One Last Chance At Love

Allison Grant stood in the driveway of her sold Los Angeles home, staring at her little Mustang convertible. It was packed to the absolute brim. Only Allison, after decades of managing high-stakes West Coast real estate, could have engineered a pack job this precise. Every box of files, every carefully wrapped garment, and every piece of her remaining life fit together like a perfect puzzle. It was a beautiful, crisp California morning, the kind that usually made her feel like she owned the city. Today, it only made her feel cold after the moving van left headed for Beaufort South Carolina.

The trip across the country from Los Angeles to Beaufort, South Carolina in her beautiful little convertible she had bought for herself after the divorce was going to be an exciting experience. And  one she was really looking forward to. The map said it was a 36-hour journey. But she intended to take it slowly, making the trip last her at least a week. The new babies would be coming home then.

  It was 8 am Monday morning when she finished packing her little car and sat down in the driver's. seat. Her house had sold very quickly. She knew it would. After all that was her job. That was how she met Dave. David Grant her ex-husband the best real estate broker in California.                                                                                                                   Tom and Addy had flown up to meet him and stayed for the small wedding they had put together. Now it is over. After 2 short years. The betrayal of finding out about the other women he had never stopped seeing after the wedding. She couldn't believe it took her 2 years to understand who she had really married.

  The kids wanted her to fly out but she wanted to drive her new / old car. Take her time and have a short vacation to clear her head. 

As she sat there in the driver's seat, she knew she had made the right decision her hand instinctively went to the heavy gold locket resting against her collarbone.

  Dave her ex-husband. Just thinking his name brought a sharp, familiar knot of anxiety to her stomach, accompanied by a wave of cold grief. They had been married for two short years. She had met him through her work, believing he was everything a successful, sixty-something Realtor could ever dream of. Instead, he had been a liar.

She took a deep breath, the dry coastal air filling her lungs one last time. It was hard to believe she was doing this. Leaving her home, her career, and the life she had spent decades building to move three thousand miles away. But that is what grandmothers do when they are needed. And her daughter, Addy, really needed her. Addison  and her husband Tom had a thriving home remodeling business, a set of three-year-old twin girls, and now, another set of identical twin baby boys who had arrived far too early. The babies were doing fine, but Addy was drowning in the sheer, exhausting reality of raising four children under the age of four. When Addy called, her voice cracking with pure exhaustion, Allison had sold her house, packed her car, and prepared to leave. There was nothing left for her in Los Angeles anyway.

As she sat down in the driver's seat, her hand instinctively went to the heavy gold locket resting against her collarbone. It was given to her by her grandmother a solid weight that anchored her when her mind started to drift toward the betrayal that had shattered her life She put the car in gear, backed out of the driveway, and headed toward the highway. She was leaving the city, the lawyers, and the ghost of her failed marriage behind.

    The dry heat of California faded into the background as she crossed into Arizona. The rhythm of the road began to soothe her frayed nerves. Driving a convertible across the country was a wild, impractical choice, but Allison had craved the transition time. She needed miles to stretch out between her past and her future, a physical buffer to help her shed her old identity as a high-powered Los Angeles closer. Who was she if she wasn't the woman who negotiated multi-million-dollar deals? Just a grandmother. And now the proud owner of a small boutique.

      A woman starting over in her sixties after a recent divorce and a heart that felt like a bruised piece of fruit. So, she reached for the knob on the cd player. An old favorite in the New/Old car she had purchased recently. The previous owner had rebuilt engine and had the interior completely restored before attempting to sell it.

  Listening to sounds of Fleetwood Mac she cruised along letting it take her mind back to her teenage years and lifted her spirits as she sang along to the sounds of Fleetwood Mac and the with voice of Stevie Nicks singing "Landslide" she made her way along the interstate for the long journey to her new home.  She was still singing along when the traffic ahead of her slowed to a crawl to pass a small construction site. And she looked to her left as the lane was merging into her lane. Her eyes made contact with the bluest eyes she had ever seen on a man. And by the smile he gave her she realized he had been listening to her sing and it brought a hint of pink to her cheeks as she blushed ever so slightly.

