A Fresh Start
Chapter Fifty Six
"I would have thought the novelty would have worn off by now?" Sam says, as they walk back into the living room.
"This is a small town, besides the Spaulding's, what other news is there. Richard and I are talking with and old friend about doing an interview. Holly was there when I lost our baby in San Cristobel. She was there through all the months when Edmund had me locked in the tower. She was there when Richard was elected President."
"So, you trust her."
"Yes."
"Good. I think it's time I…."
"Do you really have anything to do today?"
"No, not really, I've taken care of all the errands I wanted to run this morning."
"Then why don't you hang out? We can talk and the boys won't be back till this evening anyway. They've gone with the church youth group to Chicago for a Cubs game."
"Alright." Sam says smiling.
"Great, would you like something to drink?"
"Sure."
Cassie gets up and goes into the kitchen. While she's in the kitchen, Sam looks around the living room. Walking over to the mantle, she looks at the different pictures. She's looking at a picture of Cassie and another man when Cassie comes back into the living room. Sitting a tray down, Cassie looks over and sees the picture that Sam's holding. "That's Hart?" She says walking over to her and handing her a glass of tea.
"Thank you." Sam says, taking the glass. "And I'm sorry, I didn't mean…."
"Its fine, Hart was what I needed at the time he was in my life. He helped me get Tammy back for Social Services and he gave me RJ. He was good to me, and if he had lived I'm sure we would have been happy."
"But it wasn't meant to be." Sam finishes, putting the picture down.
"No, it wasn't. And I hurt for a really long time before I met Richard." Cassie says, laughing ruefully.
"What?" Sam asks, looking at the other pictures.
"I met Richard, trying to save Reva from him." Cassie says, picking up a picture of the both of them, right after she had married Josh at the Beacon, before Richard's accident.
"You're close to your sister."
"I was, but I'm afraid that I might have messed that relationship up for good." Cassie says, putting the picture back down.
"Why?"
"Because of Josh, I didn't mean for what happened, to happen. It just did and I wish I could take it back. I wish I would have stopped and thought about what was happening with her, but…." Cassie falls silent, looking at the picture.
"But, what?"
"I was lost, the ache that had been with me since Richard's accident. I couldn't fight it anymore. Reva always had the man she loved. He was always there, but first there was Hart and then there was Richard, and I lost both of them, or I thought I had. And I know it sounds wrong to say this, but I was jealous of her."
"Have you told her this?"
"No, we talk, about family and things, but we've never actually sat down and discussed Josh. There are so many dynamics to that. Her cancer, me, Josh, it's so complex and I can't really explain what was going on. How I missed what was going on with her?"
"I think you explained it quite well. It's hard to focus on anything when your heart is broken." Sam says, looking at the picture of Cassie and Reva.
"Do you have any brother's or sisters?"
"I've got an older brother?" Sam says, looking out the window.
"Are you…?"
"Close, no. We haven't spoken since my grandmother died several years ago."
"I'm sorry. I…."
"Jeremiah and I were close when we were younger, before our parents split and we were forced to choose. He was my protector." Sam says, still looking out the window.
"Why were you forced to choose?"
"My parents split when I was young. My dad was a minister and my mother stayed at home. One day, she left. It infuriated my father, and my father was from a very prestigious family. He had money and so he went after custody of us and he won. He completely cut my mother off from us until I was an adult. When I started seeing my mother again he turned my brother against me and cut me off."
"He took your inheritance away?"
"No, he couldn't touch that. Grandaddy had taken care of that, but he wouldn't see me, wouldn't talk to me and he forbade Jeremiah from speaking to me."
"So, you didn't know your mother."
"Not till I was an adult. When she got sick, she went back to them and they killed her."
"How did they kill her?"
"They refused to take her to get treatment. She had cancer, and could have been saved but my father's religion believed that prayer was the only treatment a person needed, prayer and faith."
"They did nothing."
"Yes." Sam says, getting up and walking to the window.
"Did she ever get your brother back?"
"In a sense, in the end, he was there and they came to peace before she died. Although she was kept on the fringes of their society, she wasn't alone when she died and I was there."
"When did she die?"
"Right after the accident, right after I… left Jeffrey in Russia."
"So, you lost Jeffrey and your mother in a matter of months."
"Yes."
"Was your brother there then?"
"No, he made it clear he wanted nothing to do with me. That I was a heathen and beneath him."
"So what did you do?"
"I buried my mother, packed up the things she left me, the things my Gran had given me from my grandfather, including the car and I left. I went to Nashville, changed my identity, changed my appearance and I applied for college and became a Pre-Med. Student."
"And you never talk to your brother."
