Celine
1134 Words
Celine basked in the glow of the beautiful Australian sun. They had been here almost 6 years now and she hadn’t grown tired of the beaches.
John was currently visiting them and she and Brad liked to give John and Irene as much time together as they safely could. Australia had managed to stay relatively free of threats and so Brad had been more relaxed, while still ever vigilant, in their coastal paradise.
Celine was approaching her 16th birthday. Her body had matured significantly in the last two years and more and more she was finding that boys were taking an interest in her. One boy in particular had caught her eye. He had blonde hair that was so pale it was almost white and startling blue eyes. Each time she saw him he invoked a cascade of thoughts, or were they memories? He looked and felt so familiar to her.
Over time many of the faces she had known had faded from her memories. She tried so desperately to hold onto them, but they constantly eluded her. She knew the names, her uncles and aunts and some of her memories had stayed but the longer she was away from them the harder it became to hold on.
Celine had never attended school, a fact that Irene had never really explained. It meant the only way she could meet people her own age was at the beach or local café’s. Of course, if she left the house Brad was always with her so no one really spoke to her.
“Brad?” Celine began, watching as the man that had protected her for more than half of her life put sunscreen on. He looked at her, c*****g an eyebrow.
“Why doesn’t anyone talk about my life? Where I’m from, who my parents are, why I’m being hidden away?” She asked quietly.
Brad sighed. “I don’t because I never asked. John and I are buddies from way back. He asked me to protect his wife and daughter and that’s what I have endeavoured to do.”
“So you don’t know anything about me?” Celine asked.
“I didn’t when I first met you. Now I know your favourite dessert is icecream with strawberries, passionfruit and pineapple, I know you watch the moon and make notes about it sometimes. I know you love to read and when you are upset you hum the words to ‘My Girl’. I know your claustrophobic and you love to dance in the moonlight.” Brad shrugged. “I also know you are trying to get the attention of that blonde surfer that struts past daily and I know he was behind the beach houses with an equally blonde female surfer yesterday and they weren’t surfing.”
“He reminds me of someone, I think. Or I feel like he should remind me of someone. Does that make sense?” Celine asked.
“Maybe talk to your folks while they’re both here?” Brad suggested.
Celine nodded. She had tried to talk to Irene many times, but the conversation always seemed to come at a bad time for her.
“Here’s your chance.” Brad said as he looked up to see John and Irene walking towards them.
“Chance for what?” John asked.
“Celine has something to ask you.” Brad smiled as he turned and walked away.
“What is it Celine?” John smiled.
Celine looked away flustered and noticed the blonde surfer was about to do his almost daily walk by.
“Can you think of any reason he might feel familiar to me?” Celine asked, indicating the boy she was talking about with a nod of her head.
As he walked past Irene gasped. He could have been Bastian’s twin!
“Bastian?” John called out but the boy didn’t turn around.
“Who is Bastian?” Celine asked.
John and Irene looked at each other and sighed.
“You’ve been away for a long time Sweet Pea. Who do you remember?” John began.
“Sweet Pea. Why is that name familiar?” Celine asked.
“Because that’s what we used to call you. When we first found you it’s the only name you remembered and you insisted that was your name.”
“Moonbeam.” Celine said.
“Is what your Uncle Todd called you.” Irene said gently.
“This is so frustrating. It’s like I know there are people in my past but I cant remember them.” Celine muttered.
“Celine, there are things we need to share with you, but we need to wait.” John began.
“Wait til when? Wait til I am twenty? Thirty?” Celine was becoming upset.
“Eighteen Celine. We need to wait until you are eighteen.” Irene replied quietly. “I am sorry.”
“I want to go home.” Celine announced. “I want to go home with John.”
“You can’t right now, it isn’t safe.” John shook his head.
“Then why are you still there? Is my safety worth more than yours?” She asked angrily.
“Yes Celine, your safety is more important than ours.” Irene shrugged.
“That’s bullshit!” Celine cried. “I want to go home. If you don’t take me I will find my own way there!”
“Celine, you don’t even know where home is.” John said quietly. “Look, there are some things I can share with you.” John took out his phone and began scrolling through his picture gallery. “This is your Uncle Todd, the one who calls you Moonbeam.” He said, showing Celine the picture.
“This is your Aunt Amelia.” John continued, showing her a photo of Amelia. “This is their child, Mirabelle who is now five.”
“Wow, Aunt Amelia is stunning. She looks like a Fairy Princess.” Celine breathed.
“Funny that.” John smiled.
John and Irene sat down, sharing the photos John had taken to keep Irene up to date with how everyone was doing.
“So, I have a whole family?” Celie asked.
“You do.” Irene smiled.
“So why can’t I see them?” Celine asked.
“That is a very complicated question right now.” John replied with a sigh. “Please know, they miss you and they ask about you constantly. When you turn eighteen you can return and begin spending time with them again. I know it feels incredibly unfair right now but it is the best we can offer for everyone’s safety.”
“So my eighteenth birthday we’re on a plane right?” Celine asked.
“The very day.” Irene promised.
- Writer
