Erin tried not to gasp at the place that she had been allowed to call hers for however long she was in the Program. It was on a remote cul de sac in the Berkshires, and her heart was instantly in love with the peace and tranquility of the area. "This is not the normal accommodations that one in the Program receives, Colin," she said lowly as he pulled into the garage of the two story house.
"You have friends who would see you having an easy time of things while you're here. This is far from a normal situation. No one knows where you are, but you'll be safe here, in a place peaceful and lovely, those were the exact words he used."
Erin nodded as they stepped into the house. It was cosy, and her eyes immediately were drawn to the deck in the back. Without checking to see if Colin was following her, she drifted outside and over to the railing that overlooked a small valley that was filled with trees. "This is perfect, and it's mine for a short time."
"Yes. I've already had your things brought in, and all your clothes are in the bedroom. The fridge and pantry are fully stocked, while your debit card and identification are on the island there. The car that's been sourced for you is in the garage. If you have any questions, my number is programed into your phone, which is also in the kitchen. I hope that you don't need my help too often, since the point of the Program is to keep a low profile."
"I'll keep that in mind, Colin. Have a good day," she said offhandedly, still drinking in the view from her deck. A small part of her heart already started to soften to this place, and she knew that if she was there for long, it would be incredibly difficult to leave. Vaguely, she heard the door close, but still, she waited a little while before moving from her spot and heading into the kitchen. True to his word, all her necessary documentation was on the island, next to a bowl of fruit, and she grabbed an apple and bit into it with relish as she looked over who she was now. "Erin Barnett," she murmured aloud a number of times, wrapping her mind and tongue around her new name.
After finishing off her apple, Erin began her tour of the house and looked into every room. There were three bedrooms, a perfect number for her family, and she let out a choked little sob as she left the one that had two beds in it, knowing that she couldn't have her children with her in that space, not while it was still uncertain where John was and what he was doing. Trying to get ahold of her emotions, Erin went back into the master bedroom and collapsed on the bed, burying her face in the pillow she'd landed on before allowing herself to sob herself into a deep sleep.
When she woke up, it was twilight, and she pushed herself out of bed with a low groan. Padding into the bathroom, she hurriedly peed before washing her hands and taking a good look at her reflection in the mirror. She didn't look any different, even if she felt a hundred years older. Erin knew that part of it was the fact that she missed Derek and her children so much and longed to be with them. That would make everything so much easier, but she also didn't want to put them in danger. Shaking her head a little, she slowly stripped off her clothes before slowly walking over to the shower and stepping inside.
The water was hot and strong, and she relaxed a little more the longer she stood beneath it, allowing the cascade of liquid to wash away the grime of travel and the worry of what would happen next. Once the water had started to run cool, Erin turned it off and then stepped out onto the fuzzy mat before wrapping a large towel around her body. Though she knew that she should probably get something to eat, Erin found herself still exhausted, and so she went back into the master bedroom and dropped the towel onto the floor before slipping beneath the sheets. There was something decadent about the sensation of fresh cool cotton against her still flushed skin, and Erin sighed with pleasure as she allowed her eyes to close once more, sleep soon taking her away to her dreams.
The next time she woke up, it was morning, though she only knew that by looking at the clock on her bedside table. Erin sat up and stretched, allowing the sheets to pool around her waist as she tried to connect to her new home. It still felt weird to know that she would be here for an unspecified amount of time, that no one she loved would be there with her, due to the danger that John presented, and that she was now someone completely different. Or at least, different to those in her new community. Blowing out a long breath, Erin slipped out of bed and made her way over to the closet, smiling a little to see that there was a good number of clothes there. Some of them were familiar, and she reached out to grab her favorite sweater and casual skirt before looking through the dresser drawers for undergarments to wear.
Erin felt better for being dressed, and she made her way back to the kitchen so that she could make a quick breakfast. A sigh of pleasure left her lips when she saw that there was a Keurig machine on the counter next to the fridge, since she could quickly make her morning coffee. Popping in a pod, she allowed it to brew as she scrambled some eggs and made some toast. Once everything was together, Erin grabbed her plate and mug before heading out onto the deck. There was a comfortable chair out there, and she sank down into it before starting to eat as she watched the sky start to lighten to a bright blue. This place she had been left was a small slice of heaven, and she wondered just how much she'd heal here. This wasn't the cure that she had been looking for, not by a long shot, but if she had to be away from Derek and her children, then she was glad that she was in a place such as this.
