Don't You Know Who I Am? Read online

  Table of Contents

  DON’T YOU KNOW WHO I AM?

  Acknowledgements

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Table of Contents

  DON’T YOU KNOW WHO I AM?

  Acknowledgements

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  DON’T YOU KNOW WHO I AM?

  MARIE EASTON

  SOUL MATE PUBLISHING

  New York

  DON’T YOU KNOW WHO I AM?

  Copyright©2017

  MARIE EASTON

  Cover Design by Melody A. Pond

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, business establishments, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.

  Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  Published in the United States of America by

  Soul Mate Publishing

  P.O. Box 24

  Macedon, New York, 14502

  ISBN: 978-1-68291-555-4

  www.SoulMatePublishing.com

  The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  I would like to dedicate this book

  to my husband who is my best friend,

  my strength, and my happiness.

  Thank you for sharing your life with me.

  Acknowledgements

  Thank you to my family who support my dreams and ambitions. My life would be incomplete and empty without you. To my friends who have read my work and encouraged me to push forward and share my stories. You know who you are and you mean the world to me.

  Thank You!

  Chapter 1

  “Hurry up, Kayla!” My younger sister, Dawn banged on the hotel bathroom door. “You don’t need to be beautiful to sit in the car for another day on the road.”

  I grimaced. We'd been on the road from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to Nogales, Arizona for five days and I was so tired of it. The fall air in Harrisburg had already cooled, but the closer we came to our destination the hotter it became. I quickly pulled on my denim shorts and Abercrombie T-shirt. I paused to look at myself in the mirror, skinny and straight with almost no figure. Dawn was much more filled out although a year younger than me.

  With a sigh, I pulled my waist-length, honey-colored hair up into a ponytail and applied some mascara. Dawn was right. I didn’t need to look my best to ride in the car for another eight to ten hours. I scooped up my pajamas and makeup bag and left the bathroom so she could get her impatient butt in there.

  “Finally!” She snarled, standing at the door holding her change of clothes and toiletry bag.

  “All right. All right. Don’t be hostile. I'm done.” I pushed past her to the bedroom and started shoving my things back into my suitcase. The reality of this move totally stressed me. As a senior, all I wanted to do was be with my friends and stay at a high school I really loved.

  I hadn’t wanted to leave my art and painting classes and I definitely didn’t want to leave my boyfriend. How would I take it if he started dating someone else and I had to witness it on Facebook? Even worse, how did I endure it if he dated one of my friends?

  I really liked Brett even if I didn’t love him. We’d been dating since last year and managed to keep things going throughout the summer. Everyone knew we were a couple when we walked around the school and we always met for lunch, right up until I learned we were leaving.

  It doesn’t matter. I still don’t want to see it or know about it. When I went off to college, I hoped to meet a man who’d sweep me off my feet. I sighed as I daydreamed about the future. It wasn’t reality, but I wanted it anyway.

  My parents had been married twenty years and although they appeared to be happy, I never sensed the sparks I wanted for myself someday. I walked out to the Suburban still deep in thought and got in the back seat.

  On my heels, Dawn kept her voice low so our parents didn’t overhear. “The terrain gets browner and browner every day."

  “I know. I feel thirsty just looking out the window,” I responded in a whisper.

  Both of us knew better than to express our real feelings about this latest move. My dad’s position with Philips-Dunaway Mining took us from place to place to small, run-down towns. My parents made sure we understood the lifestyle they provided gave us things they didn’t have growing up.

  Easy for them to say. We never put down roots and they kept us locked up together to ensure our perceived safety. We’re their prize possessions and any complaining brought on one of my father’s enraged fits.

  I handed my suitcase to my dad and he assembled our luggage in the back of the Suburban, like a puzzle broken apart and put back together many times before. Dawn and I waited patiently in the back seats of the vehicle.

  I glanced over at my mom and noticed she’d already started reading a book, settling in for today’s long journey across the west. She seemed a little weary, but we all felt a tired and worn. Frail and thin, she now wore readin
g glasses and I could see the faint wrinkles that shone under the direct sunlight bouncing off the silver streaks in her blonde hair.

