ESSENCE of FANTASY

Chapter One

                “Aubrey, are you okay sweetheart?” a man of about fifty years of age questioned the young woman sitting next to him. “You look a little pale.” The dark haired man pushed her dark strands from her forehead, feeling the warmth of it with the back of his hand. “You’re a little too warm for my liking. Maybe I should take you to the hospital first.”

                The girl, whose face was indeed very pale with little beads of perspire forming, smiled and took the man’s hand, holding it in both of hers. “Daddy, once we get back onto the ground I’ll be fine. I’m just uneasy on a plane, that’s all. Please don’t worry daddy.”

                Smiling back at his daughter, the father patted her hands with his free one and sat back in his seat. “You’re just as stubborn as your mother.” Studying his daughter closely, he added. “I’m glad you decided to come back with me. I know this must be very difficult for you.”

                The twinkle in her light blue eyes disappeared at the mention of her mother, as she too sat back, releasing her father’s hands. Her thoughts drifted to a distant memory, one she had tried to forget, but could never seem to. It was just too much a part of her life, after all these years, she still remembered, she still cried and she still hated.

                Aubrey, the name her parents had given her in memory of her father’s mother, is the younger of twins. Her elder sister, Aimee, and she had been born premature, but it was Aimee who suffered, placed in an incubation tube and was watched carefully for well over two months before she was released from the hospital. Aubrey, however, miraculously had no health problems like her sister; she went home only a few weeks after her birth. This caused much resentment between the two sisters and even the parents. Both sets never got along and in the end, five years later, Aubrey and Aimee’s parents parted ways.

                The split furthered fractured the twins struggling relationship. Their father, Gideon, took custody of Aubrey, since she had been the child he had taken care of and was more able to handle the outdoor life, and their mother took Aimee, who was going to suffer from illness for the rest of her life. While Aimee stayed in San Francisco, Aubrey followed her father around the world, as he studied animals in their natural habitat.

                It had been over fourteen years since the five year old twins had actually met one another. Each held their own animosity to want to keep in contact with the other. Aubrey, who not only looked very much like her father, held many of the same characteristics as he did, was still angry that her mother had not even fought for her to stay, feeling as though her mother didn’t love her or want her.

                The plane landed as Aubrey’s thoughts floated back to the present. She and her father only told a few of his friends that they would be arriving and Aubrey, who kept in contact with only a few friends, was anxiously waiting to meet them as the father and daughter team walked out of the terminal.

                “Aubrey!” A female voice cried out before a flurry of running figures came up, a group hug soon followed. “How are you doing?” The same voice, belonging to a girl with long blond hair, asked.

                “The plane ride was awful, but otherwise, I feel great!” More hugs went around before the group of about five young men and women turned to greet Gideon.

                When all was said and done, Aubrey went with her friends, while her father was met by his own and went his separate way, promising to meet again later that night at the hotel rooms that were booked for the pair before her father would soon move into his own house and Aubrey into her own private loft.

                “So how was Africa?” George, a tall redhead questioned, as he drove half of the group down the busy San Francisco streets.

                “It was great. I had so much fun there! Too bad dad only let me stay during summer vacation. I hated boarding school in London. All those stuck up snobs who think they’re so much better than everyone else, but you guys already know all of that! Tell me about what you guys did here while I was gone!”

                The conversation continued, even after the friends found themselves at the downtown coffee house, sitting with large mugs of fancy named coffee around on chairs and couches. If anyone who was nearby was actually taking notice to the friends, it might have reminded them of a certain television show about a group of friends. It was well into the night when finally everyone finally decided it was time to go home, promising to meet the next day to help Aubrey move into her loft.

                Everyone piled into the three cars, Aubrey ended up in another car with her childhood friend, Kyle. “You’re staying at the Hilton, right?”

                “Yeah, dad should be there by now, he sent our luggage’s ahead to our rooms.”

                There was a moment of awkward silence before Kyle once again broke it with another question. “Are you planning on seeing your mom?” Everyone who knew Aubrey and her father were coming back the country knew that they were coming to stay, but all had the same question of whether they would meet with the other half of the family. A Winsiri family reunion would be something many would be looking forward to.

                While Aubrey was still trying to find the words to reply, Kyle’s car jerked ineptly with something else, causing Aubrey to let out a small yelp. Looking up and forward, the brunette saw another car, stopped dead in the street. Kyle had hit another car that had stopped abruptly in front of them.

                “Wait here.” Kyle ordered as three figures got out of the other car. Aubrey, who was unwilling to let her friend face what looked like three muscled men alone at night, got out as well just as Kyle called out in recognition to the others. “Hey guys!” All four did a shake/hug greeting before anyone noticed Aubrey standing aside, looking at them curiously. “Hey, guys, I bet you all remember Aubrey, Aimee’s twin sister.” Kyle pulled Aubrey to his side. “Aubrey, you remember Matt, Wilson and Christian?”

                “Aubrey?” The guy introduced as Christian questioned, a surprised, yet glad look on his face.

                Aubrey was wordless; she had not intended to meet anyone else she knew from her years here, especially not him.

© PRODUCT OF ELLIE TAEZA