Alchemy

Chapter 15

Arabella waved her hand at her, "don't be silly. But word of warning, don't give it to us to put it on", she put her hand up to her mouth and whispered "Luke coated it in lavender to keep you safe. It will burn our skin if we touch it." Georgia nodded as she put it down carefully and opened the present from Joanna and Luke. As she opened it she saw an assortment of colours fill the room. Georgia looked at the small heart shaped pendant giving off the array of colours and picked it up. The Richmond's didn't move.

"It is from your mother, to go on your new chain. Again, it has lavender on it, but that was your mums doing", Joanna said. Georgia put her hand to her neck, realising she wasn't wearing the chain with the key on that her mum gave her. Joanna noticed, "oh we gave your old chain back to your mum yesterday, it was on the side and she said you wouldn't mind." Georgia nodded, feeling relieved and put her new chain and pendant around her neck.

They all sat there silently. "Right, we best be off, lots of party planning to do", Arabella said, grabbing Joanna and Luke's hands and pulled them into the garden.

Kian glared after her, knowing exactly what she was doing. Georgia fiddled with the ribbon from her gift as Kian got up. He took a small box out his pocket and walked over to Georgia. She looked up as he sat down next to her, the smell of his aftershave filling Georgia's lungs. "This is for you" he said passing it to her. Georgia stopped what she was doing and took it from him. "It's only small but I thought you would like it."

He watched as she tossed the box between her fingers over and over, "thank you Kian, you didn't have to get me anything..." She looked at him and caught his eye, the world seemed to stop around them.

Kian suddenly stood up, "I will see you later, have a good day", and he left.

Georgia looked at the box in her hand and opened it. It was beautiful. An amethyst stone in a silver ring – her birth stone. As she was admiring it Arabella walked in disappointed that Kian wasn't still there. She noticed the ring and walked over admiring it, "well aren't you one lucky girl." Georgia shut the box, embarrassed. Arabella shook her head, giggling, "you know that was our mothers." Georgia immediately handed her the box, but Arabella pushed it back. "It was never mine; mum gave that to Kian weeks before the attack. She had told him to keep it safe and give it to someone special, someone who..."

Georgia looked up at her, "someone who what?"

Arabella smiled, reminiscing back to that day, "someone whom he couldn't live without."

Georgia was speechless. Arabella looked down as she walked off, her blonde hair bouncing away. She shouted Georgia's way, "come on, I said I would take you to your mums!" Georgia stood up, closing the box and put it in her pocket as she ran after her.

*

"Georgia! Don't you look beautiful my darling. I cannot believe you are eighteen. How do I have a daughter that is eighteen?" she said as she pulled her in tight. She looked behind her at Arabella, "nice to see you again Arabella."

Arabella smiled politely, knowing it had been decades since they had seen each other, "yes, isn't it... Luke said to give you this", she handed Teresa an envelope on top of a box, "and the cakes underneath are from Joanna." Teresa took them from her and  moved out the way to let the girls in.

Henry ran down the stairs as Georgia was marveling at the effort her mum had made around the house. There were birthday banners everywhere and a pile of presents in the kitchen. Georgia opened her arms wide as her brother jumped into them, "happy birthday Georgia. I miss you being here all the time!" Henry said, not letting go.

Georgia squeezed him hard and let go, "I know, but it won't be forever, just for a little bit."

She looked up and saw her dad coming out the kitchen, "hello darling", he said as he approached her, giving her a hug, "come and do your presents, we have made an extra effort this year!" Georgia smiled and followed him in.