  That night, she pulled into the gravel parking lot of a quiet, unassuming roadside motel in eastern Texas. The room was clean but basic, smelling faintly of lemon cleaner and old carpet.

After a quick shower, Allison sat on the edge of the bed, spreading out the paperwork she had kept in her glove compartment. These weren't real estate contracts. They were the business plans and financial projections for 'The Glass Petal,' a small boutique in Beaufort, South Carolina, that featured local artisans. It was her dream. She had poured the money her Grandmother left her into it after her grandmother’s will was read and she found out she was the sole owner of it; she wanted to build something beautiful, something that belonged entirely to her. She bought the stock she needed. And it would arrive soon after she got there. But looking at the numbers now, without her Los Angeles income to buffer the startup costs, the anxiety crept back in.

   The local development boom in Beaufort was driving property taxes up, and her margins were dangerously thin.

 She opened her grandmother's locket, staring at the tiny, faded photograph inside. It was a reminder of resilience. Her family had survived hard times before, and she would survive this. This move was her final act of independence, a leap of faith into a life where she didn't have to be perfect all the time. She turned her phone back on, immediately dialing her daughter's number. Addy answered on the second ring, the sound of a baby crying softly in the background.

"Mom? Are you okay?" Addy asked, her voice laced with worry and the heavy fatigue of a new mother.

"I'm wonderful, sweetheart," Allison lied gently, her voice softening into a warm, maternal tone. "I'm in Texas tonight. The drive was beautiful. How are my girls?"

"Exhausted, but we're managing," Addy sighed, though there was a clear note of relief in her voice. "Tom is putting the twins to bed. We can't wait to have you here, Mom. Are you sure you're okay driving all that way?"

"I am perfectly fine," Allison assured her, smiling as she looked out the motel window at the dark Texas sky. "I needed the quiet drive. I'll see you in a couple of days, Addy. Give those babies a kiss for me."

As she hung up she realizes she was getting closer to her sanctuary. And the excitement of starting over filled her with joy,  Beaufort South Carolina was waiting, a quiet coastal town where she hoped she could finally heal. But as she closed her eyes, she couldn't shake the feeling that the past she was running from was already waiting for her at the end of the road.

  The morning brought light showers, so she started the day with the top on. Choosing some beautiful classical Orchestra music for the CD player this time. Driving the open road, she reflected on the plans she had made. The cabin Addy and Tom had built for her on their property was beautiful judging from the pictures Addy had sent. Hard to believe that she, Allison Grant, had let her daughter talk her into leaving her life in California and moving three thousand miles away. But that's what grandmothers do when you need them. Then, finding out that her grandmother had left her the little store she had cherished so much. That made the move even  more exciting. All the childhood memories of getting candy from her grandmother’s store. And the smell in it of the candles and spices. 

  And the money, she hadn’t even told Abby about the money her grandmother had left her. $250,000. The will wasn’t read until last week. Long enough after the divorce so that Hal couldn’t claim any of it. Though she had mentioned the locket.

  And Addy and Tom really needed her. She would find someone to help at the store when she needed to help them. They had a thriving remodeling business and a set of twin girls. It's funny how life makes your best laid plans seem silly.

  They had planned on a boy and a girl. Two kids and a dog and a beautiful house in the country to raise them in.

  They got a house in the country. Both working the business. Overtime hours together. Seeing, learning about each other even better. Falling more in love every day. Building a bond in their marriage that would stand the test of time. Then the dream came true.

  Their first baby. They didn't want to find out if it was a boy or a girl.

  The first baby turned out to be two. Beautiful baby girls. Not identical but each a beautiful missing piece of their parent’s hearts. And their little world added two more souls to the growing love they had found in each other.

  Sounded like a storybook life coming true. But they still had one thing missing.

  Tom wanted a son so badly. The girls were 3 years old when Addy decided to try for a baby boy. That's when they found out that things don't always go the way you plan, Again.

  The second set of twins came early. Really early. But both were doing fine and Mom was doing good, but she really needed help. 2 boys this time. Allison couldn’t wait to see them. And the first twins, she hadn’t seen them since she visited them when they were first born. Now they had 4 little ones. It was hard to imagine.

