Unforgiven (Wanderers #3) (31 page)

“Must be a glare or something,” I said, trying to
hide my smile. “I was just trying to get Danni to stay for
breakfast. Gran’s cooking.”

“Yes, stay,” Xander said with a slight urgency in his
voice.

“I would be insulted if you didn’t,” Gran said.

With a regretful sigh, Danni took a seat at the
table. Next to arrive was Cameron. “Hey Cam, did you sleep
okay?”

“What, why would you ask that?” she said a little
jumpy.

“Was being polite? I know it can be hard to sleep in
an unfamiliar place.”

“Oh right, yeah, slept fine,” she said quickly. I
looked at her funny. I was about to ask her why she looked so tense
when Dean walked into the room.

“Woo, it’s like a brothel in here,” Gran said as she
shuffled her feet across the floor.

“What was that gran?”

“Oh…nothing dear,” she smiled, going back to making
breakfast. I looked at everyone sitting at the table. They were all
wearing tense and uncomfortable expressions making me wonder what
the hell was going on.

I turned to Dean surprised to see him up this early.
“You’re up early. I trust you slept well?”

“What would make you say that?” he asked
nervously.

I rolled my eyes. “I heard you last night.” Dean
looked at Cameron and she shifted her eyes. Poor thing probably had
to endure all the horrible noises that was coming from his room.
“Not going to invite your friend to breakfast?” I teased.

“You know I never mix business with pleasure,” he
smiled.

“Please, it’s the least you could do after having to
spend the night with you,” I joked.

“After I’m done with them they’re too tired to get
out of bed,” he retorted with a quick glance to Cameron and I saw
her smile when she sipped her coffee. At least someone enjoyed his
humor.

“More like their stomach’s too weak to eat,” I
laughed at what I thought was a clever comeback.

“Ella, this is not a discussion for the table,” Gran
growled at me. I put my hands up in defense, wondering what the
hell I did.

I helped Gran finish breakfast. Right when we were
about to serve, Jasa had made her way down to the kitchen. “I
missed you last night. Where were you?” she said, kissing Xander’s
cheek.

My eyes widened and my mouth dropped. A smile spread
across my face. “I couldn’t sleep so I took a walk. Sorry,” he
said, glaring at me. I looked at Danni who had her head down. I
couldn’t help myself and started to laugh uncontrollably.

“Ella, what has gotten into you?” Gran asked.

“Nothing,” I said, not able to keep the smile from my
face. What I wanted to say was you should be asking what got into
Danni or should I say who. I giggled again.

Xander got up from the table. “Ella, can I talk to
you for a minute?”

“Can’t it wait?”

“No. It can’t.”

I rolled my eyes and followed him into the living
room. He turned around to face me, not happy with the big grin on
my face. “What do you know?” he asked.

“Please, it’s so obvious that you and Danni –” His
hand was over my mouth in a flash and before I knew it we were
flying up the stairs and into my room. “Jesus Xander was that
really necessary?” I asked, trying to catch my balance so I
wouldn’t stumble from the abrupt stop.

He started pacing the room. “Look Ella, Danni and I,
what happened…it was…”

“Are you guys getting back together?” I asked
hopeful.

“Back together?” he asked, brows pinched.

He didn’t know I knew. “I know you guys dated in high
school.”

He sighed. “No,” he said in a hushed voice. My heart
sank a little for the both of them. “Ella, you can’t say anything
to anyone. You understand me? Not even to mom, no one. You need to
forget everything. You got that! And don’t go snooping around and
trying to get in Danni’s head.”

“Okay, geez, don’t get your panties in a bunch.” He
let out a deep sigh and sank on the bed. “What happened?”

“I can’t talk about it, besides, it doesn’t really
matter now.” He looked over at me and I could swear I could hear
his heart breaking. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and tell
him it would be okay and he should fight for her. Danni was worth
it. But the look on his face told me he was defeated and he had
lost the fight. I knew Xander was the harder one. He wouldn’t allow
anyone to comfort him which just made me even sadder. He got up
quickly and went for the door. “I can trust you Ella, please don’t
let me down.”

“You have my word Xander that I won’t say anything. I
promise.” He knew once I made a promise I kept my word. He nodded
his head and left to return back downstairs. I fell back on my bed
and let out a breath. “This sucks.”

