Free Crest (Book #2,Swift Series) by Heather London Page A

noise from behind the door and before I knew it, it was opened. The lady that stood before me looked nothing like my mother. Her hair was more of a strawberry blonde, nothing like mine and my mother’s dark brown and her deep blue eyes were a huge contrast to our green ones. I wondered for a moment if I had the right house.
    “Hello, Meredith. I’ve been expecting you.”
    I guess I did.
     

 

     
    It was strange. I couldn’t move or speak. Maybe it was shock. Maybe it was fear. Whatever it was, my mind went completely blank.
    “You don’t have to be afraid of me,” the woman said. “You’ve been traveling for a while now. You must be exhausted. Why don’t you come in?” She pulled the door open a little farther, gesturing me inside.
    “Thank you,” I somehow mumbled. Shouldn’t have I been saying something like, ‘ how did you know I was coming’? Or, ‘it’s nice to meet you; you must be my mom’s sister, Jackie.’ Yet, nothing else came out of my mouth as I made my way across the living room, set my things down on the floor and took a seat on the couch.
    “Don’t look so alarmed. Patricia called and told me you were coming.”
    I looked over to her. My confused expression must have said it all.
    “Patricia Donaldson from Marblehead?” she continued. For a moment, she looked to be as confused as I was as she walked over and took a seat in the chair across from me.
     “Oh, umm... Ms. Donaldson. Sorry, I didn’t know her first name.” That thought made me sad. The woman had helped me in so many ways and I didn’t even know her first name. “Sorry. It’s just—I didn’t know what I was going to say to you when I first saw you, and then, when you opened the door and said you were expecting me, it totally threw me off.”
    She smiled gently. “Well, I guess Patricia thought about it and didn’t want me to be surprised when you showed up on the doorstep. I guess she thought I would slam the door in your face or something.” She rolled her eyes. “She never liked me much; that woman. Your mother was always her favorite.”
    I swallowed hard at the mention of my mother, not knowing quite how to respond.
    “I’m Jackie, by the way. It’s nice to finally meet you, Meredith. I have always wondered if the day would come when we would meet.”
    It was the first time my ears actually noticed her strong British accent. My mind must have been too distracted before now. “It’s nice to meet you, too.” I fidgeted in the seat, crossing my legs to the right and then back over to the left.
    “Can I get you something to eat or drink? You must be starving or tired from the trip. Or we can talk; whatever you’d like?”
    “Um, something to drink would be great.” Anything to help quench the dryness in my throat , I thought to myself.
    She nodded and then led me into the next room where she asked me to take a seat at the dining room table while she prepared some tea.
    As she left, my eyes wandered around the room, seeing a few pictures on the hutch behind me, but not knowing anyone that was in them. I’d noticed that most of her furniture was old, as if it had been passed down for generations. Then I wondered... had my mother once sat at this table, on that couch in the living room, or in that old rocking chair in the corner?
    It was just a few minutes later when Jackie came back with a pot of tea and some cheese and crackers. “So, Patricia wouldn’t give me the details on why you made the trip,” she admitted, setting down a cup of tea in front of me. “She said that you should be the one to explain it all.”
    Oh great, I hadn’t thought about that part. My mind had been too preoccupied on our introduction. “Well, I have a situation and I’m hoping... Well, Ms. Donaldson thought you may be able to help me, or maybe know of a way to help me,” I mumbled and then took a sip of tea.
    “Really? I’m intrigued.” She sat back farther in her chair, looking perplexed. “I’m shocked that