Tropical Balm

  TROPICAL BALM

  FRANNY ARMSTRONG

  Copyright © 2016 Franny Armstrong

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN: 9781370444991

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes

  Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

  DEDICATION

  This book is dedicated to my favorite mother-in-law, Mary. Thank you for your support and love.

  CONTENTS

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter 1 -Tropical Hideout

  Chapter 2-Crossing Brooke

  Chapter 3 - A Crack In The Wall

  Chapter 4 - Coming To Terms

  Chapter 5 - Exotic Blossom

  Chapter 6 - Monster Of Desire

  Chapter 7 - Reeling In Teal

  Chapter 8 - The Wakeup Call

  Chapter 9 - Facing Fears

  Chapter 10 - A New Life

  Chapter 11 – Watching Like A Hawk

  Chapter 12 - Finding The Right Place

  Chapter 13 - Wedded Surprises

  Chapter 14 - The Captured Bride

  Chapter 15 - The Bride, She Fights

  Chapter 16 - Making Peace

  About The Author

  Other Books By This Author

  Connect With Franny Armstrong

  PROLOGUE

  Forty-eight year old Alex Greenwood piloted the small Cessna over the dense forest far below, his twenty-two year old son, Zachary, riding shotgun. It was a clear blue day, and the men were joking with each other about their week together at a remote fishing cabin, north of Algonquin Park.

  “You didn’t catch the biggest fish, Zack, I did!” Alex grinned, keeping his eyes on the vista before him.

  “You did not! I even have a photo of mine to show Mom! Wait until I tell her what a liar you are. She’ll kick your butt!” Zack chuckled, looking forward to his mother putting his father back in his place.

  The instrument gauges on the front panel began spinning out of control, and the warbled sound of the motor chugging and sputtering became louder, muffling the voices of the two men.

  Slamming the palm of his hand on the panels, Alex frantically tried to keep the plane aloft, yelling over at Zach to hang on. The sound of the motor stopped, and then they were dropping, everything silent except the screams of the two men as the ground rose up to meet them.

  There came the sensation of falling, every bone in their bodies tense, and their stomachs in knots. Suddenly there was a loud bang—.

  Screaming, Teal sat up straight, shaking and crying, gasping for air. She looked around her, seeing her bedroom. She lay in her own bed, and yet the horror of the dream still held her in its grip as her heart raced, pounding in her ears, sweat beading her forehead.

  Strong arms surrounded her, pulling her close against a warm chest. “Honey, did you have another dream?”

  Shuddering, Teal turned, and curled into Alex’s embrace. She cried softly while he held her, his warm hand rubbing in a gentle circular motion over her back.

  “Alex, please. Don’t go on the fishing trip with Zach. I’m begging you. Please stay here.” Her tears fell on his hairy chest as she trembled, unable to stop the sobs from shaking her body.

  “We’ve already talked about this honey. Zach and I have been planning this trip for over a year now, and it’s already paid for. We’re going. We’ll be all right. I’ll make sure the plane has a thorough check before we take off.” He kissed her tenderly then murmured, “Go back to sleep Teal. It’ll be alright.”

  Still shaking, Teal tried to sleep, but was still awake when the sun finally rose. Today! They would leave today. Her body trembled with fear. She might never see them again. Tears filled her eyes.

  Alex knew her dreams were prophetic, and yet he refused to listen to her. There was no changing his mind when it was made up. They had been together since she was eighteen years old. Twenty-six years worth of a happy marriage, and now he was going to die, taking their only child with him.

  ***

  Fear flickered in her heart as she watched them drive away early that morning. She had held each of them close, as though it was the last time she would see them, shaking.

  Zack laughed. “Mom, we’ll only be gone a week. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of Dad for you.”

  His handsome, smiling face stared down at her, and tears filled her eyes. Holding them back until they were out of site, she stared after them then lost the battle to keep them at bay. Teal stood in the driveway for a long time, desolate, knowing they were not coming back, yet unable to do anything about it.

  ***

  One week later, Teal answered the door to two Toronto police officers, and before they could talk, she shook her head, and cried out in horror, “They aren’t dead. They aren’t dead.” Falling to her knees, her arms around her waist, she cried as if her world had come crashing down around her ears. And it had.

  CHAPTER 1

  Tropical Hideout

  “Ms Teal, you must eat something. It’s not good for you to sleep so much, and you’ve lost so much weight, I’m worried about you.” Poppy cried, holding the tray of food, trying to get her employer to eat.

  For six months, Poppy had watched Teal sink lower, and lower into the morose world of depression. She had dropped at least sixty pounds, because she wouldn’t eat. She lay there in bed, curled up in a fetal position, sleeping, or staring into space.

  Teal had hired Poppy, and her son Delon, when she’d first come to Jamaica, and purchased the small home far up in the hills, away from everything, and everyone.

  Poppy was fifty-eight years old, happy to have the chance to work for the Canadian woman. Teal paid very well, and required little help, but her health had begun to fail, and the doctor was too far away to help. The small medical clinic in the nearest town was only opened once a month, and Poppy didn’t have the authorization to hire a doctor to come to the house. Ms. Teal wouldn’t let her call him.

