A Fresh Start
Chapter One Hundred Ninety Five
Ava and Sam turn around as Jeffrey walks into the room. "So, what did you not want Sam to tell me?" He asks.
"Ah, I guess I should just go ahead and tell, or show you rather." Ava says, holding her left hand.
Jeffrey looks down and sees the ring. "William got you a promise ring, that's…."
"It's not a promise ring." Sam says, looking at him.
He watches both of them for a moment before he smiles. "I know it's not a promise ring. When did he ask you?" Jeffrey asks, looking at Ava.
"A couple of days ago, he took Emma and I out to see the capital and while we were gone he had the staff set up a romantic dinner in the courtyard and when we got back to the palace and Emma was in the bed, I meet him there and he proposed."
"And you didn't want Sam to tell me, why?" Ava looks away for a moment. "Ava." He asks.
"I wasn't sure how you would react." She says, looking at him.
"You thought I would be upset."
"Maybe not mad, but I wasn't sure you would approve." Jeffrey sighs and then takes Ava's hand. "I wasn't sure about the tow of you being together. But I've watched you and him when he's been up here and that's why I told you that I wouldn't interfere anymore. I want you to be happy." He says, reaching for her. They hung and then he steps back. "Have you set a date?"
"No, we're waiting until he's up here."
"I heard about the countries decision to keep the monarchy."
"He's staying until the coronation and then he'll be up here." "Billy is just starting on the loft so it won't be ready for you to move in by the time he gets here. Where are you going to stay? All of you can't stay…."
"We're not staying at Company. I have rooms for us at the Beacon."
"Oh… wait the Beacon, is that going to be okay?" Jeffrey asks.
"It will be fine. Actually it's better for Emma. She's used to staying there."
"If you got room at the Beacon, then you know that…."
"I know that Olivia's left town. Cassie told me this morning when I went to see about a room."
"Are you okay?"
"I'm…." She pauses. "I'm relieved, that's the best way to put it."
"She seemed very stable when we saw her last." Sam says.
"When you saw her last, I thought she wasn't…."
"We ran into her and James at CO2." Jeffrey says.
"She came over to us and apologized for everything." Sam says. "She also admitted that I never took your father from her." Sam says, as Ava nods.
"I think she's starting to find some peace, where that's because of letting me go or James, I don't know." Jeffrey says.
"Whatever the reason, I'm glad she's not here to cause anymore trouble."
"Ava, she was…." Jeffrey starts to say, but Ava interrupts him.
"Don't excuse what she planned to do." Ava says.
"Alright, don't get upset. It's not good for you or the baby." Jeffrey says, as Ava takes a deep breath.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I came over here to take you to lunch at the new place you wanted to try." He says, glancing at Sam. "So, why don't we all go to lunch?" He says, looking at both of them.
"I can't. I need to catch up with Billy."
"You have to eat." Jeffrey says.
"I will. I'll stop by Company and get something on the way to Lewis." Ava says.
"Alright, don you want to go?" He asks, looking at Sam.
She takes his hand. "Of course, I do." She says, with a smile.
"Great." Jeffrey turns to Ava.
"I'll be fine and I'll get something to eat at Company."
"Alright." He says, hugging her before he and Sam leave.
Jasmine is at Company for lunch when DJ walks in. Walking over to her table, he sits down as Jasmine looks up. For a moment neither one speaks. "So, you're going to speak to me now?" Jasmine asks.
"What was yesterday about?"
"It was about nothing."
"You mean you're not trying to get with him again. That is that second time I've caught you with him."
"You didn't catch me at anything, because we're not hiding anything. There's nothing to hide."
"Except that, I am his son. You hid that for years."
"It was another place and time, mí ho. I've explained this to you. You're father was gone and I was lonely. Josh was grieving for his wife. For one night we found comfort in each others arms."
"And then you lied about it. You let us believe that Dad was my father when you knew he wasn't. All the rules and telling me never to lie, it meant nothing because you were telling the biggest lie a woman can tell."
"I had no other choice. Josh had already left Miami. I didn't know where he lived. In fact, I barely remember his name the next morning."
"So, you decided to make Dad believe he was my father, instead of admitting the truth. You're a common whore."
"That's enough." Josh says, from behind DJ. Jasmine looks up.
"What did you say?" DJ asks, standing up and turning to face Josh.
"I said that's enough. I don't care how angry you are at you mother. You have no reason to speak to her that way."
"What I said was the truth?" DJ says, staring belligerently at Josh.
"Where I came from we respect our mothers. I think you need to apologize."
"I've got nothing to apologize for. My mother raised me to always tell the truth." DJ says, moving around Josh.
Josh reaches to stop him but Jasmine says. "Let him go."