“Ella! Your food is getting cold!” Gran called from
the bottom of the steps.

Damn it!
That always happened. I got up and
quickly made my way back down to the kitchen to finish my
breakfast. The rest of breakfast made for an awkward silence since
no one decided to talk. Xander was the first one to break the
silence. “So Ella, do you plan to go back to school?” Of course he
would choose a topic to keep the attention off of him and put it on
me.

“Um yeah, I guess we’ll probably leave tomorrow since
there’s nothing really left here to do.”

“Oh Ella, I totally forgot to take you out and
celebrate,” Cameron said, smacking herself in the forehead.

“It’s okay don’t worry about it,” I told her, glad
she did forget.

“Celebrate what…” Xander started before he realized.
“Oh my god Ella. I am so sorry. With everything going on, I’ve
been…it slipped my mind,” he stuttered, disappointed he forgot his
own sister’s birthday.

“It’s okay Xander,” I smiled, letting him know it was
no big deal.

“No it’s not okay Ella. I’m such a horrible
brother.”

“Well at least you finally admit it.”

“Shut up Dean,” Xander and I said at the same
time.

“Xander, you’re not a horrible brother and really,
it’s okay. I don’t feel like celebrating this year anyways.”

“Well you are out of luck because we love you and we
will be celebrating tonight,” my mom said, joining us in the
kitchen.

“No mom really, I don’t –”

“Don’t worry honey. It will just be us. I promise. An
intimate dinner with family and close friends,” she said, smiling
at Cameron and Danni.

“Could we invite the McNaughton’s?” I asked. If Josie
couldn’t be there having her family there would be just as
good.

“Of course sweetie, whatever you want.”

After the slightly tense breakfast, my mom took us
girls to the spa. She had them give me the royal treatment. I
forgot how nice it was to have my nails done. We spent all morning
at the spa, then headed home and spent all afternoon by the pool
while my mom and Gran prepared things for the small party in my
honor.

The wonderful dinner they cooked was a combination
welcome home and birthday celebration. It was the perfect end to a
long and grueling weekend. Josie’s parents gave me a gift
certificate to my favorite clothing boutique and Jake made me a
card. Xander got me a pair of very expensive sapphire earrings with
matching bracelet – which I was sure Jasa picked out.

Danni had gotten me an awesome pair of black knee
high boots –
now I can stop stealing
Josie’s
– and
Hadley had made me a picture that I told her it was so beautiful I
would frame it and that was exactly what I planned to do when I got
back to school. Cameron gave me a silver anklet with tiny stars
hanging from it. She told me she bought back in Ireland for me, but
decided to wait to give it to me. “Wise choice,” I thought.

After dinner – I made my mom promise me they wouldn’t
sing – I finished a huge slice of cake and then rubbed my
overstuffed belly. I think this was the first time I was ever full.
“Happy Birthday sweetie,” my mom said, kissing my cheek. “And
before I forget I’m going to go get the rest of your gifts.”

“Here,” Dean said, handing me a small wrapped box. I
opened it up and inside was a bottle of my favorite perfume. “I
remember you saying you were out.”

“Thanks Dean,” I smiled, giving him a kiss on the
cheek. He mouthed the words
‘better’
to Xander and I just
rolled my eyes. Xander’s only response was to glare. When my mom
returned she had her hands full of bags. “I think you went a little
overboard,” I said, looking at all the presents stuffed in the
bags.

“Just open them.” She shoved the bags at me and I
took them without resisting.

Most of the presents were clothes, warmer stuff for
the fall when I was in Rhode Island and a few summer dresses. My
mom always preferred I wore dresses and at one time so did I. But
now I was more of a shirt and pants type girl. “Thanks mom,” I
smiled, letting her know I appreciated it.

“There’s one more,” she said, handing me a large
box.

I took the lid off and inside was a beautiful gown. I
pulled it out of the box. The gown was strapless with a corset like
top that was blue underneath the black lace and the bottom puffed
out like a princess dress. “Wow mom, it’s beautiful, but where
would I wear it?”

“Well when I was at the school Ms. Kraft was telling
me about the Fall Ball and well I guess it was wishful thinking,”
she said, stroking the dress.

