Chapter 12
High up in the sky, the sun shone with a bright golden light. It beamed amid wispy white clouds, bathing the park with its warmth. The grass was a vibrant green and met the blue sky on the horizon as Mariah walked off the stone path. It was a beautiful Thursday afternoon.
Children played with their kites as the sky picked up a light breeze. To her right, a group of women sat on blankets. A couple of them scrolled through their phones, one read a book, and a few chatted with each other. Two men jogged by the path she had just stepped off.
Smiling at them, she noticed she wore the same colors that they did, green and black. However, unlike their tight, stretchy jogging clothes, her outfit was a green poncho and black jeans. They nodded at her in acknowledgment as she continued her walk toward the bench James had brought her to some days ago. She was back at the spot they had visited after going to the playhouse at his old school.
She stopped by the bench, remembering how sweet and helpful James had been. He had helped her take shelter when the drizzle had turned to heavy rain all of a sudden. After the rain, he had driven her home. They had had dinner together.
Then he had left, and she had felt like the butterflies in her tummy had broken free. As tired as she had been that night, she had woken up many times. Each time, she had fallen back asleep to thoughts of James Sorenson.
She found it crazy that she was so drawn to him, and it was even crazier that she had started remembering small pieces of her past since meeting him. It was embarrassing, though, that she also seemed to have more vicious headaches around him.
It would have been better if she had met him when she was more put together. Then again, she thought that if she hadn’t met him, her memories would not have started returning, however painful their return might be.
When he had brought her to the park, it had been like another window to recovering her memory had been opened. Only this time, there had been fewer episodes. Strangely, she felt like she knew this place.
She ran her hand on the arm of the bench and walked past it. She gazed at the line of trees in the park that lined the edges of the woods. In the afternoon sun, it didn’t look as scary as it had before.
She didn’t feel the same sudden, inexplicable fear that she had felt before. It looked like the kind of place you’d want to explore for fairies and treasure. Now, she only felt slightly uncomfortable.
The woods are safe, Mariah. Stop being ridiculous.She took a deep breath and moved closer, wanting to overcome her fear completely. The evening that she had spent with James at the park had had such a profound influence on her. Now, she walked automatically toward the large oak tree.
Standing under its thick branches, she smiled as the light bounced off the leaves. They looked so green with life. Instantly, James”s green eyes flashed in her mind, and the butterflies in her tummy stirred.
Ever since James had told her that night that green was his favorite color, she was drawn to wear green more often. She appreciated the color if she came across it because it reminded her of him.
Placing her hand on the brown tree trunk, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
What is it about this place that calls me?
She stayed still, hoping the breeze would come with an answer. It didn’t. Instead, it brought the sound of approaching footsteps. Her eyes fluttered open, and she turned. A small gasp left her lips.
The footsteps belonged to James Sorenson, and he was walking with confident strides towards her. He had a champagne suit on that brought out his tan. A green tie made his eyes pop.
As always, his curly brown hair had that look that said, ‘I just rolled out of bed, but I still look amazing.’ A small smile played on his lips as he saw her. His green eyes shimmered with a question as he stepped under the shade of the oak tree.
In truth, she had been thinking about him and this tree all day.
“Fancy meeting you here,” he greeted.
“I would say the same for you,” Mariah grinned, aware the butterflies in her stomach were rousing once more. “How is it that I arrived here minutes before you did,” she arched a brow at him and shook her head. “You are stalking me, aren’t you?”
James let out a proud scoff. “Says the one who is trigger-happy.”
She took a step back at his words, and her brows furrowed. She hadn’t told him that the park had given her back any of her memories. So, it shouldn’t count as a trigger. Yet, his accusation stung anyway.
An hour earlier, when she had left her office, she hadn’t thought that she would come to the park. Yet, she was drawn to it. Fortunately, she didn’t need a security clearance from James before she could access it, unlike the playhouse at Ashton McKellen Academy.
James let out a deep breath. “Okay fine,” he huffed, tucking his hands into his pocket. “I wasn’t stalking you, but I was in the neighborhood.”
