Chapter One: The Simple Life
I picked up the box my real father gave to my mother when they were in love. Inside was my birth certificate and everything that connected me to the family that made everything change in my life. I couldn't help wondering as I ran my fingers over the lid, how my life would have been different if I had never found this box. I certainly wouldn't be living with Anthony, the guy I had believed was my brother. I missed my life in Monkton. I missed Erin and Tyler, my half brother and sister. I knew they must be having a hard time with no mother and no father. Their father, my step father and uncle was in jail for kidnapping Anthony when he was only a baby. How would I feel if I knew my father had committed a crime such as kidnap? Everything changed the night I ran away form the trailer park and into the rich life my father had led. I lived with my Grandmother and Step- Grandfather now. I lived in a huge house that was named La Vie, which means Life in French. I stepped out onto the balcony and watched the sun dip below the trees on the other side of the lake. I loved my home. I was lucky enough to have a trust fund that was still growing that my real grandfather set up for his son's children. Luckily, I was the only child. "Miss Jamieson?" I heard a voice from inside my room. I turned around, my dark brown hair whipping around with me. "Yes, Rachel?" I said to the maid. "Mr. Cartwright is on the phone," she said. I hadn't even heard the phone ring. Anthony always called around suppertime if he wasn't going to be home from his shop in town in time for supper. I picked up the phone beside my bed and said, "Hello, Mr. Cartwright," "Miss Jamieson," he said. Rachel knew our whole story. She had been working for us for five years now and I trusted her as I would trust my own mother. My mother had abandoned her four children when I was very young. I almost wanted to call Rachel, Mother just to be spiteful of my own mother's memory. I knew Rachel wouldn't tell anyone what Anthony and I used to be to eachother. Anthony and I weren't married even after five years of being together. We never talked about it. I didn't know if Anthony suspected that I was still holding out hope deep in my heart that Derek Brooks would find me. Derek and I were practically engaged before we started college together. But when my first love, Trevor, was killed in a car accident because of a drinking problem that started because I broke up with him, I decided that I didn't want to hurt anyone else. I left La Vie that night and drove with Anthony north to the lake and our new home. "I won't be home for dinner tonight, the store is crowded tonight," Anthony told me. I could hear people talking in the back round. I knew it was cottage country season and the small town of Duncan was always busy during this time. People were renting cottages all around the lake. But even thought I knew that this time of year was a busy time, I was still a little annoyed that again, Anthony wouldn't be home to eat with me. Our cook, Roberta was preparing his favourite, grilled cheese. "I understand Anthony, but Roberta was cooking some grilled cheese up tonight, what if I bring it down to the store a little later?" I asked. He didn't answer for a minute and then he laughed, "We have a cook to make our grilled cheese for us," he said, "What would Pop say?" "He'd be too wasted to say anything," I said dryly. Pop was our father back in Monkton. He was really my uncle, because his brother, Zack was my real father. He wasn't related in any way to Anthony. "Okay, bring me some grilled cheese and lemonade around eight," Anthony said. I told him I would and hung up. Now this was the simple life, I thought as I changed into a pair of jeans and a turquoise sweater that matched my eyes, taking food to my boyfriend at his workplace. I stopped and thought for a minute. Was Anthony by boyfriend? I supposed so, we lived together, we had made love, we just never actually said we were boyfriend and girlfriend. I went downstairs and into the kitchen. Roberta was flipping over the grilled cheese. I felt a small twinge of guilt at not even making a grilled cheese. I knew how, but now I had all this money and no one to spend it on but Anthony and myself. Roberta had short blond hair that she kept in a hair net. I told her she didn't have to wear it but she insisted. She used to be a cafeteria lady at the local high school so I guess she was use to wearing it. She wrapped up the sandwiches and gave me a bottle of lemonade. I left the house and jumped into my green Honda Civic. I didn't have a chauffeur; I never went very far. I was capable of driving myself around. I drove into town and up to Anthony's shop. It was called, "Odds and Ends," it was full of souvenirs and paintings. He wanted to do something with his