"No."
"Why not?"
"He's made his feelings clear, and I'm tired of trying to make him see the truth." Sam says, sighing softly.
"Maybe you should try talking to him again."
"So, you met Richard trying to save Reva from him. Why did she need saving?"
"Smooth Sam, okay we'll change the subject but one more question." Cassie says smiling.
"Okay."
'What happened to your dad?"
"He died when I was on an assignment. I didn't find out till we got back to the states."
"So, you weren't there."
"No. You were saving Reva."
"Yes, for a few years, like you we thought she was dead and during that time she was married to Richard. While she was there, she had Jon and at some point she discovered that Edmund was trying to kill him, so she gave him to Olivia to look after till she returned and then she disappeared."
"Why is Olivia involved with everything?"
Cassie chuckles before she continues. "When Josh and Reva got married the second time…."
"How many times have they been married?"
"Three, anyway, when they got married the second time, Reva had started to have memories of her life in San Cristobel, so for their honeymoon they went down there. While they were there, Reva was arrested and Josh was deported. To make a long story short, over the next few months, Richard and Reva searched for Jon."
"But why did you think she had to be rescued?"
"That was because of Josh, he was freaked out, especially when he found out that Richard and Reva had been married and that they had a son together. I think he simply wanted to get her away from him and forget that they were married or had a child, even though Richard did make some idle threats towards Reva, he wouldn't have carried them out. In the end, Josh, Danny and Michelle, Jim and Matt staged a big operation to rescue Reva from Richard."
"How did you get involved?"
"Michelle snuck me onto the Santos yacht."
"So, you weren't supposed to be there."
"No, and Josh was furious when he found me, but there was nothing they could do, we were already out to sea. They had to continue, but I wasn't supposed to be involved with the plan anymore than that."
"But you were more involved."
"Yeah, I went for a walk on the beach and that's how I met Richard the first time. He rode up to me on a white stallion and I sort of lied and told him that I was there for the ball with my husband. Again, Josh was furious but they found a place for me and things went from there. How did you meet Jeffrey?"
"We were partners. We met a few days before we were leaving for an assignment and he made it perfectly clear that he didn't like having a partner and a woman as a partner at that, especially one new to field op's, and that I was basically on my own, 'so watch my ass.' His exact words, I hated him from then on, at least that's what I told myself."
"So, when did things change?"
"I can't really say, but I didn't admit it until we were in Belfast on an assignment and he went missing. But when he went missing I was terrified that I would never see or get the chance to tell him what I felt."
"Doesn't the agency frown on agents being personally involved?"
"No, it protects the work we do. And even if they did I wasn't giving him up, he wasn't giving me up and we talked about it. We promised that we would sacrifice ourselves for the other, no matter what it did to us."
"And that's what you did in Russia?"
"Yes." Sam says, as someone knocks.
"I'll be right back."
Sam nods as Cassie gets up to answer the door. Opening the door, Cassie is surprised to see Olivia standing in the doorway. "Olivia." Cassie says, opening the screen door.
"Can I come in?"
"Of course." Cassie says, stepping back and letting her enter.
"I wanted to talk to you about these invoices, but I see you have company." Olivia says. "Sam." She says, nodding towards her.
"Olivia." Sam says, turning to Cassie. "I think I'm going to go. I've got to get dinner…."
"So sweet, cooking dinner for Jeffrey, like you're…."
"I'll come by for the dress later." Sam says to Cassie, ignoring Olivia's comment.
"Of course, and we'll talk later."
"Yes." Sam says, walking towards the door.
She leaves a few minutes later as Olivia says. "You two are becoming fast friends."
"She's a good person and she's good for Jeffrey."
"Better than I was?"
"Well, yes. You wanted to talk about the invoices." Cassie says, changing the subject.
"Yes." Olivia says, pulling out a folder and handing them to Cassie. "I think we need to change distributors for the liquor."
"Why, they've always been on time with the order, that's why we changed the last time."
"Yes, but their prices have more than doubled in the last two months. With the cost of everything else, they are eating away at the profit margin."
"Do you have other distributors in mind?"
"There's a distributor in Laurel Falls, that's at least half the cost of this one."
"Can they get everything we need?"
"I'm sure they can."
"Alright, if you think we need to change distributors then I've got nothing against changing them."
"I'll contact them and set up a meeting for late next week."
"Okay." Cassie says walking to the door as Olivia picks up the folder.
"So, what dress was Sam talking about?"
"It's just a dress that I gave to her."
"Why didn't she take it with her when she left?"
"Not that it's your business Olivia, but I told her I would have it cleaned for her. It's been in my closet for a few years and it needs be cleaned before she wears it."
