My Angel's Gem

By Crystal Belle and Theresa Jade

Nothing was as it seemed at first in this contemporary, heartwarming tale of a young woman who had come to a point in her life where everything was going downhill.

Having to deal with an injured, petulant younger sister, a morose, grieving mother, and a recent breakup, Georgie Greene had only one choice left: to cope as best she could in her own way. She had thought the trip to her grandparent's ranch up north, supposedly for the benefit of her sister, would be nothing more than revisiting painful old memories. Little did she know that she would come to learn of a heart-wrenching secret her grandparents had thus far kept from the family. Apart from that was her family's mysterious involvement with the gorgeous-looking, impertinent ranger whose face she could not get out of her head. Just when things were starting to look up, she was tossed into a whirlpool of disconcerting circumstances which threatened to send her spirits plummeting once more.

Would she get her life back on track, and perhaps, even kindle a little romance anew? She knew the man she wanted, but did he want her, now that he was holding the other woman's hand sparkling with a diamond ring?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Crystal Belle
• Release date: Jan 6, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215563328

Crystal Belle

Crystal Belle began writing at a young age and found time between classes and work to materialize the stories which swirled in her mind. After graduating from a local university, with scant time for little else besides work, she has, nevertheless, never stopped writing completely. Her passion lies in creating a world of fiction which allows for all her beloved characters to grow and develop, arising from a simplistic but powerful belief that good will always triumph over evil.A devoted and caring Christian, she lives with her family in tropical, sunny Asia.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Never once had Georgie Linsey Greene blamed Candy for the horrific accident which claimed the life of their beloved father. She was hard hit by the tragedy and felt her world had just sunk into the ground. The pain that shot through her pierced like a thousand knives. Steve was a good man; loving and responsible. Georgie was grieved beyond words as she was incredibly close to him; he was the best father ever. His passing left a gaping hole in her heart—one that, she felt, would never be filled.

Georgie had always thought her world was safe, fair, and predictable when Steve was around. But now, clad in black, all alone in the funeral chapel, staring down at her father's open casket, her world seemed like just the opposite—it was unsafe, unfair, and unpredictable. She was devastated. She was angry. Questions to which she could never know the answers swirled in her mind, frustrating her even more. Why did this have to happen to him? Why did a good man have to die such a horrific death in the prime of his life? Couldn't it have been prevented?

Investigations by the authorities revealed that an animal on the darkened road had been the cause of the car swerving off the forest roadway. They not only found animal blood on the car's badly damaged front bumper and fender but also on the road, and the carcass of a bloodied elk about 4.5 metres away from the site of the collision. The police report about the condition in which they found Steve's body was enough to make Georgie cringe.

It was a gruesome description. His head was covered in blood from the deep gash on his scalp, and his face and neck were striped with deep cuts; many pieces of glass shards embedded in his skin. His right arm was broken and twisted, and both his legs were crushed under the weight of the crumpled dashboard. A hydraulic cutter was needed to cut through the mangled metal to extricate his body from the badly wrecked car. The officers believed it had hit the animal and slammed into a large tree—which had skin damage to it—before rolling into a shallow ravine. They had no doubt Steve died upon impact.

Candy was found badly injured on the ground a short distance away, having been flung out of the vehicle when her side of the door broke off completely. It was a miracle that the 17-year-old survived the accident, albeit with a broken leg, and some nasty cuts and livid bruises on her body. Her leg was now bound in a cast, and much of her arms were lined with small stitches although, thankfully, her face only suffered some minor cuts and bruises.

Her family was grieved that she could never walk away from the accident the same ever again. The physical wounds and scars would be devastating to her—once she became aware of them—even though they would heal in time, for Candy was always proud of her flawless skin. But her mental and emotional wounds were what worried Georgie the most. She knew Candy would need a great deal of care and encouragement in order to get through this difficult phase and bring back her self-esteem. Candy was never fully conscious since the accident, for the doctors had kept her under heavy sedation after her successful surgery, which was as Georgie preferred since she did not know how to break the tragic news to her at this time anyway.

