Fresh Beginnings Read online

  Crescent City hadn't been the easiest of all places to leave her Australian friends, but with a help of a couple of drivers she'd made it to San Francisco later that night. Thanks to Dale, she had enough money to get a hotel room near the airport. There was no denying that she loved the generous bathroom and bed, but when she threw herself onto the bed, tears started to fall. She'd have given anything to be in the small RV in some park, possibly near the water listening to their Australian accents.

  Ivy’s tears turned into sobs that shook her whole body. She let the tears flow. She gave in to sorrow and buried her face in her pillow. Pain squeezed her heart as she wept for the man she'd lost, and with him her dreams. Soon the overpowering urge to sleep took over, and it was early in the morning when a distant noise woke her.

  Slowly, Ivy came out of her sleep, aware of a telephone ringing. It took her a while to figure out where she was. Gazing around, she checked the time on the radio clock, it was a little before eight in the morning. She'd slept for more than ten hours.

  Ignoring the phone, she went into the bathroom for a quick shower. Turning on the water, she stepped into the spray and let it run over her head. The water flowed down her body in a soothing massage. She let her mind wander off to the last few weeks she'd spent with Jared, Mia and Josh. A smile tugged at her lips when she remembered them having a snow fight near Crater Lake. Or the men's excitement when they saw the fighter jets roaring above them. Their silliness in Sisters, pretending to be American cowboys. Mia's scream when she discovered American toilets had an automatic flush. Counting the prairie dogs (they could've been gophers as well) along the road.

  She'd never forget these special days. Determined to get an email address as soon as possible, she'd write to Mia and ask for lots of photos.

  Ivy turned off the water and wrapped herself in a towel before heading into the room to get dressed.

  Her tummy told her, she was starving and another look towards the clock told her that breakfast should arrive soon.

  The buzzing of the phone told her that there was a message for her. Another one, and most likely from Mia. She felt awful for having left her new friend so suddenly and without an explanation. A small sigh escaped her as she looked at the phone. She closed her eyes and saw Jared's face. Ivy knew she'd made the right decision. It was painful now, but there was a new life ahead of her. A new life in Salt Lake City, a place her mother had found happiness and so would she.

  A knock at the door startled her, and she walked over to it. Looking through the peephole, she saw it was her breakfast and opened the door. Ivy felt awkward with only her towel around and tried to stay behind the door as much as possible. She thanked the girl and locked the door.

  It didn't take her long to get dressed. Breakfast was only a simple bowl of cereal and some coffee—not the bacon and eggs she'd become used to.

  Ivy quickly packed her meagre belongings before she picked up the phone and dialled the unfamiliar number.

  "Hello." Dale's voice sounded different to what she remembered.

  Sitting down on the bed, she replied. "Hi. This is Ivy, Rose's daughter."

  "How are you?" he asked with genuine interest.

  A rush of relief flooded through her. "I'm well. I'm in San Francisco, about to head to the airport to try and catch a flight."

  "Coming to Salt Lake City?"

  "Yes," she replied, but her voice broke so she cleared her throat and said again, "Yes, I'm hoping to catch a flight from here."

  "Wonderful news. Let me know when you arrive and I'll pick you up. I've got a small place for you to stay, and I'll let them know that you're on the way."

  Tears were threatening once again. A new life. A better life. All she had to do was to get a flight to Utah. "Thank you so much, Dale. You would not believe how much I appreciate all your help."

  "Anytime, Ivy. I look forward to seeing you soon."

  "Me, too," she said. And meant it.

  Ivy hung up and checked the messages, expecting to hear Mia's voice.

  But it wasn't.

  It was Jared.

  Her hand trembling, she held the phone close to her ear and listened.

  It's Jared here. Please, Ivy, please call me. I beg ya. I don't want to leave this country without tellin' ya how much ya mean to me. How much I have enjoyed your company and how much I learnt from ya. I will miss your laughs, your wit, and your smile.

  There was a moment of silence before he continued.

