First Chapter of Unnamed Novel

The following is a very rough, messy draft of Chapter 1 of the novel I've written. It is scary to share it but it was time to just toss it out there! I started it in November around three years ago I think. This will force me to work on fine tuning it!

Chapter 1

All I have ever known is this ocean side haven. My grandmothers Old victorian house sits on the edge of a cliff that gently angles down to the sea. Since I was 6 years old Grandma Rose had been teaching me botany. As far back as I could remember, I had learned all about herbs and their uses from aunt Rose. I loved every minute of it. Rose and I made small batches of tinctures, salves and oils to sell at the local farmers market since I was 8. Today was a beautiful Saturday and the market was in full swing. Many of our regulars had come by for their favorite items. Mable drove her and Clairey to the market every Saturday. Today they had gossip to share which wasn’t at all unusual.

“Rosie dear! Did you hear about the Dalton boy?”

Looking at Rose I noticed that telltale sign of a little twitch at the corner of her mouth. She wanted to roll her eyes.

Shaking her head No, Clairy continued.

“Doris was reading the paper for us at the salon yesterday and she came across an article about a boy who had been suspended from Harvard!” I tried to feign interest and indulge them. “The boy turned out to be Bellamy Dalton! Apparently a classmate died recently and he just stopped going to classes! Imagine that!? He'd always been such a good child.” They shook their heads with over exaggerated sympathy in their eyes. “Well, we must go! Have a wonderful day ladies!”

Rose looked at me and I at her. “Thank you for letting us know, and as always thank you for your business!” I shouted after her.

Between the ages of 6 and 12 Bellamy and I were thick as thieves. He'd come to visit his Grandpa Charles every summer from Boston. Until his parents decided to send him to military school because he kept getting into fights in high school. He’d gotten his shit together and graduated from medical military school with honors. He’d left the military though and gone to Harvard Medical School. While there he also got into martial arts; getting his black belt in judo, karate and jujitsu. Quite the turn around.

“Well isn’t that curious.” said Rose “Charles didn’t say a thing to me.” Rose and Charles were unofficially dating and told each other everything, that was one of the things she loved about him.

“It must have just happened, Rose” I said “Remember when he left this morning, not knowing where he was going?”

“You must be right dear. If he is back tomorrow for our walk I shall ask him if all is well”

Her and Charles had been going for walks on the beach just after breakfast for about 3 years now. She sends him casseroles and he helps out with things I can’t fix around the house.

The next day while tending the garden, I see Charles’ car drive into his driveway.

“Roooose, your beau has arrived home again” I say teasingly toward the shed. I stop gardening once I see him. Getting out of the passengers side is a built 30 something guy with dark hair. The same dark hair…. “it can’t be….”

“What can’t be, Aneela?” I hear Rose approaching.

I point to the dark haired specimen marching up the stairs of Charles front door. Charles doesn’t even glance over to our house which is unusual for him, he always looks over an waves to Rose.

We look at each other and I shrug. “I’m sure he’ll contact you soon, he’s probably stressed over Bellamy.”

“You are right, Aneela. Lets go in and have some dinner, shall we?”

As I head to bed that night, I see that the lights are still on at Dalton Manor.

Monday morning I usually have deliveries to make to a few people who order from us. Today I have an impressive list which is going to make us a nice amount of money. Although it will take me most of the day, the map I’ve plotted out will take me in a big loop that will end at about 4 or 5.

I hear a knock at the front door as I am finishing up breakfast.

“I’ll get it Rose!” I shout up the stairs.

“Thank you dear, it is probably Charles here for our walk! I just need to use the ladies room and then I’ll be right down”

I reach the bottom of the stairs and open the door to a bright smile.

“Good morning Sunshine!” beams Charles

“Good morning Charles!” I smile back. I pause, I want to ask him about Bellamy but don’t know if I should. I can see in his eyes that he knows I’m going to ask though, so I go for it.

“Is everything alright with Bellamy?” I ask

“It will be, poor boy”

“Here I am, Charles!” I hear Rose behind me coming down the stairs.

He smiles his big bright smile at her.

“Are you ready for a walk dear Rosie?”

Nodding her head, walking out the door and linking arms I say, “See you both later, enjoy!”

The day is sunny as I drive from house to business to house delivering our wares. It takes me till five to finish; as a couple of the customers like to chat. Most knowing me since I was little. After a farewell to Doris at the salon I head over to my last stop which I strategically placed. My friend Gemma loves our lotion and just happens to own a bar! Its nice to chat with her as long as I want as well as have a drink at the end of a long day.

The place had the usual local crowd. Frank the happy drunk. His daughter has to pick him up everyday after work. (Drinking “kept the war away” he always said.) Marge and Penny who are often there playing pool after work and Buddy. Buddy is a Golden retriever who adopted Gemma years ago and is now the bar dog. Occasionally there are others here during the week.