life other than sit around and be rich. I grabbed our dinner and went into the shop. There were a few people milling around. "Skye!" Anthony called from behind the counter. I smiled and hurried over to him. I gave him a hug and ran my fingers through his dark hair. He was so handsome. The only problem was when I looked into his eyes; all I could see were his twin brother, Trevor's blue eyes staring back at me. "Food," I said holding up the bag. The customers bought a few things and then the store was empty. Anthony went up to the door and turned the sign over. "You don't have to close," I said. "It's okay," he said. He came back and sat down and we started to eat our sandwiches. We ate in silence for a while until Anthony reached into his pocket and took out a blue velvet ring box. I gasped and stared at him in shock. I was not expecting this. "Skye, we have been here for five years, I love you more than anything in the world and I want it to be official, I want you to be my wife, will you marry me?" Anthony smiled softly and I felt tears well up in my eyes. I hesitated a moment as Trevor and Derek's faces flashed before my eyes. I shook my head slightly. No, I thought, Anthony loves you, Derek and Trevor are not here with you. I giggled like a little girl and threw my arms around his neck, "Yes!" I cried. Anthony squeezed me tightly and laughed, "I'm so happy here Skye!" he exclaimed. "So am I Anthony, so am I," I replied. We broke apart and looked at eachother. I was engaged! I had been dreaming of this moment for as long as I could remember, since I knew what the word engaged meant! I felt happier at that moment then I ever had before, I never wanted to leave the store. I wanted to stay there with Anthony for the rest of my life. Now, I would be with him forever. A man loved me more than anything and all I could think about was what Derek was doing right now. We went back to the house and told Rachel and Roberta the news. They were so happy for us. Rachel would be my maid of honor. We would have a small wedding. We didn't have many friends in Duncan anyway so there would be no one to invite. I didn't want to call my Grandmother, Maxine. Truthfully, I didn't want her to know where I was. Not that I actually thought she cared. As I fell asleep that night, listening to Anthony's breathing beside me, I knew that I would be happy. I deserved it. I had waited so long and now was my time to shine.
I picked up the box my real father gave to my mother when they were in love. Inside was my birth certificate and everything that connected me to the family that made everything change in my life. I couldn't help wondering as I ran my fingers over the lid, how my life would have been different if I had never found this box. I certainly wouldn't be living with Anthony, the guy I had believed was my brother. I missed my life in Monkton. I missed Erin and Tyler, my half brother and sister. I knew they must be having a hard time with no mother and no father. Their father, my step father and uncle was in jail for kidnapping Anthony when he was only a baby. How would I feel if I knew my father had committed a crime such as kidnap? Everything changed the night I ran away form the trailer park and into the rich life my father had led. I lived with my Grandmother and Step- Grandfather now. I lived in a huge house that was named La Vie, which means Life in French. I stepped out onto the balcony and watched the sun dip below the trees on the other side of the lake. I loved my home. I was lucky enough to have a trust fund that was still growing that my real grandfather set up for his son's children. Luckily, I was the only child. "Miss Jamieson?" I heard a voice from inside my room. I turned around, my dark brown hair whipping around with me. "Yes, Rachel?" I said to the maid. "Mr. Cartwright is on the phone," she said. I hadn't even heard the phone ring. Anthony always called around suppertime if he wasn't going to be home from his shop in town in time for supper. I picked up the phone beside my bed and said, "Hello, Mr. Cartwright," "Miss Jamieson," he said. Rachel knew our whole story. She had been working for us for five years now and I trusted her as I would trust my own mother. My mother had abandoned her four children when I was very young. I almost wanted to call Rachel, Mother just to be spiteful of my own mother's memory. I knew Rachel wouldn't tell anyone what Anthony and I used to be to eachother. Anthony and I weren't married even after five years of being together. We never talked about it. I didn't know if Anthony suspected that I was still holding out hope deep in my heart that Derek Brooks would find me. Derek and I were practically engaged before we started college together. But when my first love, Trevor, was killed in a car accident because of a drinking problem