Wilder: The Guardian Series (2 page)

“I’m
sooo
glad you’re here,
Celeste! You have to sit by me!” Maxi chimed in her singsong voice, grabbing
her hand and leading her to the table.
 

“Celeste, I’m glad you’re joining us for dinner,” said Mrs.
Kennedy, giving her an affectionate smile. “You haven’t been here in weeks.”

Celeste grinned. “Yeah, it’s been crazy, what with school
almost over and finals and everything. Mom’s been complaining she hardly sees
me either, what with her schedule and mine. And in a couple of months I’ll be
off to New York.”

“Aren’t you nervous to move to such a big city after living
in little old Oak Bluffs?” she asked.

“Kind of, but I’m definitely ready to graduate from little
St. Alice Catholic High School. I feel like we grew up in a protective bubble,
and I can’t wait to see the real world out there.”

“Well we’re certainly going to miss you,” finished Mrs.
Kennedy.

“I suppose we’ll see even less of you while you’re in
college, as I’m sure you’ll be studying hard,” Mr. Kennedy said. “But I hope
you’ll stop in to see us whenever you’re home. Brian could use some more
encouragement in figuring out what it is he wants to do with his future.
There’s more to life than sports, you know,” he added, looking pointedly at
Brian.

“It’s not like I’m going to spend the rest of my life at a
community college, Dad. I’ll figure it out. I just don’t know what I want do
yet. Celeste’s just lucky,” Brian said, grinning at her. “Tell them about the
campus tour,” he
said,
hoping to change the
conversation before his dad, a lawyer, grilled him any further.

As she said goodnight, Celeste thought about how much she was
going to miss these family dinners with the Kennedys. Brian walked her home
even though it was just next-door – he always did, and as they stepped up
on the porch, he pulled a crumpled brown bag from his jacket pocket.

 
“I was going
through some of my old stuff last night,” he explained, “and I found these
stashed away between my collection of Legos and Mighty
Morphin
Power Rangers. Remember our walkie-talkies?”

Celeste opened the brown bag and her eyes lit up.

“Oh my gosh, yes! We had so much fun with these.” She
giggled. “Remember how we used to drive our parents crazy talking to each other
all night?”

“Over and out.” Brian quipped.

“That’s an affirmative.”

“Listen, I know we’re going to be too far to use these things
soon, but I just wanted you to know that I’ll always be here for you, no matter
what, okay?”

Celeste swallowed hard and felt a lump in her throat.

 
“And in the
meantime,” Brian said, “we can play with these all summer.” And he pulled her
into a bear hug.

Celeste squeezed him tightly and wiped her eyes when the
tears threatened to spill over.

That night, Celeste couldn’t sleep. Alone in the house, it
was just too quiet. She sat up and looked across the room to where she’d left
her walkie-talkie. She was tempted to turn it on and see whether Brian was
still up. She peeked out through the curtain of the big bay window facing his
house but saw only darkness. She opened the window hoping that the cool night
air would help her sleep.

She scolded herself, whispering, “Celeste, you are fine!
You’re practically eighteen and you’ll be living on your own in New York City
in a few months. Grow up and stop being so childish!”

She slipped back down under the covers and felt Rocky’s cold,
wet nose nudge her cheek. She closed her eyes determined to sleep but heard a
rustling outside her window. Rocky whined. She sat up and swept the curtain
aside. Outside, perched in the oak tree just a couple feet from her window, she
could just make out the outline of a large black bird.

 
It reminded her
of pictures her grandfather had shown her after they’d watched the old Humphrey
Bogart film
The Maltese Falcon
. She’d
been curious as to what a falcon was and he had found pictures of the predatory
creature and shown them to her. The peregrine falcon, he told her, was the
fastest-moving creature on Earth. She stared at the bird in fascination.

Could it be a falcon?

She was about to lean further out the window to get a closer look
when Rocky, catching sight of the strange visitor, let out a menacing bark. The
bird immediately took flight and disappeared into the night.

“Well that was weird, huh?”

