Chapter 1

~If anything can go wrong, it will~

If there is one thing in life that I have learned, is that nobody cares.  Actually, let me rephrase that, nobody gives a damn. Well, that is what I decided and continued with that belief.

I realized this truth at an early stage in my life, but it was not until I met Murphy that I realized just how things could get worse, much worse than they were already. I hate Murphy.

I tried not to look at him as I sat on the bench, hugging my legs, watching the waves fall across the sand and return to the sea, again and again. The wind blew my hair across my face; the salt in the air tasted like my tears. Not too far pigeons were hovering, huddling close in various parts of the grass, blocking the pathway, and gliding in the air.  All were eagerly waiting for their next benefactor to reward them with a packet of seeds or breadcrumbs; I felt all eyes looking at me.  

“It’s your fault,”  I said bitterly. 

He looked amused, watching me with those green, eager trickster eyes. 

“How can you blame me?”  He said, with a giant irritating happy smile, leaning against the lamppost, his long arms folded across his chest, his cane hooked over his arm.  “Nothing can ever be always good,” he sighed with a hint of frustration.

“Nothing can be always bad either.” I couldn’t look at him, yet he was a marvel to look at; like a wondrous paradox of a red herring.

“But, Willow.”  He said, “It’s just the way it is. You know that.”

Life had been so much simpler before Murphy came along. Well, it is better said that my life was terrible, but it got worse ever since I met Murphy. I did not think it was possible, but he proved me wrong, so many times.

***

A naïve ten-year-old girl with a button nose, freckles dusted just above her cheekbones, and light bouncy pigtails win a prize for an English essay.  She runs into her parents’ bedroom in the middle of the day knowing it was her mother’s first day back from another country.  The excitement of never winning anything ever before and sharing it with one of the two most special people in her world was the most incredible feeling.  She stopped at the door, and frowned, meeting the stares of two people on the bed.  Where were their clothes?  What were they doing?

The man quickly covered himself with clothes that littered the cream carpet, and the woman wrapped herself with a dark blue blanket.  Yes, that little naïve girl was me.

  “Willow.” she smiled, her voice was like a sweet cherry, but she was not happy to see me.  “You’re home early.”

  “It’s the last day of school, Mom,”  I said still frowning.  “Who is that man?” 

He was a strange man to me.  He had a small beard, a bit hairy, and a crooked nose.  He was not nice looking, not like my Dad.  His eyes were a very deep blue and I knew inside that I didn’t like him.  “Where’s Dad?”

  “Go to your room, Willow,” Mom said.  She gently pushed me out of the room and closed the door.

I tried to go to my room but my body wouldn’t move.  I was frozen. My Mom and the deep blue-eyed man began to speak very loudly, but I did not quite understand what they were saying.  Mom knew many languages so at first, I thought they were not speaking English. I did make out though that he didn’t know what to do and what would she do. I found myself unfreezing and walk slowly to my room, holding my prize tight in my hand.

***

I loved my Dad.  I really really loved my Dad.  He was funny, kind and the best Dad ever.  That is what I wrote on the birthday card I made for him.  Even though other people laughed at my art, he would always say that I should become an artist one day. I believed him.

“Why does your Dad look like a carrot head?” David the idiot laughed at me. He was a horrible boy with a gap between his front teeth that sat next to me and made fun of me every day.

“No, he doesn’t.” I glared at him, “Well, you are a carrot head.” 

Very quickly, he yelled for the teacher and I got detention. It wasn’t my fault that he had red hair, so why I got detention and he didn’t, was not fair.  He deserved it for being nasty about my Dad, not me.

“Willow McQ-O-Ah,” The voice paused.  “McQ-wa-oh?”

“Mac-way-de.” I said slowly. “McQuoid.”

Miss Evans, the new teacher, was young, pretty and I liked her. Some of the other kids said she was horrible and shouted a lot. To me, she looked like such a nice person and I hoped that she would be my teacher when I was in grade six. 

“Don’t be cheeky, Willow.” She yelled and brushed her blond hair behind her ears. Her dark brown eyes furrowed making her face twist and she did look scary.

“I’m sorry,” I said, realizing that I may have embarrassed her in front of everyone. “My surname is hard to say. It took a long time before I learned how to say it.” 

She gave a heavy sigh. “Okay, then. Your father is here to pick you up.”

I knew my face beamed because my heart rose to my face and I smiled.  Strangely, so did she.  How could a face so scary suddenly lighten into a fair-skinned beauty?  I wished I had a smile like that.  My teeth were slightly crooked.  That is what the Dentist had said, and my teeth would come right on their own, if not I’d need braces; whatever that was. 

