A Fresh Start
Chapter One Hundred Twenty Two
Josh is walking into Lewis as Ava walks up. "Good Morning, Ava." He says, holding the door for her. "Can I help you with something?" He asks as Jake walks up.
"Ms. Peralta, welcome to Lewis Construction."
"Thank you and call me Ava."
He nods as he turns to Josh. "Good morning, Mr. Lewis."
"Jake." Josh says, looking at Ava.
"Ava, if you'll follow me?" Jake says, turning away.
"Excuse me, but where are you going?" Josh asks Jake.
"I hired Ms. Peralta yesterday." Jake says.
"You hired her."
"Yes, to replace Missy."
"Welcome." Josh says, holding out his hand to Ava, pretending that he's not upset by her working at Lewis.
"Thank you." Ava says, shaking his hand and realizing what he's doing.
"Ava, if you'll follow me." Jake says, turning away as Josh heads towards his office.
When he walks in, Wanda is at her desk. "Is Billy in his office?"
"No, he's at the site by Cedars."
"When he gets in tell him I need to speak to with him."
"Yes sir."
"Thank you." Josh says, walking into his office.
An hour later, Billy walks in. As he walks in, Wanda says. "Josh wants to see you."
"Okay." Billy says, changing directions, he heads for Josh's office. Knocking once, he opens the door. He is on the phone. Billy closes the door behind him before walking over to his desk and sitting down.
"…no, I need that shipment by the end of the week. That's what I paid for, that's what I expect." Josh says, hanging up the phone.
"What's going on?"
"We're waiting for a shipment for the Oakdale job and I was calling to see where it was."
"Wanda said you wanted to speak to me." He says, nodding.
"Yes, I wanted to talk to you about Ava."
"What about her?"
"Did you know that Jake has hired her to replace Missy?"
"Yes, I spoke with him about it."
"You asked Jake to hire her to replace Missy."
"Missy is leaving. Ava needs a job. She has experience and…."
"And she's Jeffrey's daughter."
"I know that. She's family, whether you want to admit it or not." Billy says, as Josh starts to object.
"Why are you insisting we include him?"
"Why are you not?" Billy asks, watching him. When he doesn't answer, Billy says. "I'm insisting because he's our family and I know what it feels like to be the outsider."
"You're not an outsider."
"But I was. Jeffrey didn't ask to be HB's son, but that's the type of man HB was. And it's hard enough being a part of a family when you were born into it. It's harder being a part of a family and feeling like you're an outsider. Whatever happened between HB and Jeffrey's mom, we will never know but he isn't responsible for it. He's family, Ava's family and they deserve to be treated like they are." Billy says, getting up. "I'll be at the job site over by Cedars." He says, walking towards the door.
"Billy."
"Josh, whatever is going on with you, you need to work it out. Jeffrey is our brother."
"That's what I'm afraid of." Josh says, as Billy opens the door.
"I'm going to be at Sam's house for the rest of the week and the crew will be working overtime so that we can finish the house before she and Jeffrey return from their honeymoon." Billy says, turning to Josh
"I told you when you took the project that it was completely yours." Josh says, watching as he walks out shaking his head.
When Jeffrey and Sam got back to their room, they immediately went to bed. In the week they had been there Sam's morning sickness seems to have disappeared. Rolling to her back, Sam slowly opens her eyes as waves of nausea rush over her. She lays there fighting the mounting nausea. Taking a deep breath, she realizes it's not going to work. Pushing the covers back, she gets up. Running for the bathroom as Jeffery wakes up reaching for her. When he finds the bed empty, he mumbles her name as she's running across the room.
Sitting up, he sees her disappear into the bathroom. Pushing the covers back, he gets up and walks over to the bathroom. "Sam." He calls and as he approaches the door he realizes she's sick. Walking in, he sees her leaning over the toilet. Reaching for a wash cloth, he wets it and then walks over to the toilet as she stands up.
