Mulleyknock/Nov 2/Damn Relatives...

[Hazel Logan]

Hazel had traveled to Mulleyknock for her great-aunt Eloise's 132nd birthday.  The entire Logan clan had made the journey and no one really realized just how big the family was and that staying at their aunt's house was just not feasible. There were at least fifty-two relatives who showed up, and as usual, the Logan clan didn't have a plan or clue. It was just the simple plan of attend the party because that is what people do. 

No one knew just how bad the storm in Mulleyknock would be or that it would dump four feet of snow and completely freeze travel. The family had dispersed and gone to stay with other family and friends, but there were still not enough beds and Hazel had elected to stay a few blocks away at the Red Herring Motel.  She was glad to be away from the extended family who could not understand why a lovely girl like Hazel had not found a suitable husband.   Some of the older women gave her sympathetic looks. Some of the men gave her suspicious ones.  Hazel said nothing. She just smiled and shrugged and helped pass out the iced marble cake.

When she found herself snowed in, she was at least grateful to be in a motel and not surrounded by her family.  She would be taking the ferry home once the weather was safe for travel, but for now she was holed up in the small fishing town.

The streets were finally clear and she pulled on a tailored deep blue wool coat and light blue hat and mittens, she tucked the legs of her jeans into her boots and set out to walking the quiet evening streets, heading along the nearby port to look at the violent ocean. The sun was nearly down, but it couldn't be seen behind a grey and seamless wall of clouds overhead.  Little boats were pulling up alongside the docks as the seas were simply to rough to move on.

[Chad Stevens]

The plan had been put into action, Chad had left on Lily-Belle to head up to Lissard.  The reports all said that he was skipper to Captain Ryan Avery.  And yet the fishing boat only had one soul person aboard.  He had done everything necessary to fool the men upon the port as well as everyone who watched Ryan and himself set sail into the great open waters.  Too bad the weather report did not hit him until he was smack dab in the worst part of the storm.

Traveling North he headed on the East side of Ireland, knowing it best to not face the rough waters to the West.  Those treacherous waters would only bring back a broken mast, and a single coffin.  The eastern way was quicker and much safer, that was until the heavy gusts blew over the fishing boat and had tossed him nearly over the rail.  He had done his best to travel as north as he possibly could, but finally had to stop in Mulleyknuck.  This had not been the destination he so desired.  In fact Mulleyknuck was home to several fisherman that would return to Cat's Claw, without seeing Ryan Avery. 

Chad had set up to port, and had tied down the boat, securing it to the floating dock that rocked severely with the gusts and windy chill.  He had put in both Ryan and his name telling the portman that his friend was below deck not feeling well and not to bother him as he was having a trigger happy wand with his sickness.  He felt that would keep people away long enough to let the weather die down.

Chad started to head up the dock, his jacket over the fisherman sweatshirt as he shoved his pockets deep in his pants.  Eyes looked out into the bleak horizon that was a disappointing gray.  Looking out he stopped, frozen in time when he saw the girl that stayed in his dreams heading his way.  He stared at her, that beautiful red hair, the rose in her cheeks, the puckered lips.  He felt his neck warm and his legs jolted him forward.  "Oi, Hazel"  He called out, not thinking anything else other then seeing her, that beauty.

[Hazel Logan]

Hazel could not believe her eyes. "Chad Stevens. What on earth are you doing in Mulleyknock in this weather?" She looked over his shoulder to the docks he'd come from. "You fancy yourself a fisherman now, do you?" She smiled an open smile and felt a tiny warm blush creeping up and making her cheeks just a little pinker.

She liked Chad and there was the problem. The last time she'd seen him, he'd brought her flowers and declared his intent to spend more time with her. And time they spent, much like the last. They were a strange pair when they got near each other, but it was Hazel who pulled away and hid herself between those times. Chad filled her mind when she worked her shift at Rory's and the small breakfast diner she'd just started working at to make ends meet. He filled her dreams at night and even now, her mind began to wander back and forward over memories of him and she bit her lip then smiled again. 

[Chad Stevens]

Chad chuckled, rubbing the back of his head and shrugged.  "Well, its Ryan's new toy and we had to take it out for a bit of fun."  He chuckled again.  "Didn't know it would get so bad."  He looked around, the setting and then back to Hazel.  He didn't want the conversation to be about Ryan, or the ship.  However, he already had his web being worked through.  He planned on finding someone that looked closely like Ryan.  If Hazel, 'saw' him, then that would be perfect.  It would mean that Ryan had an alibi other then himself.

Though Chad had also told enough people, including the journals on the ship and at the docks that Ryan was with him, it was a two man mission.  Right now he just hoped his best friend was safe and knew what he was getting himself into. 

Though right now, in front of him was the redheaded vixen he had grown to like, admire and possible even care about.  He loved the time they spent together, but wondered if Chad was just a dark secret that she kept hidden in the bedroom.  Along with her minx ways.  However, he kept his own musings at bay.  Instead he reached out and rubbed her arm.  "You look cold.  Would you like a bite to eat?  I was thinking of eating and finding a place to crash until the weather clears."

His green eyes remained on Hazel, giving her a questioning look.  His body and mind thought of the images of her he had memorized in his mind.  How her chest became so pink during their fun, the way her body looked when she....

But for now he didn't want to push it.  He didn't want to force her.  He wanted her to see that he wasn't the dirty scoundrel bachelor that everyone thought he was.  Sure he liked his fun, and perhaps settling down scared him, a lot, but that didn't mean it would never happen.  It could, posibly happen, one day.