A Fresh Start
Chapter One Hundred Fifty Nine
Early the next morning, Richard rolls to his side and reaches for Cassie. She's not there. Waking up, he looks around until he spots her coming out of the bathroom. "Darling, are you okay?" He asks, sitting up.
"I'm fine." Cassie says, flipping off the light before she walks over to the bed. Getting in, she moves over beside him.
"Is it the baby?"
"No, I needed to use the bathroom." Cassie says, laying her head on his chest after he lifts his arm. Laying his arm back around her, he gently kisses her forehead.
"Can we spend all day like this?" He asks.
"What about the cabin?" Cassie asks, looking up at him.
"We could have our honeymoon here." Richard says.
"Two weeks at Towers, besides what if they found out we were here." Cassie says, looking at him very seriously.
"I was joking Cassie. I only said it because I want to spend all day holding you and the baby. We're still going to the cabin." He says, turning to kiss her forehead again. They lay there for a while before he asks. "Are you sure you're not going to miss the royal yacht?"
"Yes. Yacht or cabin, it'll be the same because I'll be with you."
"Umm, well I want you to wait." Richard says, pulling away from her.
He gets out of bed, as she asks. "Where are you going?" He walks over to his luggage. Picking it up, he carries it over to the bed. He opens his suitcase as she sits up. "What are you doing?" She asks, watching him. Opening his suitcase, he pulls out a black velvet box. Closing it, he puts his suitcase with the rest of the luggage before he goes back to the bed. Picking up the box, he gets back in bed. "Rich…."
He lays a finger against her lips. "I've got a surprise for you." He says, handing her the box. She looks at him. "Go on and open it." He says, nodding towards the box.
Slowly she opens the box. When it's completely open, she looks down and stares. Sitting inside the box is the tiara he had given her when they were married in San Cristobel. She looks up at him with questions in her eyes.
"I spoke to William and I asked him if he would be willing to allow me to use it and he agreed. He gave it to me yesterday morning." Richard says, taking it from her and taking the tiara from the box. "Do you want me to put it on you?" He asks.
"Okay." She says quietly. Bending her head, he puts the tiara on her head. "I can't believe he let you borrow this." She says, reaching up to touch it after he sits back.
"Oh, he didn't let me borrow it. He gave it to us as a wedding present."
"He gave it us. Can he do that?"
"He's Prince he can give any of the royal possessions away if he sees fit, except for the things designated for government use."
"Wouldn't this be designated for government use? It is the crown."
"No, this one is part of the royal jewels. The official crown was the one that was used in your coronation. That one he couldn't give away but this one is at his discretion. Now the only thing missing is the scepter." He says, looking at her.
She smiles, leaning over she kisses him.
Megan reaches for the phone, dialing Sam's number. Since the incident outside the day before, she couldn't get the man in parking lot off her mind. After a couple rings, Sam answers. "Hello."
"Sam, its Megan."
"Hi, how are you?"
"I'm fine, a little sore."
"Sore, why?"
"I went to the shop and completely cleaned it."
"Top to bottom?" Sam asks.
"Yes."
"Why? The only reason you clean like that is because you're upset. Did Patrick…?"
"He confronted me about the petition my attorney filed with the court asking to have the court move hearing date up. He's furious and he still blames me for this."
"I'm sorry, Meg." She says.
"I confronted him about the woman at the house after he accused me of having a new boyfriend."
"Why would he accuse you of having a new boyfriend?"
"Some guy walked up and interrupted our argument."
"Just some guy, you don't know how it was."
"No, I was too mad. How's Jeffrey?"
"He's doing a lot better. I think he's going to go into work tomorrow."
"So his ribs are healing?"
"Yes."
"So what have you guys been doing?"
"Yesterday we were at Richard and Cassie's wedding, so we spent the day with that, actually we spent most of last week doing stuff for the wedding. I know talking about a wedding it's something you wan to think about right now. So, how's school going?"
"Just fine, in fact I've got some work I need to finish before class tomorrow."
"Okay, I'll let you go. Thanks for calling."
"You're welcome."
"Megan, are you alright?" Sam asks, concerned
"I'm fine." Megan says, sounding cheerful."
"Okay, wait, when's the hearing?"
"My attorney and Patrick's will meet with the judge tomorrow and I'll know something by tomorrow afternoon."
"Okay, let me know."
"I will." They hang up as Jeffrey comes upstairs.
"Who was on the phone?" He asks.
"Megan."
"Is she okay?"
"She's fine. Her attorney petitioned the court for a new hearing date. Her attorney and Patrick's will be in court tomorrow to talk to the judge and then she'll know something."
"How are you feeling?"
"Better, he's calmed down."
"Okay, do you feel like being here alone?"
"Umm, sure. Where are you going?"
