch and ugly vampire”

“Tate, enough with such comments, they’d get you in trouble. I’ve had you cause enough trouble for me. Don’t make my life even more difficult”, he places himself on the couch like he didn’t just send an arrow straight through my chest. I know he didn’t mean it to hurt me but hurt me it did. I’m broken, to be honest at how he subtly hinted that I’m more trouble than help. Not dwelling too much on it, I move to the door and walk out so he won’t see the few tears that are planning to escape.

>><<

Walking around this neighborhood never really gets easy. All the houses are mostly large, obnoxious buildings owned by even more obnoxious people. The few houses that aren’t as large as the others have perfectly manicured lawns and white picket fences. The buildings are strategically arranged and I’m pretty sure if you looked at the map of this neighborhood, you’d see perfect squares and other symmetrical shapes. However, there are turns everywhere. Some short, some long. Some abrupt and it makes navigating feel like you’re walking through a maze of perfect buildings. My legs are walking at impossible human miles per hour and so when I bump right into someone, I’m not totally surprised because between all the turns in the neighborhood and my absent mind, bumping into someone was just a matter of time. I look up to see the someone and realize that the someone is a guy in his mid twenties. He’s wearing his exercise gear and there’s a petite red haired girl trailing him in her own suit. They both have green eyes, beautiful green eyes and for a moment, I’m lost looking into his eyes that I almost forget to apologize.