BREAKTHROUGH (Love's Not Easy Series Book 2) (12 page)

She walked into the kitchen and the first thing she noticed was the huge stainless steel pot on the back burner of the old gas stove.  It was the same type of pot her Gran used in Savannah.  She walked around the table and stood in the exact spot MAL hit her mom.

Aiden came behind her and wrapped his arms around her.  “You ok?”

“Yeah, I am.  I feel great.  I think it is awesome I am finally seeing a part of her life.”

“No anxiety or bad feelings?”

“None.  I promise.”

The housekeeper came out of the powder room and gasped.  “Who are you?”

Aimee walked over to her.  “I am Aimee Pittman.  Mr. Ward gave me the key.”

She sighed. “Yes, you are from the main office.  I heard you may visit the house today.  I cleaned one of the bedrooms for you, if you choose to spend the night.”

“We actually have reservations at a hotel near the beach.”  Aimee replied.

“I can fix dinner for you, if you like.”

“We don’t want to impose.”  Aimee smiled at the girl, she was in her thirties.

“You’re not.  I have to work until six.  The house is clean, so if you don’t need me, I have to work at the store. I’d much rather stay and fix your food.”

Aiden took Aimee by the shoulders.  “What is on the menu?”

“Fresh Pork Chops, baked potatoes, fresh green beans, cornbread…”

“That sounds great. It seems you have planned quite a feast. We would love to stay.”  Aiden grinned at her.

“Yes, sir, I have.”

Aimee grinned.  “You can cook us dinner, but we want you to join us for dinner.  We have two more friends with us.  Jaxson is from the IT department and he is checking the computers here at the farm.”

“Ok. But I can eat in the maid chambers.”

Aimee laid her hand on her chest. “Excuse my manners, I did not introduce my friends.  She pointed to each friend and introduced them to her.  What is your name?”

“Susan.”

“Susan, I hope you choose to join us. I really love getting to know the employees that make Roseednay Fruits what it is.”

“I will think about it.  If you excuse me, I will start dinner.”

“We are going to look around. Is it ok if we go and look at the bedrooms?”

“Yes.  Let me know what room you like the best.  I will have it ready for you the next time you are visiting.”

Aimee took in every inch of the view.  She had Piper snap pictures of the living areas, mantle pieces, and the detailed glass in the doors that separated the living area from the main dining area.  The layout of the house was much like the plantation.  The main difference was the master bedroom was upstairs here, instead of downstairs.

When they went up the stairs, she took care to notice the design in the railing.  The hall was long.  Aimee stopped and gasped.  The hall was just as her mom described in her journal.  She went and sat in the window seat that was built on left side of the hall.  She looked out the window at the rose garden below. She couldn’t help but to cry.

Aiden came and sat beside her.  “You ok?”

“Yeah. You can stop asking me that.  I just can’t believe I am actually in her house.”

He took her hand.  “Do you want to see more?”

“Yes, mom’s room is the first one on the right.  I want to start there.”

The four friends walked in the room.  Piper got a text from Lexi and shortly they joined them.  Aimee sat on the chair at the vanity.  “I am so glad you guys are here with me. It is so unreal to be sitting in my mother’s bedroom.  We have read so much about this house.”

Colin yelled.  “Aimee pile.”  Aiden took her hand and moved her off the chair and unto the floor, wrapped in his arms. Then, the entire group piled on them.

Everyone was off her now.  She was getting ready to raise up, when she noticed a piece of paper taped to the bottom of the seat.  She reached and took the envelope from under the chair. The paper was yellow.  It had been there for a while. She scooted over and looked under the vanity. She found a key taped under one of the ridges on the bottom.

She sat up and laid them on the floor.  “Wonder what these are?”

She took the envelope and looked it over.  It was addressed to someone named Ryder. Aimee turned it over and broke the seal.  She read the letter out loud.

My Darling Ryder,

I have loved you for so long.  You make every day as glamourous as a sunrise over the ocean.  Every day I spend with you, I found something new about myself.  Every day is an adventure. I remember our first date and watching the sunset over the ocean. Every time I see a sunrise I think of you and how you always said that every sunrise is the beginning of a new day, a fresh start, a day we can find out more about life and ourselves.

Our love is like the rose garden we are caring for together. The blooms we produce are magical and wonderful. Every second I am with you, I feet strong and safe.

I try not to, but I do worry about us.  I feel that if this war goes on much longer, we may be separated somehow.  I saw the man from the Radicals talking to you.  I am not sure what they are trying to bribe you with, but I love that you are standing by me.

I was reading 1John today, in chapter four, I found a verse that spoke to me.  It reminded me of our situation and the fears I have.  1John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment.  He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

I really pondered on that verse and what God was telling me.  I realized that my fears of the Radicals is not showing the love and trust I have in God.  No matter what happens in the days or months coming, we need to rest assure that God is with us.  He knows what our future holds, even if we don’t know ourselves and, good or bad, He is going to hold us in His arms.