Flushing the toilet before she turns to him, she takes the washcloth. "Thank you and I'm sorry." She says, washing her face.
"It's okay. Are you okay?" He asks, brushing her hair back.
"Yes, I woke up and it hit me." She says, walking over to the sink. Rinsing her mouth out before she turns to him, swaying slightly. He's beside her instantly, reaching for her.
"Can you make it back to the bed?"
She nods, but he reaches for her anyway, picking her up. Holding her to him, he walks out of the bathroom and over to the bed, laying her down before he walks around the bed, lying down beside her. She's lying on her back, fighting the dizziness. He reaches for her but she pulls away. "Give me a minute." She says, as he lays his hand between them on the bed. "I'm sorry, just give me a moment."
"It's okay. Maybe we should stay in today."
"No! I'll be fine if I lay here for a little bit."
"Can I do anything?"
"Can you get me some crackers and a sprite from downstairs?"
"I'll be right back, stay there."
"I will." She says, turning her head and smiling at him.
"I'll be right back." He says, getting up off the bed. Pulling his clothes on, he walks to the door. Looking back over his shoulder, he says. "Stay there."
"I will, I promise." She replies as he opens the door.
He leaves, walking quickly downstairs. He walks up to the front desk. One of the clerks is there checking out another guest. When she's finished she turns to Jeffrey. "Yes, may I help you?"
"Yes, I need some crackers and a sprite for my wife." Jeffrey says.
"Is she okay?" The clerk asks, walking out from behind the desk.
"She pregnant and is a bit nauseated this morning." Jeffrey says, following the clerk to the back of the inn.
"Just wait here and I'll be right back." The clerk says, walking into the kitchen. She returns a few moments later with a package of crackers, a glass of ice and 7up. "I didn't have a sprite, so I hope this will do." She says, handing everything to Jeffrey.
"Yes, thank you." Jeffrey says, taking the stuff and turning away.
"I hope she feels better and congratulations."
"Thank you." Jeffrey replies, turning back to her.
"You're welcome." She says, as he turns towards the front of the inn.
Taking the stairs two at a time, he steps to the side as another couple comes downstairs. Walking quickly down the hall, he opens the door. He finds Sam sitting on the side of the bed. He walks over to her quickly. "Sam, I told you stay here." He says, putting everything on the table beside the bed before he sits down.
"I wasn't going anywhere. I sat up to see if I could stop the spinning." Sam say, breathing deeply.
"Here." Jeffrey says, reaching for the crackers. "Eat some of these." He says, handing her some crackers. "They didn't have a sprite so the clerk gave me a 7up." Jeffrey says, pouring the 7up into the glass and handing it to her.
"That's fine." Sam says, taking the glass. She takes a sip before eating a cracker.
"I thought this stuff stops."
"Jeffrey, this is just getting started. I've got a couple months before it usually stops." She says, moving back on the bed.
"A couple months."
"Yes." She says, looking up and smiling. "Can you handle that, Mr. Mayor?" She asks, teasing him.
"I can handle anything as long as this is normal and you're okay?"
"It's normal and I am fine. At least I will be in a little while."
"I think we'll stay in today."
"No! This is our honeymoon and we can't stay cooped up in our hotel room."
"I think it will be nice to spend another day cooped up in our hotel room on our honeymoon. I think we've been doing to much the last couple days and that's why you're not feeling well now."
"Its morning sickness I'm not sick." She says, taking another cracker.
"My first priority is you and our baby, we can stay in and spend the day watching TV and… well other things." He says, surprised that he would be thinking about sex when she obviously didn't feel good.
"And make love." She says, watching him, laughing as he looks at her with a sheepish look on his face. "It's okay. Just because I woke up feeling lousy doesn't mean I'm going to feel that way all day but if you want to stay here, we can." She says, leaning up to kiss him.
"I want to take care of you." Jeffrey says, pulling away from her.
"You do take care of me." She says, sitting back. "So, go get you something to eat." She says, sitting back.
"Are you sure?"