  They had a maid to help with the babies, but Mom needed help too. Two three-year old's and now two identical twin baby boys that were coming home from the hospital in 2 weeks.

  So that's when Addison called mom.

  Allison didn't really have to think about it for long. She was so lonely since she had found out about Hal's betrayal. She was thankful for the distraction. And the shop her grandmother left for her was 15 miles from where they lived. It was perfect.

The screen of her phone lit up on the passenger seat. The caller ID displayed the name of Dave's lawyer. Allison felt a cold spike of panic in her chest. She answered it, keeping her voice as smooth and professional as she had during her peak years in the real estate market.

"This is Allison," she said, her tone clipped.

"Mrs.Grant," the lawyer's voice was smooth, matching the expensive suits she knew he was wearing. "I'm calling to inform you that Mr.Grant is contesting the division of the marital assets. Specifically, the shoreline investment portfolio. He believes the current distribution is inequitable."

Allison tightened her grip on the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white. The sheer, shameless greed of the man was breathtaking. "The agreement was finalized, Mr. Vance. Our lawyers have already signed off on the court-approved split."

"He is filing an amendment," the lawyer replied, entirely unaffected by her coldness. "We will be in touch with your legal counsel. I suggest you don't travel too far."

"I am moving to South Carolina, and my address is a matter of public record," Allison said, her voice shaking slightly despite her best efforts. "Have a good day, Mr. Vance."

She hung up the phone and immediately switched it off. Her heart was hammering against her ribs, like a wild bird a trapped flutter that made it hard to breathe. This was exactly what Dave wanted. He wanted to drag her back into his swamp, to keep her small and frightened. But she was done playing his games. 

  She was leaving the city, the lawyers, and the ghost of her failed marriage behind. Allison reached for a cd, and placed it in the cd player. Soon the sounds of Linda Ronstadt filled the air. And she started to sing along to the beat of Linda's number one hit "You're No Good" Singing loud and just a little off key, she soon became aware of a new looking car with the windows down traveling close to her not making any sort of effort to try and pass her. She glanced over and his big beautiful smile told her he had been listening to her sing, and was greatly amused by it. She smiled back but push the pedal down and sped away.

  By the second day of her journey, the dry heat of California and the red rocks of Arizona had faded into New Mexico then the vast, open stretches of Texas. The rhythm of the road began to soothe her frayed nerves. Driving a convertible across the country was a wild, impractical choice, but Allison had craved the transition time. She needed the miles to stretch out between her past and her future, a physical buffer to help her shed her old identity as a high-powered Los Angeles real estate closer. Who was she if she wasn't the woman who negotiated multi-million dollar deals? 

 Just a grandmother. A woman starting over in her early sixties with a heart that felt like a bruised piece of fruit. So she reached for the knob on the cd player. Listening to sounds of ZZTOP as she cruised along took her mind back to her teenage years and lifted her spirits. 

  That night, she pulled into the gravel parking lot of a quiet, unassuming roadside motel in eastern Texas. The room was clean but basic, smelling faintly of lemon cleaner and old carpet. After a quick shower, Allison sat on the edge of the bed, spreading out the paperwork she had kept in her glove compartment. These weren't real estate contracts. They were the business plans and financial projections for 'The Glass Petal,' a small boutique in Beaufort, South Carolina, that featured local artisans. This was her legacy, Her grandmother had been sole owner of this little store. She had poured her remaining savings into locating and buying stock to ship to the store all of it scheduled to be delivered the day after she arrived before she found out about the money that was left to her. Now she could do what ever she needed to do. As she thought about hiring a part time helper so she could spend more time with the babies. 

She wanted to build something beautiful, something that belonged entirely to her. The local development boom in Beaufort was driving property taxes up, and her margins were dangerously thin. Even with her inheritance she wasn't sure how long she could keep it going.

She opened her grandmother's locket, staring at the tiny, faded photograph inside. It was a reminder of resilience. Her family had survived hard times before, and she would survive this. Her grandmother had given it to her the last time she made the trip to Beaufort to see her just a little while before her grandmother had unexpectedly passed away. She had been such a beautiful vibrant woman, even in her eighties. 

