WARM TOUCH
G̶l̶o̶o̶m̶y ̶h̶e̶i̶g̶ht
Estella Burns (fl)
The Gloomy Heights
Estella Burns (fl)
*plucked the sticky note*
Estella Burns (fl)
There. Is. No. The . Gloomy.Heights
Estella Burns (fl)
*Frustrated*
She desperately scanned the road for a street sign
Liam Burns (fl son)
*crying badly*
Estella Burns (fl)
I’m sorry, baby.
Estella Burns (fl)
We’re almost there.
Estella Burns (fl)
( We had to be close, right?)
Estella Burns (fl)
(This miserable trip had to end)
the baby was crying badly
He was only eight weeks old
Estella Burns (fl)
I’m screwing everything up, aren’t I?
Estella Burns (fl)
(Maybe I should have waited and made this trip when he was older)
Estella Burns (fl)
(Maybe I should have stayed in City)
Estella Burns (fl)
(and dealt with the bullshit)
Estella Burns (fl)
(Maybe I should have made a hundred different choices)
Estella Burns (fl)
(A thousand)
Estella Burns (fl)
After days in the car, I’d begun questioning my every decision, especially this one.
Estella Burns (fl)
Escaping the city had seemed like the best option.
Estella Burns (fl)
But now . . .
Estella Burns (fl)
like a decade ago that I’d packed up my life—
Estella Burns (fl)
our life—
Estella Burns (fl)
and loaded it into my car.
Estella Burns (fl)
Once, I’d been a girl who’d grown up in a mansion.
Estella Burns (fl)
A girl who’d had a private jet at her disposal.
Estella Burns (fl)
The realization that the only possessions truly mine would fit into a Volvo sedan was . . .
Estella Burns (fl)
humbling
Estella Burns (fl)
But I’d made my choice.
Estella Burns (fl)
And it was too late to turn back now.
Estella Burns (fl)
Thousands of miles and we’d finally made it to this town.
Estella Burns (fl)
The site of our fresh start.
Estella Burns (fl)
Or it would be if I could find The Gloomy Heights
Estella Burns (fl)
Shh. Baby.
Estella Burns (fl)
We’re almost there.
Neither did he understand nor care.
He was hungry and needed a diaper change.
Estella Burns (fl)
I’m sorry
Estella Burns (fl)
*whispered*
Tears blurred her vision.
Estella Burns (fl)
(Don’t give up)
Estella Burns (fl)
But God, I wanted to quit.
Estella Burns (fl)
How long could a person hold on to the end of their rope before their grip slipped?
Estella Burns (fl)
How long could a woman hold herself together before she cracked?
Estella Burns (fl)
*Hugged the steering wheel*
She was wishing it could hug her back
Estella Burns (fl)
Don’t give up
Estella Burns (fl)
Don’t give up.
Estella Burns (fl)
I’m sorry, Liam
Estella Burns (fl)
*murmured*
Estella Burns (fl)
I’m sorry.
Liam Burns (fl son)
*crying*
Estella Burns (fl)
A better mother would probably get out of the car.
Estella Burns (fl)
A better mother would hold her son,
Estella Burns (fl)
feed him and change him.
Estella Burns (fl)
But then I’d have to load him into his car seat again
Estella Burns (fl)
and he’d cry,
Estella Burns (fl)
like he had for the first hour of our trip this morning.
Estella Burns (fl)
Maybe he’d be better off with a different mother.
Estella Burns (fl)
A mother who wouldn’t have made him travel across the country.
Estella Burns (fl)
He deserved a better mother.
Estella Burns (fl)
And a better father
Estella Burns (fl)
We had that in common
Estella Burns (fl)
*gasped*
Estella Burns (fl)
ESTELLA BURNS
Estella Burns (fl)
a single mom
just shift in small town in countryside
have a son
Had a terrible past (will know in future)
belong to a rich family
Liam Burns (fl son)
LIAM BURNS
Liam Burns (fl son)
Estella's Son
he is 2 months old
Me
I hope you all will like it too
̶L̶o̶n̶g ̶T̶r̶i̶p
Estella Burns (fl)
Oh my God.
Estella Burns (fl)
slapped a hand to her heart*
Estella Burns (fl)
I’m sorry, Officer.
Estella Burns (fl)
I can move my car.
Unknown
*peeking inside her car*
Unknown
Is everything okay?
Estella Burns (fl)
*wiped her face*
Estella Burns (fl)
(Stop crying. Stop crying)
Estella Burns (fl)
Just a bad day.