  And I need to tell ya that when I thought I'd nothing to give and nothing left to feel, you taught me how to love. To love you. Please, Ivy, I need you to give me a chance to let you know just how much I love ya.

  ****

  Jared didn't sleep well that night. All he could think of was Ivy, and hope that she'd listened to his message. He'd tossed and turned in bed, the image of her face returning to his mind no matter what he'd focused on.

  The drive the previous day to San Francisco had been tiring and long, but he'd wanted to make it as close to the big city as possible.

  It'd been good talking to Mia and Josh about Ally. He appreciated hearing different opinions about his whole situation. Mia had convinced him that Ivy really loved him as well, so when she'd told him that she had Ivy's number he'd begged her to hand it over.

  He checked his phone again. No reply. No missed calls. A litany of curses flew out of his mouth when he stood and walked to the little bathroom.

  Mia and Josh were awake as well. He heard them whispering at the other end of the motorhome. At least these two would travel home, their small fight all forgotten about. Mark and Sophie owed him.

  "Ivy!"

  That was Mia screaming through the motorhome, and Jared nearly hurt himself zipping up his pants. Trying to get out of the small corner, he knocked against the wall at least twice before he was able to open the door.

  Mia was coming towards him with her phone against her ear.

  "So good to hear from you," she said.

  Jared heard Ivy's voice, but wasn't able to understand what she was saying. Frantically he tried to get Mia's attention to hand over the phone, but she waved him off.

  "Yes, we're here as well," Mia said.

  Stepping closer, Jared was desperate to hear what was being said. Mia's constant nodding infuriated him. He couldn't believe they were chit-chatting along while he was desperate to talk to Ivy.

  "Okay, we'll be there. In—" Mia looked at Jared. "Can we make it to the airport in an hour?"

  "To meet Ivy?" he asked.

  Mia nodded.

  "You bet we make it."

  Mia smiled and replied to Ivy. "We'll be there." And hung up.

  Eyes wide open, he stared at her. "You. Hung. Up."

  She nodded again.

  "Ya hung up on Ivy!"

  "I didn't hang up on her. We're going to meet her in an hour."

  Still not believing that she hadn't handed over the phone, he glared at her.

  "Jared, she practically rang Australia. This was an expensive call for her."

  "I can't believe ya didn't let me talk to her," he whispered.

  Mia placed a hand on his chest. "Get moving, lover man, she'll be waiting soon."

  Cocking an eyebrow at her, he decided to ignore the words and nodded. "Let's get movin'."

  She laughed. "Atta boy!"

  Before he was able to grab her arm, she'd already turned and moved towards the other end of the motorhome where she literally jumped up onto the bed—hiding behind Josh.

  "Wimp!"

  Half an hour later, they reached the Golden City of San Francisco. Despite the miserable start of the day, excitement rushed through Jared when they crossed the Golden Gate Bridge.

  There was no fog. All he'd heard about was there was a constant fog in the bay. A quick glance to the left and he was able to spot Alcatraz Island, the former federal prison. He made a mental note to try to do a tour.

  Once past the Presidio, they struggled through San Francisco's traffic to get to the
airport. It was a near nightmare. Jared had problems concentrating, with his thoughts scattered in many directions. He thought of Ivy and what to expect. The phone call earlier this morning, but mainly he tried to remember what message he'd left her.

  I love ya!

  He was certain about that and tried to figure out how to say it to Ivy face-to-face.

  "You're in the wrong lane," Josh said calmly, trying to navigate him through traffic as best as possible.

  "Where do I need to be?" he asked.

  "Over there!"

  Jared followed the direction Josh was pointing. "Ya kiddin' me, right?"

  "Nope."

  "Hold on everyone. Apparently we need to cross three lanes."

  Josh cursed, Mia laughed, but Jared couldn't care less. All that mattered was that he needed to be across three lanes to see Ivy. And he made it. They arrived within an hour, parked and walked towards the departure hall.

  "We'll wait here," Mia said as she held on to Josh's hand. "Do say hello from us. And that we look forward to seeing her soon."