"Oh." Olivia says, nodding as she walks out of the house. "I'll see you at the Beacon then."
"I'll be there tomorrow morning." Cassie says, smiling as Olivia turns and walks off the porch and to her car.
Closing the door behind her, Cassie walks into the living room and picks up the wedding dress. Looking at it for a few seconds, she goes into the hallway and puts back in the closet.
When Jeffrey reaches his office, Stacey is sitting at her desk. "Good afternoon, Sir."
"Stacey." Jeffrey replies, walking towards his office. "I'm going to be on the phone long distance, so hold my calls."
"Yes sir."
He walks into his office, closing the door behind him. Walking over to his desk and he sits down and then picks up the phone and dials the number to William's office. After a couple rings, Jodi picks up the phone. "Prince William office."
"Yes, this is Jeffrey O'Neill. I need to speak with William please."
"Yes, could you hold for one moment?"
"Yes."
Jodi puts him on hold, before she presses the intercom. A couple seconds later, William answers. "Yes, Jodi."
"Sir, Mr. O'Neill is on line one for you."
"Okay, I'll take it." William says, pushing the button for line one and connecting the calls. "Hello, Jeffrey."
"Hi, how are you doing?"
"I'm hanging in there. How is Ava?"
"She's fine. She's working and taking care of herself and the baby."
"Good, I've been meaning to call her, but I've been busy with this investigation into the situation with Will."
"I know, that's a mess, but I'm sure she would appreciate hearing from you."
"I'll make sure I call. But I'm sure you didn't call to discuss Ava, well maybe you…."
"No, I didn't. I called about the Spaulding case I've been working on."
"The Spaulding case, I don't see how that involves me."
"Not you directly, but it may involve San Cristobel. I've reason to believe that information pertaining to this case is in San Cristobel, on Alan Spaulding's personal computer at his home down there."
"Why would you believe that your case is tied to San Cristobel?"
"Doris, she claims…."
"Doris, who is she?"
"She's the other defendant in the case, and she claims that Alan has records of all his contacts and the arrangements he made with them on his computer at his house on San Cristobel."
"What do you want me to do?"
"I need permission to send a couple of agents down to seize Alan's computer and bring it back here."
"I'll have to discuss this with my advisors and I'll get back to you."
"Okay, I appreciate it."
"Do you believe she's telling the truth?"
"Yes, I do. Doris is a lot of things, but she's smart and she realizes that if she's sent to prison, her life will not be the same. It's in her best interest to cooperate and tell the truth."
"Alright, I'll speak to my advisors and I'll get back to you. And tell Ava I'll speak to her soon."
"Be sure that you do."
"I will."
Jeffrey hangs up as one of the councilmen walks into his office.
Ava is walking into Company again, when Olivia walks up to her with Emma. "Ava." Olivia says
"Hi, Hi Emma." Ava says, hugging her little sister.
"Hi Ava, I miss you at the Beacon."
"I know, but I think it's better if I stay here for awhile. How is day camp going?"
"It's fun."
"Fun, just last week you said you hated it." Olivia says.
"That was before Will came."
"Will, William Winslow, Richard and Cassie's boy."
"Yes ma'am, we've sort become friends." Emma says, as a couple of her friends from school walk in. "Mommy, can I go talk to Missy and Alex." Emma asks, nodding to the two girls that just walked in.
"Okay, I need to speak to your sister. Don't leave the restaurant." Olivia says as Emma runs off nodding.
"So, you wanted to talk to me?" Ava says, getting Olivia's attention.
"Yes, how are you doing?"
"I'm fine, working…."
"And the baby, you're taking care…."
"Yes, I'm taking care of me and the baby. We're fine."
"Have you seen much of your father?"
"Jeffrey, no I haven't. I've been busy with a project for Alan. I did run into Sam this morning."
"Really."
"Yes, we talked for a few minutes and then she left."
"I ran into her at Dora's Flower's this morning and she left as soon as she realized I was there and then she was out at Cassie's farm when I went to speak to her about some business with the Beacon and she left then too."
"She was Richard's doctor, maybe that's why she was out there, checking on him."
"Richard's fine, she said something about picking up a dress later."
"Maybe Cassie has some clothes for her, why do you care?"
"I don't, but I get the feeling that there is something she doesn't want me to know about. She came by the Beacon a few days ago to talk to Cassie, in private, and then Cassie took the afternoon off."
"I'm sure she and Cassie got very close in DC, when she was taking care of Richard. She's really the only person Sam knows here beside Dad, you and me. Cassie is probably helping her get settled. Sam said she's been getting settled. And if Cassie wants to take the afternoon off, she's free to do so. She is part owner of the Beacon."