Carol was lost in her own grief. She had lost her soulmate, one with whom she was compatible in almost everything, one who understood her strengths, and accepted her weaknesses. They were a great team, a happy and inseparable pair; the envy of many of their friends. He had been her significant other for close to 25 years. He was her life—the reason she woke up smiling every morning.

Receiving the tragic news had caused her heart to shatter into a million pieces. The shock of it all made her feel numb and weak. She was deeply sorrowful and at times became anxious, causing her heart to palpitate. She constantly felt as though she was going to be sick. It all seemed so unreal to her—a life without Steve, a home without his presence. She was in a stupor, forsaking all activities—unable to function, unable to think clearly or cope. Carol changed overnight as she withdrew into herself, and hardly spoke. Her mind was in chaos. She even thought, fleetingly, about her own mortality, wondering what it would be like to be free of all distress and pain.

Food gave her no relief; she just pushed it away. Her stress affected both her taste and smell. Her mouth had such a bland taste that she imagined herself getting stomach cramps if she tried to eat anything. Nevertheless, Georgie kept a constant supply of her favourite juices beside her and encouraged her to drink them. Sleep was equally difficult as Carol began suffering from panic attacks whenever she closed her eyes.

In the aftermath of this tragedy were these looming problems concerning her mother and sister that Georgie had anticipated she would have to cope with right after the funeral. In a matter of a day and a half, having had to run about liaising with the relevant authorities and arrange everything pertaining to her father's funeral, Georgie already felt herself looking haggard; like she had aged a great deal. Never in her life could she have suspected she was even capable of being stressed to the limit like this. But her tenacity drove her on. Notwithstanding her exhaustion, she persevered and went about to rally some people to help with preparations for a post-funeral reception as well.

Fred and his wife, Bethaline 'Betty' Barken, had wasted no time in flying down to Wellington after receiving the distressing phone call from their granddaughter immediately after the accident. Speaking to her grandfather, Fred Brady Barken, in a tremulous voice, Georgie couldn't help but sobbed into the phone uncontrollably.

Georgie hugged them at the door upon their arrival early the next morning. It was a shame that after not having seen one another for five long years they should have to visit under such tragic circumstances. Georgie had been glad to see them healthy and well. They exuded the same warmth and care, displaying strong concern openly, lovingly, just as Georgie always remembered. They brought great comfort to her and her mother. Carol, upon seeing Betty, her own mother, could not help but break down and cry bitterly in her arms.

Fred, Betty and Carol had gone to visit Candy in the hospital later in the morning. They were expecting the arrival of their guests in the afternoon when the wake service would take place.

Georgie had not joined them at the hospital, having given the excuse that there might be some last minute matters she had to see to at the funeral chapel when, in actuality, she felt she just needed some time alone with her father—for a final goodbye. Now, standing there, staring at the lifeless body of Steve, she perceived rising within her a strange and inexplicable feeling. In a curious way and as if she was suspended in time, she felt like this was a harbinger of something significant. An ending that would usher in a new beginning. Dressed in his favourite pinstripe suit, Steve's face looked peaceful, as if he was asleep. Suddenly, she thought she saw a hint of a smile form on his lips and a faint radiance on his face. It was gone—in a split second. She was stunned and blinked her eyes to look again. Nothing there this time. Did she really see something or was it only her own imagination?

The voice of the funeral director greeting someone at the door snapped her out of her reverie. She made a mental note to put into drawing what she had or thought she had just witnessed. She turned just in time to see her mother and grandparents approach the casket and moved forward to hug them. Few words were said among them as they all gathered close to look upon Steve in reverent silence.

****

The wake was attended only by some close family and friends. Among the attendees whom Fred and Georgie received was Jeanie Marsh Hawley, Georgie's best friend from childhood, who hugged her for a long time and cried with her. Jeanie's brother, Joel, could not come due to their parents being unwell but sent his condolences, flowers and contribution through his sister. Ben Ethan Epton, Georgie's employer and friend, who had sent a standing wreath ahead of his arrival, now came bearing a generous memorial contribution in honour of the deceased, which Georgie accepted with heartfelt gratitude. But the one person from whom Georgie expected the most support was her boyfriend, Henry Windemille, who could not come due to his being away in France on a modelling assignment and runway show from which he could not extricate himself. Still, Georgie was disappointed and hurt as she had expected at least a wreath and a condolence card from him, which he had not sent.