"I'll be fine."
"Do you want…?"
"This is all I can handle right now." She says, shaking her head.
"I'll be right back." He says, sitting up.
"Good, I'll be here." She says, reaching for another cracker. A few more and she would be okay.
About an hour after Billy left, Reva walks into Josh's office. He's looking over some papers as she walks in. Looking up when he hears the door open, he says. "What are you doing here?"
"Are you ready to go?"
"Go, where?"
"To Cedars, for you appointment so that Rick can check your ribs."
"My ribs are fine." Josh says looking down at the papers he was looking at. She stands there watching him until he looks up again. "What?"
"Are you coming?"
"Reva."
Josh."
"Alright fine I'll go, but this is totally ridiculous."
"If Rick wants to see you again you're going to see him again." Reva says, as Josh walks around his desk.
He walks over to the door. Holding it open for her, he follows her out of the office. Wanda is at her desk when they walk out. "I'm going to be out of the office for a couple hours."
"Yes sir." She says, watching them leave.
About ten minutes later, they park outside of Cedars. They are walking into the hospital as Lizzie is walking out and Josh stops her. "How are you doing?"
"I'm fine, Mom made me come see Uncle Rick again, just to make sure but he cleared me."
"That's good. Listen I wanted to say I'm sorry about what happened. I didn't mean to get you hurt the other night."
"You're fine, Josh. You're not responsible for anything that happened that night, and certainly not for those guys jumping us, so don't worry about it. I've got to go. I've got to meet one of my suppliers at the bar."
"I'm glad you are okay."
"Thank you." Lizzie says, before walking away.
He follows Reva into the hospital. About an hour later, they walk out of Rick's office as Josh says. "I told you there was no reason for me to come here."
Reva walks away without replying, walking out of the hospital with Josh following her. When they reach the car, Reva asks. "Do you want to have an early lunch?"
"That's fine." Josh says, as they walk towards Company.
When they walk in, Buzz is helping another customer so they walk over to one of the tables and sit down. A few moments later, Buzz walks over to them. "How are you two doing?"
"Good." Reva says. "You look a little busy?"
"Yeah, Marina is out and Daisy is on lunch. She should be back in about ten minutes. Josh, how are you feeling?"
"I'm good." Josh replies.
"Good. So, what can I get you?"
"I'll have the steak, bake potato and salad." Josh says.
"Rare."
"Yes." Josh replies, turning to Reva.
"What do you want Reva?"
"I'll have a tuna sandwich, small salad and smoothie." Reva says, turning to Buzz.
"What do you want to drink Josh?"
"I'll have some ice tea."
"We'll have that right out." Buzz says, turning away.
"So." Reva says, looking at Josh.
"What?"
"What's bothering you?"
"Why do you think something is bothering me?" Josh asks, looking at her. She simply looks back at him without replying. "Billy hired Ava."
"I know, I called and told him about her needing work."
"You called him."
"Yes."
"You are determined to involve him in our lives."
Reva sighs. "That's what's bothering you. She's Jeffrey's daughter…." Reva pauses but then continues when he doesn't say anything. "She is family and he's family. He deserves to be involved in our lives."
Josh looks at her as Buzz walks up with their lunch. Sensing the tension around them, he puts their plates down and simply says. "Enjoy your lunch."
Buzz walks away while Josh continues to watch her. She ignores him and continues to eat. Finally Josh begins to eat. When he finishes, he signals Buzz for the check as Mallet walks up to them. "Josh." He says, stopping at his table.
"What's up Mallet?" He asks, as Buzz brings the check.
"I wanted to check with you to see if you remembered anymore about the boys that jumped you and Lizzie."
"I'm afraid not. I was fairly drunk that night when they approached me at the bar and then outside I didn't get a look at them."
"Alright, well if you remember anything, please call me. We're still looking into it but without any solid leads we don't have much to go on and we might have to close the case."
"I'll be sure to let you know if I remember anything."
