Curse And Craving

Chapter One “I’VE GOT DUCT TAPE, AND I’M NOT AFRAID TO USE IT. ONE MORE WORD, and you’ll be getting on that plane bound and gagged inside a suitcase.” “And if I fight back?” “I’ll drug you.” The words were drawn out slowly with absolute conviction. I glared as harshly as I could muster before bursting into a fit of laughter. My best friend tried to maintain her stern expression but eventually caved with a chuckle. “I’m serious, Becca. No more second-guessing yourself. We are getting on that plane tonight, and you’re starting your new life in Ireland.” “Only because you’re going with me.” I peered at Ashley, sobering. “I’m scared, Ash. This is so far out of my comfort zone.” She joined me on the bed, wrapping her arm around my back and pulling me close. “I know, honey, but you need to do it anyway. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Don’t let anxiety keep you from achieving your dreams.” I lucked out big time in the best friend department. She drove me a little crazy sometimes, but Ashley Moore was my perfect complement. Where I was timid and conservative, she was bold and dauntless. She kept my life interesting while I kept her out of jail. We were in perfect balance on our friendship seesaw, never allowing one another to hit rock bottom or get thrown off. “Thanks, Ash. I needed that. I swear I won’t freak out once I’m there and settled in.” “Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” she teased with a smirk. “Fortunately, I’ll be there with you for the first two weeks, so you have nothing to worry about.” I’d been nervous about telling Ashley about the job offer and certainly hadn’t expected her to come with me, but I should have known better. She’d been my biggest cheerleader and insisted I seize the opportunity. Knowing how important this was to me, she planned from day one to use up the last of her vacation days at work to accompany me to Belfast. I was incredibly grateful. Living so far away from her and my parents would be hard, but having her with me while I got adjusted made it all a little less scary. While she would miss me, she wasn’t exactly sad to have a reason to travel abroad. It had all worked out perfectly. So why was a bundle of angry snakes writhing in my belly? I swallowed and forced a smile. “Absolutely. Nothing to worry about at all.” She laughed and patted my leg. “Exactly. Now help me get this bag packed, or I’ll have to wear your clothes on my trip.” Ashley was an expert procrastinator. I’d been packed for a week— created checklists and run through my lists twice over. Ash would be lucky to make it two days in Ireland without needing to shop for something she forgot. Her time management habits, or lack thereof, had been annoying early in our friendship, but I learned to adapt. Knowing my best friend, I’d given her a packing deadline a full hour prior to our true deadline. She was able to do things at her pace, and I didn’t have to panic about being late. We packed, got all our luggage checked at the airport, and were crammed into our absurdly uncomfortable airplane seats with time to spare. Twenty-four hours later, we took our first steps in Ireland. “I THOUGHT they spoke English here, but I can’t understand a word. Is that Gaelic or something?” Ashley grumbled as our cab driver pulled away, leaving us standing outside of my new apartment. “Gaelic is Scottish. They’re speaking English, but I agree, it’s hard to understand. Let’s hope not everyone has such heavy accents as the cabbie.” “And the customs official,” she added. “I had so much trouble understanding the man. I’m a little surprised they let me in the country.” I smirked. “Come on. Let’s check out the place I’ll be calling home for the foreseeable future.” The line of two-story, attached row houses looked the same as it had in the pictures online, which was a relief. Shopping for a home from an ocean away was not my ideal scenario, but I’d done my research as best I could and was happy with the results. The stretch of red-brick buildings made me think of soldiers standing shoulder-to-shoulder. There were no trees, and the collection of homes had seen their heyday come and gone. However, the neighborhood appeared safe and family-oriented. Best of all, it was only a ten-minute walk to work. It was a great deal at just under six hundred pounds a month compared to the other options I had seen. The layout was simple. Living and kitchen downstairs with the bedroom and bath above on the second level. The front door opened facing the stairwell, the kitchen to the right, and a furnished living room to the left. A beige loveseat and oversized chair left just enough room for a two-seater oak kitchenette on white linoleum floors. The large windows and white walls kept the place feeling bright, which was helpful because the only light fixture appeared to be an unadorned light bulb hanging from the ceiling. “Nice,” commented Ashley, when our eyes cast up at the glowing bulb. “Yeah, well, at least it works.” That was more than I could say for some of the stuff in our efficiency back in New York. “Good point.” The tiny galley kitchen was outfitted with an oven, microwave, and a refrigerator—all of which looked like child-sized replicas of the real things. I was relieved to find that they all seemed to work and reminded myself that this was not supposed to be my dream home. The old wood cabinets were painted a light blue and had seen better days, but they would serve their purpose.