Chapter 1
Tap, tap, tap, tap. The sound of the usual drizzle in Leicestershire, I wish there would be a heavy regular rain instead. Everything smells clean though, near the forest. I can smell the Oaks. I look out at the estate from the open balcony doors and breathe in deep inhaling the moisture. Taking in the quiet and peacefulness of it. My luggage was packed and everything was ready. I picked up the brochure on my bed table and looked at it. Did Emily have to choose to go to Southern California for her birthday present.
My present to her was a trip to any spa resort in the world of her choosing. I thought she would have chose somewhere nice: Switzerland, France or Italy, something more to my own liking but no she chose dusty dry California. Hollywood home of the rich bratty movie stars, hardly worth any of the money they earned. Yes they indeed did earn it but was that much really needed. Maybe I shouldn't think so harsh of them - my money is family money. At the moment kept in tact by me.
The City of Lost Angels - why did they call it that. Is everyone out there that much of a drama queen? I could not get the image of dusty chaps and spurs worn by the local Cowboys clanking up the the Saloon doors. Tumbleweeds blowing past the Cows and Horses - out West, out of my head. A dusty trail leading up through the mountains to a Romanesque style spa. Why couldn't she have chosen the real Italy instead of this. Where they knew how to do a bath right, instead of the dust bowl of drama queens that call themselves lost angels. Then the phone rang.
"Anne" I heard a stuffed up nose say on the other end " Emily?" "Anne I can't go, my head is spinning and I can't keep anything down, my head would explode on an airplane." "OK I will be right over" I hung the phone up and told my new driver to get the luggage in the car and to go to Emily's home, I cancelled the taxi. I had considered cancelling the whole trip and just stay with her, I was already packed. Passing the large mirror in the foyer I looked at my favorite pieces. Three stone pyramids my ex had given me. A black one, and blue one and a clear one. They had not so good memories but they were very pretty; enough to keep around, so I just let them stay. I don't suppose they had much value - that was why he left them. While my driver was going through the streets I was watching out the window - the rain had picked up alot. I was glad I had my umbrella at the time - a Londoners habit, or so they say though I didn't live near London.
When I got to her door it was unlocked - something she doesn't usually do, I opened it and followed the trail of tissues and the sound of sneezing to the living room. I poured some water out for her and handed it to her. " How did you manage this" I asked her, she smiled. I went and touched her forehead, she didn't have too much of a fever. If she had I would have suggested taking her to her doctor but I knew how much she hated doctors, even her own so I didn't say anything. "I want you to go without me." " I can't leave you here like this" " I am not as bad as I sound, I want you to go, I will meet you there is a week or so. Go and have a good time" " We can postpone it until your better - my luggage is in the car, I will just have him bring it in".
" No, I want you to on ahead, its been a long time since you have been away from here - so just go before you miss the plane." "I don't want to leave you here like this" " I am really OK and I said I would be along." I shook my head no. "Yes before you miss the plane - its only a cold I will be just fine - now go" I sat back down across from her. "If you don't go now you will miss the plane, call me when you get there." I shook my head no again. " I will pout and be a crabby thing if you don't go".
I know she would to, so I gave in, got back up went over and gave her a kiss on the forehead and told her I would call her when I landed. " Have a good time in the angels dustbin" she teased me calling it. She knew I didn't really want to go anyway. I considered one last time to stay but I knew she would make good on her promise to pout "To the airport then" "Yes Ma'am"
Driving along again the images of the dust came, maybe it won't be as bad as I think it will - yeah it will probably be worse. It was her present though - I just wish she was going with me now. Oh well what is a week, I will try to enjoy myself as best as I can. She will be along hopefully by next weekend - maybe sooner I hope. How bad could it be really - dusty Cowboys going into the Saloon. Maybe when this is over I will take a vacation away from my vacation.
We got to the airport and my driver took care of my luggage. I hate flying as well. Non stop London to Los Angeles - why did they call it LAX was it short for a laxative joke you could only understand if you were and Angelino as they called themselves. I rolled my eyes at the thought of it. I hated going through security, I was grateful to be secure that I could fly in safety but I still hated it.
When I was finally seated on the airplane, I was going to read what I brought along but just decided to try to sleep for a while. I tried to stretch out but you can never really get comfortable in those seats no matter how much you squirmed and wiggled about, so I just tried to be as comfortable as I could. I felt a gentle touch on my shoulder "Were just about to land you should fasten your seat belt" I couldn't believe I slept through the whole trip. Maybe I was getting sick too, I felt fine.
