A New Beginning

by Samantha Hicks

  “Can’t complain. No Martha today?” she asked, glancing over his shoulder expecting to see her.

  “No. I dropped her off at the shops. She and Amy are looking for some new work clothes for Amy.”

  The mention of Amy’s name sent a flutter of excitement through her belly and she had to refrain from groaning at her stupid hormones which were acting like a teenager’s. Amy had made it clear she wasn’t interested in pursuing anything between them and Laura just needed to get her heart to sync up with her brain. It was hard though, Amy was all Laura could think about.

  “She got the job?”

  “Yeah, she did.”

  “Oh, that’s wonderful.”

  “Yeah.” He looked away for a moment, a frown marring his handsome features. “Hopefully it’ll help give her some of the spark back that’s been missing since Julia passed.”

  Not wanting to talk about Julia, for fear her jealousy would peek through, she said, “I imagine Aaron didn’t take the news too well.”

  “That’s an understatement.” He laughed. “The poor kid. He burst into tears.”

  “Oh, no.”

  “Yeah. Amy tried to reassure him she wouldn’t even see him that much in school. She’ll be teaching a different year, so they have no need to cross paths.”

  “Amy must be excited though.”

  “Yeah, she can’t wait.” Jim studied her for a moment and she had to force herself not to squirm under his intense gaze. He leaned forward, bracing his arms on the edge of her desk. “Can I ask you a personal question?”

  No. “Sure.”

  “Despite my wife’s continued meddling, I get the impression you like my daughter.”

  This was not something she wanted to be discussing with Amy’s father. It made her feel all kinds of uncomfortable, but the genuine interest she saw in his eyes had her speaking before she could stop herself. “Yes, I do, from what I’ve seen. We’ve only met a few times, and the times at your house, she wasn’t exactly...”

  “Friendly,” he finished for her.

  She grinned. “No.” He was right. Amy had been somewhat hostile toward her, but that was only because of her mother’s meddling. When she had been with Amy outside of Aaron’s room, Laura had seen the spark of interest in her eyes. It was clear to Laura Amy had at least a small amount of attraction to her. She had seen the heat in her eyes as they locked gazes, and when she had kissed her goodnight on the cheek she had felt Amy tremble. Laura wasn’t stupid. Amy liked her. But it didn’t matter, because Amy didn’t want anything to happen between them.

  “I hope you don’t take it personally. She’s had a rough few years, and Martha hasn’t made it easy for her, trying to force her to move on with her life.”

  “No one can make her do that, Jim. She’ll do it herself when she’s ready.”

  “True, but she is so blinded by grief, she forgets to look at the beauty of the world.” He sat back in his chair, folding his hands over his middle-aged spread. “Did you know I was married once before?”

  “No.”

  “Elanor.” His eyes softened around the edges, his lips pulling upwards into a fond smile. “We met when we were just sixteen. She was so beautiful. Had long honey coloured hair and eyes as blue as the sky. We fell in love quickly and after six months of me courting her, we got married. I thought we would be together forever.”

  “What happened?”

  “She contracted meningitis and passed away. I was so heartbroken. I thought I would never breathe again without the constant ache in my heart.” Tears shimmered in his eyes, the pain of losing his first wife clearly still affecting him. “A few years later I met Martha. Oh, boy. She was a spitfire. Crazy as they come. She’d kept showing up and shamelessly flirting with me. I wasn’t interested, but she just wouldn’t quit. Eventually I agreed to take her dancing. I fell in love again that night. I never thought I would find someone as special as Elanor, but Martha proved me wrong. I now have a loving wife, a beautiful daughter, and a grandson who’s laugh lights up my world. I often wonder what would have happened if Elanor hadn’t have died, but I also know I wouldn’t change my life for all the money in the world.” He leaned forward again, forcing Laura to make eye contact. “Amy needs to realise, as human beings, we have the capacity to love more than one person. She needs to open herself up to those feelings again.” His gaze bored into her and she looked away for a moment. “Julia isn’t coming back and I’m sure she wouldn’t be happy if she knew Amy was not living the way she should.”

