Hey guys! It's been a long while! I'm in college now and things are starting to look up. I miss all your wonderful reviews and favorites that always made my day. It sounds silly, but just one person liking something you felt you did a good job on can mean so much. Stay perfect, you guys!

The sun had just risen on a Monday morning. A phone could be heard ringing throughout the small apartment. It rang once, and then twice, and then three times. It kept ringing until the answering machine beeped and a voice could be heard.

"Good morning! This is Hamilton from Waffle Island, calling for Angela Montgomery," the voice said. The man sounded entirely too awake for seven o'clock in the morning. "I received your message from the other day about the inn. I regret to inform you that, as of right now, we don't have any openings. However, I wanted to call you and let you know that I have another offer for you. If you could call me back when you get the chance, I'd be more than happy to explain! Have a wonderful day Ms. Montgomery!"

The message was rushed, and it sounded like the man – Hamilton, was it – was in a hurry. The aforementioned female was asleep on her couch, curled in a ball and huddled in a blanket. The television was playing back an opening menu from a movie she'd been watching while she fell asleep. So much overtime at work had made her exhausted.

Times in the city were tough, and Angela was working two jobs just to stay alive. The previous night she'd been at the hospital until three in the morning. She worked at the front desk as a receptionist, so it wasn't like she was paid a handsome amount of money.

During the day, she worked at a pet store. Although being surrounded by animals made her happy, she wasn't paid much there either. She'd even been employee of the month multiple times there. For the longest time, she'd been waiting for a raise or even a promotion. The only thing that kept her there was her love for animals.

The answering machine kept beeping every couple minutes. Chocolate eyes fluttered open at the noise, and a small yawn escaped her mouth. Angela sat up slowly, looking around groggily for the cause of the noise. She huffed, wondering who had called her so early in the morning.

She slowly got up from her spot on the couch and wandered over to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. She reached into the pantry and grabbed two slices of bread out and stuck them in the toaster. Then she walked over to the answering machine, glaring at it every time it beeped. She hit play.

"You have one new message." The automated voice on the answering machine was load, and she groaned, but continued to listen. "Good morning! This is Hamilton from Waffle Island, calling for Angela Montgomery. I received your message from the other day about the inn. I regret to inform you that, as of right now, we don't have any openings. However, I wanted to call you and let you know that I have another offer for you. If you could call me back when you get the change, I'd be more than happy to explain! Have a wonderful day Ms. Montgomery!"

Angela's face fell as she listened to the message, but brightened again at the proposal. She'd read an advertisement on a listings website, and there was a job offer at the inn on some island near her city. The island's housing was fairly cheap, at least compared to the city, and for being a small town on a lonely island, it paid pretty well.

She grabbed the phone off the stand and carried it to the kitchen with her. She poured herself a cup of coffee and grabbed her toast. Walking to the double doors in the living room, she opened them to a small balcony outside her apartment and sat down at a small patio table. Phone in hand, she looked up her missed calls and dialed the number back as she lit a cigarette.

She put the phone between her head and her shoulder, holding a cigarette and coffee mug in one hand, and a piece of toast in the other. Although it was probably unhealthy to have coffee and toast every day for breakfast, Angela figured it wasn't as bad as her smoking.

"Hello. This is Gill. Thank you for calling the Mayor's office on Waffle Island. How can I help you?" It sounded like a rather young man that answered the phone. He sounded like he was bored, as his voice was very monotonous. Angela felt it was rather rude to answer a phone like that, but then again, she had a piece of toast in her mouth and couldn't answer for a couple seconds.

"Hi! This is Angela Montgomery. I got a call back from Hamilton just a short while ago, and he told me to call him as soon as I had the time," she responded. There was a sigh from the other end of the phone and then he said, "Hold on just a second."

Angela waited again, finishing her last little bit of toast and putting her coffee down. Right as she puffed from her cigarette once more, an excited voice boomed on the other end of the line.

"Angela Montgomery! Oh, I'm so excited you called! Sorry for calling so early in the morning. Being a mayor, I have to be sort of an early bird. But morning sunrises are nice, don't you think? Oh, I'm rambling again." Mayor Hamilton spoke excitedly, almost too fast for Angela to hear.

"That's alright," she giggled. "I was just calling you back to hear out your offer that you had."

"Right, right. Well, as I said, we no longer have any openings at the inn, however. Based on the resume you emailed to us, I feel like you'd be the perfect pick for this job. I know you enjoy cooking, but I'm really hoping you say yes to this instead. You said you like animals, correct?"

"Yes," she said. "That is correct. I work two jobs as of right now, and during the day I work at a pet store. If it weren't for the animals, I wouldn't keep the job."

"I know it's just starting to change seasons to winter, Ms. Montgomery. But hear me out. How would you like to work on a farm, raising livestock and planting crops? You could start off with animals, that you're probably better with, since crops won't grow this time of year. You'll have a house of your own. It's not in perfect shape right now, as it's been abandoned for a while, but it's on a big plot of land and it can easily be fixed up. If you agree, we'll give you the first couple months to live there with no rent, that way you can test it out and see if you like it. You'll also be able to use any money you make to fix up the house a little while there's no rent. It comes pre-furnished, but you'll have to buy your own furniture if you wish you upgrade. How about it? I know it's sudden and kind of wild, and I know it's nothing like working at the diner at the inn, but I think you'd be perfect for the job."

Angela was speechless as she took another hit from her cigarette. "Uh..." was all she could muster out. She thought about it for a minute, and Hamilton waited patiently on the other end.

"No rent for a couple months, animals, crops... Is there anything I'm missing?" she asked.

"That's really all there is to it! If you have trouble with anything, you can always ask others on the island. A lot of us know many things, and everyone's very friendly. We'd be more than willing to help you out! You don't have to decide right now if you don't want to, Ms. Montgomery. If you need a couple days to think-"

Angela cut him off. "I'll do it! I've been waiting for an opportunity to start new. The city just isn't for me. I'm working two jobs just to live and I've been working for the same pet store as a cashier for five years without a promotion or raise or anything. I think this would be good for me!"

"Are you sure, Ms. Montgomery?"

"I'm sure!"

"Great!" Hamilton sounded ecstatic. "When's the earlier you could pack your belongings and leave?"

"I just have to tell my landlord. I was supposed to resign my lease tomorrow, actually, so I can gather all my things."

"Tomorrow? That's wonderful! Much sooner than I expected. If you need more time, feel free to call me and let me know. Otherwise, I'll have my son, Gill, email you information about boat tickets and the like. Just keep your receipt from your ticket and we'll reimburse you when you get here! I have to go now, Ms. Montgomery, but call me if you need anything! We can't wait to have you here!"

Angela was smiling now. "Neither can I! Thank you so much!"

Could this be the new start I've been waiting for? Angela thought to herself as she flicked her cigarette over the balcony edge and went inside to get dressed.

I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter. Hopefully, I'll have another chapter up fairly soon! I know it was kind of all over the place, but it'll get better once I get back into this writing thing!