"I thought I would go over to Billy's and see if we could discuss adding the bathroom and second bedroom."
"Why don't I go with you?"
"You don't trust me to drive your car."
"No, it's not that. You might need me."
"I'm fine Sam, really."
"Can I go?"
"Yes." Jeffrey says, as she pushes the covers back. Getting up, she walks over to the closet. Stopping in the doorway, she turns back to him and asks. "Do I have time for a shower?"
" Yes." He replies, as she goes into the closet for her clothes. When she returns, the room is empty. She heads downstairs. Jeffrey is in the living room, flipping through the channels on the TV.
Twenty minutes later, they are leaving. Sam lets Jeffrey drive, handing him the keys as he stares at her. "Are you sure?"
"Yes." She says, with a smile, before she walks around to the passenger side.
Jeffrey gets in and starts the car, backing out as she puts her seatbelt on. He reaches for his when she looks at him.
Billy is sitting in his living room when Jeffrey and Sam knock. Getting up, he goes to answer the door. "Hello, you two." He says, surprised to see Jeffrey and Sam standing there. "Come in." He says, stepping back. They walk in as Billy closes the door. "Is everything okay with the house?"
"The house is perfect." Sam says.
"I wanted to talk to you about another project." Jeffrey says, as Billy walks back into the living room.
"Okay."
"Well, we'll be moving into the house as soon as we can and I've offered the loft to Ava and William." Jeffrey says, as they follow Billy into the living room.
"Okay."
"It's been pointed out to me that the loft needs a few improvements." Jeffrey says, glancing at Sam. "Actually it only needs a couple." Jeffrey says, as Billy sits down where he was sitting before and they sit down on the couch beside him.
"What sort of improvement were you looking to do?" Billy asks.
"Sam pointed out that there needs to be another bathroom added upstairs and she's also pointed out that the loft is too small for Ava and William with the baby coming so she suggested that I add another bedroom down stairs." Jeffrey says, sitting back.
"Do you have any idea where you want these rooms to be built?"
"I suggested that some of the closet be taken to add the bathroom upstairs and that the area where Jeffrey keeps his guitars and stuff for the band be used as a second bedroom." Sam says.
"Would that work?"
"I can't say right now. I'll need to look at the area and see if it can be done. Do you know if there is any plumbing upstairs at all?"
"I don't know, until Sam came I never used the upstairs."
"I can come by the loft tomorrow after I check on a few jobsite and we can look at the areas and see what we can work out."
"That would be fine." Jeffrey says.
"Sam I meant to ask you yesterday how Ava was doing with the decorating."
"She's doing great. I'm supposed to meet her tomorrow to look over the paint samples she picked for the kitchen, dining room and living room. If everything is okay with that we may start working on the rooms upstairs."
"That's good. I'll call when I can come by to look at the loft." Billy says, as he stands up.
"That's fine. I'm going in to work tomorrow." Jeffrey says, as he and Sam stand up also.
"But he's only working a half a day tomorrow." Sam says, looking at him.
"That will be fine, I'll look at the jobsites in the morning and then I'll call you after lunch."
"That will be fine." Jeffrey says, taking Sam's hand as Billy walks towards the front of the house. "Thanks." Jeffrey says, as he opens the door.
"You're welcome." Billy says, as Josh walks up.
"Josh." Sam says, looking up."
"Hello." He says formally.
"I call tomorrow." He says, as Sam and Jeffrey walk by Josh.
"Thanks." Jeffrey says again, walking down the front steps.
"What were they doing here?" Josh asks, looking back over their shoulder. Jeffrey hears him but he doesn't turn back around as Billy replies.
"They came to ask me to come over to loft to see about adding a couple of rooms to the loft." Billy walks back inside as Josh follows him.
When they get to the car, Sam looks at him. "It's going to take time."
Jeffrey looks at her and then opens the door, getting in. Sam opens her door and gets in and neither one says anything as Jeffrey starts the car and they leave.
James walks into Towers. Walking over to the elevators, he pushes the button and the steps back. When it comes, he steps on and pushes the button for the 15th floor. The doors close and he steps back to the corner of the elevator and when they open on the 15th floor, he gets off and walks down the hall to Sarah's room. Knocking once, he steps back. A few moments later, the door is opened by JR. He steps back letting James into the room and then closes the door behind him. "Where is she?"
"She's in the bedroom." JR says, walking into the living room.
"Bring her in here." James says, sitting down on the couch.
JR goes to the bedroom and opens the door. "Sarah, he's here."
"I'm not speaking to him." Sarah says.
"Sarah Michelle Marshall Elmhurst, you will come here." James says, having heard her. Sarah walks slowly into the room but she doesn't go over to James. With her arms crossed, she stares at him. "I'm not going to talk you from across the room. Come and sit down."