She crawled back into bed and closed her eyes, willing
herself not to think about the curious creature.

Celeste drifted off to sleep and into a dark dream. She found
herself surrounded by birds. They filled the air, thousands of them, not unlike
the old Hitchcock horror movie
The Birds
.
They filled the towering oak tree outside her window, chattering and squawking
with urgency, as if they were trying to tell her something. Frightened, she
tried to shoo them away, but they wouldn’t budge. The largest stared at her
intently, as if looking into her mind, its eyes a vivid, hypnotic blue. She
felt strangely exposed as she stared back into its oddly human eyes. She awoke,
startled, her breath coming rapidly. She tried to shake off the memory of the
dream, but she found herself thinking of the strange bird’s stare all night
long.  

“Good morning sweetie.”

“Mom, what are you doing up at this hour?” said Celeste as
she stumbled drowsily down the stairs, her curly hair wild like a lion’s mane.

“I got home a little earlier than usual and four hours of
sleep is plenty of time if that means that I get to spend some quality time
with my daughter.”

Mrs. Wilder got to work in the kitchen to prepare a special
Sunday breakfast. As Celeste watched her mom hustling around the kitchen, she
thought about what Sundays used to be like. If she closed her eyes a bit, she
could almost see her dad’s warm smiling face and just about hear him saying,
“Celeste, you can go to Brian’s later. Sunday is family day, and we need to
help Mom make breakfast. Go get the eggs from the fridge, and I’ll let you stir
the batter for the waffles.”

“Okay Daddy. Can I use the electric one?”

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea, sweetie,” interjected
Mom. “We don’t want you to lose any of those precious little fingers!”

She handed her the whisk and Celeste giggled as her father
made
whirring
noises as she stirred.

 
Celeste snapped
out of her daydreaming as the delicious smell of batter and syrup began to fill
the kitchen.

“Yum waffles my favorite!” she said.

“That’s why I’m making them,” Mom answered with a smile.

“I’m glad we’re doing this Mom. I wish we did it more often.”

“I know. I really wish we did too. I’m sorry I’ve been so
busy at the hospital lately.”

It made Celeste wonder if it was easier for her mother to
delve into her work at the hospital instead of dealing with the reality of
losing her husband. Since she hadn’t been able to save him, helping strangers
had become her life.

“Sweetie, I was thinking we should probably go through all of
your things before your big move. I’ve seen clothes in your closet from when
you were in grade school! You know you’re not going to be able to bring
everything up to your tiny dorm at NYU,” she said.

“Yeah, I know, I just don’t know if I’m ready yet. As much as
I want to move to New York City, it’s all kind of scary,” said Celeste.

“I know, baby girl. I wish your father were here with us now.
He would be so proud of you. You have become such an amazing young woman, and
you are going to love NYU just like he did. I know it!”

That afternoon, when Mrs. Wilder headed back to the hospital,
Celeste decided to stop at the library. A book she had been dying to read had
just arrived. It was another beautiful day, perfect for sitting outside in her
sunny backyard and working on her tan while escaping into a good book.
 
As she searched through the stacks of
the Best Sellers section, she couldn’t help but feel like she was being
watched. She glanced around furtively, but saw no one nearby. In fact, the
library was practically deserted.

Of course, it’s a
beautiful Sunday afternoon, who else would be cooped up in a dark library?

She found the romance novel she wanted, the newest one from
the series she had been obsessing over, and made her way to the checkout desk.
She turned the corner and abruptly collided with someone. She dropped the book,
which slapped against the marble floor with a disconcertingly loud thud,
echoing through the cavernous room.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” she blurted, without looking up as she
bent down to pick up her book. As she stood back up, her heart skipped a beat. Before
her stood a towering, well-built young man with wavy, raven hair, chiseled jaw,
and eyes as blue as the summer sky. Celeste felt her cheeks grow hot.
Embarrassed, she flushed even redder.

“No problem. Sorry, I should have been watching where you were
going, I guess,” he said, eyes twinkling.