  Laura blew out a ragged breath. “I agree, but what has this got to do with me?” All this match making was driving her crazy. Never in her life had she met two people so intent on setting their daughter up. It was strange, and disconcerting how involved they both were in getting Amy back into the dating world. She supposed though that after suffering a loss like Amy had they just wanted the best for her and for her to be happy. She hoped Martha and Jim we’re not into expecting miracles. Amy had the right to want to stay single and just because Martha and Jim thought they’d make a great couple didn’t mean they would. Laura would not be forced into chasing someone who clearly wanted to be left alone, no matter how much she liked her.

  “You like my daughter and I’m sure she likes you too, even if she doesn’t realise it yet. Take some advice from an old man. Woo her, court her. Make her feel special. If Martha hadn’t have persisted with me, I might be a lonely old grouch hating on the world. I don’t want that for my daughter.”

  She smiled. “So, it’s not just Martha that likes to meddle in her daughter’s love life?”

  He laughed. “No, I’m just as bad, but I like to take a different approach. Pushing Amy isn’t going to work.”

  “So, you think pushing me to pursue her would work better?”

  “It worked for Martha and me. If I had someone back then badgering me to move on from my grief, I would have held on to it tighter. It was only with Martha’s love and support I finally learned to love again.”

  She didn’t know what to say. Why is everyone suddenly trying to set me up with Amy? Is it that obvious I like her? Could Jim be right? Should she try and court Amy? Laura had seen the interest in her eyes. Yes, Amy was scared about moving on from Julia, but didn’t they owe it to themselves to see if they could have something between them? Should Laura just give up? She hadn’t been this enamoured with anyone in a long while. Surely this meant that Amy was special and was worth pursuing. If Amy continued to shoot her down, she would give up. But she had to try. Right? God, she was so confused by all this.

  Focusing back on Jim she said, “This is quite unusual for a planning meeting.”

  “Sorry. I felt it needed to be said. Anyway, back to business.”

  She released a relieved sigh. “That would be good.” Grabbing a fresh notepad from her desk drawer she asked, “Do you have any sites in mind to build on?”

  “I’ve been looking around and there is some land for sale in Milton Abbas, not far from here. It has woods surrounding it and I think it would be a perfect place for us to get a dog and go for long walks. We’ve lived by the sea for thirty years now, we want a change, and this is perfect.”

  Laura scribbled some notes onto the pad. “Okay. I’ll make some calls and see about planning permission and utilities, just to make sure it’s a viable location. I won’t be able to start on any designs for a couple of weeks as I still have a project to finish. Once that’s nearly settled, I’ll make a start.”

  “No rush. Martha still isn’t in agreement on the size of the property yet. She hate’s housework and doesn’t want to spend all her time cleaning.”

  “I know that feeling. Do you have a budget in mind?”

  “Money isn’t a problem. We own a small property in Bournemouth which we will sell, as well as our saving bonds and investments.”

  She made a few more notes, listing things she needed to make a start on. “Okay then. I’ll start making some calls and just let me know when you have a rough idea of wh
at you want, then I can start planning in the next few weeks.”

  He stood from his chair and she did too. “Thank you, Laura. I can’t wait to get started now. It’s taken us a long time to finally agree to move and now it’s happening, we’re really excited.”

  “Hopefully it’ll all go smoothly and we won’t have any problems.” She walked him to her door, but he stopped her from opening it.

  “Must have been fate that you met Amy that day in the cafe, otherwise we’d still be arguing about the whole thing.”

  “Yes, well, I don’t much believe in fate.”

  “You should. You never know where it will take you and whom it might take you to.”

  Laura shifted uncomfortably under the weight of his penetrating gaze, his implications clear, fate had brought Laura to Amy and she had better do something about it. Clearing her thoughts of the confusion she felt she said, “I’ll call you and set up another meeting next week. If the land is a viable site, are you ready to move forward with a purchase?”

