The Celestial Curse (21 page)

“I found this old book in the desk behind me. Some form of magic is keeping me from being able to open it so hopefully there will be an answer to releasing you from the curse Caleb.” I say. Deciding to hold onto the book I make my way to the door leading back to the outside.

Coming out was a lot quicker than going in and within minutes, we were breathing in lungful’s of fresh air. We watch as the bottom part of the boulder reappears and everything goes back to the undisturbed peace and tranquillity it was before we came. The sun has long since set and the moon is high in the midnight sky above. Nocturnal creatures scurry out of our way as we make our through the woods. Caleb walks in front, holding my hand leading the way and Aunt Betsy clings to my arm holding the book, almost joint to my hip. I try to reassure her that everything will be ok with a smile, but I don’t think she would have seen in the darkness surrounding us.

Finally the trees start to thin and Caleb picks up his pace a little more as we near the edge of the tree line.

We walk back to the cottage before heading for our cars to make sure everything is back to the way it was, including the locked front door, before getting into our cars and driving away. Caleb follows me all the way back to Aunt Betsy’s house, which is where we agreed to store all of the wonderful things we acquired on our trip.

In the early hours of Monday morning, we pull into Aunt Betsy’s driveway. It has taken half the time to drive back thankfully, since I almost fell asleep a couple of times, which would have been a major hazard to not only my health but Aunt Betsy’s too! I look over at Aunt Betsy to find her snoozing against the window. Caleb opens my door and startles me making him smile. Fatigue weighs upon his features too as he helps me from my car.

“You open the door and put these inside while I bring in Betsy.” Caleb says, handing me Aunt Betsy’s keys and the bag of goodies. Heavier than I imagined I brace myself and stagger to the door, I unlock the door and stumble to the closet underneath the stairs. I place my burden inside and close the door as Caleb comes in carrying a snoring Aunt Betsy. Closing the front door I follow Caleb up the stairs. 

“Which room?” Caleb asks.

“This first one will do Caleb. I think it is a guess room but it will do for tonight.” I reply. I do not like going into someone else’s bedroom without their permission, feels like a violation of their privacy. Plus you never know what you may find!

Caleb stands back as I open the door. He places her onto the bed, to which she immediately starts snoring again. Caleb and I laugh quietly as not to wake her and cover her with the fleece blanket that was draped over the end of the bed. We silently make our way out of the room and close the door behind us and make our way for the front door.

“Why don’t you stay here tonight Amber? You have to come back early in the morning anyway to get April’s surprise party ready.” Caleb says. It only takes a second for me to think it over, deciding I am too tired to drive back to my apartment.

“I think I will actually. I am shattered!” I say yawning.

“You should actually stay too since your just as tired as I am and you can help me set everything up. If you want to that is?” I ask Caleb just as he went to open the door. He looks at me for a moment before answering.

“Yeah I will help you in the morning but first let’s get some sleep.” He takes my elbow lightly in his hand and steers my back upstairs to another bedroom. Caleb kisses me gently on the lips and wishes me good night before closing the door behind him and going to one of the last spare bedroom. As I climb into bed I can hear his footsteps in the other room through the connecting wall. That’s how quiet the house is as I fall asleep with a warm smile on my face.

Chapter Twenty-Five

I wake up the next morning to sounds coming from down stairs and the smell of bacon cooking. Jumping out of bed I go for the fastest shower of my life and dress in record time, almost falling flat on my face in the process. Hair and make-up take minimal effort so I head down to the kitchen.

Aunt Betsy is stood over the cooker, making an early breakfast. Disappointment courses through me for a split second before I mentally shrug it off. Not that I was expecting someone else to be cooking in Aunt Betsy’s kitchen like…that’s wishful thinking!

“Good morning Aunty, did you sleep well?” I ask, making my presence known. No need to scare the woman by sneaking up on her, startled she turns around.

“I did dear thank you for asking. Although the last thing I remember was falling asleep in your car last night.” She says with a laugh.

“Yeah Caleb carried you in and put you in the first bedroom available. We both stayed here last night too since it was late, we were too tired to drive and had to be here early anyway.” I say, sitting at the table. Aunt Betsy dishes up breakfast onto two plates and places one in front of me. The other plate she puts across from me for Caleb, who then walks through the door.

“Good morning. Thanks Betsy.” He says as he sits down and digs into his breakfast. Aunt Betsy replies with a smile and proceeds to clean the dishes. When breakfast is finished we all settle down in the living room with a hot drink and discuss what to do with the items we brought back from Clarabelle’s hide away last night.

“We obviously need to go through them and see what we have, but April’s surprise birthday party is today and I haven’t started organising anything yet.” I say as I think of the work load I have ahead of me.

“We will help you sort everything out so don’t worry. Has Duncan picked up that thing yet?” Asks Aunt Betsy referring to the present I had asked April’s boyfriend Duncan to pick up for me. I had called him the other day on my lunch break and told him what it was he was going to retrieve and bring straight back to Aunt Betsy’s.

“He drove down this morning to pick it up for me, he should be here soon.” I reply as I watch Caleb stand and walk out of the room. A minute later he returns and stands in the doorway with the bag from last night slung over his shoulder.

“Im gonna take this up to the attic for now until after everyone has left and we have had a chance to go through it.” He says before heading off up the stairs. We haven’t spoken about anything personal since our date night and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous as to where we stood with each other now. What I have decided though is to leave it to him and not worry myself about if’s and maybe’s.

“Im going to start setting things up, people are going to start arriving between four and five pm.” I tell Aunt Betsy.