Mariah’s brow shot up in amazement. “You? Where is the neighborhood?” She couldn’t help the chuckle that followed her question. “You are a terrible liar. You know that right?”
“I do. So, I don’t lie. I used to roam these parts with—” he paused, blinking rapidly as if trying to shake away memories. She knew the name on his lips even if he didn’t want to say it.
“And?” she urged him on, moving closer to him. She smiled, and he gave her a weak smile in return.
“Her father worked at a restaurant close by,” he continued. “Anastasia and I walked together every day. When school closed, we would come here to study and wrap up homework, or we would go to the restaurant to play or help out. The staff there knew us well. They would feed us, making us taste their latest creations. That’s where I was just now. Visiting the owner Mr. Giovanni.”
The more he talked, the more Mariah believed he was speaking the truth. “Taking a trip down memory lane is what I was doing. When I saw you step out of the taxi, I couldn’t help but follow you here.” He said and walked up to the trunk of the tree.
He placed a hand on it and sighed. “I must admit, I am drawn to this place as much as you,” his gaze turned to her before returning to the tree and bending down to squat by the tree. He seemed to be running his hand over the base of the tree. “Come see.”
Mariah bent down and was instantly aware that their faces were close to each other. She pushed her glasses up her nose, and a blush crept up her cheeks. James gave her a small nod before pointing towards something at the base of the tree. She peered closer and saw letters etched on the tree bark: AJ.
“AJ?” she asked, rising to her feet. James nodded and stood up with her.
“Anastasia and James. AJ for short. We had promised ourselves years ago that we would never stop being friends and that we would come here every year after we left Ashton to stargaze. She never got to fulfill her promise. I busied myself with life, pushing myself towards the highest level of success attainable, went to Harvard, played at being a student president… I tried to forget our promise… forgot that Anastasia would never fulfill hers.”
He paused, then continued, ”Until you came, and you made me relive my childhood. The academy. This park. This tree… I remember my Stacie like we were playing in her parents’ living room only yesterday. Should I thank you, Mariah, for making me remember?” His voice broke. The butterflies in Mariah’s tummy screamed for her to reach out to comfort him, but she stayed frozen in place.
“So, I’m drawn to this place,” he continued. “But I have my reasons, however sad they might be. What I want to know is why you are drawn too?” His eyes found hers in a piercing green gaze, sharp as a jade dagger, and she shuddered.
“I… I don’t know.” She shut her eyes and shook her head. “I haven’t remembered anything yet, so it’s not a trigger that calls me here.”
“Then what? What calls you here, Mariah?”
Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and met James’s gaze again. She didn’t know what drew her here or why. But if she were to think whimsically, then a reason would appear. She went on her knees and grazed the craving with her fingers.
A shiver ran down her spine, and she felt like her breath had been kicked out of her lungs. Her knees buckled, but she held on to the tree to steady herself. When she was sure James wouldn’t hear the breathlessness in her voice, she spoke.
“Maybe it’s the fact that I’m building your orphanage. Anastasia is a big reason for it. I do admit I am curious about her. Maybe hearing you talk about her makes me want to know her so I can add all her favorite things and places to it, like this tree. What do you say to have oak trees planted in the yard? I could speak with Vance, the landscaper. He wouldn’t mind.”
She watched his expression as she rose to her feet. His face shifted from a sober reflection to amused shock. Then his lips curled in a relieved smile. “That”s… a possibility I can consider.”
“Exactly,” Mariah laughed, breaking the sad atmosphere hanging over them.
“In that case,” James matches her tone. “Then I have lots of things to show you. You can add them around or inside the orphanage. C’mon, let me show you around the neighborhood.” He urged her, turning his back away from the tree.
“Like you know the neighborhood,” she laughed and fell in step with him. She linked her arm with his in reflex when he offered her the crook of his elbow, and they walked away from the tree.
They strolled through the park as the afternoon waned. There was a familiarity and comfort that Mariah felt as she walked with James. He made jokes about everything, and she laughed easily, wondering how she had not seen him as a joker at heart the first day she had met him. He had been so stern that day.
