Chapter 88: It Wasn't Always Like This

Sharon, Peter and Chris all arrived in Jacksonville together. When they got to the port, Sharon was filled with nostalgia. She could remember everything about her childhood home.

She could remember the creeks as they drove passed them. The sounds the waters made when they flowed brought back good memories. She remembered staring at the rainbows that hung on the horizon.

She could remember the mines as they drove past them. How she and her friends had sneaked into them, trying to find some gold so they could become rich but didn't find any. She remembered how angry their parents were when they found out about it and how they laughed after the children explained their intentions of becoming rich.

She was back in the place where she grew up. She hadn't been born in Oregon, but grew up there after her father relocated his family from New Orleans after he had some financial setbacks.

"You look really happy to be back!" Peter commented as they drove along the countryside, on their way to her home in Jacksonville.

"I am, truly. It feels like a dream. I never actually thought that I would ever come back here."

"Well, you're back now and I'm with you, every step of the way. I'm really positive that this will be a fresh start for the both of us and we'll be very happy here." Peter said positively.

"I hope that you're right, Peter! I really do."

"Don't you worry, Sharon! I'm sure we'll all have a good peaceful life here. Just you wait and see," Chris put in, really excited himself for whatever was to come.

She wanted to believe that her life was finally going to go through a smooth and steady pace, without any major life-altering changes but as much as she tried, she couldn't shake off the lingering fear that had taken root at the back of her mind for years. Fear of Addicus! She wanted to believe he would keep to his word but she found it difficult to.

They drove further in until Sharon could see the little sign board that read, "Welcome To Jacksonville". They drove past the board and into the town.

It had changed so much since she left all those years ago. There were more buildings and more businesses. But, the one thing that remained the same was the beautiful people.

"There it is! That's the house I grew up in," Sharon pointed out as soon as she saw it.

They reached the house and she stepped out and walked over to the front door. She put a hand on the wooden deck and a memory took over her mind, a memory of her father sitting on the deck and posing for her so she could paint a portrait of him.

She smiled at the thought of the memory. It gave her a bit of joy and comfort.

"Is it exactly the way you remember?" Peter asked from behind her.

She stared at the building with more focus, trying to remember how it was before and compare it to how it was now.

"It is! It's exactly as I remember it. Even the garden around the house is the same," she said.

***Addicus really did restore the house to its original design, in every way possible.***

Peter walked back to the car and he and Chris took out their luggage and carried it to the porch.

Sharon took out the key that Addicus had given her and put it in the keyhole. She turned it and the door clicked open. She took a really deep breath and pushed the door open.

The interior was the same as she remembered. It was missing some furniture and ornaments but still, it was the home she remembered growing up in.

Peter asked her where the rooms were and she directed him. They took the luggage upstairs and left Sharon alone in the living room.

Sharon walked over to the fireplace and saw a little picture frame standing above it but there wasn't any photo inside it.

She took off her purse and brought out her drawing book. She flipped through the pages until she found the family photo of her and her parents. She placed the picture inside the frame and put it back on the mantelpiece.

"I'm back home, Mom and Dad! I'm here and I'm alright. I promise you that I'll try to be happy because I know that was all you both ever wanted for me. I'll try," she said to her parents.

As Sharon stood in the four walls of her parent's home, she inhaled the wind of memories that enveloped her. She truly wants to forget the past and move towards the future.

She would try her best, for Chris, for Peter and for her to make sure that all of their sacrifices hadn't been in vain.

**Onwards to a fresh start!**

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Addicus sat down in his office chair at his company's stockholders' meeting. They needed a new source to get the gold used to manufacture their products since their former source had run out.

His thoughts, however, weren't on the meeting, they were on Sharon. He tried really hard not to think about her. He wanted to forget her and go about his life but the image of her face was branded on his mind. He couldn't get her out of his head.

After the meeting, he left his workplace and went back home but before he got there, he stopped at the park. He got out of the car and looked around the beautiful surroundings.

"Wait for me here! I'll be just a minute," Addicus told his chauffeur.

He took a stroll in the park, walking around and thinking about all sorts of things until he got to the swing set at the children's playground. He sat on the swing and became lost in a happy memory of when he came here with Sharon when she was seventeen years old to have a picnic together.

*"Don't move!" Sharon said to him.*

*She was sketching him while he posed for her.*

*"I have an itch and I really need to scratch it."*

*"If you move, then I'll have to start all over again," Sharon said with a smile and continued sketching.*

*"How much longer?" Addicus asked, his itch had become unbearable.*

*"Relax, James! You can move now because I...am... done!" Sharon said with one last flick of her wrist.*

*"Oh, thank goodness!" Addicus said and scratched his face.*

*Sharon laughed at him and put some finishing touches on the drawing.*

*"Are you ready to have a look?" She asked with a cute smile.*

*"Of course! I stood still for almost thirty minutes so it had better be good," Addicus said playfully.*

*Sharon turned the sketchbook over and showed him the drawing of him which was very good.*

*"Wow! You really are special, you know that? You're going to do great things with this talent of yours, I'll make sure of it."*

*"Thank you, James. That means a lot."*

*"So, how about we get this picnic started? All that posing's left me hungry."*

*Addicus the picnic basket. He went straight for the bottle of wine.*

*"Put it down, James! Food before alcohol," she scolded and he reluctantly and unhappily put down the bottle.*

*"Fine, just take it," Sharon gave in and they shared a good laugh, having a wonderful picnic and having fun.*