The first class flight was everything out of our dreams. The sleek sofas that reclined into beds, the soft blankets and fluffy pillows. They even gave us a pair of satin PJs and slippers. I never knew there were showers on planes, so it was an educational experience too.

The children enjoyed it thoroughly and Luke even made one of those tikitok thingies to show it off to the few followers he had.

"It's TikTok, Mom, not Tikitok."

I waved it away and just sighed. For the first time in two years, I could feel the last bit of stress disappearing from my shoulders with that sigh. It was like I breathed it all out.

We each took a shower an hour before the plane landed and that was the end of our first class experience.

A man in a black suit with our name on a white board waited for us as we get to the main area of the airport. Heathrow was vast, but not anything like JFK.

"Mrs. Morgenster," he greeted in a brisk Irish accent as we stopped as a group in front of him.

"That would be me."

He took the cart that I pushed, and we followed him to the parking lot. A limo waited for us and I couldn't help the giggle that escaped my lips. The driver pretended not to have heard it.

Inside, sleek black leather sofas sat across from one another. Tinted windows and refreshments that the kids dug into awaited.

There were even non-alcoholic champaign among the two bottles of champaign in the ice buckets.

Luke popped the one.

"That is with alcohol. You are only sixteen."

"It's for you, M' lady," Luke said with a huge smile adorned on his lips, making us all laughed with the horrible British accent.

He poured in a half a glass of champaign for me and grabbed the other bottle for him and his two sisters.

We cheered for the new beginning in England and enjoyed the 1 and a half hour drive to our destination.

***

Upon entering Wiltshire, all of us stared out the tinted windows at the beauty of the place we were going to call home. Beautiful trees and gates announced the properties that made Wiltshire what it was. I din't know where to look and where to leave.

The limo turned up in a driveway and stopped in front of a vast iron gate. The vines embossed into the gate that spelled out The Trouble Manor were delicate iron work. Tree tops towered behind the entrance and my heart raised behind my ribcage as my stomach turned in both directions, enhancing a nauseated feeling.

I did not know why the nerves strumming actions as a big part of me wanted to jump out of my skin at our new beginning.

The gates slowly opened as the driver lowered the glass that was between us and him.

"Welcome to The Wiltshire Manor." His slight Irish accent rolled from his tongue.

"We are good to be home, Miles," Luke said.

I slapped him with the back of my hand against his leg and raised my eyebrows as his two sisters laughed.

"What?"

"His name isn't Miles," I whispered.

"So, he is not even correcting me."

Mel and Cassy gasped as one of the hand stables try to subdue a horse in the field.

"There are horses here?" Mel asked.

"I think so," I said, staring at the black beauty that stood on his back legs and kicked the air with his front, neighing a thunderstorm.

"Woah, Midnight, take it easy," the hand stable tried to calm the horse down.

"It's a beauty," Luke whispered.

"Aye, but don't let his charm fool you, lad," the driver said. "He has sent a couple of trainers to the emergency room since they brought him here."

I kept staring at the horse.

"What is he doing here?"

"Mr. Trouble's last purchase before he got sick and wanted to be close to his niece, I suppose."

Amelia, and he ended in hospice. So sad.

The limo pulled into a curved cobblestone driveway that ran all the way down a road paved with more trees.

"How big is this place?" Cassy asked.

"It's going to be our heaven," I answered.

She smiled and kept staring out the window.

"Holy crap," Luke gasped and looked at the front of his window. I leaned over to his side and my eyes grew as the side of the manor came into view. Goosebumps rippled over my skin as three stories high with ivy covering part of the walls found my gaze.

The manor came closer, and the girls shrieked as Luke gaped.

"What are we going to do in a big house like that, Mom?"

"Just be glad you are not alone like Mr. Trouble was."

He chuckled as the entire manor came into view. It was like a modern country home, a spa and hotel in one.

The entrance had a roundabout and in the middle grew a garden with greenery filled with colorful flowers. Green hedges with plants grew around the home, giving it a peaceful ambience. It was stunning and nothing I'd ever imagined.

The driver stopped, and I looked at my three kids. "You guys ready."

Cassy nodded, and Mel giggled.

"You bet, woman," Luke said, and I laughed. The boy certainly was his dad through and through. They shared that same humor.

We climbed out as the driver opened the boot and took out our luggage.

Staff started pouring out of the doorways and waited by the front door. They wore caps and black dresses with white aprons.

"They do know we are in the 21st century, right?" Luke whispered.

"Don't," I warned, as I already foresee where his humor was heading.

"I'm just saying."

"Good day, Mrs. Morgenster," the one girl said, also in a brisk Irish accent. "My name is Ivy, and I'm the housekeeper. Amish, don't be rude, get their luggage."

A younger man rushed toward the driver and grabbed a few bags, followed by two more.

"You must be squeamish. I've made something for your arrival. Please follow me."

We followed Ivy and couldn't stop staring at the attire of the staff. I looked toward the driver that climbed into his limo and drive off as fast as he could.

"The driver doesn't live here."

"Naw, Niles comes and goes. He doesn't live on the property, you see."

The girls twittered at how close Luke guessed the driver's name.

"I was a letter off. He looked like a Miles."

"Still, he could've been a Tony or an Alexander, Luke."

The foyer took our breath away. A big wooden staircase led up to an enormous window on the second level and fanned out onto the second floor that we couldn't see. Light lit up the foyer and a sixteen century chandelier hung from the ceiling. Big beautiful paintings of the Trouble family hung against the walls. An icy breeze flew past me and I didn't like the turning in my stomach and the cold that press against my shoulders.

I glanced over at the children. They were still giddy, and laughing, following Ivy, to which I assume was the kitchen.

Buff it up, Lilly. It's your new beginning. Your new home. Make it work.

1161 words

What do you think about the new chapter? The staff wearing a different era clothes? What do you think is up with that? Remember this is the first draft. I'm going to enhance it as we go a long. I hope you like this one. The stuff is going to start happening. I hope you like it.

Please vote and share, comment too. I would love to hear what you think.