Mariah also remembered the day she had seen Veronica arguing with James. Mariah had gathered that the heated conversation had been about Veronica’s crush and James’s dismissal of her attention. She knew that Veronica behaved like a spoiled child when she did not get what she wanted.
Concern about Veronica was one of the major reasons that Mariah was forcing herself to see James as just an employer and friend, even amid all his kind gestures and her growing feelings for him.
“Anastasia lived right around the corner, you know,” James’s statement pushed her out of her thoughts. He had the hint of a small smile gracing his lips, and his strong jaw was coated with light stubble. Mariah had to plead with herself not to reach out and run her hand along his jawline. “I would have loved to show you but… I don’t want it to possibly cause another episode.”
“Oh, I’d love to see it!” Mariah protested.
“Are you sure about that?” James asked her with his green eyes so full of worry that her knees almost buckled.
“I am,” Mariah nodded. She had been free of intense episodes for a while, and her headaches had been less severe. It didn’t seem like the recent triggers could harm her, so she was willing to see Anastasia’s house if it would help her catch a glimpse into James’s thoughts for the project. At least, that was the excuse she gave herself. She couldn’t help the curiosity she felt when it came to knowing James better.
“All right,” James smirked, and his green eyes sparkled in the sunlight. Mariah stared up at them and almost forgot to breathe.
She looked away from him—else the butterflies in her stomach would start to rampage more. She said, “I’m ready.” She cringed at how breathy her voice sounded. With each encounter she had with him, she wondered what it would mean to be loved by James Sorenson.
“It’s okay with me, and I’m here if you need someone.” James tried to sound reassuring. They turned at the junction at the end of the park fence. With a smile, he pulled her closer.
He continued to talk in a tone filled with fake conspiracy, “It’s gonna be quite the walk. We are going past that junction and down the street,” he pointed to a four-way junction at the end of the academy property. “Past all this hunk of a school, you’ll find a beautiful thriving slice of heaven at the end of that road. Now, shall we?”
Mariah gave him a wide smile and nodded. They walked along the length of the park fence and passed another entrance before he led her to cross the road. “I was the one who didn’t know these parts. The whole area was Anastasia’s playground.”
The street was fairly quiet. The more they walked, the more Mariah felt a buzzing in her head. She felt excited at the thought of more memories coming back to her. However small or vague they might be.
They walked past quaint shops and stores. They came to one with a sign that read ‘The Loft’. It was a two-story building painted cream and green—just like her apartment—with roses growing in flowerpots inside. She looked at the roses through the glass.
“That’s where her father worked,” James said with a smile as they walked past the restaurant. “Franklin Chandler made the best pastries this side of DC and he gave his recipes to the restaurant before he…”
James had always spoken about Anastasia and her parents. Mariah knew they were all gone, but she didn’t know what had happened to them. James had never told her how he had lost his friend and her family.
Mariah wanted to ask. but she wondered how he would react to such a question. She didn’t try to find out. Instead, she smiled and held onto his arm tighter. She wanted him to be comforted by her presence as he took a trip down memory lane.
He spoke about Anastasia the same way he spoke about his dead mother. The same whimsical tone. It made her wonder if somehow the two deaths were linked in some way.
“Did you come here just to meet up with this Mr. Giovanni who owned the place? Tell me that you didn’t taste anything in there?” she narrowed her eyes at him, chuckling.
“Guilty as charged. I had lunch too,” he laughed and led her further down the street, towards an avenue and down a cul de sac. It looked like an upper-middle-class neighborhood. It was hidden within the stores and restaurants. Mariah felt a sense of peace there. The academy and the park with the large tree were out of sight now, and she marveled at the quaint nature of the neighborhood that they walked through.
Houses on either side of the tree-lined road. Each had a lawn and white picket fences. It was quiet in the late afternoon light. A few children played on the streets, and older people sat on porches watching them. Mariah figured they all had vegetable patches in their backyard. They probably had dogs. She smiled as a little girl rode a pink bicycle past them.
