Mate revealed

Emergency visit

Ester stood at her patio doors watching the sun slowly eat away the darkness, coffee in hand. The trees stood still, the forest floor cloaked in darkness. If Ester concentrated hard enough, she could swear that shapes and forms moved between the pines. So, Ester chose not to concentrate. 

The air was crisp, and she drank it in. Penny had talked her down yesterday, calmed her. Walked her though the techniques they’d created to block out. Brick by brick she’d lock her out, layer by layer – just like dad taught. 

When they little, before the crash, they’d taken trips to the beach most summers. Regardless of what the weather had actually been, her memories of those times had always been saturated in sunshine. The waves danced back and forth, the sound of the sea still ringing in Ester’s ears. The sky speckled with cotton bud clouds and seagulls. 

On one particular trip, a memory still whole and full in her mind, their father had bought them both sandcastle buckets. Pink for Penny. Green for Ester. Penny, of course, perfected it within half an hour. Ester smiled at the thought. 

She, however, had taken a few attempts to get it right. 

“Like this” her father had directed, scooping a layer in and then platting it down with the spade. He then added another scoopful and began the process again. “These things take time” he smiled. He tipped it for her, her arms still as strong as spaghetti hoops. 

“Then,” He took the took the spade in hand once more “You have to tap the top – but not too hard, or it’ll all crumble once you take off the bucket. You do the honours” He nodded as she took the edges of the bucket.

The results had been a vast improvement on her first attempt – near faultless, almost as good as Penny’s, almost. Penny had always made the best sand castles. 

Her mother had clapped anyway, “Clever girl” she’s whispered in her ear and pinned a kiss to her forehead. Heat had spread out from where she’d touched, growing, until she was completely varnished in contentment. 

Layer by layer. 

Today was a new day, fresh start, clean slate - all those clichés. Yet, Ester was determined to make it so. Today wouldbe better. 

She’d pre-prepared her lunch, ironed – yes ironed, her uniform and got to work an hour early. She used her key to open up. Opened the blinds, quickly tidied the reception area, set out the clean paper on the examination bed. Ester was feeling very Marie Kondo-esk as Doctor Collins came into the office. 

Ester smiled, “good morning”, and placed a cup of coffee into her hands before she could respond. 

She switched the phone on and began dealing with the barrage of calls. She wore her smugness secretly at the shocked expression that on Collins’ face. 

The morning passed in a flurry of activity. Ester booked in, rearranged and cancelled appointments, registered new patients, updated the files, typed up file notes, stock took and restocked medicine cabinets, welcomed patients in and kept Doctor Collins in supply of Coffee. 

Penny had told her she would just have to bide her time, be patient and Doctor Collins would see her worth. These things take time. Doctor Collins had every right to put her patients first, even if it did perhaps delay their care by not having a nurse…  

A text broke up her midmorning slog.

Stevie:             I’ve begun asking around. Nothing yet, but a few interesting ideas. Might see you later. Stevie x

The text set Ester’s heart racing - ‘a few interesting ideas’. He had some sort of plan, even if she didn’t. 

Then a thought occurred to Ester. She turned in her chair and confronted the filing cabinets. She searched the second one, under C. 

·     Cole

·     College

·     Collins

·     Colingwood

·     Colt

·     Como

·     Coope

·     Cooper

·     Cooperson

·     Cop

·     Couter

·     Cost

·     Coston

·     Cotly 

·     Cotton

·     Cotson 

·     Coston 

No Cottonwood. 

Ester cursed inwardly. So stupid. What made her think it would be that easy or simple? Of course she wouldn’t find her here, amongst the Lightwoods. That she had a little shop just around the corner? Or Stevie would discover that she lived in the next town over? That little seed of hope that had planted had to now be crushed.  And what would have happened if she had been in the cabinet? Would she just call her up? Would she drive to her house? Knock on the front door. Hey, it’s me, your long lost daughter!

Ester’s mind was plagued with images of a white house with a wraparound porch, a willow tree daintily learning against the structure. Sunshine washing the scene happy as her birth mother embraces her. 

Ester smiled forlornly to herself. No, she was sure that that wouldn’t be how it panned out. 

But how did she think it would pan out? 

There were countless reasons why someone would give a child up. Ester’s mind had half unravelled thinking through the list over the years. Accident, affair, illness, financial issues, too young, family pressures, domestic abuse, mental health issues. 

And what of her father? Would she ever know him? Had he known about her? Would he care about her?

Not for the first time Easter contemplated the theory of Nature vs Nurture. Whether who you grew up to be was all directly dependant on your parent’s DNA, or where you a product of your experiences, upbringing and education? Who was she more like? The Crofts or the Cottonwoods?

“Next” Doctor Collins called to Ester, snapping Ester out of her trance.

“Mrs Lipinski, you and your son can go in now” She smiled, then quietly murmured to Collins “She’s concerned it’s whooping cough, but I’m fairly certain it’s just a cold. No symptoms, no whooping sounds, short cough, some sneezing.”

