Read Harkett's Haven for Free Online Page B

pale and tired child who had eaten at the table downstairs into the child that now stood in front of her, a child filled with wonder and delight.
    ‘Wow,’ was the only word she uttered.
    There were two large roof windows against which the rain drummed and which Esme made a bee-line for.
    She stared out at the stormsmaat the y day, the sky now darkened to a late evening gloom. The views from the window were breathtaking; waves crashing onto the beach and hurling their fury at the base of the rocky outcrop the cottage stood on.
    ‘Do you ever feel scared?’ she whispered.
    ‘Never here. This cottage’s over a hundred years old and solid as a rock...you know, the sound of the waves send me to sleep each night.’
    Rachel put her arm around Esme and hugged her close. The girl laid her head against her and started to sob.
    ‘ Esme, what’s wrong?’ Rachel kneeled beside her and took her face gently in her hands.
    ‘I miss my Mum.’
    ‘Oh Esme. Of course you do my love.’ She hugged her close and let her sob, her little body heaving.
    ‘It must have been an awful thing to go through.....to lose y our mum.’
    Esme sniffed and sobbed and Rachel held her close. Maybe it was something to do with the house, maybe the weather. Maybe it was the way that Rachel and Esme had been thrown together and Esme’s first chance to talk to someone she trusted apart from her father but the fact that this little girl wanted to talk about the loss of her mum left Rachel feeling profoundly touched.
    ‘Let’s sit on the bed.’
    Esme perched on the edge of the bed, shoulders hunched and head bowed. Rachel sat beside her and put her arm around her, pulling her close.
    ‘Sometimes it’s easier to speak to a stranger.’
    ‘You’re not a stranger Rachel.’ Her voice was vehement and determined. She paused.
    ‘My mum killed herself.’
    Rachel sighed miserably and closed her eyes, feeling the pain Esme radiated.
    ‘ Esme, I’m so sorry.’ There didn’t seem to be any words that were appropriate.
    ‘ It wasn’t my dad’s fault Rachel, it wasn’t...’
    ‘ It was no-one’s fault Esme. Of course it wasn’t. You mustn’t blame yourself or your dad or anyone else.....’
    When eventually her tears subsided, Rachel took her to her bed.
    ‘Take your shoes off Esme. Cosy under. You’ll sleep well now.’
    The small girl now totally exhausted, took off her shoes and slipped under the covers. Rachel lay in top of the covers beside Esme and stroked her hair. They maintained eye contact, a deep understanding of what had passed between them unsaid. Esme’s eyes fluttered and opened and then fluttered and closed.
    Rachel continued to stroke Esme’s dark hair until her breathing deepened and her body relaxed.
    She left the small bedside light on, worried that Esme would wake and wonder where she was.

    Climbing back down into the brightly lit ground floor of the house made her bl ink and screw up her eyes. Switching off the main spotlights in the kitchen to lower the light levels, she poured herself a cup of tea and made her way to the sofa. The wind howled and whistled outside, hurling angry pelts of rain at the window.
    The logs in the stove had burned down to glowing embers and the radiated heat washed over her. Tiredness was sneaking up on her and her injured arm was starting to throb.
    She thought briefly about getting back up to get a pain killer from the kitchen cupboard but sleep overtook any desire to move from her comfortable place on the sofa. She closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep, lulled by the sound of the wind and waves outside.
    Rachel had no idea how long she had slept but she was awoken by a gentle touch on her cheek. The cold fingers that touched her were feather soft and for a moment she wondered if she was still dreaming.
    ‘Rachel. Beautiful Rachel,’ a soft whisper.
    Opening her eyes slowly, she smiled when she saw Eric wet and windblown kneeling beside her. His hair was swept back and he looked cold