CHAPTER ONE
Late in the autumn , not many years since , the world was ghost-quiet , except for the c***k of sails and the burbling of water against hull.
Love began on a beach . it began that day when Jonathan saw Emily in her stewed-cherry red dress.
Emily always come to the beach every time she remembered her parents death , she could cry every time she hears strange sounds of car's been crashed.
Jonathan makes a move and approach Emily.
" Hello , my name is Jonathan but you can call me john."
" wow nice name , am Emily."
" nice name too , so what are you doing here all by yourself Emily?"
Her expression change as she remembered her parents death , in an emotionally voice Emily said , " ahh I always come here every time I remember my parents , who died in a car accident , it as been one(1) month since they died."
" I am very sorry , I didn't mean to remind you about that sorry , so can I escort you home please?"
" Thank you but my house is not far from here."
he took her hand and squeezed it," take care then , try not to worry Emily God is going to work it out."
" Thank you , you take care also Jonathan."
Emily's day had been grueling and was in the grip of an oppressive heat wave , but now the cool , welcoming hallway of her parents small rented house which allowed her the luxury of being able to unwind.
She kicked off her shoes and made her way down the two steps leading to the kitchen. Emily put's her phone onto the kitchen table and went immediately to the refrigerator and poured herself a long , cool drink.
She looked in the freezer , but nothing tempted her. Perhaps later .
Walking back to the living room , deep in thought , she turned on the lamp by the piano and sat down on the old rosewood stool.
Emily's parents furnished the house with several antiques which they harmonized completely with their nineteenth-century setting.
She continued to sip her cool drink and remembered how her parents died , since they died she had known it would be hectic.
Softly at first , she began to play a melody sound . But as she relaxed the notes poured forth , almost in a torrent , releasing the pent-up emotions she always felt after remembering her parents death.
More and more she found that music calmed her, helping her to see more clearly the important factors of her life , plus the ambitious drive that kept her straining.
Continuing to play , Emily smiled as she looked at her parents photography on the piano , surrounded by her family , Emily looked serene and completely happy.
She also remember her little sister Maureen who lives in city shine with her aunt , she also remembered that they will be having a meeting in the morning at her uncle's place.
Emily didn't like her uncle because her uncle once tried to take advantage of her when she was ten(10) years old , Emily was very beautiful even in her childhood , she turned off the lamp by the piano and went to her bedroom.
In the morning , awaken by the telephone ringing.
Emily wake up and walked over to the side table next to the bedroom door and picked up the telephone.
" Hello?, how are you Aunt Catharine?"
Aunt Catharine replied , " I am fine my Daughter , how are you ?"
" fine thank you aunt."
" what time will you attend the meeting my Daughter?"
Emily said quietly," I'll be there around 10am aunty."
" okay my Daughter , don't worry everything is going to be fine."
" yes Aunt."
" take good care of yourself my child , see you bye for now."
" you too aunt Catherine."
With a few more words of admonition and concern , she put down the telephone and stood there completely dazed by their conversation. Aunty Catherine was married to Emily's uncle , she loved Emily very much , but her husband could not let her call Emily and she also knew that her husband wanted to take advantage of Emily when she was very young. She also knew that her husband would do anything just to get Emily.
Tears escape Emily's eyes after talking to her aunt Catherine , aunt Catherine was very close to Emily's mother. Wiping the tears from her eyes , she said to herself, " I know God answer my prayers."
She walked to the bathroom door and started preparing herself for the meeting.
She finished preparing herself around 8am and went to the road side to look for a taxi and she found one.
She had to stop to buy some fruits for her little sister Maureen and meet Johnathan on her way back to the taxi.
" Johnathan right? " , Asked Emily.
" yes and you are Emily right "
" wow you are a police officer ?"
" oh yes , sorry let me introduce myself nicely , hi Emily my name is Detective Johnathan."
Emily smiled and said , " now that sounds good."
" can we have dinner tonight ?"
Jonathan's voice brought her thoughts back and she answered quickly , " I would love that . i am sure you know my hours?"
" yes , however. it would either have to be very late-a midnight snack or perhaps on the weekend."
" how about both?"
He looked down at her and flashed that disarming smile.
Jonathan nodded . " that sounds fine with me , write me down your address."
Emily remove a paper and pen in her hand bag and wrote down her address and give it to Jonathan.
"Here."
" thank you very much , see you around."
" Alright , bye Jonathan. "
" Bye Emily."
Jonathan turned to look at Emily once more before she Reach's the car door.
Emily reached at her uncle's place at 9:45am and the first person she meets is her uncle Douglass (aunt Catherine's husband).
He is very happy to see Emily , he said, " wow your natural beauty takes my breath away Emily."
Tears began to form after seeing her uncle, she remember what he tried to do to her when she was just a young girl.
Interrupted by aunt Catherine.
Aunt Catherine said," wow Emily you look very beautiful , come on , let's go inside everyone is waiting for you."
Aunt Catherine takes Emily inside.
