Aurthor Note: Hay everyone!! Sorry it's taken so long but I should have all my stories updated by the end of the week! Hope you like this chapter! I know It's taking a while to get to the action but Jack will be in the next one... I hope! Lol!

Enjoy!

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Chapter Three.

The excitement of moving to America had left me jittery and full of energy during the rest of the week and I found it hard to sit still and concentrate on one thing for an extended length of time. This helped in some ways as I used all the excess energy to hunt around my house for anything I might have forgotten and it helped my mother, as the house was cleaner than it had been in years. The days seemed to fly by in a blur of colours due to my excitement.

A few days later, the day I was leaving, I woke up at 6am sharp and jumped out of bed. I patted Jock on the head before running out of the room and into the bathroom to take a quick shower. I didn't have time to relax so I lathered up and washed down in five minutes and went back into my bedroom to change into my clothes for the flight. Jock still lay on my bed watching me run around my bedroom like a mad women. I pulled out the clothes I had been using through the week from my wardrobe, folded them and packed them into my duffle bag. I quickly jumped into the clothes I had set out the night before for the plane trip and folded the second pair into my carry on so that I could change before getting off the plane. I picked up one of my small make-up bags and two of the new books I had bought and placed them into my carry on.

As I ran the brush through my hair Jock climbed off the bed and went downstairs annoyed at not being fussed over. I smiled to myself in amusement and laughed slightly before turning back to the mirror and pulled my hair up into a bun. Finally satisfied with my hair I placed the bush in a plastic bag and put it in by my make up. I ran back into the bathroom and brushed my teeth and then threw the toothbrush and toothpaste into another plastic bag and put them into my carry on as well. I grabbed up the handles of my carry on and as I went downstairs I called for my parents to wake up telling them we had an hour to get ready. The agency had arranged for a car to pick Jock, my parents and I up and take us to the airport so that we would be there in time to check in, say our goodbyes and catch my flight. I walked into the kitchen and reached into the cupboard and pulled out a bag of Jocks treats. As I put a bag of treats in my bag I watched my mum yawn sleepily as she walked into the kitchen and I put the kettle on to make her a cup of tea and a cup of coffee for my dad. I grabbed a bowl of cereal and sat in the living room to eat and let my parents wake up fully.

The ride to the airport was uneventful though the anxiety that always ran through my body whenever I was in a car was enough to keep me occupied for the entire ride. When we pulled up outside I was immensely grateful to get out, prying my white knuckled grip from where I had clutched at the seat and I wiggled my fingers to try and get the circulation going again. I followed my parents to the information desk and handed the woman all my papers as I rubbed Jock's head. She looked them over and gave them back to me with my ticket. I smiled, said thank you and unrolled my map following it to the right gate. I sorted out my bags and sat down on one of the chairs and smoothed Jock's head as we waited. I could tell from the way he kept looking around that the place was very noisy but it did not bother me as much as it usually would.

By the time the boarding call came for my flight I was more than ready to go, so it came as no surprise that I sprang up out of my seat when my parents beckoned for me. I followed them to the check in and had to force myself to not bounce on the spot. When it came time to board the plane, I turned to my parents and hugged them tearfully, promising to phone them at least once a month an e-mail them every night. I turned around and waved at them, smiling warmly, shouting that I loved them and everything would be fine. They signed that they loved me and for me to take care with tears in their eyes. I waved one last time, blew them a kiss and boarded the plane.

A woman met me at the door of the plane and led me to my seat then waited until I had settled down. I smiled thankfully at the airhostess when she handed me a printed sheet of paper with all the information I would need for the flight.

Now that I had sat down all the adrenaline that had ran through my veins, from the panic the four hour car ride brought on, to the excitement created by the prospect of a new life in America. All that energy seemed to have ran out leaving me exhausted. So it's needless to say that I slept for half of the nine-hour flight and by the time I'd woken up food was being served. I fell straight back to sleep after eating. It never occurred to me to pull out one of the books I'd brought with me.

Thirty minutes before we came into land the airhostess tapped me on the shoulder to wake me up as I'd requested at the beginning of the flight. I thanked her and went to freshen up and change.

