Chapter 2
Tired and weary, Michaela pulled into the driveway of her new home. She climbed out of the car to stretch her tired muscles. She placed her hands on her hips to flex her shoulders and looked around at the neighborhood. Off in the distance, she could see Pikes Peak. It was still early enough in the year that you could see the snow pack at the higher elevations. As she gazed down the street, she saw turn of the century Craftsman style homes on neatly manicured lawns. The neighborhood was well established with mature trees and landscaping. There were children playing in the cul de sac and riding their bicycles up and down the sidewalks. It really was a world away from the hustle and bustle of her affluent Boston neighborhood of Beacon Hill. This felt like home.
She smiled to herself, confident she made the correct decision to move her life to Colorado. The pain of losing David was still strong but she knew that she needed time to grieve him and the life they shared together. She bent down to retrieve her bag from the front seat of the car and dug out the door keys. She rubbed her belly, well, little Katie, here we go. She slowly walked up the wide, expansive steps to her new life. She placed the key in the door lock. It turned with ease and the door opened to reveal the large living room with coffered ceilings and ornate, polished wood trim.
The air was stale and musty but it barely registered to her. She stood in the living room, turning in circles, in awe at the beauty of the room. There was a green glass tiled fireplace to the right, between the two floor to ceiling windows. The stair case was off to the left, against the wall. The dining room was straight ahead, past the fireplace. Her home in Beacon Hill had been grand but it never felt like anyone lived there. This home felt inviting, like it needed a family to live there.
She placed her bag on the bottom stair and ascended the stair case. The movers and Daniel would be here tomorrow, she had to determine where all of her things should be placed. As she came to the top of the stairs, the bathroom was immediately to the right. It wasn't a large room but it was deep. The sink to the right, the bathtub right across from it and the toilet behind a short wall in the corner. As she walked down the narrow hall, there were 3 bedrooms. Two were across the hall from each other and the master bedroom was at the end of the hall. The two bedrooms were of equal size, both large for this time period. She had to decide which one would be Katie's. The other one would be her office when she starts her new job at the hospital.
After she had walked through the house, she felt more at ease knowing she could mark something off of her list. She grabbed her bag and dug out her cell phone. She needed to call Daniel to make sure everything was still on schedule for tomorrow.
"Hello?" she heard as the ringing stopped.
"Daniel?"
"Michaela! Hi, how was your trip?" he asked.
"It was long, the plane ride was tiring then I had to drive the rest of the way from the airport but I am doing fine. Wait until you see my new house. It is simply breathtaking. Is everything still on schedule for delivery tomorrow?"
"Yes, I just got off the phone with the movers. They expect to be there around 9 o'clock. My flight should be in around noon." He replied.
"Okay, that will be perfect. I have already walked around the house to determine where things will need to be placed."
"You sound so much more relaxed than you did a few days ago. How are you holding up?"
"I am feeling somewhat better, the pain of losing David is still raw but I know this is the best thing for Katie and me right now," she replied, feeling tears well up in her eyes. She batted them away, determined not to be upset right now.
"I understand, it will take time. I miss him a lot too, we grew up together, it is hard to let go of someone you are so close to."
"Listen, I better get off the phone for now, I have to finish packing," He stated.
"Yes, do you need me to pick you up at the airport tomorrow?"
"No, I will grab a taxi, I don't want you to have to add another item to your list."
She smiled to herself. Daniel did know her pretty well, she thrived on making a list. It's the only thing that made her feel secure in times of chaos.
"Okay, well, I will see you tomorrow, have a safe trip." With that, she hung the phone up. She had to find something comfortable to sleep on tonight. She went out to the garage and found an old cot. It was dirty but it would work for just one night. She grabbed a blanket from the car and set up her bed for the night. With that out of the way, she went outside to sit on the porch steps to gather her thoughts on what else she would need to get settled as quickly as possible.
She sat there for a long time and watched the sun set over Pikes Peak. What a truly beautiful landscape this was. She was excited for what the future held. In just a few short months, she would have her baby girl to hold and love and she would have her new job. Michaela truly felt that she had restarted her life.