"Thank you." Mallet says, walking over to the bar.
Josh and Reva leave Company after Josh pays the bill. She drops him off at Lewis. Even though his ribs are healing Rick insisted that he continue to stay away from the job sites. Reva pulls up to Cross Creek as Cassie pulls up behind her. They get out of their cars and Cassie walks over to her, Reva says. "How are you?"
"I'm fine." Cassie replies, as Reva takes a bag out of the car.
"Good." Reva says, walking into the house with Cassie following her. "I just got back from taking Josh to Cedars." She says, unlocking the door.
"How is he doing?"
"He's fine, Rick still wants him to stay away from the job sites, but his ribs are healing. We went to Company for lunch. Billy hired Ava to work at Lewis."
"Does Josh know?"
"Yes."
"How did he take it?" Reva looks at her. "That bad."
"No, he was quite controlled. He wants to know why I'm insisting that Jeffrey be included in our lives."
"He's family."
"That's what I told him."
"What did he say?"
"Nothing."
"He had nothing to say about that?"
"Oh, I'm sure he did but he wouldn't say anything, while we were in Company."
"Can you figure out why he's so resistant to telling Jeffrey the truth?"
"No." Reva says, walking into the living room. "But by the look on your face as you walked up to the car, Josh wasn't the reason you came over here."
"Ah, no it's not. When will Hawk be in?"
"The Lewis jet is flying him in day after tomorrow."
"Do you think all of you could come out to the farm for dinner?"
"Um, I don't see why not. Is there any particular reason for this family dinner?"
"I've got something I want to tell you but I want to tell you all at the same time."
"Is something wrong with the boys, Richard, you?"
"No, we're fine. But I've found some information out and I want to tell you before the wedding."
"You're not going to give me a hint as to want this will be about?"
"No, it's nothing bad, at least I hope it's not, but I think you guys need to know this before the wedding and it will be a lot easier for me if I tell you all at the same time."
"Alright, we'll be there."
"Good, do you know where Billy is?"
"I believe he's working at Sam's house."
"I'll stop by there before I go pick up the boys from school. I've got some last minute things I need to take care of for the wedding."
"Alright." Reva says, as Cassie turns to leave. "Cassie, are you sure you're all alright?"
"We're fine, I promise. I just need to tell you all this and I need to tell you before the wedding, so if you can come to dinner it would make it a lot easier. Is Rusty coming in?" Cassie asks, remembering that he hadn't said he would be at the wedding or not.
"Umm, I believe he is. He can only stay for the wedding. Lisa is close."
"He seems really happy with her."
"I believe he is. I haven't spent much time with either of them."
"Maybe we'll have another wedding to attend soon."
"We just might."
"Have you talked to Marah or Shayne?"
"I talked to Marah. She was only way to Milan for a show. Shayne is out in the field. I think he's in Eastern Europe now. I think he emailed Josh the other day."
"Will they be able to come home for the wedding?"
"Marah said she would try. I haven't talked to Shayne."
"Okay."
"I know you want them there Cassie, but they are busy."
"Are they busy, or are they staying away because of the relationship between Josh and me?"
Reva looks at her. "It's going to…."
"Take time, I know." Cassie says, looking down.
"They'll forgive you Cassie." Reva says, walking over to her.
"Eventually." Cassie says, looking up.
"What happened wasn't totally your fault."
"But most of it was." Cassie says, looking Reva in the eye.
"We all make mistakes. I didn't tell Josh I had cancer."
"But taking him away from you, that's the worst thing a sister can do."
"Josh didn't have to go. Rehashing this will not change what happened. We all made mistakes. You've apologized for your part in it. Josh and I have made our peace and my kids will as well…."
"In time."
"Yes."
"Alright, would six be okay for you all to come to the farm?"
"Yes."
"Alright, I'll see you then." Cassie says, walking towards the door.
"Okay." Reva says, following behind her. She stands at the door watching Cassie walk to her car and wondering what was so important that she wanted to have a family dinner before the wedding. "I hope it's something good." Reva says waving as Cassie pulls out of the drive before she closes the door.