"She just came back to work. Would you take time off this early, even if you're part owner?"
"I don't know. But Sam's business isn't any of yours."
"You said she talked to you this morning?"
"Yes, we were here before she went to met Dad for lunch."
"Did she say anything to you?"
"No, why are you so intent on what she's doing?"
"I've got the feeling that they are up to something. She didn't say anything to you."
"She invited me to dinner Saturday night at the loft with her and Dad."
"She invited you to dinner, why?"
"I don't know, she asked if I wanted to come. I told her yes."
"I guess she's trying to look good in Jeffrey's eyes."
"Mom."
"I know you think she's a good person, but something isn't right here."
"What is not right is that you can't let go of him and let him be happy. She loves him, you have to see… no, you do see it and that is why you're so against them being together. You see how he feels about her and you see how she feels about him and you know that you're not there anymore. You never were but you can't accept that."
"I had him first, Ava."
"You had one night with him, a night that nearly destroyed his life."
"And it did destroy mine."
"Thanks."
"No, that's not what I meant. I lost a piece of myself that night."
"But he wasn't the one that took that from you."
"He would have."
"Maybe, maybe not but you will never know that. What you know is that you're hanging onto him and that night, and it's destroying you."
"I am fine, and I will get him back. I'll make him see that he loves me and not her." Olivia says, before she turns and walks away. Gathering up Emma, they leave as Buzz walks up to Ava and puts his arm across her shoulders.
"You tried."
"I don't understand Buzz, at the press conference she seemed okay with Jeffrey and him moving on."
"Maybe, she wasn't expecting him to move on this quickly and finally. You know your mother, she doesn't like to loose, unless it's on her own terms, and she's in control. Jeffrey breaking up with her was the last thing she expected him to do and that's what she's furious about. She doesn't love him, but she can't have him."
"If she can't have him, no one can. If that's the case Buzz, then my Dad and Sam had better watch their backs."
"I know." Buzz says squeezing Ava's shoulder's before he asks. "What can I get you, maybe a piece of my famous chocolate cake with a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream?"
"That sounds wonderful, but I need to eat dinner first. So can you make my usual and send it up to my room."
"I'll have Lynn bring it right up."
"Thanks Buzz." Ava says, leaning over to kiss his cheek.
"Don't worry about your mother."
"I'm not, I can't afford to." Ava says walking out of Company. She's walking into her room when her cell phone starts to ring. Pulling it from her purse, she glances at the screen and is surprised to see William's name flashing on it. Opening the phone and pushing talk, she says. "Hello."
"Ava, its William."
"Yes, I know, caller id. What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I thought I would call. I've been meaning to call since I came back but I've been caught up with the situation with Will and the investigation. How are you? How is the baby?"
"We're fine. I'm working and looking after both of us."
"You're doing everything that the doctor says you should be doing?"
"Yes, of course I am." Ava says a little irritated that he would think that she wasn't taking care of the baby or herself.
"I'm sorry. It's just that I'm not there to look after both of you."
"And we don't need you here to do that. I'm capable of taking care of both of us." Ava says, sitting down on the couch.
"I know you can, I didn't mean to imply that you weren't taking care of you or the baby. What's wrong?"
"No, I'm sorry. Nothing's wrong."
"Ava."
"It's my Mom. She just won't get it through her head that Jeffrey's moved on. He's with Sam and he's going to be there for the rest of his life. He loves her. Everyone can see that, even Olivia sees that, but she won't accept it, and I'm afraid of what she'll do when she does accept it."
"Ava, you can't let your mother's problems upset you. It's not good for you or the baby."
"I know it's not good for me or the baby. I don't need you to tell me what's good for me or my baby."
"He's my…."
"I am upset. I don't understand, when Jeffrey was named Mayor, she backed him, even spoke at the press conference and she seemed like she was okay with him breaking up with her, and now it's like she's got blinders on and she will not accept that he's moved on. What about trying to figure out a way for all of us to live peaceably together? That's what she said." Ava says, talking, but not really talking to William.
"What she said, when?"
"What?" Ava asks, realizing that he was still on the line.
"You said, that's what she said, about trying to figure out how to get along with everyone, when did she say that?"
"When we were at the loft with Jeffrey and Sam the night that they arrived back from DC, she said she was only trying to find a way for us all to live together and get along."
"And now you think she's not, why?"
"It's not like she's done anything drastic, but she was asking me questions about Sam just a while ago, about why Sam seems to leave whenever she shows up. She thinks that she's planning something and keeping it from her."
"Why does she think that?"
