New Beginnings 6

I woke to the sound of the lawn mower through the open window. I got up the room was bright and looked around the room my case had been emptied of all the clothes. I walked over to the closet. Everything had been hung up and looked like they had all been ironed. All my things that were in the other cases had been left sitting in the corner in a neat pile and my pictures had been put up on the nightstand. My perfume bottles and cosmetics were all sitting on the dressing table. I wondered what time it was. I mean for Cecilia to have all this done was shocking I thought it would take me a couple of day's to do this. I walked out into the Landing and down to the stairs turned onto the second set and into the hallway. Again this was big. Dad's house was. It had been his parent's house to. He always loved it and so did I. It was built in 1930 and had Victorian style details. It had maple floors in almost every room apart from 2 and the bathrooms. I walked down the hall to the kitchen. I had forgotten how the kitchen looked like something out of a magazine. There was a centre work counter with sink and a granite surface and a big double oven and all the appliances were stainless steel. I looked towards the door to the porch it was open and I could hear the lawn mower again I walked out on to the porch and looked to the bottom of the garden it was so peaceful here. Granddad was sitting on the bench by the little pond. I walked towards the steps to look for dad. When I was far enough away I looked back towards the house. It hadn't changed a bit apart from it had been painted lately. I walked around to the front of the house past the little play area with swings and a slide to find dad. He was mowing the side garden. He saw me and turned the mower off.1

"Good afternoon, princess." He said.2

"Hi dad, what time is it?" I had forgotten to look for a clock in the house.3

"It’s after 4pm." He said. I had slept so long.4

"Oh, right. Who unpacked for me?" I said although I did not mention the ironing.5

"Cecilia. I hope you don't mind she and the girls went grocery shopping, she was waiting but it was getting late and she didn't want to wake you." He said. 6

"Oh no, that's fine I don't mind." I said and I really didn't the last thing I wanted was to go out now. "I think I'm going to go get ready dad." I said making my way back in.7

"Cecilia will be back with the shopping soon, you really should get something to eat." He called after me.8

I walked in and up to my room. I really wanted a shower but the bathroom on the third floor had a roll top bath so I couldn't resist. I then got ready and went back downstairs Cecilia was not back yet so I went out and got on the swing something I remember from when I was little. Swinging here in front of the beautiful house I felt to some extent happy or happier than I had been lately. 9

The next couple of days went so fast I had been here almost a week. Everything had started going back to normal for everyone. Dad went back to work he owned a diner on Sharon road at the town centre just down the road. The girls went back to school and Cecilia went about normal things and going into town. She always asked me to join but I wasn't ready instead I sat about watching Dad’s. I had gone through so many trying to keep away from love stories. By the end of the second week I had grown sick of Disney Pixar movies and Horrors that seemed to be the only things in this house. That's when I got it. The mail that is, the mailman left it in the box and I went out to get it. I was on my own Cecilia was out for the day and Granddad had gone for a walk. I went down lifted it and walked into the hall. I looked through it and there was a letter for me and I didn't recognise the writing. I opened it and pulled out the letter I carefully unfolded it and a cheque fell out. I let it fall and looked only at the letter. I read10

Allison,11

Please read this, I have enclosed a cheque for your father's half of the payment from the wedding.12

I am really sorry at the fact you have gone to America over this. Please accept my apology on any13

wrong-doing on behalf of my son. Please do not destroy this cheque. It's the only way I can try to14

make this right.15

Kind Regards16

Thomas Alexander.17

I was shaking. I lifted the cheque of the floor it was for fifteen thousand pounds. I could not believe it. That was it, I needed something to eat. I needed the comfort. I ran to the Kitchen I needed something sweet but there was nothing, damn Cecilia for only having healthy food. I needed something full of fat and sugar. There wasn't even enough to bake. I had to go out I had to. I ran up to my room and lifted my handbag I went to the drawer in the dressing table and pulled $50 from the money I had changed before I came here. I ran back down the stairs and headed out through the front door and across the front porch. I walked down the drive and turned right towards Lakeville town centre.18