When we left Cherry Hill last Sunday, the good Ladies of the Protestant Auxiliary were all abuzz with the recent disappearance of Jack, Amanda, and her children. And though Mrs. Wilson, town matriarch and legendary hostess, tried to keep the rumor mill from running out of control, the panicked appearance of her husband Henry at an auxiliary luncheon was enough to set the whole town on edge.
We pick up this week at Marjorie Wilson's house shortly after the last of the auxiliary left...
***
Marjorie Wilson was worried. The last of the women from The Protestant Ladies Auxiliary had left after a rather awkward lunch. Between her husband crashing the party like a maniac and Jack and Amanda going missing, it was all Marj could do to bring things back to an even keel - and looking around the room at the remnants of deviled egg and finger sandwiches, she sighed.
Although her husband Henry had startled everyone at the luncheon when he burst in, he and his silly lodge had no way of knowing the truth about what was really going on. Certainly, there were some who suspected or even knew all wasn't as it appeared to be in Cherry Hill, but not even Henry, to whom Marj had been married for the better part of 30 years, had any idea about the Legacy her family had been born into and were sworn to uphold.
Marj was a Secret Keeper by birthright and had guarded the Legacy for most of her life; but when her only son Jack had been born a Watcher, she wanted a different life for him. This is why no tears were shed when he went away to war. She knew the Legacy would keep him safe, and she hoped the lure of distant places would keep him far away from Cherry Hill.
Amanda's late husband, Paul Fitzpatrick, had been a Watcher too. As the assigned replacement for Jack, he had gone to Nova Scotia, met and wooed Amanda, married her, and brought her safely to Cherry Hill where Sally and Bobby had been born. His medical practice had thrived, and Amanda became the toast of Cherry Hill's social scene - much to Marj's chagrin.
But the competition between hostesses was something Marjorie had crafted. Her real passion lay in keeping the Secret safe, and in maintaining a life in Cherry Hill that was as normal as possible. Yes, there were things that brewed beneath the surface, but if all remained contained, there would be no need for alarm. To the Association at that time, Cherry Hill was just another town.
And then everything changed.
Jack returned home and the minute her son laid eyes on Amanda, the Legacy shifted - and if Marj knew it, she could bet the Association did too.
Marj shook her head in sadness. Paul, who had loved Amanda, also felt the shift. He understood destiny was at play and made a Watcher's ultimate sacrifice by setting up a cover with his nurse, Val Peterson. Though Paul didn't know it at the time, she was the worst possible person to add to the equation.
And here they were. Her husband running around town like a chicken with his head cut off, the crazy lodge probably getting ready for some kind of secret ceremony, and members of The Association most likely everywhere. As long as Henry kept up with the lodge, though, it diverted any suspicion from Marjorie. To the world, she was town matriarch, and she kept her secrets well.
***
At the other end of town Walt Fischer had set up a make shift command center out of his doctor's office, and telling the nurse he was unwell, cancelled all appointments for the week, diverting those who were seriously ill to Doc Tracy in the neighboring town of View Royale.
He had several men combing Twin Lakes Forest in search of Jack, Amanda, and the children and was growing more and more frustrated because for all intents, it looked as though they had vanished. And his bosses at the Association did not want to hear that.
It was essential they find Amanda before Jack got them to the Lakes and they were steadily losing ground.
***
Jack and Amanda quietly finished a pot of coffee and the last remnants of the tinned beef stew and campfire biscuits they had for dinner, each lost in their own thoughts.
It had been two days since Amanda, without really knowing why, ran off with her children and Jack into the night deep into Twin Lakes Forest. Although she had said nothing about it to Jack, as they moved closer to the lakes she could feel their pull - almost as if they were waiting for her, calling out to her, and on some very puzzling level, she felt as though she were returning home.
It was all so crazy! And she quickly shifted her mind toward other thoughts lest Jack think she was losing her mind.
In the meantime, Jack was lost in thoughts of his own. Surely his mother was now aware that he and Amanda were on the run - as much as she had fought to keep him out of this, she, more than anyone, had to understand how impossible that was for Jack. From the moment he laid eyes on Amanda, there was no one but her and he would give his life if he had to - just as Paul had done - to keep her safe.
Looking across the campfire at Amanda, also deep in thought, caused him to draw in a sharp breath. She was so beautiful. But he had to clear his head. Thoughts like this were only going to get them in trouble. It was Jack's job as Watcher to protect her, not to fall in love.