  He smiled and patted her arm. The gesture letting her know he knew she understood his point. “Just tell me when and where.”

  “We’ll obviously need planning permission, but I’ll take care of all that when we know the size of the house you want. I can’t see it being a problem though.”

  “Okay, great. Speak to you soon.”

  “Yes. Give my best to Martha and Amy.”

  “Will do.” She opened the door and a moment later he was gone.

  Laura sat back at her desk, resting her head in her hands. Woo her. Did she even know how to woo anyone? She shook her head. How do you court someone who said they weren’t interested? She opened her internet browser and searched for a local florist. Congratulating Amy on her new job would be a good start. She found the phone number for the flower shop and dialled. She’d send her the flowers and maybe next week sometime, she’d drop by the house on the pretence of speaking to Jim about the brief for the new home, that should give her the chance to see Amy again. She had an uneasy feeling she was being manipulated by Jim, but she found she didn’t mind. She liked Amy, and regardless of Martha and Jim’s feelings about Amy moving on, Laura wanted to at least try and see if something could be between them.

  Chapter Seven

  “Aaron?” Amy called from the bottom of the stairs. “Are you ready?”

  “Yeah, I just need to find my other trainer,” he replied from his bedroom, his voice echoing around the walls.

  “I think you left it in the laundry room,” she called back. This morning they were going to go visit Julia’s mother and then go on to the cemetery. It would have been Julia’s thirty-seventh birthday today and they did the same thing every year to mark the occasion, something Aaron wasn’t happy about. He loved seeing his other grandmother though, but didn’t understand why they always had to go to the graveyard. He found it creepy. He didn’t even remember Julia, having been only just over a year old when she died, but Amy wanted him to come along as Julia was his birth mother and she desperately wanted to keep that connection alive. Whether it was for Aaron’s benefit or her own she didn’t know. The thought of him not knowing Julia pierced her heart like it did every time she remembered he would never get to know the woman who gave him life. She supposed in a few years, when he was older, he’d probably refuse to carry on the tradition.

  “Thanks, Mum,” Aaron said as he flew down the stairs and headed toward the back of the house.

  “Honey, these were just delivered to you,” Martha said. It was hard to see her face as it was obscured by a huge bouquet of flowers.

  “Who on earth would be sending me flowers?”

  “Read the card.”

  Amy plucked the card, that was pinned to the cellophane wrap, off with shaky fingers. A sense of trepidation filled her as she opened the envelope. Congratulations on the new job. Laura, X. “They’re from Laura.” A small smile tugged at her lips, the gesture from Laura making her pulse flutter. Despite what she had said to her the other night, about not wanting to date her, she still couldn’t get her completely from her mind. There was just something about her that pulled at Amy. It’s those damn soulful eyes.

  “Oh, that’s nice of her,” Martha said, a hint of teasing in her tone.

  “Yeah, I guess.”

  Martha placed the flowers down onto the nearby side board and asked, “What’s the matter?”

  “Nothing. It was a nice gesture.”

  “Yes, it was.”

  Aaron came skidding back into the foyer, his hair a mess as it usually was. It didn’t matter how tidy it started off in the morning, an hour later he had the just-got-out-of-bed look’. “I’m ready, Mum.”

  “Okay, let’s go.”

  She took Aaron’s hand and led him out of the house, knowing her mother would put the flowers in water for her. As she settled into her car her thoughts turned to Laura. Would she be totally crazy to maybe see her again? She had to admit she liked her. And Aaron certainly did, but was she ready to move on from Julia? Her mother had been right, Laura was the first woman who had gotten under her skin, made her feel something other than a bleak emptiness. Surely that was a big enough hint that Laura was special.

  As she drove to Julia’s mothers house on the outskirts of Bournemouth, she tried to imagine what it would be like to be with Laura, to date her, to make love to her. She couldn’t do it. Every time she imagined gazing up at her whilst they kissed, Julia’s face would appear. She shook her head. That wasn’t a good sign. Julia obviously was still present in her heart and the thought of anyone else touching her made a lead ball settle in her gut. She wasn’t ready, she didn’t think she ever would be.

