Alexis
shifted restlessly under the comforter as the past stalked the corridors
of her mind, tapping lightly on doors long sealed by banishment
and pain, releasing memories from self-preserving imprisonment to
dance widdershins within the guise of dreams.
"It's time for you and Kristina to be in bed."
"Already?"
"Tell you what… tomorrow we will go to the pond and feed
the ducks. Alright? Are you thinking it over?"
"I'm looking at your necklace. It's so pretty."
She smiled in her sleep as she wrapped herself within the gentle
timbre of her Mother's voice as it stroked her heart, each sound
a caress to a soul wearied by sadness. She reached out her mind
to touch the necklace as she snuggled deeper into memory, the glint
of its sapphire stones peppering her dream.
"I'll let you try it on tomorrow."
"What time tomorrow?"
"After breakfast."
"Before breakfast! Please?"
"Why don't we compromise? I'll take the necklace apart. Here…
you can wear half and I'll wear half. And when Kristina is older
I'll give my half to her."
"I think she wants it now."
"She'll have it soon enough."
She awoke with a start and remembered and grieved once more as she
did each day of her life in a place in her heart that lays fallow
and aching with loss, a place seared with hurt never to be assuaged.
Her Mother was gone and her baby sister, her own child's namesake,
would never again wear her half of the necklace, the gift of love
bestowed by the man who adored them all. She wanted in that moment
so very much to return to that world of gleaming sapphires and her
Mother smiling gently as her baby sister sat placidly on her lap.
The one place and time she was safe and whole.
She felt the warmth of Cameron's body as he moaned softly and turned
toward her, his arm curling over her hip as he sought her embrace
even in the midst of sleep.
She gently moved aside the comforter as she slipped from bed careful
not to disturb him. Today would begin a journey of great importance
to her life and she wanted some time alone to think. She picked
up a chenille throw from the wing chair, walked over to the windowseat
and snuggled beneath it as she pulled aside the lace curtain and
stared out the window, her breath painting lace bouquets on the
icy glass.
So much loss, so many secrets hidden away within her, her heart
begging her mind for a release that came hesitantly and only in
dreams. Since the nightmare of Halloween, her dreaming intensified
and she nightly found herself embroiled in the odd, jumbled world
of her subconscious even more than during her childhood. Some of
what she dreamed was known to her waking life, pieces of the puzzle
of her past already fallen into place. But it was the small things
which once she thought insignificant and now appeared more regularly
that caught her attention and she wondered at the deeper meaning
they held for her.
A deer standing in the woods, grains of sand drifting through fingers,
the sound of rain pelting upon a roof, a shutter banging in the
distance, a door opening into darkness that breathed, their housekeeper
Magda walking up a flight of stairs gesturing for her to follow.
But the recurring image that disturbed her most appeared in every
dream, a vision of her Mother's sapphire necklace twirling in the
light, its blue flame blinding her as the sapphires slowly drained
of hue and became white-hot diamonds, the stones writhing in agony
as their facets wept blood.
She looked over at Cameron and sighed. She wanted to tell him about
the dreams but he had enough on his mind between Zander's marital
problems and protecting her without trying to play Dr. Freud. Dreams
were a reflection of the subconscious, whether obscure messages
or unresolved conflicts, and she vowed to work through hers until
she found an answer. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that
her subconscious mind was trying to tell her something her conscious
mind was blocking and she could use his insight.
"You know it's lonely over here," Cameron's voice echoed
across the room.
She chuckled. "I've been gone a grand total of ten minutes
and besides, you were snoring so deeply I didn't want to disturb
your beauty sleep."
He raised an eyebrow. "It was twelve minutes, I don't snore
and as you can clearly see I do not require any beauty sleep. I
was born this good looking."
She walked over to the bed and leaned down as she looked him in
the eye. "You are one crazy-ass shrink, do you know that?"
He suddenly snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her down on
top of him.
"And being crazy about you is all part of my full range of
crazy-ass services," he mumbled as he kissed every inch of
her face until she lay breathless in his arms.
She made up her mind. "Cameron?"
"Alexis?"
"I've been dreaming…" she began hesitantly, murmuring
into the air.
"About me? I would expect that after…" he moved his
head to whisper in her ear.
She giggled as she caressed his leg. "Well… yes…
that move was dream-worthy but that isn't what I'm talking about,"
she replied as she moved slightly away from him, still remaining
within the circle of his arms.
"Talk to me," he whispered softly into her ear.
