Point of No Return: Book 1
Автор
Jenny Asp
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564K
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Chapter 1
ELIZABETH
The heat hit Elizabeth immediately as she stepped out of the airport terminal. The summer heat in Greece always felt like a slap in the face. It was so different from the milder English summers she was used to.
Her cousin Samantha had moved to Greece two years ago for reasons Elizabeth couldn’t completely understand. Samantha had fallen in love with the country after a holiday with friends and decided to move there on a whim. That kind of impulsivity had always guided Samantha’s life.
So, even though Elizabeth hadn’t been overly surprised, even she thought this time it was a bit much. But everything had worked out for her cousin, not that Elizabeth had ever doubted it.
Things always seemed to turn out well for Samantha. If Elizabeth hadn’t loved her cousin so much, she might have felt jealous or even resentful that things always just worked out for her, no matter how impossible or impulsive her decisions seemed.
Instead, Elizabeth felt at ease, knowing she never really had to worry about Samantha. It might seem crazy, but everything would be fine.
“I don’t know how you cope with this, Samantha; the heat is suffocating,” Elizabeth said.
Her cousin looked at her with that exuberant smile she’d had since they were children. “I prefer this to the lukewarm summer heat of England, that’s for sure. I spend my days by the pool or the beach in as little clothing as possible. And I love it.”
Elizabeth chuckled, then asked, “What do you mean, you spend your days by the pool or the beach? Don’t you have work to do? You’re still with the cosmetic company, aren’t you?”
There was a short silence as they walked through the parking lot.
“No. I’m not with them anymore. Actually, they fired me six weeks ago,” Samantha answered.
That shocked Elizabeth. Samantha had loved that job, and she’d been really good at it.
“Why would they fire you? You were one of their best salespeople, weren’t you? I remember it was just six months ago you won yet another award for your achievements there.”
“I just couldn’t put in the hours they wanted from me. I needed to take some time for myself, and they didn’t like it. After a while, things got so acrimonious that they decided it was better to part ways.”
“I’m sorry, Sam, I know you loved that job. What did you need personal time for? Have you been feeling ill?”
Even Elizabeth could hear the worry creeping into her own voice. Samantha was never ill and, as far as she knew, had never needed personal time.
“Don’t worry, Lizzie, it’s nothing serious. The fact is, I’ve met someone. I have a boyfriend, and I wanted to spend time with him. It just didn’t fit with my work schedule.”
Elizabeth was stunned. “I’m sorry. Are you saying you quit a job you loved just so you could spend your days with your new boyfriend? And what do you mean it didn’t fit? You work during the day like most people. Are you also telling me this guy you’ve been seeing doesn’t have a job of his own? How do you expect to support yourself if you don’t work?”
“Will you calm down? You’re bombarding me with questions without even giving me a minute to answer them.”
Elizabeth stopped walking and turned to Samantha. “I’m worried, Sam.”
Elizabeth saw the flicker in Samantha’s eyes and knew she understood. They had always had that kind of relationship. Elizabeth was responsible, serious, and cautious—the worrier.
Samantha was spontaneous, frivolous, and carefree—the easygoing one. But there had always been respect on both sides. And if Samantha ever felt Elizabeth was genuinely concerned, she always took it seriously.
After all, they were the only family they had left. Ten years ago, when they were both seventeen, their parents had decided it was time for a holiday for just the four of them.
Elizabeth’s parents and her aunt and uncle had felt the girls were now responsible enough to handle being left on their own for a week.
They had never gotten their holiday. The plane had crashed due to a bird strike on takeoff, killing everyone on board.
Two young girls were left orphaned at seventeen. They clung to each other and barely spent a day apart until Samantha’s holiday in Greece two years ago.
Their parents’ deaths had changed them in different ways. Samantha became obsessed with the idea that life could end at any moment, so you had to live every day as if it were your last. She became fearless and did whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted.
