Chapter 1
Juniper’s eyes fluttered open, greeted by the warm sunlight streaming through her window. She lay still taking a deep breath trying to shake off the lingering unease .
Five years. It has been five years since his disappearance yet the ache remained. Juniper remembered her last conversation with him his voice filled with excitement about the upcoming fight. "I am gonna knock this guy out, Rae!" he said. She recalled his reassuring words, "Don’t worry, I’ll be fine." But he never returned.
Memories flooded her mind, the frantic search, the police investigation and the devastating realization that her brother was gone.
Juniper’s world crumbled leaving her with only questions. With a heavy sign Juniper tossed aside the covers and began her daily routine. The girl whose pretty clothes and makeup were covered with dust since her brother’s death were all cleaned up.
The the girl who even forgot the lyrics and tune of her favorite song, today decided to listen to it while getting ready.
'Why?', you ask.
Because today was a special day - Gideon’s favorite coffee shop reopened after renovation. This shop had been opened by Gideon’s best friend, Timothy, after knowing about his friends death Timothy was equally devastated and closed the coffee shop. It was thus after a lot of persuasion that this coffee shop was opened again in the loving memory of her brother and renamed 'Our Gideon's Coffee.'
Juniper was invited for the small get together. Though everyone knew that the sole reason for Juniper to visit was to reconnect with the lost happy memories.
Juniper wore a knee length pastel pink dress with cream colored sandals. The sleeves were wide and flowy as liked by her, along with some bracelets and ring. With her hair open and down till her waist. While rummaging for her earrings her eyes wandered to a wooden box, with tears in her eyes she slowly opened the lid inside the box on a soft satiny cushion lay a sapphire pendent. This was the gift her brother gave her after winning his first fight.
She promised him to wear it on a occasion where everyone can see this and envy her but the occasion never came. Maybe today was the day to wear this pendant. After getting ready Juniper gave herself a thumbs up, it’s just that her makeup could not hide the slap marks on her face neither could the bracelets prevent others from seeing the fresh bruise forming on her wrist.
Not that Juniper was not used to them, it’s just that today was her brother’s special day and she didn’t want him to worry about her. With a deep breath Juniper gave herself courage and as she was about to get her purse she heard continuous knocking on her door.
As she opened the door she was met with an unexpected surprise- her parents, standing by the door, their faces stern. "Juniper, where do you think you are going?" her mother asked with her arms crossed.
Juniper hesitated, clutching her bag. "Just to the coffee shop. I need some fresh air."
Her father stepped forward his voice dripping with disdain. "You’re wasting your time as always, you should focus on getting decent marks , not indulging in frivolous habits."
Juniper’s heart sank, she knew this tone all too well "I am doing my best, it’s just that I need some fresh air." She explains trying to keep her voice steady.
Her mother sneered, "trying to do your best, huh, a good for nothing person." Juniper felt a familiar sting she had grown accustomed to their verbal jabs, but they still hurt.
"Gideon always believed in me", Juniper said, her voice barely above a whisper. Her parents exchanged a glance and just for a moment, Juniper saw a flicker of guilt. But it was quickly replaced with anger.
"Gideon isn’t here to coddle you anymore," her father snapped. "You need to face reality." Juniper stood tall, despite trembling inside. "I am facing reality."
With a deep breath, she pushed passed them and walked away, leaving the toxic exchange behind but her parents venomous words still echoing in her mind.
She quickened her pace seeking solace in the coffee shops warm aroma and gentle hum. As she pushed open the door a bell above it rang out announcing her arrival.
Rachel, the barista greeted her with a warm smile. "Hey, Juniper! The usual?". Juniper nodded, forcing a smile.
As Rachel expertly brewed her coffee. Juniper’s thoughts drifted back to her parents and ..Gideon.
She remembered her parents painful words and her brother’s reassuring words. "You are stronger than you think, Juniper." With a deep breath, Juniper shook off her parents toxic comments. She vowed to prove them wrong. Juniper wrapped her fingers around the warm cup Rachel placed before her, letting the heat seep slowly into her palms.
For a moment she simply sat there, listening to the quiet rhythm of the café, the hiss of the espresso machine, low laughter from a corner table, chairs scraping softly against the floor.
It felt strange how a place once filled with loud celebrations now carried a gentler sadness, as if everyone inside was trying not to disturb a memory that still lingered between the walls.
"Hey… you came."
Timothy’s voice broke through her thoughts. He approached hesitantly from behind the counter, wiping his hands on a cloth though they were already clean. There were deeper lines around his eyes than she remembered. Grief had aged all of them differently.
"I almost didn’t," Juniper admitted, offering a small smile.
He nodded as if he understood more than she said aloud. For a few seconds neither of them spoke. His gaze drifted to the sapphire pendant resting against her collarbone, and something softened in his expression.
"For months after the accident," Timothy continued carefully, "I couldn’t even open this place. Every chair reminded me of him." He glanced around the café before lowering his voice. "Funny thing is… the renovation only happened because someone insisted."
Juniper frowned. "Someone?"
"Anonymous donor," he said with a shrug. "Paid everything. Wouldn’t give a name. Just said the café mattered."
A strange unease stirred inside her.
"He would’ve liked that, the pendent," Timothy murmured. "You know… before the fight, he wouldn’t stop talking about you. Said after winning he finally had a surprise planned."
Juniper’s heart tightened. "A surprise?"
Timothy frowned slightly, searching his memory. "Yeah. Kept saying everything would change after that night." He shook his head as though the thought unsettled him. "I thought he meant sponsorship deals or moving cities."
Before she could respond, Rachel called him back toward the counter. Timothy excused himself, leaving Juniper alone with words that refused to settle quietly in her mind. Everything would change.
Left alone, Juniper stared at the steam curling from her coffee. Five years. Enough time for the world to accept loss as fact. Enough time for people to stop searching.
Her gaze wandered toward the large glass window facing the street. Outside, people moved normally beneath the afternoon sun with strangers passing without noticing her at all. Yet a sudden chill crept along her spine. For a fleeting second she felt watched.
A dark car stood across the road, engine running.
When she looked again, it drove away.
---------------------------------
to be continued