When everyone was settled in their seats, a pastor took his place at the pulpit to preside over the order of the wake service. Georgie, finally able to sit down, was suddenly overcome with fatigue. She felt herself drained of energy. Her mind remained adrift and she could hardly focus. Hymns were sung, after which the pastor delivered a short message and led in prayer. When the floor was open for those who wished to say something, Georgie made an effort to pay attention. They took turns delivering their emotional eulogies, mostly nostalgic stories from years ago with Steve. But there was one old family friend whose thoughtlessness made Georgie fume inwardly when he made a facetious remark about Steve while reciting a poorly worded eulogy.

Feeling offended, and with her eyes tearing up, Georgie dashed out in the direction of the restroom. Well aware that her face and eyes had grown turgescent from weeping, she splashed her face with cold water and took deep breaths to regain her cool. She stared in the mirror at her own reflection; a slightly bloated face and puffy eyes stared back at her. She willed herself to assuage her own frustrations and anger. It took a minute or two, but she started breathing more evenly, and felt much calmer. I'll be fine. I am fine. I shall live through this. I can't be locked in the past. Things change but life goes on, after every pain, after every storm. Tomorrow will start a fresh new morning, as it always will.

When she emerged, Betty and Jeanie sought her out and wrapped their arms around her. But instead of seeing Georgie as someone on the verge of collapse, they discerned in her a new fortitude which astounded them. She had a distant, controlled, but very determined look on her lovely face. Betty was not surprised to see such strength displayed in Georgie, a young woman of 21, who had never, before this, had to deal with a personal tragedy of this magnitude. She already held Georgie in high regard for her capability in solving her own problems when she was much younger. Even in her weaker moments, sometimes with tears in her eyes, she proved to be resilient, quick and brave; she would wipe her tears away and try to find solutions to her problems. Now, yet again, to see Georgie pick herself up and look adversity directly in the eye without shrinking away was highly admirable. No doubt Georgie would be the anchor to hold the family together through the stormy waters; the pillar of strength for Carol and Candy. It looked set to be a long and difficult road, but the way Georgie was right now gave Betty the confidence that she would be able to rise to the challenge. Betty was never prouder of her granddaughter than at this moment.

When they reconvened with the mourners, they were moving slowly around the casket for a final viewing, after which the cortege departed for the burial ground. A short service was held there before they adjourned to the Greene's home where a post-funeral reception was held. A repast meal was served—courtesy of some friends—and the visitors mingled one with another to share stories about Steve and celebrate his life, all in hushed tones. Ben, who had been introduced to Georgie's family when he came, now approached her to talk. He told her not to worry about anything and to take as long as she needed before she showed up for work again. Jeanie, who knew Georgie's family well, helped with what she could to make the visitors comfortable, but otherwise sat with Georgie most of the time.

When the guests started to bid farewell as they made to go, Jeanie too said she had to leave. As much as Georgie would have liked Jeanie to stay, she could not, on account of her responsibilities at home. Georgie knew her mother was not well and enquired after her, but Jeanie could not tell her much other than saying Joel had told her everything was fine. She was the last to leave after all the other guests had dispersed in that reserved taciturnity manner with which people part after a funeral. She refused the offer to be taken to the airport, seeing that Georgie was in no condition to drive her, but promised to call soon.

****

Steve had been laid to rest, but Candy's problems were far from over. She had regained consciousness. Her nightmares, resultant of her traumatic experience, had not only begun, but were becoming more frequent now that the doctors were reducing her intake of medications. The family visited her in the hospital everyday but grew increasingly anxious, knowing the day when she would no longer accept their excuses was drawing closer. She was beside herself when she saw the plaster on her leg and the small stitches all over her arms and body, which she knew would leave ugly scars, and made a big issue out of it, crying a great deal. How then would she have reacted when she learned the truth about Steve?