  My dad, was a tall, broad-shouldered serious man. His dark brown hair showed the specks of gray and his demeanor always reeked of confidence. He slipped into the driver’s seat next to my mother and we were off again.

  As the miles passed, I thought about what the rest of this year would bring. I took a break from surfing the net and stared out the window. I’d always planned to attend a big university after graduation, one with an art program where I’d study interior design and architecture since I intended to work for an architectural firm someday.

  I considered whether I’d stay out here or move back east for school. I’d miss my sister and didn’t want to abandon her here. The thought of it made my heart hurt. I turned my attention back to my tablet and decided to keep searching for university programs. I’d check out their application processes and dream about what the future would bring.

  “Only another ten minutes and we’ll be at our new house,” my mother finally announced, breaking into my thoughts.

  I had to give her credit. She always managed to stay upbeat and happy every time we needed to pick up and start again. Although we moved often, this time probably had to be one of the hardest since my mom had grown up in Harrisburg. She must be sad to leave again. My stomach clenched and I felt nervous as I looked out the window and saw more of the same brown topography.

  Even though we were still in Arizona, the street signs were all in Spanish as we entered Nogales. After a few more miles of overcrowded streets and steep hills, my dad pulled up to two ornate iron gates. He punched in a code and we watched them open.

  We headed up a long semi-circle driveway and my dad stopped the SUV. “Here we are. Home, sweet home!”

  I peered out the window at the Spanish hacienda, in awe of the large entry covered in bright pink bougainvillea vines and Saltillo tile leading to hand-carved wooden doors that must have been at least twelve feet tall. I turned to my sister. “This place is an architectural masterpiece.”

  “No kidding, right? It’s like a palace.”

  Getting out of the Suburban, we followed our parents up the stairs leading to the elegant doors. My dad unlocked one and we all walked inside. I looked around in silence, absorbing the interior.

  The Saltillo tile floor continued with large area rugs placed in just the right locations to provide warmth and elegance. The ceilings felt like skyscrapers giving the rooms a massive feeling of unending space. It reminded me of a museum as I strolled from room to room to see what came next. Spanish style furniture matched the hacienda design of the house.

  I made my way out the French doors to the back yard. An enormous patio with a beehive fireplace and steps led down to a pool and spa. A natural rock waterfall flowed into the hot tub. Six foot stucco walls surrounded the entire yard, preventing me from seeing the neighbors’ places. Even with the seclusion of block walls, the yard was beautiful, enclosed, and private.

  I re-entered the house searching for potential bedrooms. My mom waved to us to follow her as she led the way and showed me and Dawn to our rooms. Mine had a four-poster, wrought-iron bed with a canopy and sheer fabric tied to the sides. The dresser and armoire were dark carved wood. The room smelled of wax and varnish, which I assumed was from the wood.

  There was a huge walk-in closet and more glass French doors opened to a standing patio. From there, I stared out over the back yard. There was a good reason walls and gates barricaded us inside. The properties around the perimeter looked poor and broken on the other side of the walls. I felt a little guilty when I stared at the neighborhood.

  I headed next door to check out Dawn’s room. It was similar to mine except her bed had a wood-carved headboard that matched the other furniture in the room. A Jack-and-Jill bathroom between our rooms was magnificent. The counter had Talavera tile and copper-hammered metal sinks. There was a separate shower and large tub as well. The room had candles and vases with artificial flowers in them that gave it the feel of a Mexican Riviera resort.

  “It is definitely beautiful,” I said.

  “That it is.” Dawn kept turning around to eye each detail.

  We decided to collect our bags and start unpacking. On our way out to the SUV, we found Mom in the kitchen instructing a young woman on what groceries she needed.

  The woman left and I asked, “Who was that?”

  “Esmeralda, part of the staff.”

  “The staff?” I asked, shocked. We’d never had helpers in the house before. “Who else is 'staff'?”

  “Just Diego. He's a handyman and takes care of the grounds.”

  I nodded at my mother in agreement. She sounded like everyone had a maid and gardener. “I see.”

  Mom looked up at me, obviously detecting my sarcasm. “What? Don’t you just love the house?”

  I felt a twinge of guilt. I should seem more grateful and tried to make a joke out of my slip of the tongue. “Yes, Mom, I do. Thank God we have help to keep this thing clean because I sure don’t want to do it.”

