Found (Book #8 in the Vampire Journals) (24 page)

Growing up, everything had seemed so important. Her friends, her boyfriends, her parents, her school…. It had felt like everything had such importance, would last forever. She’d been unable to see a life beyond that.
 
But now, looking back, at 33, she realized how insignificant all of that stuff was. It all felt so distant, so far away. In retrospect, none of it even mattered anymore.

“Caitlin?” came a voice.

Caitlin blinked, snapping out of it. She looked over to see everyone staring at her.

“Hello, Earth to Caitlin?” Polly said, and they all broke into laughter.

Caitlin blushed. She must have zoned out again.

“Sorry,” she said.

Caleb came over and kissed her forehead.

“You okay, baby?” he asked. “You’ve been spacing out a lot lately.”

Before Caitlin could reply, suddenly Polly yelled:

“I see her! Scarlet! She’s outside. Hurry!”

As everyone rushed to the front door, Caitlin quickly lit the 16 candles on the cake, then hurried towards the parlor to join them.

Caitlin positioned herself so that Scarlet wouldn’t see the cake, standing right in front of the door, her heart racing. As she waited, she heard footsteps on the old porch, and was surprised to hear two sets of steps. She’d assumed Scarlet would be coming home alone, and didn’t know who could be with her. Ruth whined like crazy, sensing Scarlet was coming.

Scarlet opened the door, and as she did, they all yelled: “SURPRISE!”

Scarlet lifted her head and stared back, wide-eyed, looking completely shocked. Caitlin could see real surprise in her face, and felt so happy, victorious, that she actually managed to surprise her. Scarlet, of all people. The smartest person she’d ever known. The hardest person to surprise with anything.

Scarlet was also the most beautiful. As she stood there, with her perfectly-chiseled pale face, her large, crystal-blue eyes, her flowing, red hair, she was breathtaking. In many ways, she reminded Caitlin of Caleb.

Ruth barked and barked and Scarlet hugged her. Scarlet’s face lit with excitement, as she stood up and broke into a huge smile, revealing perfect white teeth.

“That’s why you didn’t call today!” she said.

As she hugged her, Caitlin smiled over her shoulder.

“I wanted you to be totally surprised. Happy birthday, sweetheart. We love you so much!”

Scarlet then hugged Caleb, and he hugged her back firmly.

“Happy birthday, sweetheart,” he said.

But as Caleb looked over Scarlet’s shoulder, at the person standing the doorway, his expression hardened a bit.

Caitlin looked and saw that there, in the front door, there stood a boy. He was maybe Scarlet’s age, 16. Hands in his pockets, he wore a plaid shirt and jeans, with longish hair, and looked up warily at both of them.

Caitlin had never seen this boy, but she was suddenly overwhelmed by the strangest feeling that they’d met. He seemed so familiar that it bothered her, as if she’d known him forever. But she knew she did not.

Scarlet must have noticed the sudden tension in the air, because she turned.

“Um…guys,” she said. “Like, sorry, I didn’t realize that, like, everyone would be here. This is my boyfriend. Blake.”

“
Boyfriend
?” Caleb asked warily, surprise rising in his voice.

Blake
, Caitlin thought. How did she know that name? Somehow, she felt that she did.

Blake looked back and forth cautiously between Caitlin and Caleb.

“Um…hi,” he finally said, shyly.

“Dad, be nice,” Scarlet cautioned.

Caleb held out a large, firm hand, and Blake reached out tentatively. Caleb shook his hand hard—just a little bit too hard, Caitlin could see.

“Any friend of my daughter is welcome in our home,” Caleb said, though Caitlin could see his jaw tighten. She also noticed he chose the word
friend
, not boyfriend.

“Hey Scarlet!” Sam yelled out, and came hurrying over and gave her a hug.

“Oh my god are you gorgeous or what!” Polly screamed, as she hurried over and wrapped Scarlet in a big hug, picking her up. “Oh my God, look at that hair. And those earrings. And those shoes? Where did you get those? Oh my god, you look stunning! Stunning!” Polly said.

Scarlet smiled wide as she embraced Polly, who was like a second mom to her.

“Thanks, Polly. You look great, too.”

Caitlin gently prodded them towards the dinner table, and as they all were getting closer, she hurried around, behind Scarlet, and placed her palms over her eyes.

“Don’t look!” Caitlin said, as she walked with Scarlet across the dining room.

As they approached the table, Caitlin pulled back her hands.

Scarlet’s eyes opened in surprise, and her face broke into a huge smile.

“Oh my God, you got it for me!” she screamed, and turned and hugged Caitlin tightly.

Caitlin beamed with satisfaction. It was Scarlet’s favorite cake, a red velvet cheesecake that she’d once had in Manhattan and never forgot. The bakery in the city was the only one that made it, and Caitlin had taken a special trip the day before just to get it for her.

Scarlet turned to Blake, who was lingering back behind the others and grabbed his hand and pulled him forward, right next to her.

“Oh my god you don’t understand,” she gushed to him. “This is the world’s best cake. You have to taste it.”