"I've always dreamed intensely since I was a child, scattered
images I never understood until I discovered who I was and recalled
what happened to Mama. There are some images, even sounds that haunt
me for which I still have no explanation."
Hearing the serious underlying tone in her voice, he turned on his
side and looked at her. "That is to be expected. Your mind
erected very solid barriers to protect you from a truth you could
not process when your Mother was murdered and you lost your sister.
Those barriers were so impenetrable that you did not recall the
past until you were well into adulthood and you could put them into
context."
"But I've always dreamed."
"Your subconscious was trying to deal with your memories and
dreams are a way to process them safely when your conscious mind
is at rest. We never remember them all though we dream many times
while we are sleeping. Think of it this way… your subconscious
mind was preparing you for the day when your conscious mind was
ready to deal with your past."
She leaned into him. "Since Halloween, I've been dreaming more.
Some images are those I've always experienced, some are new."
He felt her shiver and knew it was not the cold. "Obviously
all the new knowledge you have, the clues your father left are beginning
to touch whatever part of your mind is hiding the truths that still
remain locked away."
She thought of the necklace dripping blood and shut her eyes. "I'm
afraid of what I'll find if I discover where those truths are hidden."
He hugged her tight. "We both know that something is waiting
for you at the end of this particular road trip, something your
father apparently wanted you to find and your mind is nudging you
in its direction. Unless you exorcise this particular demon, Alexis,
the 'what ifs' will haunt you. I've walked that road since Peter's
death and there is no place to stop and rest. We met almost 15 months
ago, not a long period of time in either of our lives, but I've
found you to be one of the strongest individuals I've ever known,
a woman who faces head-on what life deposits at your doorstep whatever
the consequences. You can face this… I think you must or forever
live with the regret of never knowing the truth. But if you want
to stop this now I will support you in that decision."
She opened her eyes, the tears welling up at the memory of so much
unanswered. She gazed into his eyes. "I need to know. I was
cheated of my mother, my father and uncounted years with my sister.
I grew up never feeling loved and so I never chose to open myself
up to it, to truly give myself to anyone. I tried with Ned, I even
thought I could with…" she stopped at the thought of her
daughter's father, a man she scarcely recognized since she left
his world.
Cameron waited for her to continue, knowing she was thinking about
Kristina's father.
She swallowed and smiled weakly. "But I was afraid. I was afraid
that if I opened up my heart, it would be destroyed again and I
would be alone. I know I'm strong but with you I found the courage
to love and with you beside me I'm not afraid to face whatever comes."
She wrapped herself around him and kissed him deeply, the worry
and fear slowly receding knowing they were in this together.
Cameron kissed her nose. "Morning comes early… we should
get some sleep."
She nodded as she caressed his cheek. "Yes… but for right
now…just one more kiss?"
He quite happily obliged.
* * *
"I guess it's true what they say about a woman packing for
a trip," Zander laughed as he looked at the seven suitcases
arrayed by the door.
Alexis snorted, "Talk to your father… most of those belong
to him."
"Alexis, that was to be our little secret," Cameron stage
whispered.
"Those are all Dad's?"
"No, Alexander, she's pulling your leg. One of those…"
"The very, very, VERY oversized one," she snickered.
Cameron gave her a dirty look as he finished, "is mine. And
excuse me, Alexis, but size didn't seem to be an issue with you
last night…"
She put a finger to his lips. "Shhhhhhhh… the children
are listening."
Zander shook his head as he laughed, "I think you two should
get a room."
Cameron glared at him as Alexis walked away to finish feeding Kristina
who was dropping her cereal fistful by fistful onto the hardwood
floor.
"Alexander, one suitcase per person and the others are filled
with baby items for Kristina and documents from her father Alexis
needs to review on the trip. You know what to do?"
"I'm going to drop three suitcases at Luke's and take the rest
with me on the train to New York."
"Not the Louis Vuitton… those two are our diversionary
suitcases and will go with us on the Cassadine jet."
Alexis looked mournfully at her favorite suitcases. "What I
don't sacrifice…"
Cameron smiled as he rolled his eyes in his son's direction. "You'll
get them back or at worst overcharge your next client and replace
them. Alexander, you have the information?"
He nodded. "Jax arranged for a car to pick me up at Amtrak
and take me directly to his plane at JFK. He just about burned my
ear off about being left behind and threatened me bodily harm if
anything happened to you guys."