"Amanda," he said, looking across the fire, "Tonight we're going to make our next move. As soon as the sun goes down, we're going to make our way to the next drop off. It will be an eight hour hike taking us around to the North edge of the Twin Lakes. Make sure the children are well fed and give them a sleep now while we clean up camp. When we get to the next drop off I will explain everything."
Amanda warmed some powdered milk for Bobby and Sally, and, adding a bit of honey gave them each another biscuit. "Now drink this children, it will make you sleepy. We have a long night of hiking ahead of us and I'd like you both to get some rest."
The excitement of the two day journey and all the fresh air had tired the children and both fell fast asleep after their warm milk and honey. Jack and Amanda left them to sleep in their cozy little camp beds and cleaned up all traces from the camp that anyone had been there.
"The crew Fischer has working now won't be able to find us," said Jack, "But it won't be long before The Association sends in more specialists and if anyone's going to find us, it will be them - so be extra diligent cleaning up. We can't leave any indicators that we were here."
Neither Jack nor Amanda knew that Bobby, wanting to leave a mark that he had been there, buried a toy soldier under a rock by the entrance.
***
Please enjoy the next installment in the Cherry Hill Saga: Amanda's Real Parents are Revealed
Stay tuned next Sunday for the next exciting installment of Cherry Hill! And if you enjoy reading my food related fiction, pop by and check out my hilarious new web series "Starring Samantha."
Samantha Wentworth's catering business goes belly up along with her marriage to cut throat divorce attorney Alan Wentworth. To recoup her losses she applies to be on a reality TV show, falls in love with the married producer, just about kills the pompous chef host, and gets herself into all kinds of other interesting predicaments.
Stay tuned Saturdays for this brand new serial on The Kitchen Witch!
I'll be basing the characters off of well known food world
celebs to keep you guessing! Each installment will come with a signature
cocktail, recipes, and a fun question and answer to include you in the
plot twists - so be sure to bookmark The Kitchen Witch and come along
for a fun, food related, romantic romp through the world of reality TV!
Click here to read Episode 1: Samantha Drowns her Sorrows in a Vodka Gimlet
Tweet
***
Author:
Lyndsay Wells is a professional trainer, writer, and program developer with a passion for food and cooking. She is an award winning recipe developer, and a website ambassador for Kraft Foods Canada. Lyndsay believes cooking should be approachable and easy and has great tips and ideas for putting together sophisticated looking dishes that cooks of all levels can accomplish.
Visit her daily on her blog, The Kitchen Witch or on her YouTube Channel, CHARMED With The Kitchen Witch.
We pick up this week at Marjorie Wilson's house shortly after the last of the auxiliary left...
***
Marjorie Wilson was worried. The last of the women from The Protestant Ladies Auxiliary had left after a rather awkward lunch. Between her husband crashing the party like a maniac and Jack and Amanda going missing, it was all Marj could do to bring things back to an even keel - and looking around the room at the remnants of deviled egg and finger sandwiches, she sighed.
Although her husband Henry had startled everyone at the luncheon when he burst in, he and his silly lodge had no way of knowing the truth about what was really going on. Certainly, there were some who suspected or even knew all wasn't as it appeared to be in Cherry Hill, but not even Henry, to whom Marj had been married for the better part of 30 years, had any idea about the Legacy her family had been born into and were sworn to uphold.
Marj was a Secret Keeper by birthright and had guarded the Legacy for most of her life; but when her only son Jack had been born a Watcher, she wanted a different life for him. This is why no tears were shed when he went away to war. She knew the Legacy would keep him safe, and she hoped the lure of distant places would keep him far away from Cherry Hill.
Amanda's late husband, Paul Fitzpatrick, had been a Watcher too. As the assigned replacement for Jack, he had gone to Nova Scotia, met and wooed Amanda, married her, and brought her safely to Cherry Hill where Sally and Bobby had been born. His medical practice had thrived, and Amanda became the toast of Cherry Hill's social scene - much to Marj's chagrin.
 |
| Marjorie Wilson cooks Christmas dinner with all the latest in kitchen gadgets! |
But the competition between hostesses was something Marjorie had crafted. Her real passion lay in keeping the Secret safe, and in maintaining a life in Cherry Hill that was as normal as possible. Yes, there were things that brewed beneath the surface, but if all remained contained, there would be no need for alarm. To the Association at that time, Cherry Hill was just another town.
And then everything changed.
Jack returned home and the minute her son laid eyes on Amanda, the Legacy shifted - and if Marj knew it, she could bet the Association did too.