“Gemma!” I shout, walking into the bar.

“Aneela!”

I pet Buddy and kiss his head on my way to an empty bar stool.

“Hello Frank” I say patting his shoulder as I walk by. He tips his hat and returns his attention to the TV.

Sitting down at the bar, Gemma already had my extra dirty martini going.

“How the heck are ya?”

“I’m great! You are my last delivery of the day! woot!” I raise my hands up.

“Well then you’ve earned this!” After handing over her lotion and me getting my drink she leans over the bar and whispers,

“So, you must have heard the gossip about Bellamy.” I nod as I take a sip of my martini. “One, he got super hot,” she smirks “but two,” her eyes dart off to her right and then back at mine, “he’s here”

I follow her line of sight and notice a guy slouching over his table in the corner.

“i saw him come in before dinner last night with Charles”

“Well, he has been here since 11 this morning, he came in, slapped a one hundred dollar bill on the counter and asked very politely if he could have the whole bottle of scotch whisky. I told him if he gave me the car keys he was holding that we had a deal. He’s been sipping on that bottle all day.”

We both look over in the corner where he has put himself. His head is sagging as he pours another glass. The bottle is almost gone.

“Poor guy” I say.

Gemma and I go back to chatting about this and that. The next time I look at my watch I realize it’s almost time for dinner. I give Rose a quick call to let her know to eat without me and then order a small salad and a couple slices of pizza.

Aneela tells me about a guy she met at a bartenders convention she went to last week. I sit and smile listening, although, inside I realize a little sadly that I hadn’t dated anyone since Clairy set me up with her grandson who had been visiting from New York. Entirely too much of a suit for me. I listen as she describes his light blue eyes, mustash and suspenders.

“He sounds pretty hipster, Aneela. I smile at her as I tease. She laughs. “I know, I know, but he’s nice and not at all a douche. Plus he is a mixology genius. Try this, Ill keep the alcohol light for you. She proceeds to make me a fancy drink. (find RECIPE)

I take a sip. “WOW!”

“Right?! Who’d have thought "x" would go with "y" so well?!”

She starts washing everything up. Franks daughter comes in and scoops up her dad. Marge and Penny pay their tab and head out next. She is just about cleaned up when we realize that Bellamy is still in the corner. Now with his head on the table.

“Hey Bellamy!” She shouts, startling me a little bit. “You don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here!” she sings.

“Dork” I tease holding in a laugh.

She winks at me and snickers

The dark slumped figure comes up to the bar. He tries to lightly set the empty bottle on the counter but ends up placing it with a loud thump.

“Wern bertle” he severely slurs “fur wern keeeeys” His eyes are closed.

“You are in no condition to drive my friend”

“Caaab” he manages to get out.

“That I will do for you” she heads to the phone and for some reason I yip, “I can take him back.”

He has since sat down at a bar stool and is in the process of sliding off. We watch as he does just that, all the way to the floor.

I look at her with a smirk and she rolls her eyes.

“We’ll, don’t think he'd know the difference! You sure your cool talking him back?”

“Yeah, might as well, Charles’ is right across the way from us.”

“Well, come on, I’ll help you get him into your car”

He is so heavy we aren’t sure we will be able to get him even outside the bar. Then Gemma has the bright idea to get him on a dolly and wheel him outside. Was working great until he slid off onto the floor again. Aneela grabs some rope thats in the back and we tie him onto it this time. We manage to roll him into the hatchback of my Subaru outback. Its only a couple miles to our houses so I forgo the seat and belts. Closing the trunk and hugging Aneela goodnight I drive the drunk home.

Once there, I noticed Charles has left the porch light on. No other lights are on and not wanting to wake him or his drunk grandson, I opt for leaving him in my trunk and walking the quarter mile home across the field. Before I do, I pull out my full nalgene bottle. I touch his shoulder hoping he understands me when I say, “Bellamy, you are right outside of Charles’. I am leaving the trunk door open, so If you need to throw up, lean out of the car please. Also there is a bottle of water at your head.” Not knowing what else to say I pause and look at his face. There is still a small trace of that boy I knew, in this man.

As I go to get up off the edge of the hatchback, he manages a very slurred “thank you” and grabs my hand. His cheeks seem to warm speedily; turning pink. Simultaneously, a vibration trembles from within my hand. I pull away and his hand drops back down, his cheeks paling back out. What the? Thinking I must be tired and hallucinating I walk home and go to bed.

I awake in a sweat to a dark room. It is still night. The vibration that happened when Bellamy’s hand touched mine bursts forward. It feels like a dream. Did I dream that? I know I brought him home. But the vibration and the color of his cheeks? Feeling groggy and dizzy, I take a long drink of water and settle back down to sleep.

The next morning I wake to sunshine streaming in my French doors. I start thinking of the vibration, now pretty sure it did happen. I shake it off though. After doing my morning meditation on the deck and head downstairs after a long shower.