Alexis's dimples deepened as she sighed wistfully. "That's
my favorite ex-hubby."
Cameron chose to ignore her obvious adoration of her ex-husband,
a relationship she never discusses but one that holds great importance
to her and one of which he was somewhat jealous.
He cleared his throat and picked up two cases. "Let's move,
Alexander."
Zander walked over, kissed Kristina on the top of her head and her
mommy on the cheek, picked up the rest of the suitcases and headed
out the door with his father.
Alexis looked at her daughter and sighed, "Men."
* * *
The entire operation went like clockwork. A Cassadine limousine
picked the three passengers up at the apartment for the drive to
the Port Charles Airport where they were waived past ground security
and driven directly to the Cassadine private jet. The trip to New
York City was short, the sun gleaming brightly above the clouds
and Cameron watched happily as Alexis read a book to Kristina, her
daughter helping to turn the pages. He couldn't help but muse this
was likely the last peace they will experience for the near future.
He hoped that all of their planning and precautions would work and
their arrival in Kent would remain a secret to all but their select
group.
He just wasn't certain what would happen when they finally faced
the reality that was Alexis's childhood home. Rosewood assumed an
almost mythic persona in his mind, a place filled with dreams both
whimsical and deadly, its abandoned walls almost a living, breathing
presence.
The plane taxied to the terminal and they disembarked, a noisy but
happy threesome laughing and joking as they secured their luggage
and walked down the corridor to the main passenger concourse. They
entered the restrooms and later emerged to continue their walk through
the concourse to the ground transportation platform where a black
stretch limousine awaited them. They entered the limousine and pulled
away from the curb for the drive into Manhattan. A dark blue Lincoln
Town Car pulled out from the curb and quickly merged into traffic
and followed closely behind.
"Are we clear?" Alexis whispered from around a corner
outside the ladies room. She had exchanged coats with the woman
who looked so much like her she could have been her twin. After
dressing the little girl that accompanied her, the faux mother and
daughter exited the ladies room, joined Cameron's bearded double
and moved to complete that phase of the plan.
Cameron's voice rumbled softly, "Yes and you were right to
use caution. We were followed down the concourse by two men. After
our twins returned to the concourse they followed them."
"Well, let's move out. Jax said that his plane will be parked
at Gate C43."
Alexis pulled the baseball cap low over her head as she wheeled
Kristina in her newfound stroller. She had to admit that Cameron
looked very continental in his black beret and dark glasses, very
vogue.
"You look like a French poet," she smiled up at him as
she held his hand.
"I hate hats," he grumbled as they made their way along
the crowded passenger concourse, shoving their way past throngs
of people.
"Why? You look so… suave and debonair," she grinned
wickedly.
"It gives me hat hair."
With that she laughed so hard she had to stop and catch her breath.
They arrived at the gate and were stopped by two men in security
uniforms who gruffly asked them to state their business. Alexis
repeated the coded phrases Jax gave her and the men nodded and escorted
them down the enclosed jetway to the plane.
"Welcome aboard the Good Aussie Ship Lollipop, kids! Drink
anyone?" Luke caroled as they walked into the main cabin of
the plane, one even plusher and more technologically equipped than
the most advanced Cassadine jet. Mrs. Lansbury was sitting on the
couch crocheting, Zander working on a laptop and both just shook
their heads with bemusement.
Cameron rolled his eyes. "Luke, it's not even 2:00 o'clock.
Don't you think it's a bit early for happy hour?"
"Doc, it's always 5:00 o'clock somewhere in the world,"
he retorted as he poured himself bourbon and flopped into a chair,
his long legs dangling over the side.
Mrs. Lansbury was dressed in a sweater and wool pants, a mode of
fashion Alexis could never recall seeing grace her slight figure.
She looked like someone's sweet placid grandmother and that thought
made her smile.
"Miss Alexis, give Miss Kristina to me and sit down and rest,"
the woman said with her customary smile.
"Good to see you, Mrs. Lansbury, and thank you again for coming.
I assume these two have been entertaining you," Alexis chuckled
as Luke and Zander were battling for access to the laptop.
The older woman eyed the men with a tolerance born of years of service.
"Reminiscent of two children bidding for attention as Mr. Stavros
and Mr. Stefan were wont to do as young boys."
Zander was listening and suddenly looked up. "Not Alexis?"
Mrs. Lansbury glanced at Alexis with maternal warmth. "She
was more concerned with losing herself in the world of books than
calling attention to herself. And we see of the three which one
turned out best."