Doctor Collins nodded as she welcomed in the patient. 10 patients later Ester told Doctor Collins she was taking her lunch break. As was her signature, she nodded in response, before calling out “You were right?”

“Pardon?”

“The boy, it was just a cold. You were right that it wasn’t whooping cough”

“Oh” She smiled “See you in 30!”

Ester opened the door and let her legs decide the direction. As Ester walked, the immaculate houses and businesses gave away dainty boutiques and lodges, and in turn those gave way to shabby establishments and bars. Less cars pootled passed, and more litter scuttled across the road. Ester found a park squeezed between the dainty and the shabby. On opposing sides houses and shops crowded around, the far side the forest watched on. She sat on a bench and watched the breeze toyed with the trees. Slowly she made her way through her food. 

Suddenly, like a butterfly, a spot of light danced across her lap. Ester looked up, scanning the nearest shops. She wondered whether she’d find a child, manically laughing, whilst titling a mirror at her from their window. But not quite. About 100 metres to the left Ester found it. 

The Mystic Moon.

The shop stood alone, a little one storey wooden structure. Shabby was a kind word. Dilapidated, sickly and decrepit were badges that this house would more likely wear. Ester made her way over – of course. Wood chimes and glass ornaments twirled from the rafters, light puncturing through them, which exploded across the wooden parch and beyond. 

The door was open, the floorboards creaked as Ester passed the threshold. The intense smell of incense assaulted her nose. Curls and whips of smoke jived about the air. No one else appeared to be inside. Cabinets and shelves were crammed and cluttered with crystals, incense, wooden cravings, herbs and tools and implements Ester couldn’t hazard a guess as to what they were. 

In a glass cabinet towards the back was a little sign ‘Lightwood’s Silver fern coven’. An assembly of photographs were laid out, all black and white. Most subjects were women. Ester leant closer – recognising one – could it have been Pamela? Or Tabitha?

“Looking for something?”

Ester jumped, shouldering the cabinet. It rattled angrily. Ester turned to see the woman from the other day, outside the hairdressers.

“Oh sorry dear, I didn’t mean to startle you”

“It’s ok” She smiled tightly. “And, no, just looking really”

“You’re the new nurse” She stated, not asked.

Ester nodded.

“How’re you finding Lightwood dear?” Her voice was high and light, Ester imagined it pastel coloured, escaping into the air.

“Welcoming,” She turned to the glass cabinet “and very interesting”

“Yes,” She joined Ester at the class cabinet, peering in herself “Lightwood has a most… lively history”

“So, you believe in… in this?”

“Of yes, of course!” She grinned, unoffended. 

Ester gave her a sideways glance, “Are you…?”

“A witch? Not really. My grandmother was in Pamela Redfern’s coven, who was a great witch, but,” she paused “my grandmother married out of the coven. It waters down the powers you see.”

Ester frowned. With the swirling incense, crystals vomiting glitter across the ceiling and this sweet, but albeit odd ladies words’, Ester was worried she’d too be sucked into all of this.

“Well, thank you for letting me have a look”, she turned to the door.

“You’ve come back” The lady murmured calmly.

“Pardon?”

“You belong here” she smiled widely, “I have enough of the coven blood in me to see that”.

Ester walked back in a daze, a few times she ran her hands through her hair, as if trying to lift the smell of the incense from her roots.

The next hour of work was broken up by a familiar blonde-haired boy in a cowboy hat.

“Can’t stay long” Stevie put up his hands as if she would shoot him. “Hey Georgie, how’s the knee?” He greeted one of the patients sat against the wall.

“Is Aunt Collins with a patient?” He asked, finishing with Georgie.

She nodded “Should be out in 5, what’s up?”

“Nothing” Stevie folded his big arms across his chest “Just need a quick chat. How’s it going?”

“Fine. Slow, but fine. Not enough blood as a secretary, but I’m hoping that will pick up”.

He smirked “Weird”.

“Stevie, can I ask you a question?”

“Always.”

Ester had been meaning to ask him for some time. Actually, she’d already asked him once… 

“Who - who’s the guy with the Range Rover?”

He frowned “Why?”

“He… He… he” 

He raised an eyebrow. 

Ester felt her cheeks heat up, she’d been rumbled.

“Luca Borghese.” He dropped his arms “He’s some big shot businessman. Odd though”

“Why odd?”

“They all live over in this like, commune type group, a little way outside the town. Middle of the forest.”

“They?” 

“His posse – there’s loads of them living up there! Separate families even. They’re like a little community up there.”

She frowned. “Have you been?”

“Nope – just heard about it, through the grapevine” his last few words were accompanied by comical jazz hands and wide eyes.

Ester grinned. “Odd”

“Very!”

Doctor Collins’ door opened, letting out her patient – Mr Williamson, and she leant against the threshold. “Stevie?”

“Just the lady I came to see! See you Ester!” Ester held up her hand as he trotted into her office.