As she spoke, Caitlin could see the love emanating on her face towards Blake. And it was reciprocal. That made her very happy—and nervous at the same time. She knew how easily Scarlet fell in love, and didn’t want to see her get hurt.

Scarlet blew out all the candles, and as she did, everyone cheered.

“Thanks mom,” she said, hugging Caitlin one more time, “you really surprised me. I love you.”

“I love you too,” Caitlin said.

*

They all had a lovely meal together. Blake joined them, and the six of them sat around, eating course after course, laughing, talking about the amazing year in store for Scarlet. Polly brought a bubbly, vivacious energy to the table, and having her and Sam there made the house feel so much bigger to Caitlin, so much warmer. It felt like a real home.

Having Blake there, Caitlin realized, was a welcome addition, too. The six of them all fit comfortably together, as if they’d all known each other forever. The conversation never stopped, and neither did the laughter.

They all ate way too much, then sliced the cake, and ate even more. Then came the coffee, and tea, and more desserts—boxes of cookies which Polly and Sam had brought. Ruth sat at their heels, and they had all thrown her scraps all night. Especially Scarlet, who Ruth adored more than anything. The love was reciprocal—most nights Ruth slept in Scarlet’s room, and if anyone came anywhere near it, she growled.

Polly, so excited, couldn’t wait any longer to give Scarlet her presents, so she, characteristically, gave her the gifts right there, at the table, and begged her to open them. Caitlin didn’t know who was more excited, Scarlet or Polly. As always, Polly was way too generous. Scarlet opened gift after gift. Scarlet, so appreciative, got up and hugged her, and Sam.

After the conversation died down and they all began to get up from the table, Caitlin finally found her opportunity. She was dying to give Scarlet her gift, a very important gift, which she’d been waiting until her 16
^th
birthday to give her. As the others began to filter out of the room, she went to pull Scarlet aside—but was surprised to see Scarlet reach for her coat.

“Scarlet?” Caitlin asked, surprised. “Are you going out?”

Scarlet paused in the doorway, with Blake, and looked back, hesitant, a bit guilty.

“Sorry mom,” she said. “I didn’t realized you expected me to stay. I was going to catch a movie with Blake. For my birthday, you know?”

Caitlin saw Caleb looking over, concerned.

“If that’s okay?” Scarlet added.

Caleb looked down at his watch, looking unhappy.

“Well, it is a school night,” he said.

But Caitlin reached out and placed a hand on his wrist. She smiled.

“Of course it’s okay, honey. It’s your birthday. I’m glad that you guys are going,” she said, meaning it. Caitlin felt a little sad for herself, because she wanted to hang out with Scarlet, to talk to her more on her birthday—but she was genuinely happy for her that she had Blake.

Scarlet broke into a smile, looking relieved.

“But before you go, can I just have a minute?” Caitlin asked. “There’s something I want to give you. It’s your birthday, after all.”

Scarlet’s smile widened.

“Sure,” she said. She turned to Blake. “Just wait for me out on the porch, I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

“I think porch time is a great idea,” Caleb said, not missing a beat as he walked to Blake and draped his arm over his shoulder. “In fact, I think I’ll join you. It will be a perfect opportunity for us to get to know each other.”

Blake looked nervously back at Scarlet as Caleb led him outside.

“Dad, be nice,” Scarlet cautioned.

Caleb turned and smiled as he opened the door, leading Blake to one of their overstuffed wicker chairs on their wide, Victorian porch.

“Don’t worry honey,” Caitlin said, as the door closed behind him. “I’m sure he’ll be nice. And by the way, I really like Blake.”

Scarlet’s smile widened, and the two of them walked through the windy, quirky house to a small sitting room, lined with bookcases.

As they entered the room, Scarlet’s eyes opened wide in surprise at the site of a small wrapped gift box sitting alone, on the coffee table.

Caitlin beamed. She had been preparing this for the longest time. Now, finally, it was the perfect moment.

“You really didn’t have to get me anything, mom,” Scarlet said. “That cake was more than enough.”

That was Scarlet, Caitlin thought. Always so considerate. Always so selfless.

“This is an important one,” Caitlin said. “Go ahead. Open it.”

Scarlet lifted the small box and removed the delicate wrapping. As she did, it revealed an antique, mahogany jewelry box.

Scarlet looked over at Caitlin in surprise. Clearly, she was stumped.

She slowly opened it, and her eyes opened wide.

“Oh my God,” she said, raising one hand to her mouth. “I can’t accept this. It looks so valuable. It looks, like, ancient!”

Sitting there, against black velvet, was a small, antique silver necklace. An antique cross.

Scarlet held it up, examining it, struck by its beauty.

“Where did you get it?”

“My grandmother gave it to me,” Caitlin said, “when I turned 16.”

Caitlin came over, took the necklace, and as she got behind Scarlet, she draped it around her neck, clasping it. She then came back to her front and smiled wide.

“It fits beautifully,” Caitlin said.

Caitlin had stumbled across the necklace just the other day, in the attic. And at that moment, she felt that she should give it to Scarlet. After all, she didn’t wear it herself anymore. It was so beautiful, and mysterious, with that strange inscription in Latin on the back.