James picks up the phone. He had held off calling Sarah. He wanted a few days to have time to process that Cassie was his daughter and to also spend time with her. After a couple rings, Sarah's assistant comes on the line. "Sarah Langley's office."
"Emma, I need to speak to my daughter."
"Yes sir, one moment please." She puts him on hold and then pushes the button for Sarah's office."
"Yes." She says, looking over some papers.
"Ma'am, your father is on line one."
"Thank you." Sarah replies, picking up the phone. Pushing the button for line one, she says. "Dad, are you back?"
"No, I'm still is Springfield."
"Are you still investigating her?"
"I wasn't investigating her. I was looks for the best way to approach her. But that's over."
"What do you mean it's over?"
"She point blank asked me what I was doing here and I told her."
"You just told her."
"Yes, of course she didn't quite believe me."
"What did you tell her?"
"I told her the truth. And what I knew of her mother. We had a rather long conversation with her husband Richard and decided to have a DNA test."
"She demanded a DNA test."
"No, I suggested we take one."
"Why?"
"The only proof I have that she's my daughter is my memories of Sarah and an old photograph of us together. I have no way of proving that when it was taken Sarah and I were a couple or that it was even Sarah in the photo with me."
"So she agreed to the DNA test. Have you gotten the results back?"
"Yes, a couple days ago."
"A couple day ago, and you're calling me now."
"I wanted a few days to process this and to talk to my daughter."
"I'm your daughter too. I didn't…."
"Sarah, I didn't do this to hurt you, but she's my daughter too. She deserves to know this as much as I deserved to know that I had another child."
"So, I'm not good enough."
"No, that's not what I'm saying. Cassie's had a very hard life…."
"And you love rescuing people."
"That's not what I'm doing. She's my daughter. She didn't come looking for me. I came to her. I don't even think she ever thought about finding me beyond wondering who I was or where I was in the general sense of that thought. I think she had resigned herself to never knowing who her father was."
"And that's just too bad."
"Sarah."
"When are you coming home?"
"Not for a while. She's getting married and she's invited me to the wedding."
"I thought she was already married. Are you giving her away?"
"She is. They are renewing their vows since her husband was declared legally dead about five years ago. And no, I'm not giving her away."
"Why not, you're her father. And why was her husband declared legally dead?"
"She asked me not to and Richard was declared legally dead after a car accident when he was returning from a business trip to Chicago."
"So, you went to her and told her she's your daughter but she wants nothing to do with you."
"No, she… we don't know each other. It would be awkward if I gave her away."
"Is that because of her husband?"
"No, Richard and Cassie are very close and he wants whatever will make her happy."
"If they're so happy and close why didn't she know he was alive after his accident?"
"He was in a coma in Washington DC. Cassie had no idea that he had survived the accident."
"I thought this was her soul mate and she…."
"Sarah, stop it. She's been through a lot. A lot of which, would not have happened if I had known I had another daughter. I will make it up to her about that."
"I don't understand this."
"You don't have to understand it. But I do expect you to support me while we get acquainted. She will be a part of our family, so you need to get used to it and accept it."
"I've got to go. I've got a meeting." Sarah says, as James sighs.
"Alright, I'll see you."
"Okay." Sarah hangs up without saying good bye.
She looks at the phone, wanting to scream. This was her father, and she wasn't about to share him with some common American. Picking up the phone, she dials a number. "Yes, I want to see you." She says, after the person picks up the phone. "An hour, fine." She hangs up, picking up the papers.
An hour later, there's a knock on the door to her outer office. "Come in." Sarah says, looking up.
The door opens and a man stands in the door way. He's tall several inches over six feet, with jet black hair and sparkling blue eyes. "Sarah." He says in a familiar tone.
"Come in and close the door Alex." She says, sitting back.
"You're not even going to…."
"I'm married Alex."