    This move was her first act of independence, a leap of faith into a life where she didn't have to be perfect all the time. She turned her phone back on, immediately dialing her daughter's number. Addy answered on the second ring, the sound of a baby crying softly in the background.

"Mom? Are you okay?" Addy asked, her voice laced with the heavy fatigue of a new mother.

"I'm wonderful, sweetheart," Allison lied gently, her voice softening into a warm, maternal tone. "I'm still in Texas. The drive has been beautiful. How are my girls?"

"Exhausted, but we're managing," Addy sighed, though there was a clear note of relief in her voice. "Tom is putting the twins to bed. 

  We can't wait to have you here, Mom. Are you sure you're okay driving all that way?"

"I am perfectly fine," Allison assured her, smiling as she looked out the motel window at the dark Texas sky. "I needed the quiet drive.  I'll see you in a couple of days, Addison".

 "Give those babies a kiss for me. I will call you back later when I stop for the night. Ok?"

As she hung up, the heavy, humid air of an approaching storm seemed to drift through the gaps in the window frame, carrying the faint, sweet scent of pine. She was getting closer to her sanctuary. Beaufort was waiting, a quiet coastal town where she hoped she could finally heal. But  she couldn't shake the feeling that the past she was running from was already waiting for her at the end of the road.

  The morning brought light showers so she started the day with the top on. Choosing the song " Rocket Man" she popped a cd into the player as she gave the car some gas and pulled out of the motel and out in to the morning traffic. She had a snack packed and sitting in the small cooler in the passengers seat. So she could skip stopping for lunch today.  Choosing to pull over at an overlook or rest stop along the way.

   Hours later she had Sonny and Cher playing on the cd player as she pulled into a overlook that actually had a convenience center.The place was empty except for one vehicle that looked vaguely familiar. Easing the car into park she was still singing along to the cd  and she was unaware of the audience she had attracted. Until she  finished the last of the song:  "Your No Good"  And she heard the chuckle from the car next to her. She recognized those eyes and the  SUV as the one who was driving alongside of her yesterday evening. 

  A quick trip to the girls room and she was back at her car ready to eat her modest lunch when she spotted a picnic table in the shade around the corner of the building. Change of plans as she walked over to the table she saw an amazing view making it the perfect spot to eat a quick lunch before starting back on the journey. 

  Sitting there in the early morning sunshine She closed her eyes to enjoy the Morning air. When she opened her eyes she saw the guy from the SUV as he walked around the other side of the building from the men's room carrying a cola from the vending machine.  His smiling green eyes made contact with hers and she almost choked on her sandwich. As she was catching her breath he walked over to the table and ask " It seems as though this is the only table here mind if I share it? "Of course " she said and she gave him a smile as he sat down.

 " Looks like you came prepared today."  he said glancing at her sandwich and the cup of coffee she had poured.

 " I really wanted to make good time today. So I think I over packed. I have another Ham and cheese sandwich if you want it to go with your cola. I won't eat it." 

  " Wow " he said. "How did I get so lucky?  A gorgeous woman, who sings like a beautiful bird, That comes prepared to feed me too."  Her cheeks went pink but she couldn't help but laugh.

   They sat in a peaceful silence for a few minutes watching two squirrels playing on a tree nearby. Then Abby started to gather the containers from her lunch box as the man across from her said "My name is Eric Donovan. I have stopped here several times on my business trips. If you like there is a short walking trail just past that big tree, if you want to stretch your legs a little before getting back on the road. I promise that even though you are the prettiest woman I have seen on this trip so far, I will be a gentleman." And he bowed and offered her his hand as he stood up beside her. 

  Abby laughingly accepted his offer and they walked in silence on a well worn path that she hadn't even noticed until he pointed it out to her. Holding hands with this stranger seemed like the most natural thing in the world to her today.

 When they returned to the cars 20 minutes later she thought he was going to kiss her. She could see the desire in his eyes. And the strange thing was that even though she had just met him and knew nothing about him, she wasn't sure she would turn him down if he tried it.

  But the moment passed and he opened her car door for her. As she started her car she heard him say softly "Drive careful little songbird"