  Jared choked back a chuckle. He appreciated their gesture and knew how much it meant to Mia not being able to say goodbye as well.

  "I will," he replied as he placed a kiss on her cheek.

  He went through the door and started to find Ivy. It wasn't long before he spotted her in a corner near the shops. She looked tired and fragile, but beautiful. His heart drummed hard in his chest. When their gazes met, she gifted him with a smile and warmth radiated throughout his body. An urge overcame him to hold her and never let go.

  Jared stopped in front of her. "Hi," was all he was able to say.

  Ivy smiled, moved closer, and touched his lips with a tenderness that made him crave her even more.

  Cupping her jaw, he kissed her. Her mouth was about the sweetest thing he'd ever tasted. Wrapping his arms around her, he deepened the kiss and gathered her tighter into his arms. When he broke the kiss after what seemed like forever, he noticed a tear sliding down her face.

  "Please, Ivy, please let me love you."

  Her lip trembled, and she wiped away her tears.

  Jared gazed into her eyes as if trying to see into her soul. "I love you, Honey blossom," he said as he wiped away another tear with his thumb. "I needed ya to know."

  She nodded and looked towards the list of flights on the big screen. He followed her gaze. "Going to Salt Lake City?"

  "Yes," she replied.

  He kissed her again. "Expect a call to arrange plans as soon as I get home."

  A small smile played on her lips. "Plans?"

  Jared nodded.

  "I love you, too, Jared," she finally said. "I can't wait to hear about your plans."

  Another touch of her lips with his. "Have a safe flight. Don't worry too much about life, because it's gonna be great!"

  ****

  Ivy let out a choked sob. The touch of his lips on hers had sent a shock wave through her entire body. Looking into his brown eyes, she was sure all was going to be okay. Either way, whether the plans were for her to come for a holiday or to stay longer, she didn't care at that moment. All she cared about was that she was going to see him again. And he loved her. He'd said it, and she believed him.

  After having kissed him one more time, she said, "I can't wait."

  Then she turned and walked towards her gate without looking back. She was certainly tempted to steal one more look at him, but knew if she did, she would go back and miss her flight.

  Yet, against all her common sense, she turned back, kissed him again before running towards the gate. "Tell Mia and Josh my love," she shouted over her shoulder, almost running into another passenger.

  With her heart jumping in excitement, Ivy nearly danced all the way to the departure area. Nothing bothered her and no one was able to give her a reason to wipe the smile off her face. No one!

  He loved her. And she was going to see him again.

  There'd be fresh beginning for her.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Mia and Josh waited in front of the motorhome, when Josh mumbled something.

  Mia looked up. "What?"

  With a big grin on his face, he repeated, "Will you stop pacing up and down?"

  "I'm not pacing."

  Josh's laugh echoed in the parking area, and it gave Mia goose bumps. With a lift of her left shoulder, she explained, "I'm hoping all turns out okay. I mean, it was kind of obvious that they're meant for each other."

  When she stepped closer, he took her hand and pulled her into a hug. Gently he placed a kiss on her forehead. "Olivia was right when she said you're cupid in disguise."

  She giggled. But suddenly stilled. Mia missed her best friend and suddenly thought that she'd be thousands of kilometres away from her when she moved to Melbourne. How would she survive without her best friend? Or, more importantly, how would her friend survive without her? Sophie had Mark, and both had little Hope. Zach had Miss Peterson, well, Mrs Taylor as she was probably called after their wedding. And Jared was going to be with Ivy. She was almost certain of that!

  But Olivia?

  She couldn't leave Olivia behind.

  "Spill it, Muffin," Josh ordered.

  "Hmm?" Mia replied, not understanding what Josh was talking about, less wanting from her.

  "What is it that got you thinking so hard?"

  That made her smile. "How do you know?"

  His hands moved up her arms and into her hair. His fingertips brushed against her neck, causing Mia to inhale softly. Every muscle in her body tightened when his breath tickled her below her ear, and a shiver went down her spine.

  "I know you. You're part of me," she heard him saying.