“Thank you mom, but after what happened at the last
dance I don’t think they’ll be anymore,” I said, staring at the
dress.

“Better prepared, just in case.”

“Even if they do still have it, I’m sure I won’t have
anyone to go with.” I put the dress back in the box. “Maybe I’ll
save it for another special occasion.”

“How about you take it with anyways? You never know
what the stars will hold,” Gran said, squeezing my shoulders. I
sighed, knowing if I left the dress behind my mom would mail it to
me.

I thanked the McNaughton’s for coming and the gift
and then I got ready for bed. We were leaving for school in the
morning and I wanted to get a good night’s rest. Grandma Bea came
upstairs to wish me a goodnight. “Hey Gran,” I said, as I sat on
the edge of my bed and brushed my hair.

“Here honey, this is for you.” She handed me a small
purple pouch. I pulled the strings open and dumped out the
contents. “It’s an ankle bracelet,” she said as I held it out. “I
picked it up at one of the Indian reservations I was at.”

It was off white with blue and purple ribbon braided
into the cord. “I love it Gran, thanks.”

“What’s the matter bumble bee?”

Without even saying a word, Gran always knew when
there was something wrong. “I just don’t think I’m ready to go back
and face everything.”

“Oh sweetie, from what you told me, I don’t think
there’s anything you can’t handle.”

I smiled and hugged her tight. “I’m so glad I got to
see you. I’ve missed you so much.”

“I know dear, but you know you can call or write
anytime. I might not get back to you right away, but you know I
will always be here for you whenever I can.”

“I know,” I said, pulling back. “So does this anklet
have any cool powers?” I asked, hopeful.

“No sweetie,” she smiled. “Just decoration, but you
don’t need any more powers. I see your father has given you my
bracelet. He was supposed to give it to you on your eighteenth
birthday, but better late than never.”

“Oh, that’s right. I can’t believe I almost forgot.
Dad thinks there’s something wrong with it.”

She looked at me doubtful and examined the bracelet
anyways to humor me. “Seems okay to me,” she shrugged. “Why would
he say there’s something wrong with it?”

“Well, see, I added my own charm to it and when I
did, it blasted me in to the closet.”

“Oh dear, what did you put on it?”

I pointed to Josie’s heart charm. “It was Josie’s. I
gave it to her when we were younger.”

“I remember this,” she smiled, twirling the charm in
her fingers. “You two had me travel to several different stores to
find all the charms you wanted.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot about that,” I smiled
sheepishly.

She squeezed my shoulder and then kissed my temple.
“It’s okay. It was worth it to spend all that time with my favorite
granddaughter.” She looked back at the charm and scrunched her
brow. “Did anyone else have this?”

“Do you mean the charm?” She nodded. “Not that I know
of. Dean said he found it in Josie’s jewelry box.”

“Where was it before you put it on the bracelet?”

“I attached it to Tristan’s watch. What does that
have to do with anything?” I looked at her puzzled. “I think you
should double check and make sure it’s still working right,” I
said, holding out my wrist.

“Ella honey, there’s nothing wrong with it,” she
smiled, patting my hand.

“But then why did it do that when I put the heart
charm on it?”

“Because of the power of the heart charm,” she said
simply.

“But there isn’t any power in it,” I said, shaking
the charm.

“None that you can see,” she laughed. “Ella, you
alone possess the power. The power from within you is what blessed
this charm. The love you share for your friends is what made it act
that way.”

“Wait, because I love my friends it blasted me across
the room?”

“Because of the intent,” she said kindly. “The love
that you share is so strong, it overpowered everything. It was too
much. So I guess it kind of had a little kick back.”

“A little, it threw me across the room.”

“You do have a big heart and a lot of power and
someday you’ll learn how to control both.”

I rolled my eyes and laid my head in her lap
exasperated. “I’m getting tired of people telling me how powerful I
am and how big my heart is,” I sighed.

“Would you rather we lie?” she teased.

“Maybe that’s why my heart keeps getting broken. It’s
too big.”

“There’s nothing wrong with having a big heart. You
just have to learn how much of it you should give away and to who,”
she said, while stroking my hair. “Ella, do you remember anything
else strange happening with the bracelet?”