Cameron saw the pleased blush that colored Alexis's cheeks. She
never asked for them and often did not how to answer them, but Alexis
enjoyed compliments and she just received one he knew meant a great
deal to her.
The pilot popped in and doffed his cap to the women and addressed
Alexis. "Just a few more minutes, Mrs. Jacks, and we'll be
taxiing out to the runway. I'll announce when you need to buckle
in."
Alexis smiled her assent but Cameron interrupted, annoyed at the
man's use of her ex-husband's name. "Her name isn't Jacks,
its Davis."
"Oh, Lex will always be a Jacks until she meets her Maker.
We wouldn't have it any other way," a deep voice with an Aussie
accent streaked across the room from the entry door of the plane.
They turned to the voice as Alexis shouted "Oh my Goddess!",
ran over and threw her arms around the handsome dark-haired man
who lifted her up and twirled her around, raining kisses on her
face.
Cameron was staring with his mouth ajar when Luke sauntered over
and tapped him on the shoulder. "Better close that mouth, Doc,
unless you are planning on catching some flies on this trip."
"Who the hell is that?" he asked Luke.
"Methinks the Quackster may have some competition for the fair
Princess Natasha's heart," Luke snickered as he poured himself
another drink.
Cameron was getting visibly annoyed as he watched the woman he loves
drape herself bodily over the strange man who invaded their secret
society. He eyed Zander who merely shrugged.
"This is a surprise! What are you doing here? You look wonderful!
Not that I'm not happy to see you but…" Alexis rambled.
The man touched her cheek and hugged her. "I've missed your
rambling… missed a great many things."
He turned and said quietly, "Hello Luke."
"Look what the dusty tailwind blew in," Luke snarked as
he downed his bourbon.
Cameron had enough and finally asked, "And you would be?"
"Jerry Jacks, rapscallion extraordinaire, big brother to Jasper
and former brother-in-law to this luscious leggy lady," he
laughed as he hugged Alexis. He glanced at Cameron, looked him up
and down with feigned boredom and asked, "And you are?"
"Dr. Cameron Lewis."
Jerry could see the doctor was dismayed at his appearance on the
plane and he decided to have some fun.
"Ah yes, Lex, your houseguest. Jax mentioned him in passing
as sort of buttoned up, not really your type unless things have
changed since I've been gone."
Alexis could see Cameron was jealous and it gave her a tingle. "Well
a lot has happened since you went away…"
He grasped her hand and held it to his heart. "Yes, I heard
what happened to Chloe, your sister's death, everything that happened
with your daughter. I wish I had been here to help you. I couldn't
even be here to help my brother or my Mother."
She touched his cheek. "I'm so sorry about John. I loved him
very much."
"And he loved you. No matter what happened or where you went,
Mum and Dad considered you their daughter."
"But why are you here? Aren't you taking a terrible chance?"
she asked with worry. Sonny had helped him get him out of the country
when he was in trouble with the Feds and she couldn't help but wonder
how smart it was for him to show up on US soil.
"Jax told me what was happening and since you didn't want him
along, asked me to help. He felt it would be even smarter for the
plane not to be one of his. This is my private plane and since no
one would expect me to pop my bum into this fair country, we won't
be traced. It's much safer that way. Plus he's worried about you
and wants someone to protect you."
"She's in good hands with us and I can protect her," Cameron
said defensively as he looked into Alexis's eyes.
"Watch it Doc, your green-eyed monster is peeking out,"
Luke chuckled as he eyed his almost former brother-in-law, the man
who broke Bobbie's heart.
"That's our den mother Mrs. Lansbury over there and I'm Zander,
Greeny McJealousPants's son," he said as he held a hand out
to Jerry.
Jerry took the hand and shook it. "Yeah, kid, I heard about
you. Our fair lady here saved your butt too."
"On many occasions but I'm working on repaying the butt-saving
on this trip."
"So, let's see this little sweetheart of a daughter you've
got, Lex," he said as he knelt down in front of Kristina who
was eyeing him a bit suspiciously.
"Hello there little mate, I'm your Uncle Jerry. I really should
be but your Mum was silly and divorced the man who should have been
your daddy. But no mind…once a Jacks always a Jacks… so
you are, by succession, one of us."
Kristina pondered that speech and the deal was sealed when Jerry
gave her one of his 1000-watt smiles and she threw her arms around
his neck and giggled. He lifted her and twirled her around the way
he did her Mother and she snuggled quite happily into his shoulder.