As soon as the plane door opened the smell of the salt air hit me. I collected my bag and walked to the door. The brightness was overpowering and the dryness. As I walked down the steps, I though I would flake to pieces and be blinded. By the time I got to the door of the airport I noticed a man had been watching me - what I could see in the glare. He stood in front of me, the audacity. "Anne" He put out his hand. "They sent me from the spa to get you, they said there would be two. " " She got sick and had to delay" "Step inside out of the sun".
He took my hand which I thought to be quite a forward thing to do. Once inside though I could see him better. He was quite tall, brown eyes, blonde hair and very attractive. Well put together - and he knew it. Somehow he didn't look like a Cowboy. "Let me take you to the car" He took my hand, something I wish he'd stop doing. "We will have to wait a bit for your luggage" The dry air was burning in my throat. He opened the door for me. "There is water inside for you and the air is on".
It was like the dry frozen Arctic Tundra in the car, I gulped down the bottled water that was ice cold. He stood outside, how can he stand out there like that. He was very attractive. I saw plenty of other women looking at him but he seemed to take no notice. I saw a cart coming with my luggage and he handled getting it in the trunk. He got in the drivers side and looked at me in the rear view mirror. "It's still a long trip - do you need anything before we leave?" I shook my head no.
He pulled out into the flow of traffic rather aggressive. Maybe that is the way Angels drive. As we were going in what seemed a horse shoe I noticed the Palm Trees. They shone in the sun - I had never seen a tree do that. They had like an oily sheen to them. When we finally got out on to the main street, it surely didn't look like dusty trails and tumbleweeds, nor to be the best part of town either.
We silently zipped through the traffic and were it seemed quickly on the freeway. I could still see the Palm Trees going by, they were very pretty. I could also see him occasionally look at me in the rear view mirror. We merged onto another freeway and headed North. "We will be getting into Downtown Los Angeles soon, if you have never seen it, its quite something from down here" I saw the tall buildings in the distance and he was right going through them was something to see. I had never really see buildings quite so tall quite so near each other. What about all the Earthquakes I heard about out here?
After a bit we merged onto a few other freeways and at what looked to be the base of the mountains, we got off. " I have to fill the tank, it won't take long, its still a while to go yet, do you need to do anything?" I shook my head no. I did though but just wanted to wait till we got there. He came around and opened the door on my side in the back, I wondered why - "you must need to walk around a bit". He held out his hand again. I took it and got out and looked around. It was beautiful here. I could see the mountains in front of me and behind me. What is this place called I asked him " La Canada, it means something in Spanish but I forget just what at the moment" " Are all the places here named after Spanish words?" " Most of them" " How long have you lived here?" " Most of my life, I have just traveled around alot, this is where I call home"
I took a long deep breath and first caught the smell of gasoline, which sent a quick buzz through my head, then I came to smell the Pine trees, it did not seem to look so different than my home. Except the roads are much larger. When he finished I got back in and just gazed out the window some more. The road ahead was quite winding but the scenery was well worth the queezy stomach feel. He drove quite slowly and there was a long trail of cars behind and in front of us. At what I thought to be about halfway up, by the popping in my ears he pulled over to the edge, I thought he was going to go off, but there was a place to pull over. "Do you want to have a look around at all?, I want to let this bunch of cars pass by" I got out and he was right there as soon as I did. I walked over to the edge to look over "Don't get too close to the edge, the dirt here is very crumbly" .
The view was like nothing I had ever seen before, I could see as far as forever; so many cities and off to the right I could see the sun glare on the Ocean, I began to wander eyes wide open with amazement. I felt his arm around my waist pull me gently backwards. I looked directly down and jumped back into him. I felt a bit ashamed. "I'm sorry" I said, " Don't worry about it, it is something to see and the first time I suppose you would get carried away in it" " Do you ever get tired of seeing it" "No" He looked down the road and said "We should get going again" I went back around and got back in and realized how thirsty I was again, I noticed he was also drinking the same bottled water. I guess you get used to the dry, still no tumbleweeds though.
He pulled out again not so aggressive this time and continued to drive slowly up the mountain, there were no cars in front of us but I could see them behind when we turned a bend. All I could see in the mountains was trees and dirt. I suppose you would have called it dust because the wind was blowing a bit. The further up we got the more you could feel it on the car. When we finally go to the top and started down the road to the great house it looked like at the end, I could still see forever and the Ocean off to the right. We finally got to the door and he pulled up to the front and got out and opened my door. I got out before he could offer his hand. I had to stand again and look out across the vastness of the city below and the glare off the Ocean and there were what I believed to be Islands out there. "They are waiting for you inside" "Thank you" he gave me a wonderful big smile. Which I believed to be genuine. I looked around very quickly, there were no Cows or Horses or stables, maybe I had misjudged this place.