Close to a week after the funeral, Candy demanded to see her father as she was beginning to suspect they were keeping the truth from her. A sudden sense of doom enveloped her as she looked at everybody's facial expressions. It was when she threatened to get out of bed to look for her father that they broke the news to her. Betty tried to say it as gently as she could but how, indeed, could a gentle voice be expected to soften the blow of such devastating news?

The stark realisation hit Candy like a ton of bricks! Her heart dropped. She felt her chest constrict; it was difficult to breathe. She was filled with dread, despair and guilt. The moment Carol touched her, she went ballistic and started screaming at the top of her lungs, flailing her arms and kicking with her one good leg so hard there was a threat to disconnecting vital medical equipment. Her screams sent the nurses running in. Much effort was put into restraining and preventing her from doing any more self-harm. Doses of painkillers and a mild sedative were given, before she finally settled down and drifted off to sleep.

Georgie volunteered to watch her closely round the clock for the next few days for fear of another violent episode. The family could not risk her falling from her bed and potentially aggravating her injuries or yanking off vital tubes or wires which might cause bleeding. Above all, they feared she might become suicidal and do something unthinkable, for they knew that Candy loved her father too and would likely blame herself for the accident. It was after another week or so that the doctors finally declared her fit to be discharged from the hospital.

Fred and Betty stayed a month before they returned home to their ranch up north. Georgie could not have been more thankful to them for their support. They extended an invitation for Carol and the girls to visit them soon, but Carol was hesitant. She gave a wistful, tight-lipped smile, but made no promises. The trip would be a good diversion, as Betty put it, but travelling was the last thing on Carol's mind at the moment. So, with a heavy heart, they waved goodbye as Georgie gave the old couple a ride to the airport.

As Georgie handed her grandparents their cabin baggage, they hugged her, saying, 'Everything's going to be fine, you'll see.' Georgie's thoughts were reflected in her eyes as she watched them disappear into the building. Indeed, but not anytime soon.

Chapter 2

The days seemed to drag on with everybody in Georgie's household feeling listless and drained of energy. It had been particularly challenging to deal with Candy's state of mind since her hospital stay. The house was quiet while she slept, otherwise, episodes of either inconsolable outbursts or manic depression would be the order of the day. This was the start of Candy's long road to recovery. Both Carol and Georgie were ready to stand by her all the way, though it proved to be particularly difficult whenever Candy started to act up.

Candy believed herself solely responsible for the tragic accident. She had said so emphatically, many times over, and no amount of persuasion otherwise, by either Carol or Georgie, had worked to make her change her mind. She would not be calmed down when she got into one of those moods, when she felt it impossible to reconcile with the fact that if not for her insistence in attending her friend's birthday party on the day concerned, the accident on the way back would not have occurred. She was unable to release her guilt and felt there was nothing she could do about it. If only she could turn back the clock, she would have acted differently; she would have consented to go along with the planned family trip to a waterfall to celebrate Georgie's 21st birthday instead. The trip had been postponed in favour of her adamant insistence to attend a casual friend's party. If not for her obstinacy, for her need to be favoured more by her parents instead of playing second fiddle to Georgie, Steve would not have needed to drive her there and back; there would not have been an accident; he would not have been killed.

Her guilt complex ate away at her conscience and made her feel like she could no longer face life with confidence again. Her self-esteem was at an all-time low, and as depression set in, it started a chain reaction of other problems. For the next month nightmares plagued her often in the night. The usually plumpish teenager had lost a lot of weight. Though Georgie and her mother tried to feed her nutritious meals, she could hardly eat anything.

Georgie had almost exhausted all means of trying to help her sister assuage her deep guilt and bring her around to some sense of normality at home. Her efforts so far had met with minimal success. She could only continue to treat her with love and compassion, refrain from saying anything negative and treat her as normally as possible. She let out a long sigh, seeing Candy reduced to this pitiable state—a far cry from the way she was before all this happened.

