Love Finds a Way (Working Title)

CHAPTER 1

It felt strange being back. Nothing had changed, yet everything was different. Twelve years was a long time to stay gone, but not long enough to forget the past. As Sabrina James drove farther into the small town of Templeton, she couldn’t remember why she was here. It wasn’t too late to turn back, back to New York or London or Paris to hide away. Anywhere but here. She hadn’t told anyone she was coming. Well except her friend and manager, Lisa Stone. Her family didn’t even know she was here. But that wasn’t the problem; they would welcome her home with open arms, well maybe not her sister, Valarie. Valarie and she were still kind of distant towards each other. But hopefully that would all change. Sabrina knew that a lot of her anger was directed at the wrong people. But she didn’t want to think about that now.

She looked down at the directions to her new home. Turn left on Baker Street, then look for the yellow house on the right. For a moment she’d forgotten the house was yellow. Not her favorite color, but the realtor had assured her that the newly remodeled home was sunny, bright. That was what she needed. A sunny, bright house for a new sunny and bright life.

Things were so different with Aunt Margaret gone. The one person who understood what it was like to be different, reveled in it. Blinking back the tears before she fell apart again, Sabrina remembered what Aunt Margaret had wanted for her. A fresh start Sabrina. Like one of your a new paintings, it has potential to be something wonderful. That's what she'd said the letter she'd left for Sabrina. But she didn't think she could do this. Her life had changed, she wasn't the same as when she left all those years ago.

She had a lot in life that brought fulfillment; like her artwork, her travels, and the friends she'd made along the way to now. Sabrina James wasn't Brina James anymore, who was socially awkward and tended to be a loner. Whose big sister and twin brother were the popular and socially accepted siblings while she apparently needed 'pity' dates. Stopping herself before the anger and bitterness took hold, she took a deep breath and counted backwards from ten like Dr. Huger taught her. After taking a moment to relax into tranquility, what Dr. Huger also suggested would benefit her; Sabrina realized she had been that this particular stop sign for at least five minutes.

Looking both ways before pressing the gas-pedal; she took advantage of the empty street before some town cop pulled her over for 'over-zealous braking' if there was such a thing. Templeton was almost picturesque, its postcard images one after the other. Most people were out enjoying the summer weather, wanting to bask in the sun before summer break was over, bringing school and fall after it. She even passed a daring overly plump man, sporting cut-off shorts and back hair, watering his wilting plants.

Oh. My. God. It's Mr. Simmons! Her principal from Jr. High. Sabrina didn't think that any student, current or otherwise, should see their teacher that way. Especially a teacher like Mr. Simmons. It was almost too much. She burst out laughing and knowing if someone saw her, laughing almost hysterically to herself, would think she was crazy.

Then she saw it. Its color brightly matching the sun, the trim white. A stone pathway leading up to a wide porch attached to a two-story Victorian with big bay windows. Sabrina remembered the realtor saying there was a second-story balcony off the master bedroom overlooking a back garden. She hoped to turn one of the rooms into a studio. The house was perfect. Perfect for her, perfect for a new beginning in Templeton.

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CHAPTER 2

"I heard someone moved into that yellow house on Baker Street," Susie Michaels said out loud in the small law office, the only law office, in Templeton.  Looking over at Jack, the 'J' in J.R. Sawyer Law firm, seated with his feet on his desk, reading the 'Templeton News'.

"What was that?"  Jack didn't need to look up, knowing Susie would repeat herself, no doubt in great detail.

"I said someone, a female someone, just moved into the old Johnson place.  Jane over at the real estate place told me she gave the key to the new owner a week ago.  Said the lady was some type of painter or something, I don't know."

"Uh-huh."

Susie rolled her eyes, Jack was a waste to gossip to, but she couldn't keep what she knew to herself any longer.

"And I talked to Ben over at the post office, when I dropped by yesterday.  He told me that same lady came in the other day to forward her mail to her new address.  And since Jane couldn't tell me who she was, I knew Ben could when he mentioned she'd stopped by."  Susie's voice held a tiny bit of satisfaction at knowing something she felt no one else knew yet.  A really juicy tidbit too.