Estella Burns (fl)
Actually, a really bad day.
Estella Burns (fl)
Maybe the fifth-worst day of my life.
Estella Burns (fl)
No, fifth.
Estella Burns (fl)
We’ve been in the car for days and my son won’t stop crying.
Estella Burns (fl)
He’s hungry.
Estella Burns (fl)
I’m hungry.
Estella Burns (fl)
We need a nap and a shower,
Estella Burns (fl)
but I’m lost.
Estella Burns (fl)
I’ve been driving around for thirty minutes trying to find this place
Estella Burns (fl)
where we’re supposed to be staying.
Estella Burns (fl)
(Now I was rambling to a cop)
Estella Burns (fl)
(Fantastic)
Unknown
Where are you going?
Estella Burns (fl)
*showing sticky note to her*
Estella Burns (fl)
The Gloomy Heights
Unknown
The Gloomy Heights
Estella Burns (fl)
*stomach dropped*
Estella Burns (fl)
(Was that bad?)
Estella Burns (fl)
(Was it in a sketchy neighborhood or something?)
Estella Burns (fl)
Do you know where it is?
Estella Burns (fl)
My directions led me right here.
Estella Burns (fl)
But there isn’t a road marked The Gloomy Heights.
Estella Burns (fl)
Or any road marked, period.
Unknown
This Area roads rarely are marked.
Unknown
But I can show you.
Estella Burns (fl)
Really?
Estella Burns (fl)
(It had been a while since anyone had helped me)
Estella Burns (fl)
(The little gestures stood out when they were rare)
Estella Burns (fl)
(In the past month the only people who’d offered me help had been this town residents)
Estella Burns (fl)
(Ashley)
Estella Burns (fl)
(And now this beautiful stranger)
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
I’m Vienna
Estella Burns (fl)
*shook her hand*
Estella Burns (fl)
Estella
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
Welcome to Town, Estella
Estella Burns (fl)
(damn those tears just kept on falling)
Estella Burns (fl)
Thank you.
Estella Burns (fl)
*gave her a sad smile*
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
*hurried back to her car*
Estella Burns (fl)
We’ll be okay, baby.
There was a sliver of hope in her voice
They were driving toward their destination
Estella Burns (fl)
(Wow) .
Estella Burns (fl)
( I was an idiot)
Estella Burns (fl)
(Had I stopped and looked at my surroundings)
Estella Burns (fl)
(I probably would have figured this out)
Estella Burns (fl)
(Tomorrow)
Estella Burns (fl)
(Tomorrow I’d pay attention to this town)
Estella Burns (fl)
(But not today)
The road went on for another mile,
following the same line of trees,
until finally They rounded one last corner
Estella Burns (fl)
(Our temporary home)
Estella Burns (fl)
We made it.
Estella Burns (fl)
Finally
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
He was just sick of his car seat.
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
I have a two-month-old.
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
Sometimes he loves the car.
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
Most times, not so much.
Estella Burns (fl)
Liam’s two months too.
Estella Burns (fl)
And he’s been a trooper,
Estella Burns (fl)
(Now that he’d finally stopped crying)
Estella Burns (fl)
(I could breathe)
Estella Burns (fl)
This has been a long trip
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
*glanced at her license plates*
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
From New York?
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
That is a long trip.
Estella Burns (fl)
(I hoped it had been worth it)
Estella Burns (fl)
(Because there was no way I was going back)
Estella Burns (fl)
(Forward steps only, from now on)
Estella Burns (fl)
(The city was a memory)
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
VIENNA ANDERSEN
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
a police officer
wife of Elijah Andersen
has a son
( if you had read story HEARTLESS BEAUTY you will know her story)
̶̶W̶̶e ̶M̶a̶d̶e ̶i̶t
Estella Burns (fl)
(Forward steps only, from now on)
Estella Burns (fl)
(The city was a memory)
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
I’m the chief of police,
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
You know Ashley Andersen, right?
Estella Burns (fl)
Um . . . yes?
Estella Burns (fl)
(Had I told her that?)
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
Full disclosure.
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
Myself Vienna Andersen
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
and Ashley is my sister-in-law
Estella Burns (fl)
(Damn it to the moon and back)
Estella Burns (fl)
(This was my new boss’s sister-in-law)
Estella Burns (fl)
(and I’d just made an epically horrible first impression)
Estella Burns (fl)
Er . . . what are the chances?
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
In this town?
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
Pretty good,
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
You’ll be working at the inn?
Estella Burns (fl)
*nodded*
Estella Burns (fl)
As a housekeeper.
