Chapter 1
2002
Aileana
As families go, Aileana thought of hers as normal—whatever that may mean. Her family always took their summer vacations in Durness in the Northwestern Highlands of Scotland. Her seanmhair, which is Gaelic for grandmother, name was Skye Sutherland, her father’s mother. Skye lived in a converted crofter cottage on the rim of the cliffs above the sea. The cottage was constructed of the same stone as the low walls near the cottage. She’d always loved going back each year to her father’s childhood home. The Highlands of Scotland were more than the five thousand three hundred and thirty-three miles from Aileana’s home in Woodland Hills, a suburb of Los Angeles, California. There were no malls and no traffic, no housing tracts in the Highlands—only the beautiful green hills and cliffs above the sea.
Staying at her seanmhair’s home above the sea had always been her favorite place to be. She loved to explore the area on her own and enjoyed hiking the sea cliffs and checking out the seashore to see what treasures she might find in her wanderings.
Her sister Adaira was two years younger. She would sometimes join Aileana in her daily adventures, but Adaira showed little interest in exploring the Highlands or the seashore. Adaira spent most of her time in the village with her girlfriends.
The summer of Aileana’s fourteenth birthday, she encountered someone special. His name was Kendrick Morgan, they met by chance.
As she walked along the shore looking out to the rocks beyond the surf, she noticed a raft of seals swimming among the towering quartzite pillars. The seals were so sleek and agile as they glided through the waves near the rocks. The seals watched her with big soulful eyes so full of mischief as she ambled along the shore.
It made her wish she’d brought her shortboard from home. She realized the surf here was not as good as up the coast in Thurso, which had an awesome right-hand break. Still, she thought it would have been wonderful to jump on her stick and paddle out and sun herself among the seals.
On one of her daily hikes, Aileana came across a small sea cave, which in itself was not a big a deal. The area around Durness was known for a big sea grotto called Smoo Cave. The cavern was the important tourist attraction of this area. The small fissure, she found, was not too far down the beach from her seanmhair’s home.
Her seanmhair’s cottage was near Durness and about ten miles from Cape Wrath. As she came up to the small sea cave she noticed a young man coming from the mouth of the cave.
She was ever the friendly So Cal surfer type, so she waved hello and said, “Hey, dude. What’s up?”
He was tall and lean and well-built, narrow hips and a broad chest. His sculpted body was smooth and sleek without hair except on his head. Talk about a six-pack; he had an eight pack going on, and he took her breath away. Taking Aileana’s breath away was no easy feat, coming from the area she lived in. You could see rock stars and gorgeous hunky actors almost daily on Ventura Blvd. His eyes were the color of dark obsidian and his ink-black hair fell to the middle of his back. She thought he must be in a rock band or something like that. His skin was tan and wet from swimming in the sea. He possessed a wonderful smile that showed his perfect bright white teeth. His deep voice was smooth as honey with a warm, welcoming Scottish brogue.
“Hello,” he replied.
His full name was Kendrick Broden Morgan. Kendrick told her he lived in the area and enjoyed swimming here with his friends. Aileana asked where his friends were. This new acquaintance told her that they had left earlier before she got to the beach. Kendrick inquired what her name was, and she said, “Aileana Sutherland.”
“Ye have a strange way of talking. Where are ye from?”
“I’m from an area near Los Angeles, California.”
“American? What brings ye here to Scotland?”
“Yeah, I’m American, but my family roots are here. My seanmhair lives up on the cliffs close by. My dad was a local guy.”
“What took your da to California? Is he the forgotten Beach Boy?”
She laughed and said, “Dad moved away after college. An ocean research company near Malibu recruited him.”
Kendrick and Aileana met each day for the rest of the week; they talked and swam in the ocean. He told her about his family, he was the second son in a family of five siblings. He had an older brother named Callum who was busy learning how to take over his father’s job. His youngest brother was Duncan, a wild and rebellious fellow who liked to see how far he could push the limits of his father’s patience. Kendrick also had two sisters. His older sister was Sorcha, she was married and had a family of her own. His younger sister Ceana worked in the village and still lived with her parents. He told her about his parents, who were so in love that they acted as if they were still newlyweds. He said someday he hoped he would be lucky and find that type of love his parents enjoyed. He told her that he worked in town part-time and part-time for his father.
On the last day of that week, Aileana’s flight back to California was to depart late in the evening. They met in the morning by the sea cave again. And it was then Kendrick gave her a beautiful pink pearl. The pearl was in the shape of a teardrop and had the most amazing luster. It was about the size of an almond. He told her this was to remember their friendship and time together.
Aileana thought, Like I would ever forget him, not likely.