Hearts Under Ice Read online

  The Patterns and Parallels Saga

  Book I:

  Hearts Under Ice

  CS Patra

  HEARTS UNDER ICE

  Copyright 2014 CS Patra

  Amazon Edition

  Cover By Wicked Book Covers

  Editing by Kyla Stein @ Missed Period Editing

  Ebook formatting byWhite Hot Ebook Formatting

  Amazon License Notes:

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this ebook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this ebook and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite book retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. All rights reserved.

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

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, establishments, organisations, and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously to give a sense of authenticity. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  For the Ones I Love. You know who you are.

  Chapter One

  Olivia Mendoza found the skirt that she had been hunting for in her closet and laid it out on her bed. She needed something that looked good, but was okay to wear in a lab. So far, the pink and red skirt and matching blouse were the only things she liked. They matched the new shoes that she had gotten earlier and the jewelry that she had picked out. It felt strange to look at all of this. She was never the kind to dress up, but this was a special time. After years of searching, she finally had a job. It had nothing to do with her degree, it wasn’t her first choice, and she hated the hours, but it was something. For now, it was going to do.

  This is it, she told herself. You have left the salon you were working in, you got the degree you wanted, and now you got that job you needed before grad school. Vaughn Industries wanted you, and this is when your life is going to begin.

  She was surprised that she had gotten that full-time position in the first place. Her only bit of experience had been the last four years when she used to work in Yanitza’s Nail Salon and Spa. All she did was schedule appointments and handle the record books. While she never did anyone’s nails, she had picked up a lot of the skills over there. She had learned how to do her own nails as well as wax her body and give herself facials. It was strange moving from Yanitza’s to Vaughn Industries, especially given her skills. Yanitza and the crew had been great to her, but she could only hire Olivia for part-time work. They just didn’t have enough business to provide with a full-time job, unless she became a manicurist as well. That meant she would have to go to beauty school too, and she had no time for that.

  Olivia looked through her things and made sure that she had everything on the checklist. Her driver’s license, resume, and a list of her current classes were already tucked away in her purse. She had laid out the makeup she was going to wear for the first day on her bathroom counter. After trying on various lipsticks, blushes, and eyeliners, she had finally found the perfect combination. She was not a makeup person, but her mother had always told her to look her best. She only had one chance to make a first impression, and it had to be one that let her keep that job. At the same time, she was filled with anxiety. Her nerves were going haywire, and she had barely any time to sit down. Her favorite show was going to be on tonight with a new episode, and she still hadn’t turned on the TV. Her mind was still stuck on Vaughn Industries and the new boss. While she hadn’t spoken to him, she was definitely intimidated.

  “This guy is good, Liv.” Her father had said. “I heard that he graduated from MIT when he was only fourteen. He’s been working there for a long time, and he knows the place. People say he’s going to be the one who cures cancer.”

  “Sure, Dad.” Olivia would reply whenever this subject came up. It never failed.

  Her father was the one who had found the job for her. He had been looking through ads and newspapers to help her out. Two weeks ago, he had come across the ad for the lab and pointed it out to her. It didn’t require a whole lot of work or experience. She just needed to help one of the scientists keep up with his data and help him organize it. She didn’t need to play with chemicals or figure out anything. It was simple office work, and that was okay. It would be like working for Yanitza, but for something different. She had no desire to be a scientist or get in that field. The only reason she had gone in for the interviews and accepted the job was because she needed the money. Her parents did the best they could, but bills were piling up. She also had loans from college that needed to be taken care of, and she was far behind on them.

  Now she had come downstairs to make sure that she spent some time with her family. Normally, this was the time they would get together and watch terrible movies until midnight. Her mother would make popcorn, while her father made so many corny jokes towards the films. She had a serious job now, so their movies would be left for the weekend and holidays. It was strange that she had no problem being with her parents at twenty-four. A lot of her friends had moved out by now, but she stayed behind. She didn’t have enough money to live on her own right now, plus she liked her room as it was. She didn’t have to worry about rent or extra expenses. Her parents were good people to be around, even if they did embarrass her from time to time. At the moment, her father was currently watching the news and shaking his head at the screen.

  “My God, these people complain about the economy all the time! If it’s not that, then they’re complaining about young people ruining the world.” He groaned. “I know we’re in the hole right now, but talk about something else!”

  “The economy isn’t all that great that moment, Dad,” Olivia said. “It’s probably the biggest news they have. Lucky for us, I’m going to be bringing in more money. Vaughn Industries pays way more than Yanitza’s ever did.”

