Isaac

I have spent the day following Violetta around the house and making a list of repairs. The house needs a lot more work than I realized. As much as I try to ignore it, thoughts of Beth inflict me.

The semester after Beth left Harvard kicked my butt. The loneliness was so intense at times, I ached with it. I felt the loss every moment of every day. As the end of the semester neared, I caught myself eagerly looking forward to Beth returning. We hadn't spoken since our falling out, but I hoped we could patch things up. Maybe we could make sense of the only real fight we had ever had. Maybe we could still find a way to be together.

Beth's father recovered, but she didn't come back at the beginning of the next semester. It was either David or Heidi, I can't remember which, that told me she had been planning to return, but her brother-in-law had died, and she was staying to help her sister and kids. I felt bad for her family's loss and sent her a message. She never replied, and after that, I gave up. Her family would always wrap their tentacles around her, and she would always allow herself to be persuaded by them. She would always choose them over me, and there was no way I could live being last on her priority list. I put Beth out of my mind and turned all my energy toward the business.

Heidi's father helped us nail the funding for Solaire, and the business went gangbusters in the first six months. We were inundated with offers, and eventually sold the business for $50 million. I could hardly believe everything had actually fallen into place, but the moment was bittersweet, because Beth was supposed to be there to enjoy it with me.

The night after we signed the contract, I dreamed Beth was with me and she jumped into my arms with joy, just like she had when I made it into Harvard. I wrapped my arms around her and we kissed. I woke to an empty bed and frustration.

I decided in that moment to leave. Now that the business had been sold, I had nothing to stay for anymore. It was time to see the world and find my place in it. I sold most of my stuff and bought a one way plane ticket to Kenya. I did my best to forget about what I had lost in the ten years that followed.

My thoughts return to the present. It is hard to imagine why Beth and her family are moving from a house that has been in their family for so many generations. As teenagers, Beth had told me all about its history. I know how much she loves that house, especially the gardens. Maybe her father is tired of living there? That explanation seems unlikely though. He's proud of his heritage, and Malcolm Estates is tangible proof of his lineage.

The obvious answer, and the one I find most difficult to wrap my mind around, is they can't afford to live there anymore. I don't think Beth's father has an income, and he has had to support his daughter and his grandchildren, which he probably hadn't anticipated. Beth's income could probably only stretch so far. It's possible they've eaten through their fortune.

It seems karmic justice to me that the proud Malcolms should lose their home, and that I should be invited to rent the very house I'd been denied entrance. I can just imagine how galled her family would be to allow me as a tenant. I had seen the shock on Beth's face when David had suggested it, and I wasn't sure how to read it. Did she not want me there? Or was she embarrassed by the way her family had treated me? I have to admit, there is a perverse part of me that wants to rent their house, just to see their reactions.

It's not like it would be bad to live there. I have so many memories attached to the house, most of them pleasant. Working through algebraic equations at the dining room table. Rolling out flaky pie crust with Beth on the honey colored granite countertops in the kitchen. Putting my arm around Beth to stir the soup in my patented smooth move. That was a particularly nice memory.

Her kitchen had been a dream to work in, and the more I think about it, an idea starts to form. What if Gran was able to use Beth's kitchen to prep for the restaurant? The kitchen has three ovens. Gran wouldn't have to be at the cafe so much to prep, and eventually, she might get used to the idea of moving the cafe to a new location altogether. I would rather have her spending as little time in the cafe as possible, especially after the fire. If she moved into Beth's house, it would finally give me the opportunity to fix up Gran's house as well.

Gran might resist the idea initially, but if I also framed it as a way to help Beth, she might be open to it. She still adores her, which is really awkward. Beth comes into the cafe a few times a week, and Gran is always catching me up on her life. She's likely had to endure Gran rambling on about me for years. No doubt she finds it tedious. Gran still doesn't know why we broke up. I think she is still secretly determined we will still end up together, and I don't have the heart to tell her what really happened. Apparently Beth hasn't told her either. I do respect that about Beth, anyway. When so many abandoned Gran after the mess with Polly, Beth stuck around. That must have taken courage. I didn't even stay.

The more I think about it, the more the idea captures my imagination and I feel stirrings of excitement. This is the only option I can think of that Gran might even consider. The house would make a wonderful restaurant or B&B, but I'm sure Beth and her family would be completely opposed. Still, I can imagine the ballroom set with round tables and candles, music and a space in the middle for dancing.

It hasn't escaped my notice that living there would provide a tantalizing opportunity. I wonder how it would feel to walk the rooms and halls I've been forbidden to enter. Would it be pleasant? Would it be painful? Which bedroom would I use? For a brief moment, the thought of sleeping in Beth's room teases me, but the ache that follows the thought answers that question.

Too painful.

I'm still not sure being a mentor in The Next Big Thing is a good idea since I can't avoid being around Beth at least a little, but I owe it to David to at least give it a shot. He allowed me to fulfill the promise I made when I applied at Harvard—to find the children in the dark places and bring them light. Besides, worst case scenario, they could replace me with another mentor if it doesn't work out.

I should be okay, as long as I stay away from Beth, which shouldn't be a problem because she will have her own group to mentor. I've learned the hard way it's best to block her from my mind. When I allow the memory of her slipping off Gran's ring and handing it to me to seep in, it still torments me.

She made her choice, and it hadn't been me.

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I would appreciate it loads if you'd hit the star and vote!

So what do you think of Isaac's plan for his Gran? Good? Bad? Ulterior motives possibly coming into play as well? And what do you think about Beth not responding to Isaac when he finally reached out to her?

I decided to include an image of Isaac here. In reality, it's possible he's squinting from the sun in this image, but I like to think he's in deep contemplation of past mistakes regarding Beth and future opportunities! :)

Dedication goes out to the lovely HelenGraul. I have been so fortunate to have Helen discover my writing. She has been so supportive of my Shadow Wars books and now Restless Hope. Her sweet comments always make my day. Thanks pretty lady!