  Mom rolled her eyes and focused on unpacking our white contemporary style dishes, placing them in the cupboard. “Monday morning, we'll get you girls enrolled in school. You’ve already missed too much as it is.”

  Dawn and I both groaned as we left the kitchen and went out to the car to continue the unpacking process. I tried not to think about starting a new school as the silence settled between us and I was pretty sure Dawn felt the same way.

  I entered my new room with box after box. It was always fun setting up a new room and this one was definitely beautiful. I took some pictures and posted them on my Facebook page for my friends to see. My mind wandered and I wondered how it’d be on Monday. With only a year left, I didn’t feel very invested in going to a brand-new high school.

  When I finished unpacking, I headed to Dawn’s room. I entered without knocking and threw myself on her bed. “How’s it going in here?”

  “Fine.” Dawn looked up at me and smiled as she pulled her long blonde hair to the side and out of her face.

  I frowned a little at her response. “That didn't sound believable at all,” I shot back. “What’s the matter?”

  “I hate being new at school. It's so hard to figure out where you belong under normal circumstances let alone a place like this.”

  “What do you mean ‘a place like this’?” I’d never heard Dawn voice negativity about one of our many moves.

  “Look around you, Kayla. It’s like we moved to a third-world nation.”

  “It’s a little rough, but I'm sure it’s not as bad as it appears.” We sat silent for a few minutes as I tried to think of something that would make this better for her. “Hey, maybe Dad will let us take the car and we can go explore the town. What do you think? Are you up for going and checking things out?”

  “Yeah, I guess.” Dawn shrugged her shoulders.

  I’d never seen my little sister so sad about moving. I hoped that school turned out to be a smooth transition for her. I walked downstairs and found my dad in his new study. “Hey, Dad.”

  My father looked up, breaking his concentration from the computer and smiled. “Hi, honey. How’s the unpacking going?”

  “All done.”

  “Really? That was quick.” He sounded delighted.

  “I’ve had practice.” I immediately regretted my statement as soon as it came out of my mouth. The last thing I wanted to do was make my dad feel bad about another move. Especially when this house was so nice.

  He nodded and said nothing.

  I hastily continued, “Can Dawn and I take the car and go explore the town?”

  He thought about my request for a minute before answering. He pulled out the keys and handed them to me. “Don’t be out for hours. Keep your p
hone on and be careful.”

  I reached out for the keys with excitement. “Thanks, Dad! We won’t be long.” I kissed his cheek and turned to go get Dawn.

  As I approached her room, I yelled down the hall. “I got the car keys. Let’s go.”

  “Where?” Dawn demanded, almost grumbling.

  “Well, let’s find the school and then let’s cruise around and see what’s out there. Come on. It’ll be fun.”

  Dawn smiled for the first time since we arrived. She grabbed her purse. “I'm game. Let's go.”

  We walked out and jumped into the Suburban. I pulled up the navigation feature on my phone and drove to the school. It was only five minutes from the house. Chain-link fence surrounded the entire school and grounds. It was much different from our last school on the east coast where the grounds weren’t fenced at all and there were grass lawns. I immediately felt anxious and a little scared, but I didn’t let Dawn know.

  “It looks like a prison.” Dawn informed me.

  “I'm sure it’s not that bad.”

  “I hope you're right.” Doubt filled her voice.

  I turned the SUV around and headed toward the center of the town. We found a lot to park in for five dollars, which annoyed me. I hated paying for a parking spot, but it was all we’d found. We got out and started to walk. There were side-by-side stores up and down both sides of every street and the sound of Mexican music could be heard.

  I decided that we both needed comfort food at this point. “Let’s get ice cream.” I stopped at an outdoor hot-dog stand and asked, “Do you know where we can get some ice cream?”

  The weathered man looked back at me for a moment before saying, “No hablo ingles.”

  That surprised me. I hadn’t seen that coming and it must have shown on my face. Did he not speak English or did he not want to speak English? I heard Dawn chuckle as I continued to stand there stunned. I slowly realized we were so close to the Mexican border there were probably a fair amount of people that didn’t speak English.