Josh looks at her. "He called you a whore. You cant' let him get way with that. He wouldn't get away with that if he were my son." Josh says, turning to watch DJ leave the restaurant.
"Is everything okay?" Frank asks, walking up.
"It's fine. I'm sorry about the scene." Jasmine says.
"You're sure everything is okay?" Frank asks.
"Yes, thank you." Jasmine says, as Frank walks away and Josh sits down where DJ was sitting."
"I don't care how angry he is. You shouldn't let him talk to you that way. You are his mother."
"I'm the mother that lied to him for all his life."
"I don't understand."
Jasmine looks at him for a moment and then she sighs. "Several years ago, my husband passed away
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"Thank you, anyway before that, when he got sick…."
"What was he sick from?"
"Kidney failure, anyway, when we found out that my husband needed a transplant to survive the doctor's said that his best chance for a donor came from a family member. DJ went to be tested without telling me. And when he didn't come back as match, he wanted to know why. I'm sure my husband's doctor was hesitant to tell him the truth, but he did. DJ wasn't my husband's son. Naturally DJ didn't believe the doctor so he came to me and I had to tell that it was true. He wouldn't speak to me after I told him what happened and after my husband died, he left town. I finally tracked him down here and I've been trying to get him to understand, but he won't listen to me."
"I'm sorry." Josh says, reaching for her hand. "Would it help if I spoke to him I have some experience…."
"No, I think it's best if we leave him alone, eventually he's got to realized he needs me."
"It might be better if you forced him to listen to you. It's not easy dealing with a child that won't listen, especially an angry one, I know."
"I'm sure it will workout. I've got to go back to work." Jasmine says, standing up, leaving some money on the table for the check plus tip as Josh stands up.
"Can I give you a ride?" He asks.
"No, I walked over her from work. I only work a few blocks from here so I'll be fine." She replies, leaving Josh where he is standing.
Walking into the restaurant, Jeffrey leads the way to a table. Holding Sam's chair for her, he walks around to his chair, sitting down as their waitress walks up to them. 'Welcome to La Terre." She says, standing a little to close to Jeffrey's chair and smiling at him.
"Thank You." Jeffrey says, smiling back at the waitress.
"What can I get you to drink?" She asks Jeffrey, completely ignoring Sam.
"I'll have a coke." Jeffrey replies, smirking slightly
"And I'll have water with lemon." Sam says, getting the waitresses attention. "And he's married." Sam says, looking at Jeffrey's left hand.
The waitress looks down and notices Jeffrey's wedding ring. "I'll et those drinks for you." The waitress says, turning away from the table.
Same looks at Jeffrey. He smiles at her. "She was…."
"Flirting with you and she's old enough to be Ava's younger sister." Sam says, picking a menu
"Are you saying that I'm old?" Jeffrey asks.
"No, I'm saying that you're old enough to be her father." He looks at her and smiles. "What?"
"You're upset that I was flirting with her in front of you."
Sam looks at him for a moment. "Well it is a bit insulting when you flirt with another woman and I'm sitting right across from you."
"She was flirting with…." Their waitress brings their drinks. Sitting them down in front of them, she leaves and Jeffrey says. "She's was flirting with me."
"And you had to flirt back."
"She's a…. I'm sorry." He looks up and then says, reaching for Sam's hand. "She's pretty but you are beautiful and I've shouldn't've flirted with her with you hear. I wanted this to be a lunch date with my beautiful wife." He says, kissing the back of her hand.
"You're charming me to keep me from being mad."
"Is it working?" He asks, kissing her palm after he turns her hand over. She looks at him and then slowly smiles. "I promise I won't with another woman in front of you."
"Don't promise something you can't help doing." She says, smiling at him.
"Well, I can at least resist the impulse." He says, as their waitress comes over to their table.
"Are you ready to order?" She asks, looking at both of them.
"Ladies first." Jeffrey says, nodding to Sam.
"I'll have the cranberry chicken salad, but do you have a light oil dressing?" Sam asks.
"We have a lemon and peppercorn dressing?" Sam asks.
"I'll have that." Sam says, as the waitress writes down. Sam's order before she turns to Jeffrey.
"What would you like Sir?" She asks.
"I'll have the tuna salad, on pita bread, the fresh skins potato salad."
"Yes sir, we'll have this right out."
"Thank you." Jeffrey says, as she turns away.
"You're welcome." She says, before walking away.
"So, what do you really think about Ava and William?" Sam asks, taking a drink of her water.
"I think they deserve a chance."
"But you're worried?"
"No, I'm not. I said I would support them and I will."
"You're forgetting something J, I know you and I know that you want Ava to be happy, but you're not sure she will be with William."