Looking into those deep blue eyes, Celeste was completely at
a loss for words. She watched helplessly as he walked away, disappearing
further into the library.

Way to go,
Celeste.
 

She stumbled to the checkout counter trying to gather her
wits. The librarian behind the counter cleared her throat. Celeste looked up,
confused, as if she’d forgotten why she was there. The librarian held out her
hand and Celeste handed her the book and then fumbled for her library card. She
looked around, but the mysterious stranger had disappeared. Oak Bluffs was a
small town and she pretty much knew everyone that lived there. There was no way
a guy like that would go unnoticed, not in this town. Who could he be?

Celeste didn’t know what it was about him, but for some
reason she just had to find out. And she knew exactly who to ask.

The next day at school, during her fifth-period art class,
Celeste approached Natalie Meadows. Natalie was one of the most popular girls
in school, beautiful and confident, and involved in every after-school activity
that mattered. Celeste had always thought of her as a brunette Barbie, with her
shiny, perfectly styled hair, flawless skin, and with long model-like legs. Not
to mention Natalie always had the perfect Ken doll on her arm. Although they
didn’t travel in the same circles now, Natalie and Celeste had been good
friends in grade school. They had been best friends actually, but that was
before her father died and everything had changed.

“Hey, Natalie, got a sec?”

“Hey, Celeste,” she replied, glancing at her watch. “Yeah, I
guess. What’s up?” Celeste hesitated and then plunged right in.

“If anyone would know, you would,” she said, and was rewarded
by one of Natalie’s warm smiles. “I saw this really hot guy at the library over
the weekend, and, well…” She hesitated. “It’s just that he took me by surprise.
He looks older than us, probably in his twenties, but I’ve never seen him
around before. Tall, black hair, gorgeous blue eyes—any idea who he might
be?”

Natalie’s eyes sparkled in recognition and studied Celeste,
who was doing her best to act nonchalant. Natalie hadn’t seen her friend this
animated about anything in years, and it made her long for the free-spirited,
fun companion she once had.

“Well, my friend, this just happens to be your lucky day. If
it’s who I think it is, Becky said that Jessica’s sister, Dani Lynn, met this
really cute guy at the community college orientation.” Natalie pretended to
search her memory as Celeste brightened up. “Wow, what did she say his name
was…? Oh, yes, Nico something. He’s got a brother, too, Roman. They’re
foreign,” she whispered, conspiratorially. “From somewhere in Europe. Imagine
anyone from Europe moving here!”

Europe? She wouldn’t stand a chance with him, Celeste
thought, her spirits crashing. Natalie squeezed her arm.

 
“Listen, Dani
Lynn’s having a party at her off-campus apartment on Friday. She invited him
and like half of the population of Oak Bluffs. I’m sure he’ll be there. We
should totally go.”

“Go where?” Brian asked, coming up behind them. Natalie threw
him a flirtatious look.

“It’s a party on Friday. You should come, Brian. It’s a bunch
of college kids from Oak Bluffs. You might as well get to know some of the
other incoming freshmen before the fall semester.”

Brian looked at Celeste and shrugged. “Yeah, I’m definitely
in,” said Brian, “as long as Celeste comes.”
 

Celeste looked oddly flustered.

“What do you say, Celeste? What’s the big deal? Let’s go!”

“Okay. I’m in.”

The week flew by without too much excitement. Celeste had
barely been aware of any of it, her thoughts almost exclusively on Dani Lynn’s
party. Would he be there? Could she talk to him without making a total idiot of
herself
? As she lay in bed wondering what tomorrow
would have in store, she heard something outside. She got out of bed and walked
over to her bay window, and as she opened it a small pebble whizzed by her
head.

“Ouch!” squealed Celeste.

She leaned out the window and saw Brian doubled over in
laughter.

“Sorry Cel! I didn’t mean to hit you!” he said.

Celeste was not amused, and slamming the window shut she
pulled the curtains closed. Outside she could hear Brian apologizing and
begging her to come out for a second. She threw on a pair of shorts and with a
quick glance at the mirror, headed downstairs to see what was going on.