Before Vienna could say anything else
the front door to the house Opened
Ashley Andersen (ml sister)
Estella!!
Ashley Andersen (ml sister)
*rushed her way*
Ashley Andersen (ml sister)
You made it.
Ashley Andersen (ml sister)
*pull her in for a hug*
Estella Burns (fl)
*tensed*
Estella Burns (fl)
Sorry, I smell.
Ashley Andersen (ml sister)
Not at all.
Ashley Andersen (ml sister)
*laughed*
Ashley Andersen (ml sister)
You met Vinn Sister in law?
Estella Burns (fl)
*nodded*
Estella Burns (fl)
She was kind enough to help me when I got lost.
Ashley Andersen (ml sister)
Oh no.
Ashley Andersen (ml sister)
Were my directions bad?
Estella Burns (fl)
I’ve just never driven on a dirt road.
Estella Burns (fl)
I didn’t expect it.
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
Can we help you get unpacked?
Estella Burns (fl)
Oh, that’s okay.
Estella Burns (fl)
I can manage.
Ashley Andersen (ml sister)
We’ll help.
Ashley Andersen (ml sister)
*went toward her car*
Ashley Andersen (ml sister)
*pick her bags*
Estella Burns (fl)
Really, I can do this.
Ashley Andersen (ml sister)
*ignored me*
Ashley Andersen (ml sister)
*marching to the place she gonna stay*
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
Trust me on this one.
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
The sooner you just go along with Ashley
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
the easier your life will be.
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
She’s persistent
Vienna Andersen (ml sister in law)
*picked her bags*
Estella Burns (fl)
I’m learning this
Estella Burns (fl)
*giggled*
Estella Burns (fl)
(It was the first laugh I’d had in . . . )
Estella Burns (fl)
(well, in a long time)
Estella Burns (fl)
(We made it)
Estella Burns (fl)
(this might not be our forever home)
Estella Burns (fl)
(But forevers were for dreamers )
Estella Burns (fl)
(And I’d stopped dreaming)
Estella Burns (fl)
(the day I’d started ranking my worst days)
Estella Burns (fl)
(There’d been so many)
Estella Burns (fl)
(it had been the only way to keep moving forward)
Estella Burns (fl)
(To know that none had been as awful as the first-worst day)
Estella Burns (fl)
(To know that if I’d survived that one)
Estella Burns (fl)
(I could endure the second and the third and the fourth)
Estella Burns (fl)
(Today marked the fifth)
Estella Burns (fl)
(But we’d made it)
Estella Burns (fl)
(Somehow, we’d made it)
Estella Burns (fl)
Let’s go check out our new spot
Estella Burns (fl)
*holding Liam*
Estella Burns (fl)
*try to pick her bag*
A deep, rugged voice sounded from behind her
Estella Burns (fl)
*turn to see*
Estella Burns (fl)
(Why had I kept driving last night?)
Estella Burns (fl)
(Why hadn’t I stopped at a hotel with a shower?)
Estella Burns (fl)
(I was in no place to crush on a guy)
Estella Burns (fl)
(The new Estella—mom Estella—)
Estella Burns (fl)
(was too busy getting formula stains out of her shirts to preen for men)
Estella Burns (fl)
(But the old Estella—)
Estella Burns (fl)
(single rich and always—really, really liked sexy men)
Estella Burns (fl)
(Who was he?)
Estella Burns (fl)
(Did he live here?)
Estella Burns (fl)
(Did it matter?)
Liam Burns (fl son)
*whined*
Estella Burns (fl)
(What the hell was wrong with me?)
Estella Burns (fl)
(Sleep)
Estella Burns (fl)
(I needed sleep)
Ashley Andersen (ml sister)
Good, you’re helping.
Ashley Andersen (ml sister)
*smiled at him*
Estella Burns (fl)
(is he Ashley's boyfriend?)
Ashley Andersen (ml sister)
Abel Andersen, meet Estella Burns.
Ashley Andersen (ml sister)
Estella, this is my brother Abel.
Ashley Andersen (ml sister)
This is his house
Abel Andersen (ml)
ABEL ANDERSEN (ml)
Abel Andersen (ml)
2nd son of Andersen family
Chef
runs a restaurent
Had a past too
Love her younger sister that's why He let Estella to stay in his house
Ashley Andersen (ml sister)
Ashley Andersen (ml sister)
ASHLEY ANDERSEN
Ashley Andersen (ml sister)
Youngest Andersen Sibling
runs a Inn with help of Abel
kind and lovely
Noone can say No to her
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