Chapter 1-So This Is Home

"I guess this is it." Annelise Hyatt thought to herself.  After a long day of driving, she was pleasantly surprised to find that the house she had arranged to rent via Simslist was actually in good shape. It was small, but clean and still relatively new.  "So this is home." She said out loud.

Annelise stood on the porch and took a deep breath before looking for the house key that was supposedly under a mat out front. A wave of emotion overtook her, as she thought about all that she left behind and felt overwhelmed with the idea of starting her life over. She thought that the only way to move on from her past few years was to leave town, and start fresh. 

Growing up, she always knew that she was adopted as a toddler. Her mom had never given her much information about the time she spent in foster care, and Annelise didn't ask. It was by chance that Annelise had discovered that her mother who adopted her had actually kidnapped her from her abusive father as an attempt to save her. She still had so much to process through, especially after learning that her biological father had committed suicide when Annelise was a teen. 

"How am I supposed to feel , to know my mother kidnapped me, and lied to me, but only because she wanted to protect me?" She thought. Her feelings raged from bitterness to thankfulness daily, and she couldn't face the rest of the small town looking at her with those sad eyes, knowing her past. Although she loved her mother, she felt betrayed, and left town quickly after finding out.

"This is a new beginning for me," she told herself. I am going to start my life here, get a job, and plant roots here. No one in Riverview knows me or my past, and I can start with a clean slate. I do not have to be defined by what was done to me, and who my parents are."

Annelise quickly got to work unpacking. She didn't bring much with her, and she was grateful that the house came furnished. As she walked outside to throw out yet another bag of trash filled with packing materials, she couldn't help but notice the good-looking guy that was walking by with an adorable toddler in his arms. "Must be a neighbor," she thought. She smiled politely, and hoped he would just keep on walking. The last thing she was interested in was starting a new relationship, with her recent breakup so fresh. "And a child? I have enough baggage of my own, I would never date someone with a kid." 

Annelise cringed inwardly when the good-looking stranger started walking over to her as he introduced himself. "Hi, I am Gavin. You must be new in town?" He said.

Annelise smiled. He really was cute. "Hi Gavin. I actually just moved in today. Who is this cute girl?" She asked. 

"This is my daughter, Clara. Clara, can you say hi to Annelise?" 

Clara smiled shyly and said hi in her sweet little voice. 

"So, where are you from? What brings you to Riverview?" Gavin asked.

Annelise hesitated. She hadn't thought out how she would answer these types of questions, and had no intention of sharing her past life with anyone. "Oh, I just was ready for a change. I recently graduated University and am hoping to find a job in my field. What do you do for work?" She asked him, trying to move the focus back to him. 

"I am a teacher at Riverview Elementary School." He told her. Annelise caught herself wondering if he was married, because he was awfully charming if so. She glanced down and didn't see a ring on his left hand, and quickly scolded herself in her head. "It doesn't matter. I am not interested in him romantically, and even if he is single, I am not dating a single dad. "

Gavin kept talking, asking her questions and telling her about the town, his favorite places to eat, and what he liked to do for fun. Annelise had to admit, he made her laugh and before she knew it, an hour had passed. He asked her if she wanted to grab a bite to eat with him and Clara, and even though she was tempted, she declined, saying she still needed to finish getting settled in her house. 

"Understandable, Annelise! Maybe some other time? We'd love to show you around town sometime. We just live next-door, so if you need any help or get lonely, please, take my cell-number or just drop by!" Gavin said.

Annelise smiled and told him she would, and when she walked back inside her house, she could've kicked herself for imagining what it might be like to spend an evening with the good-looking neighbor and his sweet little girl.