Sarah looks at him for a moment and then walks over to James, sitting down on the loveseat across from him. "I've got nothing to say." Sarah says defiantly.
"Do you even realize what you've done?"
"She doesn't deserve to be a part of this family."
"You upset her so much yesterday that she had an attack. She thought she was about to miscarry."
"She's pregnant!" Sarah exclaims. "I will never accept her or her bastard child." Sarah spits.
"Sarah." He stops for a second. "You are a spoiled rotten bitch."
"How dare you. You're calling me a bitch and your precious Cassie is nothing more than a common stripper, one step up from being a whore. Did you know? Did you know that she used to get paid to take her clothes off for men, your precious Cassie?"
"I knew everything about Cassie's past. I knew what she did and why she did it. It won't matter to you but she did it to help her children, her kids. As to calling you a spoiled rotten bitch I'm only speaking the truth. I've tried to ignore your behavior. They way you treat people. You're cold, bitter and I'm not at all sure why you are. I've tried to love you. And I've excused your behavior because of the years when I had nothing to do with your life. But you're just a bitch." James says.
"I would rather be and entitled bitch, than a filthy common stripping slut." Sarah says, standing up. James follows her as he stands up he slaps her. Raising her hand, Sarah screams at him. "You're nothing but a common father of a stripping slut." James takes a step towards her, but JR steps between him.
"Sarah, sit down." He says, pushing her down into the couch. Keeping his eye on her, he asks James. "Are you okay?"
"Why are you asking him? He slapped me." Sarah demands.
"It's nothing more than you deserved Sarah. He's right you're a spoiled rotten bitch. Cassie's a good woman. She would help you if you needed it." JR says, turning to her.
"You're going home today and when you get there I want you to go by the office and clean out your office. I'll have your belongings moved over to Arthur's residence…."
"I'm living with that man." Sarah sputters.
"I don't care where you live. But you're not staying in my home any longer." James says, turning to leave. JR follows him to the door.
"I'll make sure she's on the plane." He says.
"Thank you." James says, hugging him before he opens the door and leaves.
Olivia is coming downstairs as James walks into the lobby of the Beacon. She spots him and immediately realizes that his confrontation with Sarah had not gone well. She walks over to him as he looks up. "Are you okay?"
"I'm… finally facing the truth." James says, walking over to one of the chairs in the lobby.
"What happened?" Olivia asks, following him over to the chairs.
"I confronted her." James says, looking at her.
"Okay, come with me." She says, getting up and taking his hand. He gets up and follows her across the lobby to the garden. They walk deep into the garden before Olivia sits down on a bench and he sits down beside her. "Tell me what happened."
"I confronted her, we argued and I called her a spoiled rotten bitch."
"James!"
"She is Olivia. I just didn't want to face it. I've ignored everything she's every done and blames myself because she's that way."
"I'm sure you were a good father."
"I tried to be when I finally accepted that Sarah was my daughter, but by that time she was too much like her mother. She's cold like Janice. And she believes she's entitled to everything that has ever been given to her. I can't change that."
"I'm not the best person to be giving advice on parenting, look what I've done to my own daughter, but also look at Ava. She's warm and well adjusted person even with me for a mother and that's not because of me. She chooses to be this way, just like Sarah chooses to be the way she is. I'm sure you did the best that you could raising her."
"I don't know, I fought Janice at every turn, every demand and it took years to settle about custody and paternity. Things like that, scar children sometime irrevocably." James says, looking at her. She puts her arms around him, hugging him. "Where's Emma?"
"She's upstairs. I was coming downstairs to see if Ava and William have arrived."
"Ava and William, why would they be coming here?"
"Because I called Ava and asked them to come to the Beacon so that I could speak with them. I had to really convince them that I wasn't going to attack them but in the end they agreed to come."
"Okay." James says, releasing her.
"After I've talked to them, I'll see if Ava wants to Emma for the afternoon." She says, as he looks at her.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes." Olivia says, standing up.
"I'll be in my room."
"I'll call you when they leave."
"Good." He says with a smile. They walk back into the lobby as Ava and William walk in. Spotting them, he squeezes her hand before he releases it, walking over to the stairs as she goes to meet them.
"Ava, William." She says. "Thank you for coming. Would you like to go into Olivia's? We can talk in there without interruption."
"It's up to you. You called us." Ava says, watching Olivia.
"Yes, I did." She says, turning she walks towards Olivia's with Ava and William following her glancing at each other.
When they are seated, Olivia turns to them. "I called because I wanted to apologize for my behavior of the last few months."
"I'm sorry." Ava says, staring at her.
"I said I want to apologize for my behavior towards you Ava, William and for my behavior towards your father. I'm sorry I've forced you to choose between us. I want us all to get along and I know that it's going to be long time before any of you will completely trust me again."