Elizabeth’s obsession became helping others who had experienced the same loss she and Samantha had, but who hadn’t been old enough to live on their own or make their own decisions. Orphans.
It was just the two of them now. They might have been as different as night and day, but the girls shared a love and a bond that was absolute and strong on both sides.
“I know you are. And I knew you would be. That’s why I haven’t said anything during our weekly calls. I wanted you to come here so we could talk in person instead. So, let’s get in the car, go to my place, get you settled in with a cool drink, and then we’ll talk about all the important stuff. Okay?”
Elizabeth took a deep breath and decided to give Samantha what she seemed to need. “Okay.”
LUCA
Luca felt a sense of desperation clawing at him as he watched the two girls disappear from sight. No matter how hard he tried to hurry through the crowds in the congested arrival hall, he couldn’t find them again. He looked everywhere.
He took a mental note of all the small clues he could give Nikos later. The disappointment was heavy as he made his way to his own car.
ELIZABETH
Elizabeth tried to keep the conversation light as they drove to Samantha’s house, but there was definitely a bit of tension in the air. It seemed her cousin had not only given up her job, but she’d also acquired a new car. They were driving around in what looked like a brand-new BMW.
For Elizabeth, this set off some alarm bells, but she had promised to keep her mouth shut until they got to the apartment and could sit down and talk properly.
“How’s your job going?” Samantha asked.
It was the perfect distraction for Elizabeth. “It’s going. Too much work, too little time.”
“I don’t know how you do it. I hope you’re taking some time for yourself as well, Lizzie. If you let work consume all your time, you won’t have any left to actually live your life.”
Elizabeth knew this was true, but she couldn’t help herself. “I know, Sam. But how can I prioritize going out to dinner when there’s a five-year-old who’s just lost his parents and needs placement?
“Or how can I justify going to a party when there are children sleeping in temporary cots with no family—completely devastated to have lost the most important people in the world to them—when I could spend that time trying to find a family for them?”
“You can’t save them all, Lizzie.”
“I know I can’t, Sam, but we were lucky. We had each other, and we were old enough to fend for ourselves. You can’t imagine the horror stories I could tell you about the younger children I’ve worked with. I’m serious; it keeps me up at night.
“There’s abuse within foster families, desertion, people changing their minds after the child has already bonded with their potential adoptive families. They have no one to speak for them, and I’m doing my best to be that person. I know I don’t always succeed. I know I can’t save them all. But I have to give it everything I can. It’s all I know how to do.”
“I know. I just wish you would take more time for yourself. I don’t mean to criticize, but you look pretty frail and tired.”
Now, that was true. It stung a bit, but it was true nevertheless. But anyone coming from rainy England would look pale and tired next to Samantha and her golden Greek tan. Elizabeth had always been on the thinner side, while Samantha sported luscious curves. And for some reason, the two extra inches Samantha had on her petite five-foot-three frame made a big difference.
“I am well aware of what I look like, Sam. That’s one of the reasons I’ve taken a two-week holiday to come and see you. My boss encouraged me to take a little time off,” Elizabeth said with a small smile.
“Well, I for one am glad to see you. I’ve missed you a lot, Lizzie.”
“You could come home and see me more often, too, Sam.”
“Why bother? You don’t have any time for me when I get there.”
“That’s not fair, and you know it.”
“And you know we don’t get any quality time together unless you come here. The last time I came home, you ended up dealing with emergencies basically every day. And I’m not saying that to be a bitch or to make you feel guilty.
“I know they’re real emergencies that you feel you have to handle, even if you’re on vacation, because they’re your cases. But when you’re here, there’s nowhere for you to go. That means we end up spending full days together.”
Elizabeth couldn’t argue that point at all. Vacation time for her while staying at home was useless.
“True. But I’m here now, and all yours for fourteen days. It’s going to be lovely to get some peace and quiet.”
Samantha’s full-blown laughter filled up the car. “Peace and quiet? Sometimes I wonder if you know me at all, Lizzie.”
