"We are now approaching at the Volterra International airport," announced the female flight attendant coolly, "Please secure all your belongings and make sure that your seatbelts are fastened."

"Alyssa, it's time to get up," said my mom's voice lovingly.

I felt her shaking me awake. I had fallen asleep what felt like seconds ago but was actually fourteen hours.

"What time is it?" I said with a yawn.

I felt like I could use about a hundred years of sleep. Mom laughed at my expression. I must look like hell, I thought. "It's only eleven AM here," she said.

"Huh, wha!"

She giggled like a girl. She had done that a lot today. We both had done a lot of laughing today. More than I could remember. But then again we were both broken earlier that day. That tends to make people a little loopy, I guess.

"So Mom, where are we going once we collect everything?" I asked curious.

She sighed, "I think it's time I told you the whole story about your grandparents."

"Well as I told you already, I was born and brought up in Volterra. But you see I didn't have a normal childhood. Your grandmother was a very famous actress here in Italy and my father the normal man every other guy thought wasn't good enough from my famous mother. Between the two of them, they almost never had time for me. My parents had had an arranged marriage and had never really worked on their marriage from the start. My grandparents thought it would boost her publicity if my mother married someone who wasn't famous. Then they had me and that was it. That was the end of their marriage. Once they had an heir they didn't need to tolerate each other anymore. Or so they thought. Both my parents had a string of affairs each. I was always there left alone in the house with whatever nanny they had hired that week."

I felt sorry for my mom. I could never imagine growing up like that. I would've gone crazy. "Oh Mom I'm so sorry."

"Oh hon, it's okay. Think of it like a fairy tale still being written. I mean I had you and your dad for a little while. And eventually it did get better. I did have my happy ending so don't worry."

"Anyway, with my parents being MIA most of my life, I tried everything to make them notice me. Drugs, alcohol, you name it I tried it. But no matter what I did they never seemed to care. Finally one day, I felt like no one cared and I decided that I'd commit suicide. It was stupid I know but at that point in time I felt alone and depressed."

I gasped at what my mom had said. That thought of her being suicidal was almost completely unquestionable. My loving vivacious and strong mom could never possibly think of taking her life. I was shocked that she could've once attempted it.

She continued, "Well the suicide thing did what I always wanted. It finally made my parents notice me. We all went to a psychologist together and somehow we were able to work things out. Finally I had parents for once. They were surprisingly good at the parenting thing although they'd never really tried in the beginning. Until I went away to college and met Skip, I kept close with my parents especially my mom. You'd have loved her. She was so lively and fun. She'd parent you in ways that never made you realize that you were being disciplined. Both of them gave up their extramarital affairs and tried loving each other for once. It actually managed to work out it the end. Anyway I went away to college and met your dad, brought him home to the folks. They didn't exactly love him at first but then at my behest, they gave in and gave us their blessing. Skip never realized though how rich my family was exactly. You see my mom came from a wealthy family and then she was an actress on top of that and my dad wasn't famous, but he was stinking rich. When you join those to together you get at least fifty million dollars."

My eyes widened and my heartbeat stuttered. F-fifty m-million dollars? Wow that was a lot of money. My mom laughed at my expression. "Yeah I know."

"Anyway after they died, they left me with their house or I should say, mansion, which I grew up in and the rest of their money. When the lawyers called me to find out what I'd do with the money and the house, I told them to just put the money in a bank account and let our old maid, Christy, keep the house running. Christy has been running that house ever since I was a child. When my parents used to neglect me, she was like my second mom. I still send her some pictures of you once in a while. She considers you her granddaughter you know. Christy is probably about sixty five now but she refuses to retire. I just let her run the house now and I called her just before we left Cherry Hill. She's getting our rooms ready as we speak. She's very excited to see you, Alyssa."

I smiled. "I couldn't wait to see her. I had never had a grandmother before. Hmm….I wonder if he'll let me call grandma?" I thought.

