chapter 5

"Good morning dear" Joan's neighbour greeted her as she walked past her house. "Good morning Mrs Wilson." Joan greeted her back with a smile and the woman nodded as Joan passed by. "I know Alex would like her. She is just I should call him to come home. so he can meet her" Patry muttered to herself with a smile on her face. she had been delighted when she saw Joan moving in almost a month back. The house house had been empty for almost ten years and she always wondered if it would always be that way. But a fine young lady moved in and now she wanted her grandson to meet her...

The town was just on the outskirts of the city. it wasn't populated at all and only a few houses were around the area. she had lived here for more than thirty years after retiring and loved it ever since. it was peaceful down here.

"Where are you, Alex? it's been a few hours already. When are you going to get here" Patty complained over the phone...

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Joan pushed open her front door and sighed. there wasn't much to do around here. She looked up at a picture of her and her parents still hung up on the wall in the hallway of the house... A sad smile appeared on her face. The house had once belonged to her grandmother but when she had passed it belonged to her father and now her, but she had chosen not to live there because of the memories the house held. They had stayed here for a while after what happened with Alice's parents and that was one of the most memorable times of her life.... Though it was short the last moment with her parents was happy. She walked away from the hallway down to the kitchen looking for anything that would keep her busy and her mind occupied so she wouldn't think about Liam, but even after she ate breakfast, did her laundry. cleaned the house, watered the plants nothing seemed to be working. Her mind was completely occupied with him. "why can't I get him off my mind" She groaned and poured herself a glass of water. was this how she was going to live for the rest of her life? it had been over a month and she still wasn't over him... She felt like screaming, but she knew even that wouldn't work so why try...

A knock on her door caught her attention and she sighed. She walked to the door and opened it to find a handsome man standing on her front porch. who was he? She had never seen him before around here. Joan looked at him confused and curious when he wouldn't say anything and only just continued to stare at her like she had something on her face. Did she have something on her face? "How may I help you" She asked him and he seemed to finally regain his senses. "hi....hi...I'm well...patty...I'm Alex" He stuttered and stretched out his hand for a handshake. Joan didn't accept the handshake at first but she did after a few seconds and repeated her question. "How may I help you?".

"I'm Mr Wilson's grandson. She asked me to give you this" He explained and stretched forth the plate of freshly baked cookies in his hand. Joan nodded and accepted the plate of cookies. "Thank you. please let her know that I'm grateful" She said and smiled and Alex could have sworn that his heart stopped for a second. her smile was so...breathtaking. Joan stood staring at this strange man who was still standing on her front porch. Did he have anything else to say to her, why wasn't he leaving so she could her back to her sad day. "is there something else" She asked and he shook his head. "nice meeting you ?" He said implying that he wanted to know her name, even though his grandmother had told him already. He was glad his grandmother had pestered him till she agreed to give her the cookies. "I'm Joan" Joan answered and he nodded and finally turned to leave. After he was gone Joan sighed and went back to her house. She ran her hand through her hair as she dropped the plate of cookies on the kitchen counter. she wondered what all that was about. Mrs Wilson had been nice to her since she came here. she picked one of the cookies and took a bite from it and her eyes grew wide. "wow!" Joan exclaimed. it was more delicious than she had imagined... She picked up another cookie and then another one and soon she had eaten it all. She would have to ask Mrs Wilson for her recipe.

Thirty minutes later Joan was standing at Mrs Wilson's front door with the empty plate in her hands. Patty was the one who answered the door. "Thank you for the cookies ma'am, they were really tasty" Joan said and Patty had the warmest smile on her face. "Don't worry dear I won't hesitate to bring some for you anything I make them again. would you like to come in" Patty offered but Joan declined politely.

she wasn't happy about it but she respected her decision. Joan walked back to her house and headed straight to her room... she lay on her bed staring at the ceiling hoping sleep would come but it didn't. Her mind kept reverting to him. She wondered if Hazel had been executed already. She wondered how everyone was. She finally fell asleep but only after a few hours had passed.

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Joan couldn't believe what she was hearing from Johnathan. it felt like the world was spinning around her and she was dreaming. how could this be? "We will be there first thing tomorrow" Alice assured and she nodded. She was going to see Liam again. The man who had been occupying her mind but not under good circumstances but a bad one...

She ran her hand through her hair and sighed deeply. when was all this finally going to be over...