Cadence

TWO

Two

With a cool cloth pressed to her burning cheek Cadence flopped across the soft quilts of her bed, totally devastated. Abuse had become as regular an occurrence in her household as taking breakfast or getting dressed in the morning. Gazing through her window and into the darkened sky she couldn’t help but think that any life must be better than this. She would be nineteen next week. The day marked a personal milestone that she hoped would give her the courage and strength to escape.

Letting heavy lids drift closed she allowed her thoughts to wander until she drifted into the blissful oblivion of sleep. In slumber she stood along the heavy oak rail of a ship and breathed deep of the salty ocean spray. Her curls danced in wild disarray with the blustery sea breeze and she felt content… happy...

Cadence woke slowly basking in the bright rays of the morning sun. Slowly she rose and set her feet quietly on the wooden floorboards, watching small prisms of sunlight dance about the room. Reaching arms high above her head she stretched thoroughly before getting ready to leave the house for work. Morning was always a peaceful time for the Jamison household. Mike usually slept off the result of his libations until the late hours of the morning, and her mother simply ignored her presence as much as was possible so Cadence would be able to enjoy a leisurely morning before departing the house to the seamstress’ shop.

After donning a simple pink cotton day gown and styling her hair into a practical coiffure Cadence gazed at her appearance in the mirror. What would Curtis Langston think? flitted unexpectedly through her mind and she shook her head with a wry smile. The dashing young sea captain was far too busy living a life of adventure to give her a second thought

After a quick breakfast Cadence wrapped a woolen shawl about her shoulders and stepped into the chill air. Charleston hummed with activity and she tripped contentedly through the streets darting in and out of alleyways, expertly negotiating her way through the historic city. She turned in some surprise at the sound of someone calling her name and stood stock still in the middle of the street as it dawned on her that the tall man waving from across the way was none other than Curtis Langston. A warm blush crept into her cheeks as she turned to face him. “Good morning, Captain. How are you?”

Curtis stopped before her and a genuine lopsided grin traversed his sun bronzed face as, lifting his arms in a casual gesture he said, “I didn’t think I was ever going to catch up to you! I’ve been chasing you since Broadstreet.”

She felt her eyes widen and fought the intensifying heat creeping up her neck and into her face as she was struck by his blatantly virile form. “Chasing me?” She shook her head in disbelief. “Why would you wish to chase me?”

The man was flawless. Really, his athletic frame could have been chiseled from granite to resemble that of Adonis. And when he moved… he did so with a quiet power and urgency only men who courted the sea possessed. He even smelled of the sea. And as always, clad in a blue knit sweater which clung all too provocatively to his lean frame, he looked more devilishly handsome than any man had a right to. Even a mind as unschooled as Cadence’s dared to dream what lay beneath. And his eyes, oh his eyes! Cadence had looked into the signature blue of a Langston nigh a hundred times, but when Curtis pegged her with that stare her insides positively quivered. The hue was so intensely blue, like ice or blue sky reflected from a fresh white snow.