Candy had been a cheerful girl, full of life, and quite a handful—as their mother used to say—since she was a baby. She was strong-willed, defiant, loved junk food and gossip, and had a magpie fondness for small, bright pieces of trinkets. She could be impulsive or get aggressive if it suited her; too daring for her own good. Georgie had since lost count of the number of times she had to bail Candy out of trouble—school problems, boyfriend troubles, vandalism issues, driving without a licence, staying out late and getting into fights. She had even tried to steal a car once with some of her friends but abandoned the attempt when the car alarm was triggered, causing a deafening shrill to pierce through the still night air, and sending the youngsters running. When asked why she did it, Candy just shrugged it off, saying it had seemed like an idea of fun at the time, that something about her adrenaline had caused her to resort to doing this crazy, thrill-seeking thing for once in her life. Despite her delinquent behaviour, her parents loved her dearly and tried to counsel her and help her deal with her teenage issues. Still, she demanded for more, and vied for their love and attention.

It sounded insane, even to Georgie herself when she wished it, but she could barely describe how much she desired to have that old, incorrigible Candy back again whole—faults and all—instead of this pitiful invalid of a sister, reduced to half of what she used to be.

Candy's mental faculties continued to suffer when vivid, recurrent dreams forced her to relive the tragedy over and over every time she tried to fall asleep, when the horror-stricken face of Steve flashed before her eyes, jerking her awake. She would scream, and sob bitterly into her bedclothes. Carol's heart bled for her daughter every time she held her and soothed her back to sleep whilst she hid her own despair, only to shed bitter tears herself late at night in the privacy of her own room. Georgie, in no less anguish than both her mother and sister, albeit in tormented silence, often observed her mother subtly wiping away tears in different corners of the house where she would sometimes sit for hours. Seeing their suffering made her resolve all the more to be supportive and be the pillar of strength in her family.

For weeks Georgie had tried to spend as much time as possible with her sister. At times she lay in bed with her, just to talk, knowing Candy dreaded going to sleep because of the dreams. Other times, Georgie read with her, helped her with personal hygiene, and supervised some light exercise routines; giving her lots of encouragement in the process. At times, when Candy was calm, or even after a good cry from being jerked awake, she was able to tell Georgie a little bit about what she saw in those nightmares. Georgie's heart ached for her as she held her close and listened, asking a question or two and, little by little, she began to be able to piece together the events which led to the crash.

Everything had happened too fast. Steve had slammed on the brakes too late to avoid hitting an elk when it suddenly leapt out of some tall underbrush onto the road. The impact caused their car to swerve out of control, spin round and round, crash into a tree before going off the road, rolling and spinning down a shallow ravine. Glass shards were flying everywhere. Candy remembered being tossed like a rag doll before being flung out of the car. When she opened her eyes, she felt excruciating pain all over her body, especially in her right leg, and suspected it might have been broken because she could not move it. The car was totalled, and to her horror, she saw her father still inside, strapped to his seat. She believed she saw him still breathing; his chest seemed to be moving. But no matter how she tried to yell in a weak voice, she got no response from him. She gathered up all her strength and tried to crawl to where Steve was, but try as she might, she could not remember if she actually reached him before she passed out. She did not wake again until she was in the hospital days later. In her dreams, the whole scene which happened, sometimes in parts, played out again and again: the sounds of loud banging, crashing, of glass shattering and twisting metals, and the horrific image of him still trapped in that car. She tried to remember something else—something which ate at her—but she just, for the life of her, could not remember if Steve had said anything to her. She imagined he must have tried to say something, for if he had, those precious last words would have been something she could cling on to for the rest of her life.

In her private moments, Georgie sobbed upon imagining how much Steve might have suffered before he breathed his last. She, however—always one with a soft spot for Carol—chose not to tell her any of the details given either by the officers at the scene or by Candy in her personal experience, knowing it would do nothing other than cause more tears and heartache. Therefore, she kept this knowledge to herself.