Jeffrey looks at her and then sighs. I have my concerns, alright." He says, sitting back. "You don't know all of William's history. When Richard was President and they adopted Will. They adopted him from a woman that William married a week after meeting her. A week later, he left her in San Cristobel, alone, pregnant, although he didn't know it, but he still left her alone, in a country where she knew no one but him."
"Ava and Will have a different relationship."
"But it is still an un-orthodox one and based on the fact that they slept together one night and if Ava hadn't've gotten pregnant they probably never would've seen each other again."
"We're an un-orthodox relationship and people have married for fewer reasons than William and Ava, some haven't even seen the person they were marrying until the moment they walk down the aisle."
"You didn't see him back then. Cassie had to practically beg him to have anything to do with Will."
"Probably due to the fact that Richard was his father, and we are all quite immature when we're younger."
"It was five years ago Sam."
"People change Jeffrey, look at you. Think about the man you were before the party in San Cristobel and then after. Think about five years later and they brought me in to the agency and then five years after that."
"We were und incredibly stressful situations."
"And running a country isn't stressful, look at the change in each of our presidents after four years and then eight. You can't…."
"Yes, people change. I changed after that party. I changed after the agency brought you in to be my partner and I changed again after you left. And I changed again because of Richard and Cassie. Ave changed me But he left a woman, along and pregnant with his child."
"Just like your father left your mother alone and pregnant with you, that's what this is about?"
"My mother and father…."
"Did your father know your mother was pregnant?"
"I don't know. And William didn't know his wife was pregnant."
"So maybe you should consider that before you assume that William will do the same thing to Ava that he did to his wife and that your father did to your mother." Sam says, as their waitress brings their food, sitting it before them, she leaves."
"I don't want Av to be hurt."
"No parent does, but a parent also has to learn to let their kids make mistakes."
"How do you know this? You're not a parent."
"I know it because my father never let me do anything to learn from my mistakes." Sam says, after swallowing. 'And for the record, I thin William and Ava will be fine. I think he truly loves her and there's something about a man that's in love with a woman. He can't leave them."
"I could certainly never leave you."
"Good, because I don't want you too."
"And I'm not going too. Maybe my judgment is a little bit jaded because of my mom and dad. And I will support them, but if he hurts her, I will…."
"Cut him to pieces, like a true papa bear." Sam says, teasing him.
Thirty minutes later, they leave the restaurant. Jeffrey drops Sam at her office and then leaves for City Hall. She finishes up some work before sending her staff home. She then head downtown to run some errands and to pick up Jeffrey's shirts from the cleaners. She's leave the cleaners as Josh walks by. She wasn't going to say anything but then changes her mind. "Josh." She says, turning back around.
He stops and turns around. "Sam." He says his tone formal.
"So, you're going to keep me at arms length too."
"I'm protecting my family."
"He's your family too. And from what I know he's done nothing to you to be treated the way you're treating him."
"You're married to him, so you're going to be loyal to him, but you don't realize what you're talking about. You're husband is the biggest…."
"I'm not going to stand here and listen to you bash my husband, especially when you don't know what you're talking about." Sam says, turning away from him.
"Open your eyes, Sam. He'll use you like he's used every other woman he's been involved with. I'm not going to let him destroy my family."
She crosses her arms and then stand there watching him before she takes a step closer to him. "If you're family is destroyed it will not be because of Jeffrey or the fact that he's your brother. It will be because you're a stubborn, judgmental jackass. And maybe you should be the one to open your eyes." She says, reaching up and slapping the back of his head before she turns and walks away.
She's halfway to her car before Reva catches up to her. "I overheard what you said to Josh." She says, falling into step beside Sam.
"Reva, I'm sorry, I shouldn't've…." She says, looking back over her shoulder.
"Don't apologize to me. I happen to agree with you. That's why I'm staying at the Beacon."
"What? No, you can't." Sam says, stopping.
"I didn't want to, but I can't keep fighting him and he won't listen."
"I can tell."
"He's always been stubborn and judgmental. Is that what you said? I liked the slap, by the way."
"I'm afraid, I lost my temper."
"He can make you loose you temper. So how are you and Jeffrey?"
"We're great. He took the day off and spent all day with me yesterday."
"Josh used to do that. Surprise me and take the day off."
"Maybe you should talk to him."
"I've tried. It's his turn to come to me."
"You can't let this break you up."
"It's not up to me."
"I wish there was something I could do."
"It's not your problem to fix. You go home and enjoy your husband and life." Reva says, taking her hand.
"I will." Sam says, squeezing Reva's hand.
Richard walks into the farm house as Cassie walks downstairs. "RJ, put that fame down and get your uniform on." She calls as she walks into the kitchen and sees Richard putting his keys up. "Oh, you're home." She says, walking over to him.
"Hello darling, and yes I'm home." He says, turning to her and giving her a kiss. "How was your day?"