And here they were. Her husband running around town like a chicken with his head cut off, the crazy lodge probably getting ready for some kind of secret ceremony, and members of The Association most likely everywhere. As long as Henry kept up with the lodge, though, it diverted any suspicion from Marjorie. To the world, she was town matriarch, and she kept her secrets well.
***
At the other end of town Walt Fischer had set up a make shift command center out of his doctor's office, and telling the nurse he was unwell, cancelled all appointments for the week, diverting those who were seriously ill to Doc Tracy in the neighboring town of View Royale.
He had several men combing Twin Lakes Forest in search of Jack, Amanda, and the children and was growing more and more frustrated because for all intents, it looked as though they had vanished. And his bosses at the Association did not want to hear that.
It was essential they find Amanda before Jack got them to the Lakes and they were steadily losing ground.
***
Jack and Amanda quietly finished a pot of coffee and the last remnants of the tinned beef stew and campfire biscuits they had for dinner, each lost in their own thoughts.
It had been two days since Amanda, without really knowing why, ran off with her children and Jack into the night deep into Twin Lakes Forest. Although she had said nothing about it to Jack, as they moved closer to the lakes she could feel their pull - almost as if they were waiting for her, calling out to her, and on some very puzzling level, she felt as though she were returning home.
It was all so crazy! And she quickly shifted her mind toward other thoughts lest Jack think she was losing her mind.
In the meantime, Jack was lost in thoughts of his own. Surely his mother was now aware that he and Amanda were on the run - as much as she had fought to keep him out of this, she, more than anyone, had to understand how impossible that was for Jack. From the moment he laid eyes on Amanda, there was no one but her and he would give his life if he had to - just as Paul had done - to keep her safe.
Looking across the campfire at Amanda, also deep in thought, caused him to draw in a sharp breath. She was so beautiful. But he had to clear his head. Thoughts like this were only going to get them in trouble. It was Jack's job as Watcher to protect her, not to fall in love.
Amanda warmed some powdered milk for Bobby and Sally, and, adding a bit of honey gave them each another biscuit. "Now drink this children, it will make you sleepy. We have a long night of hiking ahead of us and I'd like you both to get some rest."
The excitement of the two day journey and all the fresh air had tired the children and both fell fast asleep after their warm milk and honey. Jack and Amanda left them to sleep in their cozy little camp beds and cleaned up all traces from the camp that anyone had been there.
"The crew Fischer has working now won't be able to find us," said Jack, "But it won't be long before The Association sends in more specialists and if anyone's going to find us, it will be them - so be extra diligent cleaning up. We can't leave any indicators that we were here."
Neither Jack nor Amanda knew that Bobby, wanting to leave a mark that he had been there, buried a toy soldier under a rock by the entrance.
***
Please enjoy the next installment in the Cherry Hill Saga: Amanda's Real Parents are Revealed
Stay tuned next Sunday for the next exciting installment of Cherry Hill! And if you enjoy reading my food related fiction, pop by and check out my hilarious new web series "Starring Samantha."
Samantha Wentworth's catering business goes belly up along with her marriage to cut throat divorce attorney Alan Wentworth. To recoup her losses she applies to be on a reality TV show, falls in love with the married producer, just about kills the pompous chef host, and gets herself into all kinds of other interesting predicaments.
Click here to read Episode 1: Samantha Drowns her Sorrows in a Vodka Gimlet
Tweet
***
Author:
Lyndsay Wells is a professional trainer, writer, and program developer with a passion for food and cooking. She is an award winning recipe developer, and a website ambassador for Kraft Foods Canada. Lyndsay believes cooking should be approachable and easy and has great tips and ideas for putting together sophisticated looking dishes that cooks of all levels can accomplish.
Visit her daily on her blog, The Kitchen Witch or on her YouTube Channel, CHARMED With The Kitchen Witch.
LYNDS....
ReplyDeleteAAARRRGGGHHH!!!!
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I KNOW 4 A FACT THAT THE REASON YER SUCH AN AMAZING WRITER IS B/C AS A WRITER MYSELF, U R STILL ABLE 2 KEEP ME GUESSING WHERE U R HEADED W/ THIS REMARKABLE PLOT LINE!!!
U R, MOST DEF...ONE. IN. A. MILLION!!!
LOVE U MUCH AND PLZ, KEEP THEM COMING!!!!
I am so happy you're enjoying this Erin! I'll keep em coming as long as friends keep reading!
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