Why living in the woods? Obviously, it was beautiful, but perhaps privacy was their aim. If so, why would they need privacy? What is really a commune as implied by Stevie? 

She’d only seen him fleetingly each time, but Luca hadn’t seemed like the commune type – whatever that was. In truth, she didn’t know him. But as much as she tried to lie to herself, she wanted to change that.

Half an hour later Stevie jogged out, holding his phone to his ear, waving goodbye to Ester behind him. 

Patient numbers began to dwindle as the day wore on, gradually the phone stopped ringing, and the flow of emails began to turn sluggish.

“Ester!” Collins shout burst through the silence of the Waiting Room.  

“Doctor Collins?” Ester asked at the door. She was stood over her medical bag, packing it. Collins then rushed to the cabinet she looked over at Ester.

“Rose Taltson on Ashby Street has gone into early labour. I need to get over there ASAP.”

Ester straightened. She felt the first stirring of adrenaline begin to unfold in her veins “Oh – do you need me to do anything. What can I help with?” Finally, something Ester could help with.

“I need you to stay here and man the surgery.” If Doctor Collins saw Ester’s crestfallen expression, she didn’t comment. “I know you opened up this morning and usually I’d let you go at 5, but I need you to stay later tonight and close up for me, ok?”

“Of course,”

“And set the alarm – the code is 1912.”

“Got it. Anything else.”

Doctor Collins stilled for a moment, closed her medical bag and slung the strap over her shoulder. “Cancel the 4:45 appointment for Abe Jones – he never remembers but best to give him a ring anyway. It’s unlikely you’ll get any emergencies now, but if you need help, ring Stevie first ok?”

“Yep, got it.”

“Good” Collins nodded. 

“Good luck” Ester called to her from the front door, as Collins got in her car.

“Thanks, I’ll need it” She blew out a breath “It’s twins”.

Ester rang Abe – and of course, he’d forgotten. The hours trickle passed, she made sure the surgery was immaculate. With half an hour to go Ester sat back and put her feet on the table.

Ester listened to the quiet of the surgery for a heartbeat before deciding it definitely needed livening up. Turning up some music on the desktop, Ester turned to confront the filing cabinet for the second time that day.  

“B, b, b” Ester hummed to herself.

·     Boran

·     Borden

·     Bordias 

·     Bordis 

·     Boreas

·     Borges 

·     Borghese

“Yes!”, there were four different Borghese files. 

The file that Ester plucked out was slim. 

Name: Luca Angelo Borghese. 

Ester raised an eyebrow “Angelo huh?”

Age: 8thDecember 1991

Address: Darkthroat Meadow Creek, White Mountain, Nr Lightwood Lakes.  

Family: -

The doors burst open. 

Ester jumped. 

The glass in the door vibrated slightly. Ester closed the file. 

Two men in states of disarray had run through the door. One hand blood over his neck, and down his arm. The other had a torn t-shirt. 

“Excuse me-“

“Please – we need your help!” The first babbled “Where’s Collins?”

“She’s out – an emergency, delivering a baby. But I can help”

“We need a doctor –“

“I’m a nurse, I can stitch – sutures, clean, confirm and prescribe.” She raised her brow “Or if that’s not enough, the hospital will be open”

The first seemed to think. The second quietly murmured “The hospital is not an option.”

Ester nodded. “Then I’m your only option. You” She pointed at the first “Sit here” She jogged to the cabinet to get out her supplies. 

“Er – actually, it’s not me…. He’s in the truck.”

“There’s someone else?”, before he could escape, she grabbed the first by the arm. He flinched at her touch but didn’t pull away. He looked down at the hand clutching him in confusion “What happened?” she asked.

His wound was a sizable s***h on the top of his forearm. Deep, but quite neat. The blood was already clotting. Perhaps he wouldn’t need stitches after all, if he was a fast healer. 

“Well?” She looked up at him again.

“An animal attack.” 

“What kind?” She ran her hands until the faucet, thoroughly washing them.

“Er- We didn’t get a look”

“A big cat” The second piped up. Ester nodded, rolling on her gloves. 

“Ok – take me to him.”

Ester’s step stuttered momentarily. Her pulse bounding. It wasn’t a truck. It was a black Range Rover Sport.

Shestarted stirring in Ester’s mind. 

The second opened the door, something changed.

The hair on the back of her neck rose. Goosebumps spread across her arms. Her heart quickened. 

He’s here…

His eyes snapped to hers as soon as she was visible. 

Slumped against the back, naked from the waist up, Luca Borghese’s dark eyes threw daggers at Ester.

She took a deep breath, steadying herself. His dark waves were a chaotic mess. His forearms streaked with mud. But she couldn’t help letting her eyes race over the firm, muscly chest that her mind had accidently wondering about over the last two days. 

“Where is doctor Collins?” He bit out, tersely. 

And surprisingly to her, but painfully, Ester’s heart flopped at his next words: 

“What is she doing here?”