By the time we landed I could hardly sit still I was so nervous and excited to meet Sue and Levi. I grabbed my carry on and Jock's leash and disembarked the plane. I spotted Sue and Levi almost immediately. I bit my lip nervously and made my way towards them. 'I hope they like me…' I thought worriedly.

"Hello Sue. Hello Levi. It's a pleasure to meet you. I can't tell you how much this means to me." Sue smiled and signed that she was happy she could help and that it was no problem. We headed towards the luggage conveyer belt, grabbed my bag and made our way to Sue's car. Everything was about to change. I smiled at the thought. I was ready.

As my knowledge of ASL was very limited, the journey to Sue and Lucy's was spent without communication and with nothing to distract me I could only focus on my nerves. It was only when Sue pulled to a stop and climbed out of the car, did the nerves really kick in. I felt Jock whine in sympathy as he rubbed his side against my leg like a cat. He and Levi had become instant friends, which was perhaps due to the fact that they are both hearing dogs and have wonderful temperaments.

When the door to Sue's apartment comes into view I could feel my heart rate accelerate considerably. I prayed Lucy would like me. I needn't have worried for the moment I stepped through the door Lucy had her arms around me in a hug, greeting me warmly in ASL. I relaxed immensely after that, knowing that I was going to like it here.

I smiled as I took in the sight of the place. Both Sue and Lucy had made up the house and stuck up "Welcome" banners, which I guessed had "home" attached to them as they had been cut down. I wasn't offended though. I knew that they had done it so that I could slowly get used to the idea of calling the apartment "home". They obviously didn't want to overload me or make me uncomfortable and I was thankful for that fact.

Lucy took hold of my arm and led me to the other end of the apartment, where I guessed the bedrooms were located. Sure enough she led me into the one opposite the bathroom where all my boxes of things had been placed. Sue followed behind us dragging my suitcase, which I quickly took off her. She had not let me wheel it along myself for some reason, but now as she complained I just ignored her, pretending not to notice that she started speaking.

Before leaving the room – and dragging Sue with her – Lucy handed me a piece of paper and I thanked her again. It was a ready prepared note telling me that they were going to make dinner while I unpacked my things.

Jock and Levi wasted no time in getting themselves comfortable on my bed as I opened my suitcase first and hung them up. Once that was done I started on finding places for the things contained within the boxes. By the time I was done hours had passed and I was sweaty, tired, hungry and in dire need of a shower and an early night.

When I came out of the bedroom Lucy motioned to me to join them from kitchenette table where food was waiting. She had placed nametags on the table to show who was sitting where and I couldn't help but smile at that. I sat down while Sue picked up two bowls of food to give to the dogs – they had followed me out of the bedroom after having fallen asleep on my bed as I unpacked – I watched Jock dig in without hesitation and smiled.

I waited until Sue and Lucy were seated before thanking them profusely though they both waved off the comments with smiles on their faces. Sue informed me – with the use of a notebook and pen – that we would talk and sort things out after dinner, so I nodded and followed Jock's example but with more manners, a knife and fork and no snuffling. Plus I didn't get food all over my face.

I helped clean the plates after dinner, much to the annoyance of both Lucy and Sue who didn't think it was right because I was a guest. I replied simply that I was "living with them" and that meant I was as much as guest as they were. They gave in relatively gracefully and as soon as the task was completed, we made our way to the sofa where Sue handed me a few sheets of paper. They contained information I would need to know for the next few months. Like the fact that I was going to be starting one to one lessons in ASL and lip reading with Sue's old teacher first thing tomorrow morning! I smiled happily. It meant that it wouldn't be long before I would be able to communicate with people again! I was ecstatic at the thought.

That night before I went to bed, I made sure I had clothes set out for the morning and had put everything I might need in a bag to take with me. I lent the bag against the wardrobe, walked across the room and crawled into bed. As soon as I'd settled down and gotten myself comfortable, Jock jumped up and laid himself down across the bottom of the bed.

I fell asleep with a smile on my face. Thing were looking up.

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