"I don't get this." Ava says. "Up until now, you've been against everything. Jeffrey and Sam, me and William, what changed?"
"I've done some thinking about everything and I realized that you're all right. I have been holding onto Jeffrey and refusing to admit my part in what happened that night in San Cristobel."
"That explains going for Jeffrey and Sam. It doesn't explain the things you've said and done to Ava pertaining to me." William says.
"I also realized that Ava's not me. For one thing she's a lot stronger than I ever was. She's not going to make the same mistakes I did. She'll make her own and that's okay. It's how it should be."
"I'm not the only one you owe and apology too." Ava says.
"I've already apologized to your father. I did that yesterday. I would have spoken to both of you then but James and I left after the confrontation between Cassie and Sarah, so I didn't get a chance. I also want you to know that I won't stand in your way. I also wanted to see if you wanted to take Emma for the afternoon."
"You want us to take Emma. You realize that she will be William."
"Yes. You are both seriously committed to each other then she should know her brother-in-law."
Ava looks at William. "If you want to take her, I don't have a problem with it."
"Okay." Ava says, but before we go get her. "I want to tell you something. When the vote is in and William is through being prince, he will be moving here. We will be living together at Jeffrey's loft. Jeffrey offered it to us yesterday and we accepted."
"That's fine. I think it's a good idea in fact. It will make it easier for both of you to get settled before your baby comes. A child needs a stable environment when it gets here."
"We will be living together, not getting married."
"At least not yet anyway." William says.
"I understand and I'm okay with it. Let me go get Emma and you can spend the day with her." Olivia says, getting up and walking out of the restaurant as Ava looks at William
"What is going on?" She asks.
"I don't know. Do you think she really apologized to Jeffrey and Sam?"
"I don't know, but I can find out." Ava says, pulling out her phone. Dialing Jeffrey's number she waits for him to answer.
"Hello."
"Dad, its Ava."
"Hi, sweetheart, what's going on?"
"Umm, I'm at the Beacon with William and we just had a very strange talk with Olivia."
"Okay, did she attack…?"
"No, she apologized about how she's been towards me and William and she claims to have apologized to you and Sam as well. What's going on?"
"I don't know what's going on, but she did apologize to me and Sam at the wedding yesterday."
"Do you think it's real?"
"For your sake I hope it is."
"She's letting us take Emma for the afternoon." Ava says, looking at William.
"Well, I hope you have fun."
"What do we do about Olivia?"
"I guess go with it." Jeffrey says, pulling into a parking lot.
"Okay, what are you doing?"
"Sam and I are driving around town looking for me a car, since the truck was totaled in the accident."
"You're not going to get another truck?"
"No, but I might get and SUV." Jeffrey says, as Sam opens her car door.
"Alright, well I'll go. I just wanted to check with you about Olivia."
"Okay, go with it. She might be really changing. I don't know."
"Okay, I love you."
"I love you too sweetheart. I'll talk to you later." Jeffrey says, getting out of the car as he hangs up.
"Was that Ava?" Sam asks.
"Yes, apparently Olivia asked them over to the Beacon to apologize to them about her behavior the last few months. She told them that she apologized to us as well and she wanted to know if she did. She's letting them have Emma for the day." Jeffrey say, putting his arms around her as the walk across the car lot.
After James left, JR goes back into the living room. "Get packed." He says, to Sarah.
"Why?"
"Because you're going home." JR says, as he pulls his phone out of his pocket. "Now."
Sarah gets up and flounces into the bedroom. Packing quickly she's back in the living room as JR is hanging up from the last call. "I've called the pilot they will have the jet ready within the hour. I've also called Arthur and he will be at the airport to pick you up. He will be taking back to his family's home. I've explained everything that has happened."
"I'm not staying with him." Sarah says.
"You can work that out when you get to London. Right now, we're leaving."
"Where are you going? Or are you going to stay here and be a lap dog for our stripping…." JR grabs Sarah's arm.
"Unless you want me to physically hurt you Sarah, I suggest that you keep those comments to yourself. I won't show as much restraint as our father."
"You wouldn't hurt me?"
"You try me." JR says, releasing her arm. She reaches up to rub it as he grabs her suitcase. "Go." He says.
She walks out of the room. JR follows her, holding her arm as he closes the door behind them and then as they wait for the elevator and when they check out. He doesn't release his hold until he walks onto the plane with her. She sits down and turns to him. "I'm not a child or a criminal." She spits.
JR ignores her. Leaving her in the cabin, he goes to speak to the pilot before he walks off the plane. He stands on the tarmac and watches as the last minute preparations are made and then the crew closes the door to the plane and it begins to taxi. When it lifts off, he pulls his phone from his pocket and dials his father's number. "Yes." James says, answering the call.
"She's on her way back to London." JR says.
"Okay." James says, hanging up.