  “Lucky indeed! I know you loved that salon, but it was time for you to get something more solid. Did you read up on the company before you went in?” he grilled her.

  “I probably wouldn’t get the job if I didn’t, Dad.” Secretly, she had only read bits and pieces of the description. All she needed was to know what the job was about. No one had asked her for more than that. “It’s going to be fine.”

  “That’s what everyone says when they start out,” he warned her. “I remember when I first moved in and it was a struggle to
find a job. I looked everywhere just so you and your mother would be better off. The only reason I got work at all was because I researched the place ahead of time. Otherwise, we’d still be struggling.”

  Olivia had to admit he was right. Her father was actually her stepfather, yet she never saw him as that. Her real father had left the family years ago and never bothered to contact them. They never really talked about him, and Olivia had no desire to know the man. He had just been there for her birth and left right away. Her stepfather was the only father that she knew, and he had done everything that her real one should have done. He was the one who had taken her to school when she missed the bus, planned her birthday parties, went to all those softball games, and took her photos during prom and graduation. She owed him just about everything in her life.

  “Are you nervous?” he asked.

  “Just a little bit,” she admitted. “I want to make sure I have everything perfect. I’m going to be working alongside someone who’s a genius.”

  “You’ll be fine, Olivia. I’ve got your suit all ironed out.” Her mother replied, entering the room. She had been doing laundry and was waiting for everything to finish drying. “Remember that he’s a person, just like you. You shouldn’t worry about how smart he is or how long he’s been working there. Treat him like you would treat anyone else.”

  That was sound advice, and Olivia did plan on doing that. Scientist or not, she could treat him like a person. If she kept herself from sounding ridiculous and messing up, she would be perfectly fine. “I know, Mama. I just hope I don’t get tongue-tied.”

  “Take a deep breath. You will be fine.” Her mother said. “I’m just glad we finally found something, and they offered you the job on the spot. I thought you wouldn’t have enough experience, but I guess it didn’t matter.”

  “I’m not actually doing experiments, Mama. I think anyone could handle a little bookkeeping. It’s not the most glamorous job in the world, so I doubt you’d need a whole lot of experience for it,” Olivia said. “It’s a nice salary, and we should be able to pay off my loans soon.”

  “I really hope so. I hate that we had to take out a second mortgage on the house, but we need to keep things on top.”

  Olivia nodded and felt terrible about their whole money situation. Her father and mother both worked full-time jobs that neither one liked. They were office jobs that didn’t challenge them, but they helped bring in money. Her father talked a lot about going back to school and getting his masters degree. He had wanted to pursue his education in hopes that he could get a higher position and a better paycheck. Those hopes were dashed when they saw how much tuition cost. He would never be able to pay for the classes on the salary that he had, and it didn’t seem like he would get much help from anywhere else. He had to put aside getting a degree in hopes of his daughter getting her dream job. In his mind, she was far more important, and she needed the education more than he did.

  “I can always get that degree later in life,” he said. “I can do it when I’ve retired and we’re a little better off. You need to put your life together first.”

  Olivia knew what he meant. She alone had a lot of debt from earning her undergraduate degree. They had saved up money to send her to college, and it still wasn’t enough. Financial aid hadn’t given her much, so she was forced to take the loans. Now that she was done with college, she was ready to get rid of them. The problem was trying to get a job that would pay enough so she could do that. Like her father, she also had hopes of getting her graduate degree, but they would have to wait. Once she had saved up enough, she could finally apply and pay for everything. Then she would probably have the life she wanted.

  “Don’t forget your purse, O.” Her mother reminded her. This was the third time she had said this. Olivia had a horrible tendency to misplace things, and her most recent mix-up had been when she put her purse in the fridge. Her mother saw this after an hour and called her down. Fortunately, she had taken her phone out, and the rest of the contents were just cold. Since that moment, she was always reminded to keep an eye on her purse. Apparently, leaving it in the fridge was worse than having it stolen, according to her mother.

  “I promise I won’t leave anything behind.” Olivia said. “It’s true that I’ve put some things in the wrong places. Keys in soap dishes, my coat in the bathroom, purse in the fridge, and God knows what else. This time, I’m going to be straightened out. I will have everything in the right place!”

  “That’s fine, honey. As long as I don’t find your bras in the pantry again, you can do whatever you want.”

  Olivia winced at that. “Thanks for the reminder, Mom.”