“Ok well we better get cracking then if we hope to finish on time.” She replies. On second thoughts, I decide to send Aunt Betsy out to pick up the birthday cake and other bits and pieces. I had told Caleb I wanted to put up the Christmas decorations to surprise Aunt Betsy, to which he thought, was a good idea and volunteered to help. Caleb returns just as aunt Betsy leaves and I fill him in on the plan. For the next two hours we work together, moving furniture and putting up decorations. Caleb finishes up adding the little touches in the main room while I bring out the food and place it on the dining room table. Aunt Betsy arrives with the cake and places it in the only spot left on the table, in the centre as the master piece.

Finally everything is finished, all the decorations are up and all that is missing now are the guests and Duncan with my gift for April. Caleb motions for me to follow him to the door.

“I don’t think she has noticed yet.” He whispers in my ear. Shivers wrack my body for a split second before I get control of myself. Luckily Aunt Betsy doesn’t look as though she noticed anything. Unfortunately I can’t say the same for Caleb as he walks away smirking. I scowl at him when he glances at me and his smirk becomes a full blown grin before disappearing into the other room. Aunt Betsy following him, I smile shyly to myself and follow the others.

“Oh my goodness!” I hear Aunt Betsy exclaim as I enter the main room. Caleb stands off to one side as she takes in the decorations with a smile on her face. I stand next to Caleb just as the front door opens and Duncan walks in carrying my package. Aunt Betsy and I rush over to fuss over how beautiful it is, as Caleb brings over a piece of ribbon and ties a bow.

I thank Caleb before turning to Duncan and thanking him too for going out of his way to pick up my present for April. I take it from him and sit on the couch.

Aunt Betsy sits next to me and hands me a white box with a pink sash tied around the middle. Four holes have been placed near the top of the box for air circulation so I place my little bundle in the box and place the lid back on top, tying another pink sash across the top into a bow. Happy with my purchase, I take it up stairs and leave it in the guest bedroom I stayed in last night with the window open on latch to let fresh air circulate the room.

As I head back down stairs the doorbell rings and Aunt Betsy rushes out to let in the guests. I greet the first wave of people that come through the door with Aunt Betsy before going upstairs to get changed into something a little more party wear. I glance over my shoulder at the sound of footsteps on the stairs behind me to find Caleb taking them two at a time and a bag in his hand.

“You’re not the only one who needs to get changed princess.” He says mockingly as he over takes me. The scowl I aim at his back loses its effect when he doesn’t turn around to even acknowledge it, so I turn my attention to other attributes that are far more appealing than his front…Of course he would turn around in time to see me appraising his ass!

Red heat seeps into my cheeks as he laughs and I quickly enter my chosen bedroom. I mutter angry thoughts to myself; I always seem to embarrass myself around him. I decide to put Caleb out of my mind for the rest of the day. Duncan should have left by now to pick up April as the last of the guests arrive. With my watermelon maxi dress on, make-up and hair done, I make my way downstairs to where the party has begun.

I know everyone here as April and I hung out with pretty much the same people, so I mingle and enjoy myself. Everyone has dressed to impress, as you do at a party and are helping themselves to food and drinks. Keeping the alcohol down to a minimum, Aunt Betsy thought a cocktail punch would be the better option than having empty bottles clustered around the room. Of course that means there will be empty cups to cluster instead. I keep that thought to myself as Aunt Betsy walks up to me, already started on that cocktail.

“Amber you look beautiful dear.” She compliments me on my dress before moving her gaze behind me. I turn around to see who she is admiring to find Caleb walking towards us, his eyes glued to mine. My lips part on a sigh as I take in the ruggedness of his outfit. Simple jeans and short sleeved shirt on Caleb make him look like he just stepped off the front of a magazine! His hair is still damp from the shower which just adds to the effect. He stands in front of me and everyone else including Aunt Betsy fade into the background.

“You look stunning.” He says in that gruff manly voice that makes my skin break out in goose bumps and my lips tingle for a kiss. In the background I can hear soft music playing as Caleb takes my hands in his and pulls me gently into his embrace and swaying to the rhythm of the melody. Lost in the moment I do not hear my ringtone or the vibrating buzz of my mobile phone as Duncan texts me, letting me know they are pulling into the driveway. Luckily Caleb does notice and pulls my attention back from the dream and back into reality.

“Everyone April is here!” I try to whisper shout and turn off the music. Caleb and I go around the house telling people to hide. We make it back to the sitting room seconds before the front door opens and in comes a confused and slightly irritated April.

“I thought we were going to dinning Duncan, why are we at Amber’s aunties house.” I hear April ask Duncan. Duncan murmurs something about being patient before walking away from her and into the kitchen. I can see from my hiding place Duncan signalling for us to jump out on the count of three. One, two, three…

“SURPRISE!”

As April jumps the rest of us laugh. April joins in laughing as Duncan joins his blushing birthday girl and Aunt Betsy goes over to wish her happy birthday, soon followed by the rest of the guests. Caleb and I are last to go over and so miss the rush of bodies.

“I cannot believe you guys did this. Seriously thank you.” She says with a smile and a big hug. Caleb excuses himself as April and I catch up on some girl gossip. April then goes off to find Duncan leaving me by myself, which is fine with me.

“Who is that with Caleb?” Aunt Betsy asks from beside me just a second before an electric zing races down my arms and into my fingertips. With a sinking feeling in my stomach, I turn around slowly. And sure enough staring right back is Jaxon. He grins and waves but the sincerity does not reach his eyes, they are cold and calculating as Caleb leads him over to Aunt Betsy and me.

“I hope you do not mind me inviting one extra person Amber?” Says Caleb and without waiting for my response, not that he would have paid attention to it since it seems whenever Jaxon is around Caleb’s attention is focused solely on him, Caleb introduces Jaxon to Aunt Betsy who seems just as concerned as I am, thankfully. Caleb and Jaxon move on leaving Aunt Betsy and I to discuss Jaxon.