Jack took a brief moment, looking over his newspaper at Susie.  He could tell she was bursting to the seams with this story, and he knew he'd never get to finish the article he was reading.  "Go ahead then, get it out."

Excited Jack was finally paying attention, Susie hopped out of her chair, and practically bounced over to his desk.  Sitting in one of the two chairs in front of his desk for clients, she leaned in slightly as if to tell a secret.

"Okay.  So Ben tells me that since she had to fill out the slip and since he is the only one at the post office who works the computer; even though I know for a fact that Nell can type faster than me--" when Jack sighed loudly, a signal that she was getting off topic, she hurried on.

"Anyway, Ben told me that he saw the name and said it seemed familiar.  Said he kept staring at the name until it finally clicked.  I asked what the name was, and when he told me I just about died!"

"Alright, I'll bite. Whose name almost killed my most loyal and efficient secretary?"

"Brina James."  Susie watched as Jack's feet hit the floor with a loud thunk.  His face would have worried her, if she hadn't already known the story behind Jack and the James girl.

Continuing like she didn't notice his reaction, Susie said, "Goes by Sabrina now, more sophisticated I guess.  You remember Brina, don't you Jack?  I wonder why Nick didn't mention it," Susie speculated, "Maybe she hasn't told anyone she was living in town yet.  But she must have known someone in town would recognize her. I mean really, you'd think--"

Susie turned around and was met with an empty office.

"Jack?"  Silence echoed the room.  Susie walked back to her desk, slightly disappointed.  She knew somewhere, something huge was about to happen and she was stuck answering the phones.  She had the worst luck.

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Nick Sawyer had just sat down in 'Ma's Café' to his usual Steak Rueben on rye with sweet-potato fries on the side, when someone knocked heavily on the window next to his table.  Turning his head, he saw Jack looking slightly disheveled.  He signaled for him to come in and sit, but his brother shook his head, and motioned for him to come outside.  Sighing lightly, Nick told Bettie, the waitress on duty, his was going outside and to make sure no one touched his fries.

Before he could even close the door, Jack was already hurrying away, heading to around to the back of the cafe.  Wondering what would have his little brother so agitated, Nick followed at a more leisurely stride.  He found Jack pacing back and forth, apparently waiting.

"Jack, what is--"  Jack cut him off.

"Did you know?"

"Know what?"  Nick was genuinely confused.

"Did you know Brina is in town?"

"Brina who?  You mean Brina James?  She's not--" Nick didn't finish before Jack did interrupted again.

"Yes she is,"  Jack kept pacing.  It helped him work off his anger.  "Susie said Ben told her that a Sabrina James came in to change her address to this town.  And Susie also said that Jane says Brina bought the yellow house on Baker."

Nick couldn't believe his brother.  Okay, so the fact that Brina was back in town, and it seemed like she was staying for a while, surprised him.  But Jack's reaction to the news was little more of a shock.  Nick could tell his brother was angry, his agitation definitely noticeable.

"Jack?  What's wrong with you?  It's just Brina, come on it's no big deal."  At Jack's look, Nick knew it was to his brother.

"It's been, like what…12 years?  It's the past. Everything's different now.  You've changed, and I'm sure she's changed too."  Slipping an arm over his shoulder, Nick lead Jack back onto the sidewalk in front of Ma's.  Giving Jack's shoulder a slight squeeze, Nick let his arm fall to his side.  Knowing his brother was alright now, even if a little wired, Nick walked back to the cafe's entrance.  Jack's voice stopped him before his foot could cross the threshold.

"Nick."

"Yeah?"

"Do you think she'll forgive me?"

Nick didn't have to ask what he was talking about.  And he honestly didn't know the answer.  He knew Brina would still be hurt after all these years, if the lack of her presence for 12 years was any indication.  But he hoped that she could forgive all of them for hurting her the way they did.

"I don't know."  Watching his brother walk away, with his shoulders slumped and a little defeated; Nick hoped that Jack finally got from Sabrina James what he'd been waiting 12 years for.

Forgiveness.