The Start To a New Beginning

Chapter One

Sun rays gently beamed into the sun room that Olivia had designed as a reading room for herself, for the months the Crain family of seven including herself, resided in whilst renovating a large, colonial house in Boston. Her long, wavy brunette hair flowed down over her shoulders as she held her book in one hand, her other hand was occupied by holding a cup of freshly brewed tea. She could hear faintly her husband Hugh on the phone, talking away about a special deal on a special house, that Olivia had had her eye on for the last few months. If they got this house, they would be able to renovate it and hopefully sell it in at least six months, and then they could finally start on their forever home.
Taking a cautious sip of her steaming tea, Olivia noticed her husband walking towards her, with a skip in his step and a smile plastered on his soft face. Just looking at him smiling was contagious, causing Olivia's soft lips to curve upwards as her eyes glanced up to him, taking her concentration from the words of the book, to her adoring husband.
"What's the smile for, Love?" She asked with a soft smile to match his.
"You know that house you've been looking at for months?" Hugh asked, leaning in close to her to place a tender kiss on his wife's forehead.
"Rose Boulevard? In Massachusetts?"
"Mmhm, we just got offered a very, almost too-good-to-be-true offer on it." Hugh's hands fell into Olivia's lap as she put aside her cup of tea and book, following his lead and intertwining hers and his' hands, eyebrows raised sightly in excitement and a smile to match.
"Hugh, you know if we get this house, we can finally -"
"Start on our forever home."
"Yes!"
Olivia's eyes sparkled, all their hard work over all these years is finally coming to the end goal. It was Olivia's dream to design their home they would have forever, and Hugh build it-- a perfect combination that they had perfected over the years.
"So, what do you think about the house, Love?"
"It's old, but we can really make it something... I think we'd be there over the summer and then we can be back here in time for the kids to go back to school... sounds pretty good, right?"
His brows raised with a smile on his lips as he rubbed circles softly on his wife's hands. Olivia nodded, her lips also curved into a smile.
"Sounds perfect! I guess we better start packing."

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It had only been about three hours since Hugh and Olivia got started on packing their possessions for the move, and one-maybe two - hours were wasted on an act that landed the couple with five children. 'Possibly a sixth if they're not careful.' Olivia thought, a little smirk on her face as she kept at packing the children's movies into cardboard boxes. It was just after three o'clock, so Olivia kept her eyes peeled outside waiting for the yellow school bus to bring back her children, and just on queue it pulled up outside, its presence making itself known with a large screech from the brakes. Olivia placed the movies into the box and made her way to the front door, as soon as she opened it two bouncy, giggly 5-year old's run into her, both clutching tightly around her waist and legs before bending both knees, lowering herself down so she could be at eye level with the two youngest of her children.
"Did my babies have a good day today?"
She asked them softly, caressing both their faces tenderly. Nell had a huge smile plastered on her face already,
"Yeah Mommy! We learnt about space, and we got to draw, and you know my favorite stars!"
"Oh, that's fantastic, Love. You know, you're both Mommy and Daddy's special stars."
She smiled, bopping both her children on the nose.
"What about you, sweetie?"
Olivia asked her youngest son. He stared up at her, a half smile on his face, and his eyes smiled too - it reminded her of Hugh every time.
"The planets are so cool, Mommy! My favorite is Pluto!"
"You know, Pluto was one of Mommy's favorite too!"
She kissed them both on the forehead softly as she watched Theo ahead of her older siblings. The twins broke away from their mother as soon as they noticed their father walking towards them both yelling as they ran,
"Love you Mommy!"
Hugh greeted the twins with a smile, air-planing them up in the air, they would refuse to leave until Hugh had done it at least three times. Olivia greeted her Theo with a smile and a soft touch of her hair as she walked in,
"How was your day hunny?"
Theo's expression changed slightly at the sight of her mother, a bit softer. She just shrugged her shoulders as she took of her hat and placed it on the counter, she knew Shirley and Steven were right behind her, so she kept walking forward until she saw the few boxes in the living room which stopped her in her tracks.
"Are we moving again?" Theo asked, turning to her parents. Before either of them could answer, the eldest siblings entered the house.
"Hi Mom and Dad." Shirley and Steven both said simultaneously with smiles on their faces, they followed their younger sisters' eyes to the boxes and Shirley immediately suggested, more for confirmation than anything,
"Moving again?"
Olivia and Hugh nodded together, as Hugh made his way next to his wife, placing his hand on her back.
"Just for the summer. It's a really great place, I think you guys are gonna love it."
Hugh reassured his children.
"Where are we going?" Shirley asked, curious as to where they'd be spending their summer,
"Remember the Boulevard Rose house I was showing you guys?" Olivia perked up, remembering that her kids smiling at the pictures she showed them of the house a few months ago. They all nodded to their mother as a response to her question, so Olivia continued excitedly,
"Well, we actually got it guys!"
"That's great news, Mom and Dad... wasn't that house in Massachusetts?"
Steven perked up, a smile glazed across his face, he was more-than use to the dance his parents did with houses, Mom designs; Dad builds.
"Yes, Love, it's in Massachusetts, so not too far away; and like your father said we'll only be there for the summer, so we'll be back before school starts again. What do you guys think?" Olivia asked, hoping all her children would be happy with where they were going. Theodora just nodded, with a slight smile, and headed to her room of sanctuary away from her family when needed. Steven smiled,
"Sounds good, and I can help with whatever you need Dad." He was always willing to help his Dad with house projects whenever he can, he looked up to Hugh to a great extent. Hugh tipped his head towards his eldest,
"Thanks Stevie, you know it's always good to have an extra pair of hands on board."
Shirley was already half way up the staircase to her room, she always liked the move the most out of everyone, probably because when they packed, they always ended up finding toys, books and all sorts of things they forget they had, and Shirley's wandering mind found it fascinating.
"I'll start packing some stuff, Mom!"
She called as she jogged up the staircase, her dark curls bouncing along in rhythm.
"I'll be in there to help you soon, Shirl." Olivia called back to her eldest daughter, as she turned her attention to the twins, after Luke pulled on her dress,
"Will me and Nell still share a room?"
"Do you want to, Love? There's enough rooms for you to have your own in the new house." Nell shook her head, as if Olivia had asked her the question,
"No, we want to be in the same room."
"And how do you know that?"
Hugh perked up with a soft smile on his face,
"It's the twin thing."
Nell and Luke both smiled at each other. Olivia's eyes sparkled at the sight of her babies so attached to each other, she felt her husband's arms come around her tenderly, bringing her body against his and she felt a soft kiss on the back of her head, she smiled at that.
"There's a box each for you in your room guys, do you wanna start packing some toys?"
Hugh said enthusiastically, getting them excited to do a typically-boring activity.
"Who can beat me up the stairs?"
He asked, letting his wife go to pretend to race his two children. Nell and Luke both dashed as fast as their little legs could take them up the stairs, both yelling,
"We'll beat you Daddy!"
Olivia watched as her husband and twins ran up the stairs, Hugh bringing out the tickle monster now as they faded out of her eyesight into their room. They were finally there. One more house, and then it was time to start on their forever home. Their family was complete and full of happiness and love, and Olivia thought 'Everything is just the way it's supposed to be.'