"Busy, but I didn't do too much. Are you going to change for RJ's game?"
"Yes, where is Will?"
"He's upstairs. He wants to play football now."
"He plays football."
"American Football, RJ's still playing and since his soccer team won't be playing again until next April, he wants to play football with RJ."
"He wants to be exactly like his older brother. Maybe we can find something else for him to do. Let me go change and we'll go to the game."
"Would you please make sure RJ's getting into his uniform? I've told him twice."
"I will." Richard says, walking out of the kitchen."
Ten minutes later, they are in Cassie's car and headed for RJ's game.
Around three that afternoon, Ava is waiting to pick up Emma from school. As they pull away from the school, Ava says. "I've got a surprise for you."
"A surprise, William's here."
"No, William's not here." Ava replies, as they drive by Company.
"Aren't we going home." Emma asks, looking back at Company.
"Yes, we're going home, but we're not staying at Company."
"Where are we staying?" Emma asks, looking at Ava.
"I went to see Cassie this morning after I dropped you at school."
"Why?"
"I went to see if we could get your old room back."
"What! No! No, I don't want to stay there, please."
"Emma, you've been in that room all your life. It will be familiar. We can put you stuff back."
"No, I won't stay there. Take me back to Company."
"Emma."
"No, I won't stay there."
"It's only until the loft is finished and then we'll move there."
"No!"
"Emma, we have to have a larger place. We won't have enough room once William gets here."
"I'm not staying in that room, no." Emma says, shaking her head.
"Alright, how about this? I will talk to Cassie and I'll see if we can have another room." Ava says, turning onto the road that leads to the Beacon.
"Can you do that?" Emma asks, looking at Ava.
"I can see. Will you stay at the Beacon if we don't stay in your old room?"
"Okay." Emma says, relaxing a little.
"So, how was school?"
"Great, Will and I played together every recess And he made sure that no one bugged me too much about Mom. It was good to be back."
"Did you tell all your friends about the palace?"
"Yes, and they asked me all these questions. Can we develop the pictures we took?"
"I think we can do that. We'll load them onto the computer after we get settled. And you can pick out the ones you want to bring out."
"That would be great. I want to take them to show and tell next week."
"Then we'll make sure to have them printed out." Ava says, as they pull into the parking lot of the Beacon. After parking, she turns to Emma and says. "Alright, we'll go in and see if they can put us into another room."
"Okay." Emma says, reaching for the door.
Ava reaches out to stop her. "Emma, wait. If we can't change rooms, we'll still stay here in your old room. I want you to understand that."
"I don't want to stay there."
"I know you don't want to take there but we have to have a larger place. So we'll see fi they will change it, but I want you to be prepared if we have to stay in your old room." Ava says, opening her doo and getting out. Emma meets her at the back of the car and she takes Ava's hand. "Cheer up." Ava says, shaking her hand. Emma looks up and then smiles faintly. They walk into the Beacon and Ava leads Emma over to the lounge area. "Wait here, and I'll go see if we can change rooms."
"Okay." Emma says, sitting down in on of the chairs.
"I'll be right back, do not go anywhere."
"I won't."
Ava turns for the front desk. When she walk up there is a customer ahead of her and when they leave she steps up. "May I help you, Ms. Peralta." The clerk asks.
"Is Cassie here?"
"Umm no, she only works half a day now. May I help you with something?"
"Okay, I was in here this morning and I spoke with Cassie about letting me use my mother's old room. I thought it would be easier for my sister, but I was wrong. So I was worndering if you have another room we could have."
"I'm sorry, Ms. Peralta but all of our rooms are booked." The clerk says, as Reva walks up.
"Ava." She says, as Ava turns around.
"Reva, hi. How are you?"
"I'm well. Is there a problem?"
"I was trying to get another room. I thought Emma would be more comfortable staying in her old room but she doesn't want to."
"I can understand that. Do we have another room?" Reva asks, turning to the clerk.
"No ma'am. As I was explaining to Ms. Peralta, we are completely booked."
"Then I will switch rooms with you. You and Emma can have my room and I'll take Olivia's old suite."
"Reva, you don't have to do that." Ava says.
"It's not a problem. I haven't even unpacked yet. We can switch room and you and Emma will be comfortable and so will I."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, go get your stuff and I'll go get mine and we'll switch rooms. You'll make the changes in the system." Reva says, turning to the clerk.
"Yes, Mrs. Lewis." The clerk replies.
Ava and Reva turn away. Ava goes to Emma while Reva goes upstairs. As Ava walks up, Emma looks up. "Do we have to stay in my old room?" She asks.
"No, Mrs. Lewis is going to switch rooms with us." Ava says, reaching for Emma's hand. She takes it and gets ups, walking with Ava towards the stairs.