Jade
One Year Later
"How can there possibly still be more boxes to unpack?" I mutter, looking over the mess in my garage.
I moved to this home close to the beach in Seabrook two months ago, and I'm still trying to sort through the millions of boxes I brought with us when we moved from our old house 20 minutes from here. Even though I downsized and donated a million things, I feel like I'll be unpacking forever.
I blow out a breath, looking out the open garage doors to check on my two sons riding their bikes up and down our long driveway.
They laugh as they chase each other and I smile, feeling the contagious happiness mothers experience from seeing their children play.
Moving to Seabrook was scary for me, leaving behind my best friend Piper, who is like a sister to me, and my dad. I grew up in New York, and met my, now ex husband, Lennon in highschool there.
We were together since our Sophomore year, and got married a few days after my 21st birthday.
He started a career in Banking after we graduated from NYU, and got a job working for one of the biggest banks in Manhattan. He became successful, and soon I was pregnant with our first son, Dante. Just 18 months later, Griffin was born. I paused my career as a Marketing Director to focus on taking care of the kids, as Lennon's career advanced.
He was offered a job here in Seabrook last year and I liked the idea of raising our kids in a beach town, and getting out of Manhattan. So we packed up our life and moved here into an actual home with a yard. Our kids were amazed living somewhere without an elevator and doorman.
But our marriage was suffering before we moved, and being here opened the floodgates on all of our differences and issues. We aren't the same people we were when we met in high school and we want very different things in life.
I want a man who is more present and hands on with the kids. Who doesn't put his career before his family, and Lennon just wasn't willing to compromise. I thought moving here would mean more downtime for him, but it was just a sham. He believed his biggest contribution should be financial, and wouldn't budge.
We tried couples counseling for three months, before finally deciding that things were not going to work out between us. The kids and I stayed in our home, and Lennon moved just fifteen minutes away into a rental, until we finally sold the house that we had barely lived in here.
Definitely not what I envisioned when I fell in love with the pictures of it when I was sitting in our penthouse in NYC.
I found a much smaller house in a cute little neighborhood by the beach that was for rent. The owners are this gorgeous couple, Michael and Casey Cruz. They live an hour away, in Redland with their son and daughter. They said that if I love the house I can buy it after my six month lease ends, which is perfect for me.
I look around and get back to opening boxes, and a few minutes later I turn back to the driveway seeing a familiar car pull in to the driveway next door.
I smile as I see Veronica Samuels get out of her Range Rover and walk across the yard. She goes over to my sons, giving each of them a high five, before meeting my eyes and waving.
Her son and daughter-in-law own the house next door to mine, but don't live there full-time. They live and work in Atlanta, and bought the home for a vacation spot when they are in town.
I haven't met them yet, but Veronica comes by once a week to check on the house. She saw me with the boys outside on one of her visits, and has come by to say hello to us every week since.
"Good morning Jade! How are you all doing?" She asks, as I come to stand next to her. "We're good Veronica, thanks. What are you up to today?" I ask, watching as my boys abandon their bikes to go running across the yard.
"Well I'm just trying to get things together for Summer over here," she responds, motioning over to the house. "Cameron and Rachel just told me that they are having someone rent it out for the whole Summer," she sighs.
I widen my eyes. "Someone is moving in? Your son won't be coming to stay in it?" I ask confused.
She shakes her head. "No, Rachel is very far along now, due next month. So they won't be coming this summer. And apparently the person renting is a friend, of a friend, who is moving back here from California. He needed a place to stay for a few months and since they won't be using it.."
She waves her hand at the house frowning. "I just worry. He is only 22. This is a very quiet neighborhood. I made sure that Cameron told him there is no partying allowed here."
I frown with her, not thrilled at the thought of someone that young moving in next door for the same reason. I'm only 30, but I'm definitely past the late night partying stage of my life. A late night for me is still being awake at 11pm watching reruns in bed.
And even that rarely happens these days.
"Mommy! Can we please go to the beach?!" Dante calls out and I turn to face him. "Sure buddy just give me a few minutes to finish up here, ok? You two go inside and change," I say, waving them both towards the garage.
They both cheer and run inside and Veronica laughs. "Gosh they are at such a fun age, aren't they? I'm so excited to be adding another grandchild to the family," she says smiling. "Well, I'll let you tend to the them," she says and I nod. "It was good to see you. And I'll definitely keep an eye out for you with the new tenant. When does he move in?"
"He will be here on Saturday. I would really appreciate that! Thank you Jade," she chirps. "No problem at all. I'd like to keep things quiet around here too," I smile.
"Perfect! Well I'll see you next week," she says, turning to head to the house.
I watch her go, looking back over at her house next one more time before heading inside my house, silently hoping the new neighbor is somehow a quiet recluse.
