emancipated minor. It will tie Stephen up for a year, easily. In the meantime, let’s just say you’re studying abroad.”
“Are you okay with me living alone in a foreign country?”
Alistair laughed. “Kellen, you’ve been on your own for a long time, grown up a lot faster than any child your age should have to. I think you can handle the cottage on your own. However, if you need me, I expect you to pick up the phone.”
His voice was kind, sympathetic, as he continued. “I’ve included a few extra things for you to review.” He nodded to the envelope in my hand. “There’s a letter from Gran in that, but also one from your mother. I hope that you’ll take the time to read both.”
I didn’t speak. My heart was pounding at the mere idea of anything from my mother being made so readily available. However, I set those emotions aside and allowed myself a small smile as I turned to put the manila envelope and set of keys into my bag. Zipping it back up, I realized that I didn’t feel the sense of relief that I’d expected. Instead, I was overwhelmed by a sense of sadness at the finality.
CHAPTER FOUR
GRAN’S HOUSE
“Kid, we're here. Wake up.” The driver pulled to a stop. Somewhere in the corner of my mind, I heard him get out of the front seat to take my bags out of the trunk, stomping on the gravel road as he walked.
A yawn escaped me and I rolled my head in slow circles, peering out from the window into the small garden that wrapped around the cottage. It was littered with flowers in every color of the rainbow. With no skills or knowledge of plants, I sighed, resigned to the knowledge that I'd probably kill them within the week.
The exterior of the house was whitewashed brick, the roof slate. Beyond the cottage, I could hear the crash of the sea against the rocks. The entire perimeter was surrounded by a stone wall, which identified the property’s barriers and kept out most unwanted livestock. Most of it, anyway. There was a small cow grazing in the yard that I didn't think belonged there. I'd have to deal with him or her eventually, but one step at a time.
It was around dinnertime and my stomach grumbled. The smell of the salt air always made me feel hungry, for some reason.
The sun was slowly starting to set beyond the hills; it would be dark soon. I was immediately anxious to get inside and settled, afraid of getting stuck outside trying to figure out how to unlock the door in the dark.
There was a lonely feeling here; the nearest house was about a half mile away. The dramatic landscape haunted me; each mountain and ruin was a ghost peeking out at me. Gran had loved the solitude of it all and reveled in the aloneness. Although I’d probably love it for the same reasons, I couldn’t help but wish, as I had many times before, that I wasn't quite so on my own.
After paying the cab driver, I pulled the very modern-looking keys that Alistair had given me from my bag. At first they didn't seem to belong at the cottage, but I remembered that Stephen had had a new door installed at the house for security reasons in the prior year. Why did he bother? I smirked as I looked at my surroundings in the fading light. Surely no one would ever think to rob this little place.
The key slid easily into the lock and I walked into the small entryway, taking off my coat in the process. My hand paused in mid-air as I went to hang my coat on the hook by the door. Gran's work coat was still hanging there, as if Gran had only just entered the house. Stephen was such a Type-A personality that I assumed he’d have handled cleaning out her things already. Then reality hit me. As the sole heir, that was my responsibility. There was a lot of work ahead of me.
Slowly, I walked through the house, turning on lights as I went. Out of sheer luck, the utilities weren’t turned off. As I passed a warming radiator, I took a moment to stand in front of it as the faintest traces of heat warmed my
“Are you okay with me living alone in a foreign country?”
Alistair laughed. “Kellen, you’ve been on your own for a long time, grown up a lot faster than any child your age should have to. I think you can handle the cottage on your own. However, if you need me, I expect you to pick up the phone.”
His voice was kind, sympathetic, as he continued. “I’ve included a few extra things for you to review.” He nodded to the envelope in my hand. “There’s a letter from Gran in that, but also one from your mother. I hope that you’ll take the time to read both.”
I didn’t speak. My heart was pounding at the mere idea of anything from my mother being made so readily available. However, I set those emotions aside and allowed myself a small smile as I turned to put the manila envelope and set of keys into my bag. Zipping it back up, I realized that I didn’t feel the sense of relief that I’d expected. Instead, I was overwhelmed by a sense of sadness at the finality.
CHAPTER FOUR
GRAN’S HOUSE
“Kid, we're here. Wake up.” The driver pulled to a stop. Somewhere in the corner of my mind, I heard him get out of the front seat to take my bags out of the trunk, stomping on the gravel road as he walked.
A yawn escaped me and I rolled my head in slow circles, peering out from the window into the small garden that wrapped around the cottage. It was littered with flowers in every color of the rainbow. With no skills or knowledge of plants, I sighed, resigned to the knowledge that I'd probably kill them within the week.
The exterior of the house was whitewashed brick, the roof slate. Beyond the cottage, I could hear the crash of the sea against the rocks. The entire perimeter was surrounded by a stone wall, which identified the property’s barriers and kept out most unwanted livestock. Most of it, anyway. There was a small cow grazing in the yard that I didn't think belonged there. I'd have to deal with him or her eventually, but one step at a time.
It was around dinnertime and my stomach grumbled. The smell of the salt air always made me feel hungry, for some reason.
The sun was slowly starting to set beyond the hills; it would be dark soon. I was immediately anxious to get inside and settled, afraid of getting stuck outside trying to figure out how to unlock the door in the dark.
There was a lonely feeling here; the nearest house was about a half mile away. The dramatic landscape haunted me; each mountain and ruin was a ghost peeking out at me. Gran had loved the solitude of it all and reveled in the aloneness. Although I’d probably love it for the same reasons, I couldn’t help but wish, as I had many times before, that I wasn't quite so on my own.
After paying the cab driver, I pulled the very modern-looking keys that Alistair had given me from my bag. At first they didn't seem to belong at the cottage, but I remembered that Stephen had had a new door installed at the house for security reasons in the prior year. Why did he bother? I smirked as I looked at my surroundings in the fading light. Surely no one would ever think to rob this little place.
The key slid easily into the lock and I walked into the small entryway, taking off my coat in the process. My hand paused in mid-air as I went to hang my coat on the hook by the door. Gran's work coat was still hanging there, as if Gran had only just entered the house. Stephen was such a Type-A personality that I assumed he’d have handled cleaning out her things already. Then reality hit me. As the sole heir, that was my responsibility. There was a lot of work ahead of me.
Slowly, I walked through the house, turning on lights as I went. Out of sheer luck, the utilities weren’t turned off. As I passed a warming radiator, I took a moment to stand in front of it as the faintest traces of heat warmed my
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