  “Please Ms. Teal, you must eat something, I worry that you will die if you don’t. Tears ran down the woman’s cheeks. She had come to love Teal in the past six months. When she was awake, in the rare times she wasn’t down, she was kind, and very sweet to them. She cared about Poppy and Delon, making sure they had everything they needed. It wasn’t fear for her job that concerned Poppy, she truly cared about Teal.

  Teal could hear Poppy, and tried to listen to a small mental pull to talk to her. An elephant seemed to be sitting on her chest, weighing her down. A soft cocoon surrounded her, protecting her from the world around her. It was safe, warm, easy to be where she was, lost in her muffled world.

  Poppy’s tears bothered her, made her struggled to come out of hiding, if only for a short time to help her friend. She didn’t think of Poppy as an employee, but a good friend, and Teal cared about her welfare.

  Taking a deep breath, Teal rolled onto her back, and gave Poppy a wobbly smile. “I’m sorry Poppy. I can’t seem to shake off this tired feeling. I’ll try to eat something.”

  When Teal had first arrived in Jamaica, she’d been nearly eighty pounds overweight. She had never been successful at dieting, and had eventually given up on it, accepting the fact that she was heavy, and leaving it at that. The only benefit to her depression was her weight loss. It simply didn’t matter to her anymore. Fat or thin, her boys were still dead.

  Unable to ignore her friends tears, she dragged herself out of the lethargy, propping herself up on the pillows, accepting the tray from Poppy as she offered a gentle smile. Her
appetite was completely gone, and she only ate a piece of papaya because Poppy was watching. It had no flavor, sliding down her throat in a small clump. Fighting her need to sleep more, Teal forced another piece of fruit down her throat.

  Poppy was so relieved that Teal was finally eating something, that she took the opportunity to broach a subject that she hoped would pull Teal out of her depression. Knowing about Alex and Zack, Poppy thought that calling on Teal’s maternal instincts would help.

  “I have a young lady I want you to meet Ms. Teal. I wouldn’t normally bother you about such matters, but the poor girl needs help, and I couldn’t think of anyone else who would help her. Her family doesn’t want anything to do with her and she is only fifteen. She is starving, and has been living on the streets, begging. Can I please bring her to meet you?”

  Poppy never asked for help, and Teal suffered a twinge in her heart, thinking about the young girl. Unwilling to let her heart thaw, Teal pushed the feelings away, but couldn’t quite smother her need to help the girl.

  Nodding, Teal said, “All right. You can bring her by, and I’ll see what I can do Poppy.”

  Grinning from ear to ear, Poppy clapped her hands together, and ran from the room, leaving a surprised Teal staring after her.

  A few minutes later, Poppy returned. Teal had pushed the tray aside the minute the woman left the room, lying down again, staring into space.

  “Ms. Teal? This is Zola.” Pulling a young girl into the room, Poppy smiled.

  Zola was a petite Jamaican girl, whose long black hair fell down her back in cornrows, secured by colored beads. She had a thin face, with a wide nose and thick luscious lips. Her eyes held fear and desperation, as her hands cupped her swollen belly. She was five months pregnant, and only fifteen years old!

  Teal had another pang in her heart as she stared at the girl, thinking about her own pregnancy with Zach. Before tears could escape, she patted the bed beside her, and said in a gruff voice, “Come, and sit Zola.”

  The nervous girl sat gingerly on the edge of the bed. Her eyes flickered over the food on the tray, and Teal sat up higher.

  “Poppy, perhaps you could make Zola a plate of food, while we talk.”

  A glorious smile lit Poppy’s face, and she left the room at a run. Moving the tray closer to the girl, Teal said, “Would you like to start with this? I’ve hardly touched it.”

  Zola’s eyes filled with tears at her kindness, and she nodded, reaching out a shaking hand to take a piece of fruit. Although she tried to appear as though she didn’t want the food badly, as soon as the first bite passed her lips, she began to shove it in, as if she hadn’t eaten in a long time.

  Teal grasped her wrist and Zola stopped, her eyes widening in fear. “Eat slowly or you’ll throw it up, Zola.” Smiling gently at the girl, Teal nodded, releasing her hand.

  Trying to pace herself, Zola finished the meal, and sat back with a shy smile. “Thank you, Ms. Teal.”

  “No thanks are needed, Zola. I understand that you don’t have a place to stay?” she asked gently.

  A look of shame filled Zola’s face, and she dropped her gaze.

  Teal reached over, and lifted Zola’s chin with a finger, giving her a kind smile. “Dear, please don’t be ashamed. Not with me. I would like to help you.” Teal’s heart jumped as she made a quick decision. “Would you like to live here with us until the child is born? Afterwards, I think I can find some work for you, helping Poppy. She takes good care of me, but she definitely could use a hand. You would get paid every week.”

  Zola’s eyes widened as she stared at Teal. “You would do this for me Ms. Teal? And pay me too?” Her hands ran protectively over her stomach.