Cameron was annoyed when he twirled Alexis but now he was stepping
on his turf with her daughter and it was going to stop.
"Mrs. Lansbury, why don't you take Kristina and put her down
for her nap. It has been an exhausting morning for her."
Mrs. Lansbury looked at Alexis who nodded imperceptibly and she
took the little girl from the man's arms. Kristina was not pleased
at being removed from the arms of her latest admirer and sobbed
pathetically as they walked to the stateroom and closed the door
behind them.
Luke laughed. "You always were one for the ladies, JJ."
"So, Mr. Jacks, you are here to help. That is very good so
might I suggest that we get underway so we can get to where we are
going."
Alexis stifled a smile as she watched Cameron assert his authority
with Jerry. He was quite sweet and very put out and she would find
a way to make it up to him. She walked over and leaned into his
body as she wrapped her arms around him. She felt his body relax
beneath her and knew he was regaining his perspective. He was still
suspicious but she was relieved that Jerry, a mercenary with more
skill than sense at times, was on their team.
I guess Jax was right, Jerry thought sourly as he watched Alexis
and the doctor entwined in each other's arms, it is love. Truth
was he always hoped that his brother and Alexis would find their
way back to each other, this time because they discovered they truly
did love each other. He knew his brother had always been more than
halfway to that realization on his own.
"Right-o, mate. We will fly directly into Kent, to a 'friendly'
airfield I've used from time to time and take ground transport to
your destination. Jax related quite a bit but nothing about where
we are going. He said it was your story to tell or not. He still
loves you, you know."
She blushed and tightened her arms around Cameron as she replied,
"And I love him for always caring so much about me. He truly
is my dearest friend but I've found where my heart lays, Jerry,
and he's standing next to me."
Cameron's heart was ready to burst. He wanted nothing more in that
moment than to proclaim the same but the words echoing in his heart
were so moving he was left without voice. He leaned down and kissed
her, the unspoken words spilling from his eyes as he gazed into
hers.
"Well, buckle up kids… let's hope the crossing is less
bumpy than the last 15 minutes in this cabin," Jerry laughed
as he pressed the intercom to okay takeoff and smartly snapped his
seatbelt into place.
Luke drained his glass and plopped into his seat. "I wouldn't
be taking any bets on that one."
* * *
They all settled in trying to keep busy and as the hours passed,
Alexis became more worried. She was afraid what Rosewood would reveal
and her head was aching with the grim scenarios she was spinning
like spiderwebs inside her mind, each one more intricate than the
one before. She looked around at Cameron reading a psych journal,
Luke playing solitaire, Jerry and Zander with heads buried in laptops
and Mrs. Lansbury calmly crocheting as Kristina played with her
blocks on the couch next to her. She stood up, stretched her arms
above her head and proceeded to pace from one end of the cabin to
the other, back and forth, until Luke grabbed her arm and said she
was making him airsick. So she sat down, tried to read a magazine,
even opened the suitcase filled with documents and all the words
ran together before her eyes.
Mrs. Lansbury finally looked up over the eyeglasses perched on her
nose. "Miss Alexis, you are going to exhaust yourself before
you begin. Might I suggest you lie down in the stateroom and take
a nap?"
Alexis threw down the yellowed deed she was reviewing and rubbed
her eyes. "Well, that is better than wasting my time trying
to concentrate on these."
She walked down the short hallway and entered the stateroom, all
masculine colors and wood grain. The only concession was the king-sized
bed covered by a burgundy satin coverlet. She kicked off her heels,
lay down and closed her eyes as she allowed the exhaustion she was
feeling in her bones the last few weeks to fall away and she slept.
* * *
"Natasha, you must take your sister outside and hide her.
You must promise me… you will stay with her."
Fear dripped from her mother's voice and it frightened her as it
lanced through her small body.
"But why?"
Mama held her and looked deeply into her eyes.
"Just go, child, do as I say."
Papa told her if anyone came to the house that frightened her, she
should take her sister to the stables and find Yuri and he would
know what to do. But Yuri did not answer and her Mama needed her
so she spread a blanket on the floor in one of the stalls and gently
laid Kristina down with her favorite stuffed pony.
"Be a good girl, Kristina, I have to go help Mama now but I'll
be right back… I promise."