Emily asked," were is Maureen aunt? "
" She is upstairs , let me go and bring her , go to the living room everyone is waiting for you there."
"Okay aunt ."
When Emily reached were people are , it was one of complete serenity for her .
While she is still standing she greets everyone.
Maureen coming downstairs screaming Emily's name with her teddy Bear," Emily is here , Emily is here , Emily is here."
Tears escape Emily eyes after seeing her younger sister Maureen.
" Maureen , you have grown."
" Emily , how are you?"
"Fine and how are you Maureen?"
" fine , look at this Emily." Maureen showing Emily her teddy bear.
Emily remember her parents when they bought the teddy bear for Maureen on her birthday.
She takes the teddy bear from her and holding it every tight.
" please stop crying Emily." Said Maureen.
Emily wiping out tears on her face," yes , now let's go and have a sit Maureen."
Douglass enter the living room and the room was quiet , only the sounds of breathing was heard.
" who is going to take care of my beloved brother's Daughters and take them to school," asked Douglass.
By saying this he knew that no one can manage to take those responsibilities , because Douglass was the richest man in the family.
He asked again, " who is going to take care of my beloved brother's Daughters and take them to school."
" I will take Emily with me," said her uncle Martin.
" if you will take Emily you should take Maureen also," replied Douglass.
Uncle Martin said that to help Emily from Douglass , because everyone knew that Douglass love Emily and that he tried to take advantage of her when she was just a young girl.
But they didn't do anything because Douglass was very Rich.
" I don't have enough money to take care of both of them."
" Then you cannot take Emily with you Martin."
Martin went quiet.
" I will take Emily and Maureen with me," said Douglass.
After he said this no one said a word.
Emily's face looked sad and she stood up , looking at everyone and walked out. She went back home.
She arrived home 6pm because she went to the beach first before reaching home.
The door to the narrow , city shine town row house closed quietly. Emily leaned her sleek blonde head against it's comforting presence and sighed .
walking in the living room , deep in thought, she turned on the lamp by the piano and sat down on the old rosewood stool , she start playing the piano, now humming the melody as she reflected on her life.
A knock at the front door made her stop her reverie.
She glanced at her watch. It was already 8pm .
who could possibly be at her door at this late hour?
She thought like it was her uncle Douglass who followed her home.
Cautiously , she tiptoed out into the hallway and peered through the peephole in the front door.
Emily could not believe it....Jonathan , was standing on her doorstep.
Jonathan knocked on the door once more.
Emily opened it and Jonathan hesitated for a moment.
"Hi!" Emily's dark-haired , dynamic good looks seemed to light up her doorstep. She was known for his captivating smile , which disarmed many of her would-be enemies as it was now disarming him.
" Well, hi," Jonathan said, rather shyly.
" I was just taking a walk and I heard the piano. You are every talented Emily. "
"Well, thank you." She had not noticed that Jonathan's Irish setter at his heels. " please, do come in." Then Emily remembering she had not straightened the living room, she added, " you'll have to excuse the chaos. I never seem to have time since..."
" You don't mind my shoes? " Jonathan asked, completely ignoring her excuses.
" Of course not. perhaps you would like a cup of coffee?"
"Sounds great. I am so bushed, but I was wound up after an excruciating debate in the senate today. I knew I could never get to sleep, then I decided to take a walk."
Johnathan lived only two streets away in a house that was almost a copy of Emily's, but at least two times as large.
Jonathan laughed, looking around the charming house.
" But I really adore these old houses, don't you?"
Jonathan nodded. "There's such a feeling of permanence about them. each day when I come home from the hill I am reminded that no matter how frustrating the day has been, the house has endured through years and years of storms and yet it continue to remain standing."
Emily nodded as they entered the kitchen and she went to make the coffee. "Those are my sentiment entirely. Somehow there is a peace about this place that envelops me when I open the front door."
Jonathan peered out of the kitchen window and saw the small but charming walled garden with it's large shade trees.
"I see you have a delightful retreat outside, too."
"Why don't we sit out there and have our coffee?" Emily suggested.
When she opened it he bounded out into the garden.
"It looks as if you have quite a mountain of work ahead of you," Jonathan said, gesturing toward the pile of files on the kitchen table.
Emily had left them there since her parents died and was immediately brought back to what happened during the day. Emily acting like she is not sad.
"Oh dear, that reminds me...I will have to turn you out after we've had coffee. I don't have a great deal of information to sort through before tomorrow," she said apologetically.
"I will be on my way in a very short time, I promise you."
"I'm being very remiss , Jonathan. Would you care for something to eat?" Emily was trying not to appear flustered around this remarkable man. When he declined, she gave an almost inaudible sigh of relief. There was nothing exciting in the refrigerator. She found some cookies that did not look too stale and took the tin with her out to the garden.
It was a bright moonlit night and as they sat under the large oak tree on the white wrought iron chairs, Jonathan put's his feet up on the matching table and sighed.