  "Josh," Mia said as she leaned back to meet his eyes. "That sounds kind of eerie."

  A wide grin appeared on his face as he threw his head back in a fit of laughter. "You're something else, muffin!"

  Mia buried her head in his chest. "Olivia will die without me."

  "Excuse me?"

  Looking up at him, she said, "If I move to Melbourne, what happens to Olivia?"

  With a raised eyebrow, he asked "If?"

  "When. But that's not the issue. Olivia is."

  Josh kissed her. Then he kissed her once more. "She'll be fine," he finally replied. "Perfectly fine and probably hanging around Melbourne more than you think."

  She'd like that idea indeed. "She'd be able to study in Melbourne, right?"

  "I love you, Mia," he whispered into her ear. "I truly love you, but you need to let go of worries and live your life."

  The words surprised her. She did. After all, she was moving with him to Melbourne. Not many girlfriends would do that. Her surprise turned into slight hurt.

  "Life's a never-ending cycle. Olivia will not die without you. She'll go on with her daily routine with the highlights being your visits and your return after a few years."

  Mia smiled. "That sounds highly mature."

  With a nod, he admitted. "Dad's word when I was considering you in my decision."

  "You're cheating."

  With his hands up in defeat, he agreed. "Yes, but I hope it got through to you."

  Mia took in a big breath and nodded. "I guess it did."

  Even though she'd made the decision, she still felt unsure about the whole situation. Watching Ivy over the last few days, however, made her realise that sometimes change was good, and change needed to be made to move forward. Melbourne wasn't that far away at all. Sophie had managed to start over in Hobart with Mia in her care, so she could do it as well.

  They both startled when they heard Jared's voice. The grin on his face said it all.

  "Yes," Mia shouted as she ran towards him. "You got to talk to her, right?"

  "Yes, I did."

  "Great. So she's coming to Hobart?"

  "That's the plan."

  Mia let out a little scream of delight before she gave Jared a big hug. Josh came closer as well and gave him a Well done clap on the shoulder.

  "When
?" she asked.

  Jared shrugged. "Dunno. I s'pose once she'll have settled a bit we'll organise for her to come over."

  Mia saw the happiness on Jared's face. Her gaze went over to Josh, wondering whether he had been as happy when she finally agreed to join him in his move. She'd actually played with the thought over the previous days. Melbourne had a few good opportunities for her as well, like studying or attending a course at TAFE. Since meeting Ivy, she thought about working with homeless women or youth. Father Mahoney would probably be a great help during her studies. She smiled at Josh. A rush of joy and contentment went through her as he returned her smile.

  "I love you, too," she said.

  ****

  Jared unlocked the motorhome and slid behind the steering wheel. He knew the next few months were going to be the longest in his life, but it was well worth the wait. For the first time since Ally had had the accident, he felt a moment of peace. He'd been able to finally let go of her and move on. He still hurt and thought about how life could've been, but he knew that Ivy had shown him how to step out of the past and into the present. For whatever was going to become of their future, he was grateful to Ivy for giving him that freedom.

  Taking a deep breath, he started up the motorhome and entered their next destination into the GPS.

  "Come on kiddos. We have three days till our flight back to Tassie. We'd better get going."

  Then he turned and watched Mia and Josh buckle up.

  "When's your return flight?"

  "Mark said we're on the same flight as you are," Josh answered.

  "Goodo. Three days it is."

  They went back into town and, after a lot of cursing and swearing, Jared was able to find a parking spot for a few hours.

  Mia and Josh strolled along Fisherman's Wharf, while Jared did a sightseeing tour with one of the cable cars. Unfortunately, time did not allow them to see Alcatraz or the Home of the 49ers.

  Late in the afternoon, and completely exhausted, they left south on Highway number one and arrived in Monterey about three hours later. Dinner had only been a quick stop after they had a big lunch at the Hard Rock Café. The decision to skip Yosemite Park was a hard one, but necessary. They wouldn't have made it back in time to Los Angeles without a major rush.