I got out of my chair and rushed to the doorway.  My Dad and Miss Evans were talking, and they were standing close, too close together.  I knew grown-ups did not stand that close to each other when they were speaking unless they were family or if they really liked each other.

“Dad?” I said with a frown.  Holding up the birthday card, I said with a small smile.  “Happy Birthday, I made this for you.” 

“Oh?”  Miss Evans's head tilted slightly.  “I didn’t know it was your birthday today.  You don’t look a day older.” 

My Dad blushed.  I’d never seen him look so awkward before. 

“I’ll see you later, Lisa.”  He said, “Come Willow.  Let’s go.”

Dad did not say a word since we left the school.  The local radio station filled the car with horrible music.  It was too loud and beaty. I couldn’t hear what they were singing about.

“Has Mom left again?” I asked, playing with the ends of my ponytail.  I had heard my parents talking the night before. 

He gave me a small smile, “Yes, she has.  She said that she was sorry to not say goodbye to you before she left.  The company called her urgently to Spain because one of their translators became very sick.”

“Oh.” I didn’t know what to say.  All I knew was that I wouldn’t see my Mom for a while.  My eyes brimmed with tears.  “But, she just got back.  When will she be back?”

“Don’t cry, Freckles.” He said, “You’ll see her soon.”

“Da-ad,” I sulked.  “Don’t call me, Freckles.”

“Okay, sorry,” He laughed.  “You’ll always be my Sunshine.”

Susan was home before we arrived.  She was our live-in au-pair who looked after me while my parents were working or out of the country. 

I rushed to her side, yelling her name and she gave me a big hug.  Even though she didn’t smile much, she was really good to me and we had a lot of fun.

“When did you get back?  I thought you were only coming back in July.”

“Oh,” Raising an eyebrow she glanced at my Dad.  “She doesn’t know?”

He shook his head.  “I haven’t spoken to her yet.”

Susan nodded with pursed lips.  “I just couldn’t stay away from you.  I missed you too much,” she smiled. “Once I’ve unpacked I’ll take you to get ice cream, okay?” I nodded, I was so excited, the first Dad picked me up from school and now Susan was back. The house had been boring since she left.

 I watched her dark brown ponytail wagged as she walked towards her living area.

“Tell me what, Dad?” 

He winked at me.  “I have a surprise for you.”

“Really?”  My heart skipped a beat.  I loved his surprises.

He bent down and placed a hand on my shoulder.  His sharp hazel eyes were serious.  “Your teacher, Lisa – ah, Miss Evans will be joining us for dinner.”

“Oh,” I looked down at my hands, playing with my fingers.

“Ah, don’t be like that, Sunshine.”  My Dad sighed.

“That is not a surprise,”  I said softly, I could barely say the words.

“You like her, right?”

I shook my head remembering how she treated me in detention.

“She’s not my teacher and I don’t like her.”

“Well,” He ruffled my head and said with a stern voice.  “Behave.  I don’t want any tantrums, okay?”

“Yes,” I nodded.

By the time I had finished my homework Dad had already arranged for one of our drivers to fetch Miss Evans. Why was she coming here?  She was not even my teacher and I wasn’t sure if I wanted her to be my teacher anymore. 

“You don’t mind do you, Sunshine?”  Dad said when our car pulled up in the driveway.  It was my favorite, a shiny black Chevrolet Cruze.  The one he used for clients. He said I was just as important as his clients.  He walked out and opened the door for her, taking her hand, and almost lifted her up from the car.  Anger welled up inside me.  I did mind. 

I barely existed at the dinner table wishing Susan had joined us.  I hated being alone.  My Dad and Miss Evans had only eyes for each other and they smiled and laughed so much, it made me feel sick.

“Time for bed, hey, Freckles.”  My Dad laughed.

“It’s still early.” I protested, “Can’t I watch some TV.” 

Whenever Mom wasn’t here and it was just Dad and me, we would go outside by the pool and talk.  Sometimes he would swim with me, other nights we would watch TV together until very late.

“What did I say, Willow?”  He said sternly.

Trying not to cry, I said, “Sorry, Dad.”

Before leaving the table I watched them.  Sitting side by side, she was giggling and his eyes shone. He looked at her the same way other women would look at him whenever we went out to the Home Ground Park, or go ice-skating or see a movie at the cinema. How could he look at her like that? 

I felt hurt, betrayed.  My Mom was gone and now, would my Dad be gone too?

As I left the dining room leaving the giggles behind me, I thought things were horrible, and I was not happy.  Everything would go back to normal when Mom comes back, I thought.  But my heart told me differently and tears slid down my cheeks.

As I drifted off to sleep I heard or felt a faint call of my name.  It was like a soft breeze from a distance.  Willow.  Willow.