Shadow of the Day

[Inactive User]

Great chapter

Awww Liam and Bianca having a baby.

Wonder what Xavier found on the ground...?

More soon please xx

[pembie]

Wow I really enjoyed the part with Reed in the park. Gave me really good insight into her back story.

Reed's story doesn't seem removed from the rest of the story to me. I just thought you might just cleverly connect it in with the Brax's stuff. Which you are already doing with Valerie being in charge of Liam and Banica's adopting of Reed.

I really want to know what has happened to her Mom and Dad are they alive? Are they someone we know about or not? Can't wait to find out.

So yeah this story is awesome.

[soph1303]

Great update,

Loving the whole Reed storyline !! Really curious as to whether we know her parents or not!

Aww feel for Brax at the end !!

More soon please

[mizziette]

I know I'm getting more and more infrequent with updates; I'm afraid it'll continue this way til November with my study load. Hopefully there's still people reading this.

FIFTY FOUR

‘I don’t remember you being this nervous on our first date,’ Charlie followed Brax around the restaurant to the bar as he set up for opening.

‘Shut up, I haven’t done this in a while.’ Brax muttered.

‘Yeah, the last date you went on was what, two months before Jade was due?’ Charlie pondered.

‘Yeah, and then we were too busy with a baby to do anything and before we knew it…’ Brax trailed off.

‘Boom,’ Charlie dramatized by popping her fingers outward. ‘Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. You got my daughter as your wingman.’

Brax looked over at Jade by the nearest balcony table eating her pizza. At that moment, a woman in a patterned summer dress walked in. ‘Yeah, does me a favour, make yourself scarce.’

‘Good luck,’ Charlie smiled and nodded.

‘Hey,’ Brax walked over and met Marissa halfway.

Jade turned at the sound. ‘Rissa, you came,’

‘I said I would didn’t I?’ Marissa smiled as she made her way to the table. ‘Looks like you started without me,’

‘Yeah, daddy say I could.’ Jade took another bite of her slice.

‘She gets hungry easily,’ Brax explained as they took their seats. ‘Umm, do you like seafood pizza? It’s Jade’s favourite. If you don’t I can ask the kitchen for something else?’

‘No, seafood’s fine.’ Marissa got a slice. ‘It’s actually my favourite too.’

‘Really?’ Jade asked.

‘Yeah, my dad liked to fish a lot and he’d bring his catch home sometimes so we always had sea food around. Sometimes I’d go with him.’

‘Daddy,’ Jade turned. ‘How come you don’t take me to fish?’

‘I don’t know. We could if you like,’ Brax replied.

‘You fish?’ Marissa asked.

‘Not or years; before I moved to the bay I used to, now I don’t really get much time,’

‘Yeah, I know what you mean, the school counselling job is a little better than social work though, time wise.’

‘So long as my brother isn’t giving you a hard time, eh,’ Brax said. ‘I still can’t get my head around Casey, eh. After the family we grew up with, I just wanted the best for him and he’s done it, he’s a teacher. I can’t be more proud.’

‘Well, he’s very lucky to have you. You’re a real family guy, aren’t you?’

‘What else is there?’

‘I like that,’ Marissa observed.

‘Rissa, do you want to go to the beach after pizza?’ Jade interrupted.

‘I have to get back to work after my lunch break, honey,’

‘Yeah, and we’ve got to go to the diner later.’

‘Oh,’ Jade nodded. ‘Okay, another time,’

‘Another time,’ Brax ruffled her hair. Surprising himself, he realised he was actually a little comfortable.

Later at the diner, Colleen smiled as she shed tears of joy, feeling nostalgic. ‘Oh, I’m going to miss you all so much! You won’t be forgotten when I’m basking in the tropical Thai sun, let me tell you. We’re in a new age. Dex has been teaching me how to use that Facebook, you know and the Skype too. You won’t hear the end of me in Summer Bay yet.’