James glanced at her and said, “You like it here, don’t you?”
“Well… it’s nice. It feels homey,” she answered as they approached a green sports car parked by the side of the road, in front of one of the houses. Her smile widened into a grin, and she shook her head. “So, this is where you came first?” James didn’t deny it. He led her to his car. “Visiting a friend?”
“Maybe,” he said as they stopped by his car. His gaze moved to the house in front of them. “This used to be Anastasia’s house.” His words came with such sadness that Mariah shuddered. “I spent a lot of my weekends here… I was most happy here.”
She followed his gaze and observed the quaint house.
So, this was where the amazing James Sorenson had been most happy as a child, she mused.
The house looked like it was pulled out of a magazine that depicted well-maintained small houses. It was a simple bungalow with baby blue and white trimmings. It had a porch at the front of the house and a tree on the front lawn.
The flowerbeds lining the ground below the windows contained roses, lilies, and daisies. It looked like the kind of house that would be home to a light-hearted little girl like Anastasia.
At that moment, Mariah’s stomach felt like it was being squeezed, which in turn made her feel lightheaded. Her grip on James’s arm tightened, and she hoped he didn’t notice that she was starting to feel faint. He would worry. Something about the house called out to her and made her sad at the same time.
The house reminded her that she had not been raised in such a home. It reminded her that she was an orphan and that it had been her deepest dream to have a family and a home of her own.
She wondered whether eventually getting married and having a family of her own would fill the longing she had for loving parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins and siblings.
She sighed. The list of men interested in her romantically comprised Nelson Sanders, her landlady’s son, who gave her the creeps, and Martin Sorenson, who James had explained was a lying scumbag. It seemed as though marriage was not attainable for her.
The one person her heart was fluttering for was James Sorenson. As her client, he would remain off-limits. Otherwise, it would be disastrous for her job. Even though he was kind and patient to her, he was also way out of her league.
Mariah sighed and let go of his hand. She said, “It”s getting late. I should get going.”
“Oh, right,” James said, startled from his thoughts, and fished his keys from his pocket. “Of course, no problem. I could give you a ride home.”
“No!” Mariah protested. James paused. “No, I mean I don’t mind going home myself,” she added sheepishly. Heat crept into her face, and she wished she had let her hair down so it would hide her flaming cheeks.
“It’s nothing,” James said with a cute smile. “Your apartment is on my way back home. so... Win-win?”
“As much as I want to discuss your building plans with you on the way home,” she gave him a wry smile and chuckled dryly, hoping he wouldn’t hear the sarcasm in her voice. “I want to walk for a while by myself today.”
“Surely you don’t plan on walking all the way home?” James said with wide eyes. His eyes caught the last rays of the sunlight, and they shone a vibrant green. They were so beautiful. Mariah felt her heart might just explode from the nervous butterflies on a rampage in her tummy.
“Of course not! I’ll get a taxi somewhere,” she laughed, doing her best to shake away the feeling of home that the house and James were making her feel at the same time. “But I just need to take a little walk, just for a little while before I go home. Get some more air. Clear my head.” She shrugged. “Also, I’ve got to get my daily exercise in somehow.” As she talked, she began backing away from him.
“Just be careful,” James muttered, his brows furrowed in thought. “But don’t walk for long. You can get a taxi by the restaurant, or at the avenue.” He said and shook his head. “Or better yet, I should-”
“It’s fine, James,” Mariah sighed. “I’ll be fine. I’ll get a taxi at the restaurant. I’ll be fine.” Even as she assured him, she felt lightheaded, but she forced a smile and waved goodbye to him. Then she turned on her heels and walked back the way they had come.
As she walked, she felt James’s careful eyes on her, and she let out a deep sigh. She didn’t need these feelings that he was making her feel. She especially didn’t need them now. She felt that her memories were on the verge of returning, and she needed to focus on dealing with those.
She also didn’t need to have them towards her client, especially not when her career was on the rise. As she walked, she made a list of all the reasons why she and James could never be together. When she was out of ideas, she ordered a taxi home.