"Wow Mom. How come you never told me all of this before?" I asked.

"Well I wanted you to grow up normally, a chance I never had. You see because my parents were such big people, we always had to go to some public event or party every night. It was horribly boring," she said giggling again. "Skip himself doesn't know half of it. I guess I never felt the need to tell him everything. I was also a little afraid that he'd get greedy. He can be a little like Derek sometimes you know."

I looked at her disbelievingly. "Mom, has Dad ever hit you?" I asked horrified.

"No honey. He's tried it once or twice but I've never let him. What I meant is that he can be a little controlling like Derek is sometimes. I'm actually kind of glad that everything is over. No more fights, no more arguments. No, now it's just me and my favorite girl."

I giggled and rolled my eyes. "Thanks Mom."

Before we collected our luggage, we stopped by the ladies room to freshen ourselves up. I was right, I did look like hell. My hair was disheveled and my face looked drawn and tired.

"Hey Mom," I called, "I think new beginnings entitle a new look and new personality. What do you think? Wanna re-invent ourselves?"

She looked at me seriously. "I think that's a great idea. As long as we don't lose who we really are though. Promise me you won't forget everything your parents taught you?"

I looked at her solemnly. "I promise. Pinky swear?" I held out my pinky finger in an attempt to lighten the mood.

I succeeded. She laughed and grabbed my pinky. "Pinky swear," she said with a wink.

We laughed together and then collected our luggage and everything and walked outside the terminal.

"Look there's our ride. I see Christy's come to pick us up," said Mom smiling at an elderly woman standing next to a black limousine. I gawked at the limo. Wow Mom wasn't kidding, I thought.

We walked over to the car and Helena dropped her luggage and with a girlish squeal leaped at the woman. She laughed and hugged her back. Christy was a tall, thin woman dressed casually in a sun dress. She gave off a sense of comfort and belonging. Her faded gray colored eyes watched my mother with love and warmth sparkling. I knew at once that I would absolutely adore her like my mother so obviously did.

"Christy," my mom said, warmth and love in her voice, "You haven't changed a bit, crazy lady."

"Ah of course I haven't!" She said, her voice held a smooth Australian accent, "But you on the other hand have. I would notice, you are like my daughter, Helena, you know that."

Mom laughed. "Okay then Christy; let me introduce me to my daughter, Alyssa." She pointed at me on that last sentence.

She looked at me and smiled. "Hello Alyssa, I am Christy. I take it your mother has told you everything about her past. But you my dear can call me grandma if you like. I think of you and your mother like the children I never had. Although I don't even know you, I love you already my dear," She said, her voice filled with warmth and love.

"Hi grandma!" I said ecstatically, grinning. I gave her a big hug. She laughed and kissed the top of my head.

"Okay I'm sure you two are rather tired from your journey. I'll take you home now. Hop in Alyssa," She said to me. I grinned. I was happy to say the least. I was away from Derek, could now create a whole new me and now had gained a grandmother.

"Oh by the way Alyssa, when Helena called me today to tell me that you two were coming I took the liberty of enrolling you in high school so that you wouldn't fall behind. You start next week Monday; is that all right?"

"Yes, thanks grandma," I said. I saw her grin at the last part.

On the way to our new home, instead of falling asleep again, I looked out the window and thought of what I was going to do now. I was in a new city and was soon going to be in a new school. Time for a new Alyssa, I thought, a strong, independent Alyssa. Someone who isn't intimidated by guys and was witty, cool and confident. I could be that girl, I thought, I will be that girl. I came up with a plan. I was going to be everything I wasn't back in Cherry Hill. I was going to be smart, fashionable, cool, confident and beautiful and when it came to guys, I would date here and there, play hard to get but never go into anything serious. I didn't trust guys anymore. I might do a little dating here and there but I wouldn't be easy nor would I ever give anyone my heart. Besides, my heart was too broken to be given away. Derek had destroyed the old Alyssa. The new one was going to be born soon….