My present to her was a trip to any spa resort in the world of her choosing. I thought she would have chose somewhere nice: Switzerland, France or Italy, something more to my own liking but no she chose dusty dry California. Hollywood home of the rich bratty movie stars, hardly worth any of the money they earned. Yes they indeed did earn it but was that much really needed. Maybe I shouldn't think so harsh of them - my money is family money. At the moment kept in tact by me.
The City of Lost Angels - why did they call it that. Is everyone out there that much of a drama queen? I could not get the image of dusty chaps and spurs worn by the local Cowboys clanking up the the Saloon doors. Tumbleweeds blowing past the Cows and Horses - out West, out of my head. A dusty trail leading up through the mountains to a Romanesque style spa. Why couldn't she have chosen the real Italy instead of this. Where they knew how to do a bath right, instead of the dust bowl of drama queens that call themselves lost angels. Then the phone rang.
"Anne" I heard a stuffed up nose say on the other end " Emily?" "Anne I can't go, my head is spinning and I can't keep anything down, my head would explode on an airplane." "OK I will be right over" I hung the phone up and told my new driver to get the luggage in the car and to go to Emily's home, I cancelled the taxi. I had considered cancelling the whole trip and just stay with her, I was already packed. Passing the large mirror in the foyer I looked at my favorite pieces. Three stone pyramids my ex had given me. A black one, and blue one and a clear one. They had not so good memories but they were very pretty; enough to keep around, so I just let them stay. I don't suppose they had much value - that was why he left them. While my driver was going through the streets I was watching out the window - the rain had picked up alot. I was glad I had my umbrella at the time - a Londoners habit, or so they say though I didn't live near London.
When I got to her door it was unlocked - something she doesn't usually do, I opened it and followed the trail of tissues and the sound of sneezing to the living room. I poured some water out for her and handed it to her. " How did you manage this" I asked her, she smiled. I went and touched her forehead, she didn't have too much of a fever. If she had I would have suggested taking her to her doctor but I knew how much she hated doctors, even her own so I didn't say anything. "I want you to go without me." " I can't leave you here like this" " I am not as bad as I sound, I want you to go, I will meet you there is a week or so. Go and have a good time" " We can postpone it until your better - my luggage is in the car, I will just have him bring it in".
" No, I want you to on ahead, its been a long time since you have been away from here - so just go before you miss the plane." "I don't want to leave you here like this" " I am really OK and I said I would be along." I shook my head no. "Yes before you miss the plane - its only a cold I will be just fine - now go" I sat back down across from her. "If you don't go now you will miss the plane, call me when you get there." I shook my head no again. " I will pout and be a crabby thing if you don't go".
I know she would to, so I gave in, got back up went over and gave her a kiss on the forehead and told her I would call her when I landed. " Have a good time in the angels dustbin" she teased me calling it. She knew I didn't really want to go anyway. I considered one last time to stay but I knew she would make good on her promise to pout "To the airport then" "Yes Ma'am"
Driving along again the images of the dust came, maybe it won't be as bad as I think it will - yeah it will probably be worse. It was her present though - I just wish she was going with me now. Oh well what is a week, I will try to enjoy myself as best as I can. She will be along hopefully by next weekend - maybe sooner I hope. How bad could it be really - dusty Cowboys going into the Saloon. Maybe when this is over I will take a vacation away from my vacation.
We got to the airport and my driver took care of my luggage. I hate flying as well. Non stop London to Los Angeles - why did they call it LAX was it short for a laxative joke you could only understand if you were and Angelino as they called themselves. I rolled my eyes at the thought of it. I hated going through security, I was grateful to be secure that I could fly in safety but I still hated it.
When I was finally seated on the airplane, I was going to read what I brought along but just decided to try to sleep for a while. I tried to stretch out but you can never really get comfortable in those seats no matter how much you squirmed and wiggled about, so I just tried to be as comfortable as I could. I felt a gentle touch on my shoulder "Were just about to land you should fasten your seat belt" I couldn't believe I slept through the whole trip. Maybe I was getting sick too, I felt fine.
As soon as the plane door opened the smell of the salt air hit me. I collected my bag and walked to the door. The brightness was overpowering and the dryness. As I walked down the steps, I though I would flake to pieces and be blinded. By the time I got to the door of the airport I noticed a man had been watching me - what I could see in the glare. He stood in front of me, the audacity. "Anne" He put out his hand. "They sent me from the spa to get you, they said there would be two. " " She got sick and had to delay" "Step inside out of the sun".