Georgie took time to pay a visit to Candy's college to see to the deferment of her course for the time being. An indeterminate period of convalescence was required for Candy, she explained to the principal, as she needed to recover sufficiently enough physically, mentally and emotionally if she ever hoped to go away to college by herself again. Georgie knew her sister's healing process was going to take several months and hoped she would be ready for college again sometime in the near future.

Carol did not seem to have the energy to deal with anything concerning both her daughters at this time. Her moodiness seemed to be erratic. At times she seemed all right, but she could suddenly be doleful looking as well, which sadly, she was more prone to so soon after her husband's passing. Georgie was worried about her mum too and tried to engage her in baking her famous cookies and cakes, as she always did before, to sell to their neighbours and the local cafés. It was not so much about doing the business for the business' sake as getting her to do something—anything—other than sit about moping, which was, in Georgie's opinion, crucial, to bring her out of her depression. But many a time, Georgie ended up having to handle the whole baking process on her own when Carol suddenly became gloomy and listless, dropped whatever she was doing and just retreated to her room without a word.

Georgie felt tremendously burdened by all these problems. She wished the accident had never happened and that their lives were what it used to be. But it did happen, and she was acutely aware that circumstances were very different now. She missed her dad terribly, and wished he was here. She felt quite alone these days as she moved listlessly about the house, and as she unwittingly stopped by the spiral staircase leading to the attic, in the midst of her own grief, she felt she had one thing to be thankful for. She looked up and started climbing. Her family's situation was not left in dire straits as Steve had seen to that; he had left them a legacy.

Steve had always shown he loved his family dearly and never deprived them of the small comforts of life. His love for numbers came second only to his passion for oil painting. A little over five years ago, he had taken up a position in an accountancy firm in London and moved his family there with him. But, as the cold weather did not agree with him, they had moved back home to Wellington when his contract expired, and he had continued his work as a manager in a local accounting firm.

His artwork, which he undertook whenever he could, sold for modest sums. Georgie used to sit with him for hours in the attic, which had also served as his studio, to watch him paint while she did her drawing in pencil. She was proud that some of his canvases were bought and displayed in a number of hotels and public buildings.

About a year ago, Georgie recalled, painting had become somewhat difficult for him, as numbness had begun to dull the sensations in the hand he used to draw with. He would shake his hand, bend the wrist and stretch his fingers to help alleviate the numbness, smiling at Georgie and telling her not to worry. Georgie was concerned for him all the same. While he had been in remission from multiple sclerosis for many years then, the sudden relapse of symptoms made her worry all over again. It was around this time that he decided to draw up a will, leaving everything he had to his family.

A devoted and responsible man, Steve had, from the onset of this dreaded, incurable disease, started setting aside a sum of money in a separate bank account. Although Carol knew the existence of this account, she always thought there was not much in it. She, therefore, never expected to discover the entirety of her husband's savings to be 15 times the amount she thought he had. In addition, he had many pieces of his finished but unframed oil paintings already bubble-wrapped, sealed and kept in large boxes in his studio. Other framed works were kept separately, ready to be dispatched to any interested buyer at a moment's notice. He had planned all this so that, in the eventuality of his death, the family would not be wanting in immediate financial aid. He always had the habit of looking farther ahead in life, postulating in a cheerful way to Georgie. His voice rang in her head, I'd rather be a little bit more prepared for any just-in-case scenarios than not, darling.

Georgie sighed to herself as she gazed out the large attic window. It was a Sunday afternoon in late summer. Candy had just dozed off for a nap. The house was quiet.

Unbeknownst to her, Carol, who had been watching her, felt deeply for her. She was not oblivious to what was happening in her household. She knew in her heart she would have to regain some kind of control over her own melancholic depression. This household had to come alive again, back to normal, and they would have to help one another in order to attain it. She would have to find a way, somehow, so everybody would gain from it.

One morning, after a period of deep mourning, she was suddenly back in the kitchen preparing her daughters' favourite breakfast. She understood she had to carry on with her motherly responsibilities like before. She could discern Georgie's struggles and felt she had to do her part. She could not leave her daughter to bear the family's burden alone any longer. She hugged them often, assuring them they were all going to live through this together.