I have prayed about my fears and God has shown me that I should not fear.  I am trying to calm my fears.  I read this verse today as well, and it reminded me of us and our love.
Matthew 19:6 - Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

God has joined us together.  This Radical Group cannot tear us apart. I love you with all my heart.  There is no place I would rather be, than by your side. I will always see you in every sunrise.  I pray for the day the Radicals are captured and we can live our lives the way we planned.  I can’t wait until the day God grants us with a child to bring in this world and show them to share the love of God to everyone.

I have to end my letter.  If you find this, we are apart from one another.  Remember the love I have for you

With all my love

“She didn’t sign her name.”  Aimee folded the letter and placed it back in the envelope and then placed it back where she found it, to take it now just seemed wrong to her.

Aimee sat on the floor and looked around the room. She figured the others were waiting for her to break down, but she wasn’t right now.  Her mom loved Ryder and she has known that for some time.  She was focusing on the fact that she learned her mother’s first husband’s first name.

She took the key and placed it in her pockets as she stood.  She grinned at her friends as she walked out the door.  No one knew what to say, so they all just followed her to the room at the very end of the hall.  “According the diaries, this is Gran’s room.”

Aimee opened the door, it was just as her mom had described in her diary.  Aimee walked around the room.  It seemed as unreal to her as standing in her mom’s room.  They had kept the furniture that was in the house.  All that had changed was newer mattress sets, bedding, and curtains.

Aimee looked out the window of her Gran’s room.  It overlooked the apple orchards.  Aimee couldn’t help to think how her room must have smelled in the spring.  She sat on a chair near the window and just gazed.  She had a lot to take in today.  A few questions for Susan at dinner as well.

Aimee stood from the chair and spotted a handkerchief sticking out from the cushion.  It looked like the ones her Gran used in Savannah, only this one was monogrammed with the letters SG.  Aimee folded the handkerchief and put in her back pocket.

The door on the right from her Gran’s room was locked.  Aimee found that odd.  She would ask Susan about the locked door.  The other three bedrooms were smaller guest rooms.  When they finished the tour, they went down to see if Susan needed help.

Susan had the table ready, when they arrived to the dining area.  Aimee went to the kitchen by way of the butler chamber.  That shocked Susan.  “I am sorry.  We finished looking around and wanted to know if we can help you in any way.”

Susan stood stunned.  “I have never had the Mistress of the house volunteer to help me before.”

“Susan, my Gran and mother raised me to believe that no one is better than anyone else.  I help Mrs. Opal, she takes care of my American home, all the time.  I work the orchards with her husband, Charles, as did my mom and Gran, when they were living.”

Susan grinned.  “Can you fix the drinks?  I have the stuff to make sweet tea and lemonade.”

“It would be my pleasure.”

The others came in and offered to help carry the food to the table.  Aiden even offered to mash the potatoes for her, which totally took her off guard.  Though she never said, Aimee was certain she knew he was Prince Aiden.

Susan did decide to join them for dinner.  She commented on how she had never served such a gracious group before.

“How long have you worked here, Susan?”  Lexi started the conversation.

“Let me think.  Officially, for about four years.”

“What do you mean, officially?” Aimee inquired.

“My mother worked here until she retired four years ago.  My grandmother worked here for the previous owners.  I used to come and help them both.”

“Did you know the previous owners?”

“I met the misses and her daughter on several occasions.”

Aiden smiled at Susan. “Was the previous owner’s name Edna or Mrs. Townsend, by any chance?”

“Not that I recall. I was young when I met them, though.”

“Is the furniture the same as what the previous owner had?”  Aimee looked at her, smiling.

“Oh, yes.  We updated the curtains, bedding, mattress, and the kitchen, everything else is the same.”

“Even the pictures?”  Piper asked.

“Most of them. We added a few from the orchard.”

“Who are we?”  Jaxson shocked everyone when he asked.

“The staff that works here.  When the corporation that Miss Aimee owns, bought the orchard and farms, they gave us money to update.  Of course, they did have some instructions on what stays and what goes.”

“Like what?”  James reached for seconds.

“I don’t know all the details. I only helped my mother on occasion.  I know it was said to keep the furniture and certain pieces of china.  The house at the farm was the one they gave the most instructions on.”

“Did you help with that house?”  Aimee played with her potatoes. Not like talking about the farmhouse and the memories it held.

“No, not all.  Only two people were allowed.  I don’t even know who they were...”

“Are you the one who cleans it now?”

“No, thank the good Lord above for that.”

Aimee looked around the table, begging with her eyes for no one to ask why, but Colin missed her look.  “Why?”  Aimee wanted to throw her potatoes at him.