  Half hour later she pulled up outside to a small bungalow. Spring flowers lined the front garden and the apple tree they had planted in Julia’s memory still stood tall and proud. They exited the car and went to the front door.

  “Hi, Amy,” Diana Barton said after she opened the door. “It’s good to see you.”

  Whenever Amy saw Diana her heart clenched. Diana was the spitting image of her daughter and it pained Amy to know that Julia would have aged just as well as her mother had. They were the mirror image, except Diana had a few more creases in her features and her once honey-blonde hair was now sprinkled liberally with grey. She was striking, just as Julia was.

  “You too.”

  “And there is my favourite grandson.” Diana hugged him closed, kissing the top of his head.

  “I’m your only grandson.”

  “And you’re still my favourite.” She looked up at Amy. “I thought we would go see Julia first and then come back for lunch.”

  “Sounds good.” They all settled back into Amy’s car, Aaron now in the back seat, and headed off to the cemetery.

  “So how have you been?” Diana asked. “Aaron told me you were starting a new job in the new school year?”

  “Yeah, at his school.”

  “That’s excellent. I’m glad you’ve finally decided to get back into teaching.”

  “Well, for the moment it’ll be helping out in class, but hopefully when a full-time position becomes available, I’ll get the job.” Diana cleared her throat, usually a sign she was uncomfortable. Amy worried what she was about to say next.

  “He also told me about someone called Laura? Apparently, she bought him some Lego and he can’t wait to get the rest in the set.”

  Amy’s eyes went wide. When had he told her that? Aaron saw his grandmother every few weeks, but they spoke on the phone often. Usually Amy was in the room with him when they talked, so when had that little nugget of information come out? “Yes, that’s right.”

  “And who is Laura?”

  “Oh, nobody.” Amy glanced into the rear-view mirror seeing Aaron’s full attention on them as they spoke. Little bugger was just like Martha, a little busy-body in the making. God, and his only seven! “She’s the architect designing my folks’ new house.”

  “Why would an architect be buying gifts for Aaron?”
Diana asked suspiciously.

  “She’s been over the house for dinner, Gran,” Aaron announced from the back seat.

  “Really?”

  “It’s nothing like that,” Amy defended, not wanting Diana to get the wrong idea. “You know how my mother keeps trying to set me up? I met Laura, found out she was an architect, and passed her card onto my mum. Mum was trying to play match maker, but it doesn’t matter because I’m not interested.”

  “Amy.” Diana’s tone sounded frustrated.

  “What?”

  “You know I couldn’t love you more even if you were my own child. And I also know how much you loved Julia, but you can’t shut yourself off forever.”

  “Not you as well,” she said then sighed heavily. She wished everyone would just butt out of her business. She was more than capable of making her own decisions and choosing who to go out with. She didn’t need people telling her it was time to move on. She’d move on when her heart would allow it, not with pressure from everyone else. Thankfully they entered the parking lot and found a space, effectively ending the conversation.

  After they got out of the car Diana continued, “I’m just saying, if you wanted to begin dating again, I wouldn’t be upset by it.”

  Or maybe not.

  “That’s good to know, but it isn’t going to happen, not for the foreseeable future anyway.”

  Diana linked arms with her as Aaron raced on ahead, knowing the way by heart. “Just don’t close yourself off to opportunities if they arise.”

  Amy eyed her suspiciously as they walked. “Have you been secretly plotting with my mother?”

  “Of course not. We all just want you to be happy.”

  “And I am happy. I promise.”

  “Okay.”

  They found the grave site and Amy knelt to clear some of the fallen leaves from the grass.

  “I can’t believe she would have been thirty-seven today,” Diana whispered, tears filling her eyes.

  “Yeah, living through the last six years has been hell, but when I think back, it feels like only yesterday she died.” Amy’s eyes filled also, and she sniffed a few times trying to contain them. She knew her crying always upset Aaron and she didn’t want to do that today, not on Julia’s birthday.