Scarlett's Secrets (Complete)

Chapter Twenty One - Strange behaviour

Scarlett

Caleb and I had been walking around for a good half an hour, so it was time for a break. 

“Let’s take a seat, baby boy,” I said, nodding over to the large oak tree. 

He smiled, nodded his head, and we went and sat down under the tree.  He had been reticent, which isn’t like him. I sensed something wasn’t right, but I never said anything. If he wanted to tell me, he would. I am not exactly honest with him about the marks on my neck. 

“Caleb, babe, are you sure you are OK?” I asked softly, resting my head on his shoulder. 

“Just tired, beautiful, that’s all,” He said, slipping his arm around my shoulder. 

“You just seem a lot quieter than usual, like something is playing on your mind,” I said quietly.

“Honestly babe I am doing OK, just tired; I haven’t been sleeping too great.” He smiled at me.

He has such an innocent face like butter wouldn’t melt. He doesn’t strike me as the sort of person who could do something so wrong and have people after him. I really need to find out what is happening, like I need more details on Caleb. 

“Caleb do you have any family up in Scotland with you?” I asked as I lifted my head to look at him.

“Um, no, I don’t have any family,” He answered then turned his head away from me to look over in the distance.

He seemed a bit fidgety when he answered me about having no family. I think he is holding things back from me. I need him to know that he can trust me, that I really like him and want to get to know him.

“At all?” I asked. 

“No, I lost my parents when I was very young, and never had any siblings,” He said, but still he couldn’t look at me when he was telling me this. 

I reached over, placing my hand on his. I hear him sigh, and he turned, looking at me. 

“I am sorry, Caleb,” I said, “You know you can talk to me about these things, right? If this is ever going to work between us, we need to be honest,” I added. 

Yeah, says the one that is doing nothing but lying, but I am not the only one lying. I decided to tell him a little something about me and see if that would help him open up. 

“Both my parents packed up and moved over to Canada, so I don’t see them very often, but we do try and skype or do video calls when we can.” I left out a soft sigh.

“What’s wrong babe, you sound sad when you sigh like that?” Caleb asked, finally looking up at me.

“I’m just thinking about family now and how much I miss mine,” I gave a small smile “I had a brother, but he sadly is no longer with us.” I looked down as I could feel my eyes well up.

“What happened to him?” He asked. 

“He got caught up with some bad people, and ended up getting murdered,” I whimpered out, “I was only fourteen when it happened,” I added, the tears falling from my eyes. 

Caleb reached in, kissing my tears away and then stroked my hair. 

“I am sorry you had to go through that, and at such a young age,” He said. 

“It is OK, I have had a good few years to come to terms with it, and it’s something I don’t need to talk about anymore so when it does come up it gets me upset, but I want to tell you everything about me, and I want you to know you can do the same.” I leant over and kissed him, then smiled.

“Thank you. It takes time for me to open up and trust people, I can’t deny that,” He said. 

“That is alright, I am the same,” I said, resting my head on his shoulder. 

Caleb slipped his arm around me.

“Can I steal you this weekend? Maybe you can come to mine, and I can cook this time?” He asked. 

I knew he was trying to change the subject, and I let him. 

“I come off shift on Friday morning, and not back again until Sunday night, so yes,” I said, smiling up at him. 

“Great, we can decide nearer the time what we will have to eat, and I promise this time I will provide the dessert.” He laughed.

I gave him a big smile, and he smiled back at me. I am enjoying just sitting here by this tree; it is very relaxing. No dramas today hopefully, no PJ either. 

“You want to walk around some more, maybe go down by the pond a walk?” Caleb asked. 

“Yes, I love it down by the pond,” I replied, with a grin. 

Caleb got to his feet first, offering me his hand to take which I took, and he helped me up. His hand swiftly moved to my hip, pulling me into him and pressed his lips to mine. I moaned softly, not expecting it, but I happily kissed back. The kiss was only for a moment; it was soft and sweet. 

“Come on then, beautiful,” He said, linking our fingers once more. 

We walked about halfway around the pond and stopped to watch the cygnets swimming after the older swans and the ducklings following behind the older ducks. I love watching nature, it is relaxing, and it looked like Caleb was enjoying it as well. We stood leaning on the fence, and his arm was hanging over my shoulders. 

“Do you like nature?” I asked him.

“Yes, it is quite nice just watching them all doing their own thing.” He replied, just staring towards the pond.

“I’m the same, could watch it all day,” I said as I turned back to look at the pond. 

“Yes, it is sometimes too easy to forget all the beauty with so much evil in the world,” He said softly. 

“Yeah, that is very true. We seem to concentrate on the bad more than the good, and that’s not how life should be,” I said. 

I knew too well all the bad in this world, and I had a feeling he also did, but neither of us seems to be ready to talk about it. Just at that, Caleb took my hand and started to walk.

“Come on you, let’s finish the walk around this pond,” He said.

I just smiled and walked along with him. I honestly think I could do this all day; just walking hand in hand with Caleb. I can’t remember the last time I even held someone’s hand like the way we are holding them. 

After we were nearly all the way around, I see a figure in the distance wearing all black and looking slightly sketchy, just lurking about near some trees. I’m probably thinking into this too much, it’s maybe just a jogger doing some stretches, and they enjoy wearing black.

 I pushed it to the back of my head. 

“We should go,” Caleb said, suddenly and his grip on my hand became tighter. 

“What is wrong?” I asked. 

“Nothing,” He said, a little too quickly. 

I could see him looking back and forth at the figure that was getting to me. It made me wonder why he was on edge. Did he know that someone was looking for him? 

“OK, we can head back to mine if you want?” I asked as we turned to walk back the way we came. 

“Yes, sure anything you want.” He said as he just looked about him and continued walking. 

I’m so confused, I thought the figure reminded me of PJ, but it seemed as if the very same figure gave Caleb the fear. I need to try to find out more information from him about who he thought it was. I’ll ask him later when we are back at mine relaxing. 

At least back at mine, we would be safe. Yes, PJ knows where I stay, but he will not come around when Caleb is here.