"Because they've met a few times around town and Sam has left every time Olivia has shown up. And she went to see Cassie at the Beacon a few days ago and then Cassie took the afternoon off."
"Sam was Richard's doctor. The visit from Sam may not have anything to do with Cassie taking the afternoon off."
"I told her that, and that she and Cassie probably got very close while they were in DC, but then she mentioned that Sam was at the farm today when Olivia went to talk to Cassie about some business with the Beacon and when Sam realized that she was there, she left, telling Cassie that she would pick up the dress later."
"It sounds like Olivia's looking for a reason to…."
"Go after Sam?"
"No, but she's looking for a conspiracy when there is no conspiracy. Have you talked to Jeffrey about this?"
"No, I haven't seen my Dad. But I'm supposes to have dinner with them Saturday night."
"I think you need to tell him everything you told me and please tell him that I did call you."
"That you called me; is that the only reason you called, for Jeffrey's sake?"
"No, I did have every intention of calling you sooner but I've been busy with the Will situation."
"How is that going?"
"We're slowly gathering information."
"Was your brother involved?"
"Edmund, we haven't conclusively proved or disproved that."
"But you think he was?"
"My gut says he was, given the way things were at the time between him and Richard and he knew how much that child meant to them and how much it would hurt them to loose it."
"He hated Richard that much."
"Yes, the product of a very twisted and neglected childhood. Not that it excuses his behavior, but I understand the reasons, he's the way he is."
"Well, I hope things work out. How has the country reacted to this?"
"They want answers, as is everyone else, including myself."
"You'll get them."
"I have to get them. Richard and Cassie deserve to know what happened."
"You love them a lot."
"Yes, I do. Even though I didn't know about my family and its heritage until I was grown. I admire Richard very much."
"I've never met him, but I heard Tammy talk about him and she loved him dearly."
"Tammy was Richard's daughter, even though he didn't father her, she was his. As is Jon, RJ and now Will." William says, with sadness in his voice after he says Will's name.
"You're going to have your own child soon, to love. I know that he or she won't take the place of Will, but he or she will have a place in your heart too."
"I love him already and the baby's not even here yet. I want to be there."
"Be where?"
"At the hospital, when you go into labor. I want to be there, holding your hand, coaching you and doing whatever new father's do. I want to be there."
"That's still a long way off William. I'm not even showing yet."
"I know but I want to be there. I want my child to know that I'll always be there for them, even if we're not together."
"Alright."
"You'll let me know."
"Of course, I'll let you know."
"I'll drop everything, but I'll be there."
"Okay, listen I've got to go."
"Alright, don't let your mother get to you. You have…."
"I know I have other things, more important things to worry about."
"Yes, you do. I'll call you again soon."
"Alright."
They hang up. Laying her head back against the couch, Ava closes her eyes and pictures William sitting behind his desk, their child beside him on the floor, playing. Shaking her head, she gets up when someone knocks on the door. Walking over to it, she opens the door.
"Here's your food." Lynn says, handing Ava a tray.
"Thanks Lynn." Ava says, taking the tray.
"And Buzz threw in and extra piece of chocolate cake, for later."
"Tell him thank you." Ava says, as Lynn turns back towards the stairs, nodding.
Sam was home for a couple hours when someone knocks on the door. Getting up, she walks over to the door and is surprised to see Cassie standing on the other side when she opens the door. "Hi." She says, stepping back and letting her and the boys in.
"Hi, I had to come into town to pick the boys up and I thought I would bring the dress to you." Cassie says, handing it to her.
"Thank you, I'm sorry I left so abruptly, but I didn't want Olivia knowing why I was there."
"I understand." Cassie says, as Sam hangs the dress up in the closet by the door. When she comes back into the living room, she notices RJ and Will are with Cassie. "This must be RJ and Will, hi." Sam says, to each of the boys.
"Hello." They both reply
"Are you enjoying your summer?"
"Yes, but we only have a few more weeks left." RJ says sounding a little disappointed as Sam smiles.
"My cousin's boys say the same thing when it gets close to summer vacation ending. They'll be here in a few weeks, maybe we can get together." Sam says, looking at Cassie.
"That will be fun, won't it boys."
"Yes." They both reply as they nod.
"We are on our way home but I wanted to get that dress to you." Cassie says turning to leave.
"Thank you." Sam says, walking Cassie and the boys to the door.
"You're welcome. I know you'll look beautiful in it."
"I'll cherish and take care of it."
"I know you will. And I know that you and Jeffrey will be as happy as Tammy was when she married Jon." Cassie says, turning in the doorway.
"Thank you again." Sam says, hugging her.
"You're welcome." Cassie says, hugging her back before she leaves with boys.
56.13
