The Key

Chapter Four

Cassandra and Chloé had been raised in a home with a lot of love. There were pictures of silly endearing moments throughout the house. Even into their golden years the elder Lester's had continued capturing these memories on camera. Grandma on a swing at eighty and Grandpa snapping pictures as though she were a Vogue model.

When the girls were younger they had taken it upon themselves to fill the empty space of the loss of their son and daughter-in-law with priceless happy moments. They never spoke of their dead ones as gone, instead acted as though the girls' parents were on a business trip or a vacation.

Cassandra seemed to leave the sorrow behind with each note she played on the piano.

Chloé seemed to be chased by the memories, running from one end of the globe to the next always searching for an answer.

The Lesters were very traditional people. The twins were raised with strict old fashion values in a light hearted atmosphere. The girls were best friends who laughed, cried and grew together, always close even when one was on the other side of the globe.

Cassandra was the one person who had always understood her sister's spur of the moment thinking and did not judge her. Her grandparents however expected the best from these well loved children. They were continually trying to help Chloé to make more solid decisions in her life to see things through to completion. They firmly expressed disdain for all the traveling, the wasted funds on college courses never realized and the end of the engagement to Walt.

"What kind of woman travels alone?"

"What kind of woman quits a prestigious college?"

"What kind of woman ends her best chance for security?"

Those were the words Chloé heard over and over, she knew her grandparents only wanted the best for her, yet she could not help to defiantly embark on life's next adventure.

After meeting Richard she finally had found her anchor. A reason to build a nest, she and Richard could fly away every chance they got..... together.

To think a year before meeting the love of her life she almost died!

The details were still unclear. She remembers cutting a trip to Panama short and flying to South Carolina. Why she was there or what she was looking for was a mystery.

Chloé's rental car was found crashed by a school bus full of children. The doctors had said some memory loss was common after an organ as delicate as the brain crashes into the skull.

Her family had flown her home and she recovered within months back to norm for Chloé. She had forgotten why she felt it was so urgent to get to South Carolina. Those memories seemed lost forever.

There was even a small bit in the local paper, "Local girl gets amnesia".

No matter, she was glad this evening had come, time for the man she loved to meet the people she loved.

Richard always flew in and took the time to freshen up before rushing off to meet Chloé. Tonight he would not be nervous he told himself. He looked in the mirror one last time before heading out of the jet. Freshly showered and dressed, he was ready.

He arrived at the cozy home where the girls were raised, they all still lived there together and the whole family was meeting him and then they were all going out for dinner.

Mr. Lester reached for his cane and his antacids not knowing what to expect. Mrs. Lester had plans of her own that evening. She did not know who Richard Tate was but she had sent an invitation of her own.

Mr. Tate's limo arrived. The driver opened the door as a tall dark man emerged into the last streams of light for the day. The Lester's were eagerly standing in the doorway to greet this mystery man.