Chapter 6

Two weeks later Claire got the call that the name change had gone through and that they were simply waiting on the divorce to be finalized. After the beating that she had suffered, Victoria had changed the divorce papers to include a financial settlement. Claire hadn't cared about money, she just wanted to be free of him and the marriage but Victoria had said that she deserved something after all the years of hell she had been through. When the lawyer found out that Claire wasn't pressing charges after this last attack she said that a financial settlement was the least that Logan could do. Claire had finally said okay, but hadn't asked for any details on it at all, simply saying to notify her when the divorce was final.

It was a small victory to her just to be known as Claire Ryan again. That fact alone made her feel like she was moving in the right direction. When she moved to start her new life she would be starting fresh and totally new. Well maybe not completely new, but at least she was getting back to her and to who she used to be. Claire Ryan wasn't the victim that Claire Maxwell had been. She would be the one to speak out though, telling her story so that others could maybe find a ray of hope in her survival. That was a decision that she had come to over the past two weeks while sitting in her bed in her childhood home recovering.

In the last two weeks she had also been thinking about where she would be moving too when all of this was over. She couldn't decide in her waking hours but her dreams found her walking on sandy beaches, listening to the waves crashing in. She had decided that tonight at dinner she would tell her mom about her decision to move away. Claire knew that her mother wouldn't be thrilled about the idea of her moving away, but in the end she would support Claire in whatever she decided to do.

That night Claire set the table for dinner and helped her mom finish up cooking the vegetables to go with the chicken. When they sat down and offered up their prayers in thanks for the food Claire cleared her throat.

"Mom, I've been doing a lot of thinking since I woke up in the hospital that day. I love you, and I appreciate all that you have done for me these past two months or so. I can't tell you how wonderful it was to know that I had a place to run too. I don't want to give the impression that I don't appreciate everything."

"Why Claire, you never have given that impression at all. Why would you think that you had?"

Taking a deep breath Claire said, "Well I guess really so far I haven't, but I do have something to tell you and when I do I just don't want it to seem that way."

Darcy put her fork down and took Claire's hand in hers. "Darling what is it?"

"Mom, I've been thinking a lot and I've decided that when the divorce is final and everything is settled, well, I'm moving. Where exactly I don't know yet and I guess I was really hoping that you could help with that part of it. When I'm awake I can't think of anywhere I would like to live. It's been so long since I was able to make a decision on my own. At night I dream and all I see is me on a beach with the waves crashing in, so I'm thinking I want to move to the beach."

Her mother sat silent a minute and then said, "What ever you choose to do you know that you have my support one hundred percent. I won't lie and say that I won't miss you if you move far away, but at the same time I understand that need. Tell me, what do you plan to do once you move?"

"Well, I want to do all the things that I wasn't allowed to do with Logan. First things first I'm going to school. I want to get a degree in marketing, and do something with myself. I want to be an advocate too. For women like me, women who see no way out of where they are, I want to let them know that they can win."

"That sounds like quite the plan, and if anyone can do it and make a success out of it, well then it's you. The beach huh," her mom asked. When Claire nodded Darcy smiled. "Your father always loved the beach. He said it was the closest thing to heaven on earth that you could find. He always loved when we would go to Clearwater Beach. He said it wasn't anything fancy and it didn't really stand out like some beaches did, but then again neither was he. That was our last vacation together."

In that instant Claire knew where she would go. If her father loved it so much then it was almost guaranteed that she would too. It would be as if he were there with her, giving her the strength that she would need. After dinner she made her way to her room and with her laptop in her lap she began searching for her first home of her own.

Three weeks later her cast had been removed, the bruises had all healed, and the call came to tell Claire that the divorce would be final on May twenty-ninth. She could expect to receive a settlement that would consist of one large payment in the amount of one million dollars followed by monthly payments of five thousand dollars for the next five years, or until she remarried, whichever came first. It was bittersweet really. She hadn't wanted the money but now she planned to use it to do the very things that she hadn't been allowed to do while being married to Logan. He would pay for her to have a home and to go to school, things that had been strictly forbidden in his house. He would also be paying for her to help women who were abused.

A week before the divorce was final Claire had narrowed down her house search to five potential homes. She made arrangements to go to Florida to look at all the houses and make her final decision. Her mom would be going with her for moral support, and to give her thoughts on the homes. The night before they left Claire found her mom sitting in the den looking at an old photo album. She walked into the room quietly and sat beside her mom looking at the photos.

"This was our last trip to the beach. Your father was so happy that he was able to go."

"I was thinking mom. Why don't we get a place and stay this week. You don't have to work, and it would be a great break after all that we have gone through since the beginning of February."

Smiling Darcy close the book and put it back in its place on the shelf. "I think that is a wonderful idea. I better go pack some more clothes then." Claire smiled as she followed her mom down the hall, turning off into her room to finish her own packing.

They arrived in Tampa the next day at noon. It was beautiful weather and Claire already loved it. This was home, that was for sure. They met up with the realtor who would be showing them the houses and after signing a few papers they all climbed in the realtors SUV and headed to the first home. It was a two block walk to the beach from the houses back porch, and all in all it was a nice house. Claire noted one or two things that she would like to change about the home and discussed with her mother different decorating ideas. After half an hour they left the first house and headed to the next.

The second house was nice, but she really didn't like it much at all and within ten minutes she was asking to go ahead to the third choice. The third location was on the bay and had a beautiful view of the skyline. It was very modern with hard wood floors and stylishly painted walls. It was large, with five bedrooms and three baths and a fully completed basement. In the end Claire told the realtor that this place just didn't feel like her.