  “I’m just saying! No one wants to find underwear next to the chips and crackers.” Her mother held up her hands. “Seriously, I do hope things go well with this job. Who knows? Maybe this can lead you to something new. You could get a more permanent job from it, or maybe something even better. I think this is a step in the right direction.”

  Olivia nodded and thought about what they had said. Even though Vaughn Industries wasn’t her cup of tea, it was a good opportunity. She would have the chance to meet new people and make some real money. It would be nice to hang out with someone. Most of her friends were either too busy, or they had moved to another state. Bethany had just gotten married and was on her honeymoon. Elizabeth was engaged to someone from London and had moved over there to be with him. Ana was in grad school and busy with that. Amber lived in California with her husband and son. Olivia was the only one left behind, and it felt like she had done nothing with her life. This job would hopefully give her some excitement. She would finally have something to talk about when people asked her what she did. She wouldn’t have to stammer or come up with a silly excuse. She could now tell them about her new job. There would be good opportunities to come from it.

  Who knows? Something good might be coming around the bend. She thought as she went back upstairs. Tomorrow was surely going to hold some good things. Her life was going to change, and she couldn’t wait to see what was in store.

  ~ ~ ~

  Dr. Donovan Vaughn looked down at everything he had scrawled on his papers. His calculations weren’t coming out right. He had done the problem every way possible, yet something was still off. It was the same problem that was plaguing him night after night. He had to solve it before he tested his new creation. It was days like this that he wished he had someone to vent to. The world was filled with people, yet he couldn’t find anyone to talk to.

  Yeah, I need someone that won’t make fun of me. He sighed, pushing the papers away. His eye fell on the phone, and the only number scrawled on the refrigerator. That belonged to his uncle who lived on the other side of the town. Uncle Raymond was a good man who did everything he could to help his nephew out, but even he couldn’t understand his true genius. Anytime Donnie had tried to tell him something, he would just smile and gently brush it aside. It wasn’t meant to ignore him, but to show that he didn’t understand.

  “You’re a smart kid, Donnie, but I’m not.” Raymond would say. “You need someone who can understand this stuff. It’s not me. Surely, you’ve got to have someone your age that will get this better than me.”

  What he said made sense, but Donnie had no one of that sort. He had no one that he could call a close friend. Of course, he got along well enough with the neighbors and his colleagues at work, but that didn’t mean any of them would hang out with him for fun. No one ever asked him to go for a beer or to the movies. He could tell them about his ideas, but most would brush them off. It felt like being around Raymond again. No one was doing it to be mean, but their lack of interest still hurt. Even his colleagues, who were used to his ideas, just didn’t want to think about them outside of the office. That left him lonely and desperate.

  “Some scientist I’m turning out to be.” He said, looking at the framed photo of his parents that hung on the wall. It was one the few pictures he had of them, and the last one that they had taken together. He had bee
n only two when they died in a boating accident. The memory of that night was very fuzzy, but he did understand that Mommy and Daddy were not coming back. They were gone, and he was alone. He didn’t remember crying for them, but he knew that their goodbye was forever. “Sorry, guys. It’s probably a good thing you aren’t here to see this.”

  There was no point in making them proud, so all of his work was for himself. He didn’t really have many memories of them when they were alive, and they hadn’t left him much after they died. Raymond had been kind enough to take him in and raise him. He was his father’s brother, and the only one who had no other family members living with him. The other family members weren’t able to take in a new child, so he stepped up and decided to be the father that Donnie would never know. Though money was always tight, he made sure that Donnie wouldn’t suffer because of it. The only thing that he was never able to do was to send Donnie to one of those schools for gifted children. They always got the brochures, and there was a lot of interest from educators in having him at their school. But the tuition was what held them back. Even when Donnie got scholarships from these places, it was never enough. Raymond finally decided to save up the money so Donnie could go to whatever college he wanted. As cliché as it sounded, his sights had been on MIT. When he got in, it was as though all of his dreams had come true.

  Unfortunately, MIT only fulfilled his school-related dreams. He never did make any lifelong friends, or get anything in the form of a social life from there. It was a sacrifice that he didn’t like making. He loved being in his lab and discovering new things. He enjoyed his share of science-related books and solving equations that others could not. Above all else, he loved to make new things. He was always inventing something to make life easier for people. He got his praise from the right people, of course, but not from those he wanted to actually impress. Most people in his age group would be impressed for about a minute, and then go about their lives. No one would invite him to join them for anything. No one would hang out with him. Those were the little things that made him question if anything he did was worthwhile.