‘I don’t think you’ve ever not been able to make yourself heard Colleen.’ Alf shook his head lovingly.

The whole community had gathered to celebrate Colleen’s new beginning in Thailand with Sally and Miles. Her farewell was everything she could’ve hoped for and more. Leah walked over with the cake she’d baked that morning.

‘Oh, Leah you shouldn’t have.’ Colleen gasped and blushed emotionally. ‘Oh, this is all too much. You’re making it impossible to say goodbye tomorrow.’

‘Darn, she’s discovered our evil plan,’ Bianca joked.

‘You deserve every bit of it, Colleen.’ Leah placed the cake on the table in front of her. ‘You’re an integral piece of the bay. It won’t be the same without you.’

Colleen was in tears as she cut the cake; she’d never felt so loved before. The party moved on and there was talk, laughter and joy. The adults joked and reminisced about their favourite gossip while the children ran around playing. All except Reed who sat demurely on a bench seat at the back of the diner.

‘Aren’t you going to play?’ Jade carefully walked up to the slightly older girl and asked. Reed shook her head. ‘Yeah, I’m tired. My daddy give me cake. We can share.’

Reed nodded and Jade sat down next to her and placed the plate in front of them; handing Reed a small tea spoon. The two made the most of their chocolate slice leaving only a slight trail of crumbs in its wake.

‘You live with Aunt Bee. Daddy says so. She’s nice.’ Jade rambled, not really bothered by her new companion’s lack of communication. ‘She know my mummy from all the way before; they were best friends. I don’t have one, do you? There Harry, but he a boy and no like whales. Do you like whales?’

Reed shrugged and Jade smiled as she took another bite of cake. ‘I love whales. I have big whale and her name is Esther and there is little Esther that’s a toy and there’s real Esther that’s really real. I like music too. I play the piano. Every one say I’m real good. Leah want me to play later for Mrs Smart. She cry all the time today but daddy say it’s cause she real happy but that’s funny.

Read giggled, arousing the attention of Bianca who was a few tables away. She smiled at the joyful noise.

‘I not hungry no more. Do you want to play tag with me and Harry?’ Jade stood up.

Reed nodded again and the two girls ran off together past Bianca, Liam and Brax talking together with their cake.

‘Looks like someone’s found a new friend,’ Bianca commented with pride. ‘Those two seem to have hit it off.’

‘Yeah, is she settling in alright after she tried to run away?’ Brax asked.

‘Yeah, we talked to her, told her the new baby doesn’t change anything. I don’t know though. I think the sooner they find her folks the better. She misses them.’ Liam replied.

‘Docs are thinking about moving her somewhere else if she’s not happy with us though I hope it doesn’t come to that.’ Bianca whispered half-heartedly. As much as she knew what had to be done, saying good bye to Reed was going to be painful, whether it was to a real foster family or to her parents.

Leah walked up to them as she got off the phone with a forlorn look on her face. She clutched the phone in her fists anxiously. ‘Hi, thank you for coming to this. I know how much it means to Colleen that you’re here.’

‘Something tells me I wasn’t exactly on the top of Colleen’s invite list but hey, I’ll take the free cake.’ Brax joked. ‘Are you alright Leah? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.’

‘No, I’m not.’ Leah sighed deeply, still clenching the phone. ‘I just got off the phone to make sure the Diner’s contributions to Colleen’s retirement funds were in order.’

‘And it wasn’t?’

‘I wouldn’t know. There’s nothing there. The money’s gone.’

[Inactive User]

Welcome back, Mizziette

Great chapter

Nice to see Jade and Reed getting on well

Ohhhh at the ending! I wonder who took the money...??

More soon please xx

[Freakie42]

SO happy you finally updated again, definitely still reading this one!

[pembie]

Jade and Reed's chat was cute..

Something tells me Colleen's party won't end well with that money for her missing.

Well worth the wait for this chapter.