Finding Love In Unexpected Places

Chapter 1 (Lily Pov)

Chapter One - Coming Home

Lily’s POV

I hadn’t been back to this town for years. To be honest I hadn’t been back here since my brother lived here, and he moved away from here just after his son was born. I didn’t have great memories of this town; it was kind of horrendous, and rather boring to be honest.

I’d lived with my brother since I was a kid, and when he lost his own children, he took me in as his own, he practically raised me, and I since his death I had been lost.

Just now I needed my family by my side, and I needed to be by their side.

Why I decided to come her at eight in the evening after it was completely pitch black, was beyond me. A lot of my decisions worried me when I thought about them, but the quicker I got to my nephew the better.

I wasn’t too sure on the directions to get to his house, seen as I hadn’t been there in a long while. I turned the map that was lying on the passenger seat next to me. Yes, I was using a map, a sat nav was unreliable and the map had the correct directions so I decided to use that.

Looking up from the map, I saw a person stood in the road. I was sure that no one was stood there when I looked down to the map. They were too close for me to slow down, as when my foot pushed down on the break I felt my car collide with the person.

Each bang of the body hitting my car, forced a shiver down my spine. As the car came to a screeching stop I could feel my heart pounding against my chest.

Quickly I turned around to see whether the dimly lit body that lie on the floor was moving, and from the looks of it they weren’t.

Taking in a deep breath I slid out of my car pulling the torch out of the door. Turning on the torch I let it shine over the person, so I could see them as I walked towards them.

I didn’t really want to get close to them, if I had killed them I don’t know what I’d do. Where did they come from? Why were they stood in the road?

As I got closer to them, I saw lights coming down the road. As they came closer I realised it was a police car. I let out a small gasp looking at the car as it pulled up next to me.

The police officer got out of the car.

“Are you okay miss?” She smiled softly.

“It’s not what it looks like…” my voice trailed off as I looked down.

No one was lying on the floor. The person I hit wasn’t moving, so how did they get up and leave without me or the police officer knowing.

“What?”

“I… I hit someone with my car, and I don’t know where they went. They were lying right here,” I sighed.

“Well no one’s here.”

“I can see that. I must have imagined it. I’m tired,” I frowned.

“That’s okay. I’m Sherriff Forbes, but you can call me Liz. Do you want me to drive you to where you’ve got to go? Driving tired is dangerous, I can get your car to you in the morning,” she smiled softly.

“That’d be great thank you. I’m Lily; I’m kind of lost anyway. I’m looking for my nephews house, his name is Matt Donavon,” I stated.

She nodded.

I went and got my keys from my car, and grabbed my luggage before locking the car and handing the keys over to Liz. Quickly I wiped the thoughts of the person I hit from my mind, and just let her get me to my nephew’s house.

“You’re nephew used to date my daughter. He’s a good kid,” she smiled as we both got into her police car.

“That’s good to hear. I only met him once and he was a new born then, it’s been a long time,” I shrugged.

“Well it’ll be nice for him to have family in town again,” she smiled.

That was true, I wanted Matt to have family nearby, seen as he didn’t have any left other than me. To be honest we were complete strangers, I’m sure he had absolutely no recollection of his auntie Lily. I didn’t really remember him, I was only young when I met him as well, and I didn’t really remember the time I met him.

The drive wasn’t too long, before I thanked Liz, and she told me she’d bring my car around in the morning. After she pulled away I walked up the pathway to the house.

I’m pretty sure that this was the same house that my brother had lived in but I didn’t really know as it was so long ago. When I got to the door I knocked and waited for Matt to open the door.

The door opened revealing a tall blond boy, who was a spitting image of my brother. It was clear this was Matt as he was so much like his Dad.

“Hi Matt,” I smiled softly.

“Um… how do you know my name?” he frowned.

“Of course you have no idea who I am; we haven’t seen each over in like eighteen years. I’m just shocked at how much like your Dad you are. I’m Lily, your aunt,” I smiled.

“What are you doing here?” he asked with a frown.

“You’re my nephew, I didn’t want to let you feel like you were on your own after your Mum and sister left, and your Dad died,” I said softly.

“Wait, what do you mean Vicki left? She died over a year ago, and my Dad’s dead?” He said with a really sad expression on his face.

“She died? Didn’t you know about your Father?” I frowned.

He moved slightly away from the door letting me through the door into his house. I dropped my bag in the hallway.

“She was killed just before my Mum left, and no I haven’t spoken to him- ever,” He stated.

“I’m so sorry Matt. You’ve been through so much. Your Dad was in an accident and he didn’t survive. I presumed you knew,” I sighed.

“Why are you here Lily? You have never turned up neither did he. Why do you care now? Do you need money? I don’t have any so you better go look somewhere else,” he frowned.

“Matt, I don’t want your money. I need a place to stay for a while, and I wanted to spend time with you. Your Father couldn’t come to see you as your Mother said he couldn’t, so I didn’t go either. You’re my nephew Matt, and I want to get to know you. Please don’t shut me out Matt. You shouldn’t be here on your own and it doesn’t look like your Mum is coming back anytime soon, so I’ll try to take care of you, it’s what your Dad would have wanted,” I shrugged.

“Then why didn’t you come a year ago, when my sister died and my Mum disappeared, why did you wait so long, if you really cared?” He hissed.

I sighed. I wasn’t the greatest aunt, and I wasn’t going to pretend that I was, but I was still his family, so I had to take care of him. If my brother and his mother weren’t there for him, then I’d have to take care of him.

“I do care Matt. I just had to grieve for my brother on my own, and then I was worried you’d reject my wishes to help you. Please just let me stay here so we can get to know one another. We need to spend time with each other so we can get to know one another,” I sighed.

“Fine you can stay,” he frowned before walking upstairs, “You can have the room at the end of the hall.”