He took my hand which I thought to be quite a forward thing to do. Once inside though I could see him better. He was quite tall, brown eyes, blonde hair and very attractive. Well put together - and he knew it. Somehow he didn't look like a Cowboy. "Let me take you to the car" He took my hand, something I wish he'd stop doing. "We will have to wait a bit for your luggage" The dry air was burning in my throat. He opened the door for me. "There is water inside for you and the air is on".
It was like the dry frozen Arctic Tundra in the car, I gulped down the bottled water that was ice cold. He stood outside, how can he stand out there like that. He was very attractive. I saw plenty of other women looking at him but he seemed to take no notice. I saw a cart coming with my luggage and he handled getting it in the trunk. He got in the drivers side and looked at me in the rear view mirror. "It's still a long trip - do you need anything before we leave?" I shook my head no.
He pulled out into the flow of traffic rather aggressive. Maybe that is the way Angels drive. As we were going in what seemed a horse shoe I noticed the Palm Trees. They shone in the sun - I had never seen a tree do that. They had like an oily sheen to them. When we finally got out on to the main street, it surely didn't look like dusty trails and tumbleweeds, nor to be the best part of town either.
We silently zipped through the traffic and were it seemed quickly on the freeway. I could still see the Palm Trees going by, they were very pretty. I could also see him occasionally look at me in the rear view mirror. We merged onto another freeway and headed North. "We will be getting into Downtown Los Angeles soon, if you have never seen it, its quite something from down here" I saw the tall buildings in the distance and he was right going through them was something to see. I had never really see buildings quite so tall quite so near each other. What about all the Earthquakes I heard about out here?
After a bit we merged onto a few other freeways and at what looked to be the base of the mountains, we got off. " I have to fill the tank, it won't take long, its still a while to go yet, do you need to do anything?" I shook my head no. I did though but just wanted to wait till we got there. He came around and opened the door on my side in the back, I wondered why - "you must need to walk around a bit". He held out his hand again. I took it and got out and looked around. It was beautiful here. I could see the mountains in front of me and behind me. What is this place called I asked him " La Canada, it means something in Spanish but I forget just what at the moment" " Are all the places here named after Spanish words?" " Most of them" " How long have you lived here?" " Most of my life, I have just traveled around alot, this is where I call home"
I took a long deep breath and first caught the smell of gasoline, which sent a quick buzz through my head, then I came to smell the Pine trees, it did not seem to look so different than my home. Except the roads are much larger. When he finished I got back in and just gazed out the window some more. The road ahead was quite winding but the scenery was well worth the queezy stomach feel. He drove quite slowly and there was a long trail of cars behind and in front of us. At what I thought to be about halfway up, by the popping in my ears he pulled over to the edge, I thought he was going to go off, but there was a place to pull over. "Do you want to have a look around at all?, I want to let this bunch of cars pass by" I got out and he was right there as soon as I did. I walked over to the edge to look over "Don't get too close to the edge, the dirt here is very crumbly" .
The view was like nothing I had ever seen before, I could see as far as forever; so many cities and off to the right I could see the sun glare on the Ocean, I began to wander eyes wide open with amazement. I felt his arm around my waist pull me gently backwards. I looked directly down and jumped back into him. I felt a bit ashamed. "I'm sorry" I said, " Don't worry about it, it is something to see and the first time I suppose you would get carried away in it" " Do you ever get tired of seeing it" "No" He looked down the road and said "We should get going again" I went back around and got back in and realized how thirsty I was again, I noticed he was also drinking the same bottled water. I guess you get used to the dry, still no tumbleweeds though.
He pulled out again not so aggressive this time and continued to drive slowly up the mountain, there were no cars in front of us but I could see them behind when we turned a bend. All I could see in the mountains was trees and dirt. I suppose you would have called it dust because the wind was blowing a bit. The further up we got the more you could feel it on the car. When we finally go to the top and started down the road to the great house it looked like at the end, I could still see forever and the Ocean off to the right. We finally got to the door and he pulled up to the front and got out and opened my door. I got out before he could offer his hand. I had to stand again and look out across the vastness of the city below and the glare off the Ocean and there were what I believed to be Islands out there. "They are waiting for you inside" "Thank you" he gave me a wonderful big smile. Which I believed to be genuine. I looked around very quickly, there were no Cows or Horses or stables, maybe I had misjudged this place.