  A warm smile lit Teal’s face, if not quite her eyes, thought the sadness in her Caribbean-green eyes, she was unable to hide, even from the young one.

  “Not only that, but I’d like to take you to the doctor to make sure you and the child are okay. Would you let me do that?”

  “Why?” Zola asked warily, sure there must be a catch.

  Sighing, Teal thought about what to say, and decided on honesty. “I’ve lost the most important people in my life, and now I have no one. I would like to share what I have with you, because you need it, and I don’t. In my entire life, I have never wanted for anything. Yes, I had to work to get a lot of it, but I always had food and clothing. I’d like to give some of that back to people who need it, like you, and your child. No strings attached Zola.” Correctly interpreting the girls guarded look, Teal waited for the girl’s decision.

  Breaking down into tears, Zola put her hands over her face and cried, in relief.

  Pulling her close, Teal held her, rocking her until she finished crying, whispering words of comfort, and rubbing her back. It felt so good to hold someone, to comfort someone that a tiny piece of the ice surrounding Teal’s heart cracked.

  Watching from the doorway, Poppy wiped her own tears. Her friend and the young woman would be fine. It was time for them both to start healing. It had been nearly a year since tragedy had taken Teal’s family away, her life away. Soon she would begin to heal under the balm of Jamaican paradise.

  ***

  For three weeks, Zola stayed in Poppy’s cottage, while Teal figured out how to fit her, and the baby into her small home. Teal stood outside, looking at the building as Delon pulled up in her small white car.

  “Good day Ms. Teal. I’ve got everything you ordered.” Delon said in a weary voice.

  Delon was thrilled to be working for Teal. Not only was she kind, and paid well, but he was able to driver her new car, and travel around in style. His friends were jealous of him, and he thrived on the attention. But today he was upset, concerned about losing his job.

  She glanced at the car then cried out, “Delon! Are you all right? You’ve had an accident.” Rushing up to him, she put her hand on his shoulder, and searched his eyes.

  His gaze dropped to the ground. “I’m sorry Ms. Teal, but I was cut off, and I couldn’t avoid the other car. I didn’t mean to ruin your new car.” Shame marred his handsome features.

  “Delon. I asked if you were all right, not the car. Are you hurt?” Her concern was genuine, and seemed to confuse Delon, as though he wondered why she wasn’t angry.

  “Just a small bump on the head. I’m fine, but the car—.”

  “Cars can be replaced, Delon, but you can’t. Come into the house, and let Poppy take look at you.” Putting her arm around his shoulders, she walked with him to the cabin.

  “But I should bring in the supplies,” he protested.

  “The supplies can wait. I want to make sure you’re okay. Now get yourself into the kitchen mister, and no arguments.”

  Poppy cried out in concern when they told her about the accident, but after checking him out, assured Teal that he was indeed fine.

  “Ms. Teal? I have a cousin, Simeon, who fixes cars. If you’d like, I can get him to look at it, and give us a price. I promise I’ll work off the money, you can deduct it from my pay each week, and I’ll look for extra work on the side.”

  Putting her hands on his shoulders, she stared into his eyes. “Listen to me Delon. I don’t care what the car costs, I care about you. There will be no extra jobs, no pay deductions, no anything. I need you to work for me like you have been, and leave the money worries to me. I’m just surprised it hasn’t happened before now. Some of those people drive worse than Canadians.” Grinning, she patted his cheek. “Now come help me get those supplies.”

  ***

  Delon watched her leave the room and turned to his mother. “I have never met another person like her. We are very lucky she found us.” Hearing Teal call him, he grinned, and kissed his mother’s cheek, hurrying out to help Teal.

  Poppy smiled. Each day, Teal came back to life a little more. Even though the sadness in her eyes was there, she’d begun to care about living again.

  CHAPTER 2

  Crossing Brooke

  Simeon drove up to Ms. Teals place on his small
motorbike, and parked beside the beat up white car. Eyeing it, he figured it might be expensive to fix, and he opened the door to see the damage on the inside. The door opened with only a little pull so it wasn’t too bad.

  His cousin Delon had been driving around, lording it over his cousins and friends, and Simeon snorted. It looked good on him smashing up the car. Maybe he’d lose his stupid job, and a real man could take over. Like him!

  Delon called out, and came running. “Simeon. Thanks for coming over, I appreciate it. What do you think? Will it be expensive?” His worried expression pleased Simeon, who was about to tell him double the price, when a beautiful white woman stepped out of the building, and walked toward them.

  “Hello,” she said. “You must be Simeon. Delon tells me you are excellent with car repair.”

  When he looked into her beautiful green eyes, he was mesmerized. Her auburn hair was loose, and even though her sundress sat in a baggy sag on her, he thought she was beautiful. It didn’t matter that she was a bit older than his thirty-eight years, his member still hardened.

  “Yes ma’am. I can fix it for you. No worries. If you like, I can loan my scooter to Delon, while I fix it.”

  Delon’s eyes widened at Simeon’s magnanimous gesture. The expression became wary.

  “Ah, Ms. Teal. Maybe we should get a second price from a few other garages before you decide.