"To a…."
"He's my husband and he's a good match. I didn't call you here to discuss Alfred. I need you to do something for me. And my father can absolutely not find out about this."
"What can I do for you, my love?"
"Don't Alex." Sarah says, looking at him fiercely.
"You know that Alfred has taken all of your…."
"He's my husband so watch what you say about him. Back to business, I need you to start an investigation for me."
"An investigation, do you think your hubby is…?"
"Will you take this seriously? My father has discovered a long lost daughter in the America, and he insists that we are one happy family."
"But you're not."
"I will not be usurped by some tacky American girl, even if she did marry into royalty."
"Sounds a lot like…."
"Do not say I'm like her." She says, her eyes flashing. "Anyway, I want you to look into her past. My dad insists that she's had a terrible life because he wasn't there to be her father."
"And you want to prove him wrong. You do realize she's your sister."
"I don't care. She's nothing to me." Sarah replies.
"That's what I love about you. You don't let anything stand in your way or what you believe to be yours."
"I was here first. I'm his daughter and I'm not sharing anything with some tacky American that was lucky or clever enough to marry some prince from some tiny island. He wasn't even the true ruler of the country."
"Really, tell me more?"
"He was the bastard son of the Prince George Winslow of San Cristobel. Apparently, Prince George sent his true son from the palace, told his wife that he had died and forced her to accept his bastard as the heir and prince of San Cristobel. Forty something years later, he meets my sister…." Sarah says the word with as much contempt as she can muster. "…on a beach in San Cristobel, they get married. She miscarries and they are run out of the country by the prince's brother. Her husband goes back, stages a coup, he tries to arrest his brother. He then forces the monarchy to be disbanded and he runs for President.
Meanwhile, they find out that my sister can't have anymore kids, so they adopt a child that is brought to them by a young girl. They bypass all legalities and on the day they are going to christen their new son, his natural father shows up, only he doesn't demand that they give him his son, letting them keep it to raise as their own. Another year passes, and in this time they befriend their adoptive son's father. It comes out that he isn't just some stranger. No, he's my sister's husband's long lost brother, the true heir to the throne and of course neither one of them knew this until the story broke in the papers.
The adoptive boy's mother comes back into the island. They had her shipped back to America after the adoption was final. She insists that her son's father claim his throne. It's put to a vote and the people vote to have the monarchy reinstated, forcing my sister and her non-prince, president husband to give up everything and move to the United States where he is presumed dead after a few months, until a few months ago, when he miraculously wakes up from a coma in Washington DC. and my father decides he's going to tell her that he's her father."
"So, why does your father think this woman is his daughter?"
"He met them once when they were on a state visit to France. My father was there on business and was invited to a party that my sister and her husband were attending. She reminded him of a woman he knew when he was younger and lived in the United Sates. He decided to investigate and he found that she was from Chicago Illinois and that she had lived there until she moved to Springfield to find her daughter. That was about a year before she met this Prince from San Cristobel. She was adopted by a family from there but was put into foster care when she was very young."
"This seems pretty straight forward Sarah. She didn't approach your father. Your father went to her. He wouldn't do that if he wasn't certain this woman wasn't his daughter."
"Oh, she's his daughter. I don't want you to prove that. They did a DNA test, my father's suggestion, according to him. What I want you find something that will discredit her in my father's eyes."
"Like what?"
"I don't know. This is your business, digging up dirt on people, find something on her and the worse it is the better."
"And if there's nothing there."
"You can't have her past and not have something in her past, find it. She's American. She's going to have something that she doesn't want my father to know about."
"And what are you going to do about your father? If he approached her, he's not going to appreciate you going after her."
"I don't care, she's not going to come in here and take my place. I was here first and I plan to stay here." Sarah says, looking at him fiercely.
"Alright." Alex says, knowing her well enough not to challenge that look.
"So, you'll find something."
"I won't promise I'll find something, but I'll look."
"Good, make it quick before my father becomes too attached to this person."