When she'd finished eating, Erin set aside her plate and held her mug close to her chest as she pulled her legs up into the oversized chair and relaxed even more as she stared out at the skyline. A part of Erin knew that she couldn't just spend all her time outside, waiting, but for her first day in the Berkshires, she could allow herself to just be. It had been so long since she had allowed herself to slow down and rest, especially in the run up to John hurting her, that it was an alien feeling to have nothing going on at the moment, no boss demanding her attention, no children needing a last minute ride to an event. She was free, in a way that she had long yearned for, but didn't think would be possible for a decade or longer. Releasing a long breath, Erin finished her coffee and then got to her feet, knowing that she couldn't spend all day outside.
After taking care of her dishes, Erin explored a little more of the house, her shoulders relaxing a little when she came across the study. Inside the large room was a pair of comfortable chairs in front of a stone fireplace, along with more books than she could possibly hope to read in a lifetime. It seemed, to her, that whoever had paid for her to be here had taken care to keep her mind active while she wasn't allowed to contact the outside world via modern technology. She wandered along the shelves until she found something that caught her eye, and she pulled the book down before bringing it back to the chairs and curling up in one.
Erin dove into the book, relishing the story, even if the quiet of the room intruded into her thoughts far more often than she would have liked. She wished that Derek was there with her, even though she knew that he would most likely be outside, finding something to tinker with or repair. Clooney, though, would likely be curled up by her feet, and that companionship would make the silence all the more bearable. A heartsick sigh slipped from her lips as she let the book come to rest against her chest so that she could stare into the unlit fireplace. It was only the first day here, and she was already yearning for her former life.
"Is this how Haley felt?" she murmured as she thought back to how often the woman had called home, had touched base with the people she loved, even though she knew that it would only get her and Jack relocated. In the end, it had led to her death, and Erin was glad that she had that warning, even though it had cost Aaron so dearly. Setting the book on the floor, Erin curled up a little more in the chair and allowed her mind to wander. It didn't surprise her to find that she instantly thought of Derek and what he was doing. Erin knew that she would be thinking of him a lot in the coming days, week, months that she was kept in isolation. She knew that she would miss him, miss the feel of his skin against hers, and it hurt her heart that she only had one memory of really great sex with him.
Shaking her head a little, Erin suddenly got to her feet and built a fire in the fireplace, feeling cool despite the warm spring day. Once that task was complete, she curled back up in her chair and closed her eyes, allowing the warmth of the flames to wash over her skin as she allowed her mind to drift into pleasant memories once more.
Erin knew that she must have fallen asleep once more, as the next time she opened her eyes, the skies were darker, and the fire had burned down to a glow of embers. Letting out a long breath, she stretched in the chair before getting to her feet and slowly walking to the bathroom. After taking care of her needs, Erin drifted into the kitchen and made herself a light dinner, heading back into the library to eat in front of the fireplace. Again, she couldn't stop her mind from travelling to her children and to Derek, and it was a hard fight to keep from crying once more. She couldn't afford to allow herself to wallow in self pity. She had to use this time to work on herself and become stronger. When she was finally allowed to return home, Erin wanted to be fully cured of the heartsickness that had held her in its thrall for far too long. She wanted Derek to see that she was able to stand on her own two feet, even if she did need him in her life to help her move forward into a future that she wasn't certain would ever be hers, when they had first started their relationship.
After taking care of her dishes, Erin picked up the tablet that was sitting next to her phone and brought it to the bedroom. Tossing it onto the bed, she stripped out of her loungewear and changed into pyjamas. As she slipped beneath the covers, Erin picked up the device once more, to see what she was allowed to access. It didn't surprise her that there were no social media apps on the tablet, but she was glad to have some games on there, along with YouTube. If she was smart, she could find ways to keep up on the team through that, as she could search for their names when she was feeling too homesick.
With that comforting thought in mind, Erin instead looked up Tabitha's favorite content creator and began to watch their latest video. Though it wasn't something that she would always watch, Erin did manage to find some semblance of a connection with her youngest child, and she felt her heart lighten a little as she began to search for videos that more suited her own personal interests. The entertainment soon relaxed her enough so that she was able to drift off into another gentle sleep, knowing that each night would bring her one day closer to being reunited with her family once more.