"That's fine Mrs. Ryan, would you like to head on over to the fourth home? I will tell you though that it is very similar to this one in that it is highly modern. I really think that you will like the fifth home much better."

Claire looked to her mother and then glanced at her watch. It was going on two o'clock and she was getting hungry. Besides, if the next home was similar to this one then she wouldn't be interested. "Let's just go on the last house then."

With a pleasant smile the realtor led them out of the house and back to the car. Twenty minutes later they pulled up into the drive way of a house that looked larger than Claire would have liked. It was sitting on the beach however which for Claire was a major positive. Inside the house was warm and inviting, even though it was empty of any furnishings. Immediately Claire loved it. She caught her mother's eye and gave her a small smile and a slight nod of her head. Her mother smiled in return and Claire knew without taking the full tour that this was the house she would buy.

The den was large and open, with two bay windows looking out over the side yard. Claire could just imagine curling up in one of the windows with a book. The living area had a fireplace against the far wall and was very open and would be a wonderful place to just kick back and relax. The kitchen was roomy and had modern appliances that somehow didn't take away the charm of the home. The dining room area was open and had floor to ceiling windows on one wall letting the natural light flow in. Claire would only change the wall color, from its creamy ivory shade to a pale and buttery yellow. There was a half bath in the hallway that led to a staircase and to a large, open sunroom. This room took Claire's breath away, with its view and with the way that the sun poured itself in, reflecting off of the hard wood floors. Floor to ceiling windows made up three of the walls in the room and the view of the sand dunes and a distant horizon were enough to take a person's breath away. Its double French doors opened to a beautifully stoned patio that would be perfect for a morning cup of coffee when it was nice out.

"This house is beautiful. I haven't even seen the second level and I'm in love."

Darcy smiled. "This is a wonderful place Claire. The things that you could do with it are limitless. I can see you here."

"Me too mom," Claire whispered as they followed the realtor up the stairs to the second floor.

"Up here you will find five rooms, but one is designed to be a study and really isn't big enough to be much more. One is your laundry room and then you will have three actual bedrooms. Right here above the stairs is what we refer to as a book nook, and would be perfect for setting up a book shelf and just relaxing with a good read."

Claire looked around and took in the book nook with a smile. It was truly perfect. The laundry room looked empty but would be perfect when she got her washer and dryer in and hooked up. The study room was definitely small, but would be just right for a desk and a nice chair. She would have to get a computer and all as well but that would be easy enough. The grayish blue color of the walls was actually very pretty and the window on the far wall looked out over the ocean. This room would be wonderful for school studies.

The first two bedrooms were spacious with soft and muted colored walls. The first room had a pale lilac color on the walls and Claire caught her mother's eye. She knew that this room would be set up for her mom whenever she wanted to visit. The second guest room was a sand colored heaven and decorating ideas flowed through Claire's mind. She couldn't imagine the master bedroom being any more wonderful than these and wasn't prepared for the sight that awaited her when they entered.

The first thing that a person noticed was the incredible views of the ocean and beach out of the far wall. Again there was the floor to ceiling windows and double French doors that led to a balcony patio. The walls in the room were a dove grey and there was a massive walk in closet to the left. Through the closet was a hidden room of sorts that could be used for really anything. Claire was already planning the things that she would use it for. The master bath was large and airy with windows lining two of the walls. There was a large garden tub and a massive shower stall with a waterfall style shower head. The floors and walls looked to be Italian marble, done in shades of brown and tan. As far as Claire was concerned she was sold on this house. It was absolutely perfect.

Thirty minutes later they were back in the realtor's office and Claire was signing the paperwork for the last home that they had looked at. The realtor had asked her three times if she was certain about this house and Claire assured her that yes she was. Since the house had never been lived in the closing time was going to be shorter than the standard month, but only by a week. Claire was told that she could start having any painting that she wanted done and moving things in immediately however.

As she and her mom left the office and headed to grab a salad they were quiet. When they got o the restaurant and were seated her mom took her hand. "Claire I am so proud of you. I can't wait to see how you fix it up and make it yours. You know, since we are here for a week we could go shopping for your furniture and everything like that. I would love helping you with it, if you wouldn't mind."

"Of course I wouldn't mind! I was actually thinking the same thing! I'm going to find a painter tonight to have the dining area done in a soft buttery yellow shade. With the way the sun shines in I think it would be beautiful. Then tomorrow we can go furniture shopping! I've always wanted a black and white bedroom, and the walls in the master are perfect for that. I'm so excited mom."

"I'm excited for you too dear. I will miss you something terrible but you can bet that I will visit you as often as you will let me."

"You're always welcome mom, always."

Darcy smiled at her daughter across the table and said, "Maybe you can meet someone down here that will love you and treat you like you deserve to be treated."

"Oh no mom, I'm done with men and relationships. I don't want to find anyone. It's too much trouble and you never really know someone until it's too late. I'll be fine alone." Claire noticed her mom's face and the slight shake of her head as she took a drink of her sweet tea and knew that she was disappointed that Claire wasn't interested in love again. Claire only hoped that her mother would understand why she was jaded and didn't want a man in her life again.

The two finished their meal and then headed to the hotel where Claire searched for a painter and made calls. The week passed quickly and by the time they headed back to Louisiana the house on the beach was ready to move into and Claire had a job at a local coffee shop and bookstore that she would start a week after she got back. She had also gotten registered for school and would be starting there online when ever she was ready to log in. Her life was finally falling into place and for once she was looking forward to what the future held.