It was the uplifting change in her which Georgie was glad to see. Her mother was active again and trying to cope as best she could, though Georgie knew she was still grieving. Carol, on the other hand, was unaware of exactly how shattered Georgie's heart really was. She had concealed it well, right from the day of the tragedy.

Seeing that her mum had snapped out of her state of melancholy, Georgie felt inclined to turn all her energy back to her work. Work was a place she could lose herself in; where she felt safe from her own despair. Suppressing her own heartache, she buried herself in her work as a children's book illustrator, a job she took up only six months before, after her return from the UK. She was adept at drawing and could produce vivid sketches and colourful illustrations—thanks to her fecund imagination—and was often lauded for handing in quality work.

She was appreciative of her boss who had been sympathetic to her plight at home and given her time off with no pressure. Ben was glad to have her back at work, but even so, he felt she was pushing herself a little too hard. He suggested she take it easy for the time being, but she had refused to lighten her workload.

The hours she put in began to worry Carol. Despite her urges that Georgie slow her pace and find time to rest, Georgie countered, while fighting back tears, that it was the only thing keeping her sane at the moment. That was when Carol realised there was more hidden behind her daughter's defiant look than met the eye. But there was little she could do to help Georgie unless she let her.

Since being back from the hospital, Candy was always using her fractured leg as an excuse not to leave the house, except for medical appointments. She was not only full of self-pity but insisted the pain in her leg had not diminished and continued to be peevish, throwing temper tantrums often. Georgie knew she was just being difficult as she entered the different phases of her grieving process, and simply let her be.

Determined to not display any weakness in character, Georgie continued working and left Candy to their mother's care. Soon her workdays grew longer, including weekends at home, until it felt more like a routine, and she began to have less time for herself and everyone else around her.

Even Carol's suggestion to take a short break and let Henry take her out for a night in town did not tempt her. 'Georgie! This is not normal! You know Henry's been back in Upper Hutt for some days. He claimed you didn't answer his calls. You need to get out and socialise a little. All Henry wanted was to take you out for an evening. Just one evening, please, honey?' Carol pleaded. Georgie rolled her tired eyes and started up the stairs to her room.

Carol shook her head and beamed a little as her eyes followed her beautiful daughter. She was a young brunette with greyish-green eyes which slanted ever so slightly at the outer corners. Her lovely oval face was accentuated with high cheek bones and a pointed chin, a dainty nose and full sensuous lips. She had a slender, shapely body with clear glossy skin, and looked good even when she was not dressed in style. Carol felt it was such a shame that she did not wish to see Henry when he was back home. She and Henry were such an adorable couple.

For five years Georgie had been the girlfriend of the handsome and successful international model cum actor from Upper Hutt—a half hour's drive from Wellington, where both Georgie and Candy were born. They had met at a prestigious hotel lounge in London where Henry, then 17, was seated with a glass of plain water, holding his modelling portfolio and nervously waiting for the appointed time when he would enter a meeting hall for his audition and casting call for a modelling job.

Georgie, then 16, had gone there with her schoolbag to find a nook to do some studying in, and finding none, had wandered about until Henry offered her his table. She had caught his eye the moment he saw her. He shyly introduced himself, touching a hand to the back of his collar, and told her about his audition. He looked at his watch again and, smiling apologetically, said he really had to go and got up. Georgie wished him good luck.

About three hours later, Henry came bounding up to her with a bright smile on his face. Georgie, with her nose buried in books, was pleasantly surprised that he came back to her. He was in a buoyant mood and offered to take her out for an early celebration—for the good luck she brought him, he said. He was happy to have met her and elated that she was still there in the lounge as it was his fervent hope to see her again. He was optimistic of a positive outcome from his casting call as his casting director had expressed an interest to see him again. He would have to wait patiently for a phone call from his agent confirming his next appointment.

They had a simple but enjoyable fast-food dinner together. Henry joked that this was all he could afford, and that he would have to do some jogging to burn off the extra calories. They