She ran to the house as fast as she could and found only silence,
the tick-tock of the grandfather clock the only sound save the crackle
of the fireplace. A shutter banged against the house as she turned
quickly, ran to the front door and threw it wide. A snowstorm was
upon them and she could barely see in front of her as the wind whipped
ice pellets in her face, their sting bringing tears to her eyes.
She heard a scream and ran blindly toward the voice.
"Mama? Where are you, Mama? Wait for me!"
She saw a figure in black leaning over a body and looked down to
see her Mother laying in the snow like a broken doll, the snow turning
red as blood seeped from her throat.
"Leave my Mother alone!"
The figure rose and turned around… it was the blonde lady she
had seen in the market and who followed her one day when she was
riding her pony.
"You think you are safe in your snowy little haven? I'll always
find you…" she laughed maniacally as she dropped the knife
at her feet and walked away into the storm.
I'll always find you…
* * *
Cameron was attempting to keep his attention on the cards in his
hand as Luke drummed his fingers awaiting his decision. He thought
he'd heard sounds from the stateroom and wanted to check on Alexis.
"Doc, are you gonna play that hand or not?" Luke asked
as he sipped his bourbon.
Cameron asked distractedly, "What about my hands?"
Luke shook his head, reached over and grabbed the cards. "Why
don't you go check on Natasha. She might be… chilly… or
something."
Cameron smiled with relief and walked to the stateroom slowly opening
the door. She was sleeping on her side as always, the pillow bunched
up under her neck, her arms wrapped around as if she was defending
herself from things that go bump in the night. He softly closed
the door behind him and watched her, thinking how very beautiful
she was. Sleep somehow always relaxed her, allowing the worry lines
to fade and she was almost radiant.
But this time was different. He noticed frown lines deeply etched
as if she was pondering something profound, her breath coming in
shallow terrified bursts. He walked over and sat on the bed next
to her, reaching out his hand to smooth her hair when she began
whimpering in her sleep. Her breaths were coming closer and closer,
as if she was running a marathon in her dream and he could see she
had broken out in a cold sweat.
* * *
She wanted to scream but she was terrified as she watched her
Mother bleed to death in the snow. She had to get Kristina and find
their father. She turned back and saw a stone house where their
English Tudor home stood and as suddenly as the storm descended,
it passed and the snow was replaced by green grass. Afraid, she
spun around to her mother and just as the winter snow had metamorphosed
into the green of spring, the spot where she'd fallen was filled
with white flowers and she was gone.
"Mama, where are you?"
* * *
"Mama, come back!" Alexis shouted as the dream was broken.
"Alexis, shhhhhhh…. you are alright. I'm here," Cameron
murmured into her hair, holding her quaking body as he tried to
calm her.
Alexis looked around and saw where she was and exhaled. "What
happened?"
"You were having a bad dream and cried out," he replied
as he lay down beside her, wrapping his arms around and holding
her close.
"I was dreaming about my Mother's death but it was different.
Part of the dream was just as it happened that night but then it
changed and I was at the stone house in the mountains and watched
my Mother die in the snow. Then it all changed back," she whispered,
shivering next to him.
He frowned thoughtfully. "It sounds as if your memories are
starting to surface and they are getting jumbled into those memories
of the past you've already discovered, as if they are trying to
sort themselves out."
The image of the bed of white star-like flowers touched her memory
and her father's voice echoed across time soft as a whisper.
"It is Leontopodium alpinum, child. See how the yellow flower
heads cluster but as with people, the beauty of the flower is in
what lies beneath, the woolly white leaves that form the star."
"It is very pretty, Papa. But why are we up here by the lake
when it is so cold?"
"For love, my little one. The flower holds a legend… if
a man brings one to a woman it signifies true love because it does
not grow on the pathway of one's choosing but off the beaten path
and it takes great effort to acquire it."
"That is silly, Papa. Finding a flower doesn't mean you've
found your true love."
"But that is why our special home is here, where they grow
amid the mountain ash groves so I can bring them to your Mama every
day to rededicate my love."
Alexis shook the voice from her mind and stared into Cameron's eyes.
"I was frightened because my Mother's body disappeared and
there were white flowers growing on the spot where she died."
"White flowers? Did you recognize them?"
She nodded, the image now firmly embedded in her mind. Her hand
reaching out with her father's to pluck a flower from a crevice
where the trees met the snow-covered earth of the mountain, the
crystal lake shimmering in the background as the clouds raced across
its icy blue water. Her mind remembered the softness of the white
leaves even through her mittens.