that started because I broke up with him, I decided that I didn't want to hurt anyone else. I left La Vie that night and drove with Anthony north to the lake and our new home. "I won't be home for dinner tonight, the store is crowded tonight," Anthony told me. I could hear people talking in the back round. I knew it was cottage country season and the small town of Duncan was always busy during this time. People were renting cottages all around the lake. But even thought I knew that this time of year was a busy time, I was still a little annoyed that again, Anthony wouldn't be home to eat with me. Our cook, Roberta was preparing his favourite, grilled cheese. "I understand Anthony, but Roberta was cooking some grilled cheese up tonight, what if I bring it down to the store a little later?" I asked. He didn't answer for a minute and then he laughed, "We have a cook to make our grilled cheese for us," he said, "What would Pop say?" "He'd be too wasted to say anything," I said dryly. Pop was our father back in Monkton. He was really my uncle, because his brother, Zack was my real father. He wasn't related in any way to Anthony. "Okay, bring me some grilled cheese and lemonade around eight," Anthony said. I told him I would and hung up. Now this was the simple life, I thought as I changed into a pair of jeans and a turquoise sweater that matched my eyes, taking food to my boyfriend at his workplace. I stopped and thought for a minute. Was Anthony by boyfriend? I supposed so, we lived together, we had made love, we just never actually said we were boyfriend and girlfriend. I went downstairs and into the kitchen. Roberta was flipping over the grilled cheese. I felt a small twinge of guilt at not even making a grilled cheese. I knew how, but now I had all this money and no one to spend it on but Anthony and myself. Roberta had short blond hair that she kept in a hair net. I told her she didn't have to wear it but she insisted. She used to be a cafeteria lady at the local high school so I guess she was use to wearing it. She wrapped up the sandwiches and gave me a bottle of lemonade. I left the house and jumped into my green Honda Civic. I didn't have a chauffeur; I never went very far. I was capable of driving myself around. I drove into town and up to Anthony's shop. It was called, "Odds and Ends," it was full of souvenirs and paintings. He wanted to do something with his life other than sit around and be rich. I grabbed our dinner and went into the shop. There were a few people milling around. "Skye!" Anthony called from behind the counter. I smiled and hurried over to him. I gave him a hug and ran my fingers through his dark hair. He was so handsome. The only problem was when I looked into his eyes; all I could see were his twin brother, Trevor's blue eyes staring back at me. "Food," I said holding up the bag. The customers bought a few things and then the store was empty. Anthony went up to the door and turned the sign over. "You don't have to close," I said. "It's okay," he said. He came back and sat down and we started to eat our sandwiches. We ate in silence for a while until Anthony reached into his pocket and took out a blue velvet ring box. I gasped and stared at him in shock. I was not expecting this. "Skye, we have been here for five years, I love you more than anything in the world and I want it to be official, I want you to be my wife, will you marry me?" Anthony smiled softly and I felt tears well up in my eyes. I hesitated a moment as Trevor and Derek's faces flashed before my eyes. I shook my head slightly. No, I thought, Anthony loves you, Derek and Trevor are not here with you. I giggled like a little girl and threw my arms around his neck, "Yes!" I cried. Anthony squeezed me tightly and laughed, "I'm so happy here Skye!" he exclaimed. "So am I Anthony, so am I," I replied. We broke apart and looked at eachother. I was engaged! I had been dreaming of this moment for as long as I could remember, since I knew what the word engaged meant! I felt happier at that moment then I ever had before, I never wanted to leave the store. I wanted to stay there with Anthony for the rest of my life. Now, I would be with him forever. A man loved me more than anything and all I could think about was what Derek was doing right now. We went back to the house and told Rachel and Roberta the news. They were so happy for us. Rachel would be my maid of honor. We would have a small wedding. We didn't have many friends in Duncan anyway so there would be no one to invite. I didn't want to call my Grandmother, Maxine. Truthfully, I didn't want her to know where I was. Not that I actually thought she cared. As I fell asleep that night, listening to Anthony's breathing beside me, I knew that I would be happy. I deserved it. I had waited so long and now was my time to shine.