THEY ARE MY LIGHT. (MDLG Story.)

ONE: New Home! & Small-Town Café!

[ONE]

[Thursday]

Aubrey Barrett's (POV)

The trees fly by in a beautiful blur of colors, the light shining through the leaves as I travel down the highway.

Minimal traffic flows around me like a river as I keep a steady pace, in no particular hurry to reach my destination, even as excited as I am to start my new life. I sing along to the radio and smile with the feeling of new hope in my veins, confident this fresh start is what I need for a more peaceful, stress-free life.

My friend Amelia said I was crazy for selling my law firm to move to a small town, but I've always wanted that small town home experience. When I first graduated from Harvard with a law degree I felt so alive, like there was time for me to do everything at once. Deep down though, becoming a defense attorney was always just a way to support myself; I was very good at it and it paid very well, especially after I started my own firm. It didn't take long until I was one of the most sought after attorney's in the city.

As I grew older I realized that while I'd achieved so much in my short years of living, I'd never really focused on my true passions - painting and photography. The feeling I get when painting in particular is indescribable. The sensation of the brush strokes against the canvas, the random paint splatters that hit my skin from time to time, how fulfilled I feel when I'm able to create a beautiful piece, all of it makes me feel more alive than when I was in the courtroom making a case. But before I knew it, ten years had flown by so fast and now my passion was just a hobby that I rarely got to indulge in.

Eventually the stress of working constantly became too much, so it made my decision to retire come easily. I sold the majority ownership of the firm but I made sure to set myself up for life as well. Not only did I receive a massive one off payment, I had it written into the contract that I would receive a royalty payment each year for the rest of my life, which essentially means I can focus on my passions full time.

Since my parents passed and I had no other relatives keeping me in the city, I started the search for my new home. I decided I was going to get that small town experience I'd always wanted, a quiet place where I could focus on my art and be far away from the stress of the city.

I'd met Amelia when I hired her at my firm, from the first time she walked through the door we had an instant connection. Soon after our meeting she introduced me to her wife, Gabrielle, and they both quickly became very important to me. When I told them my plan to move to a small town for a quieter life they were sad but also understood and supported me completely.

Amelia was even a big help in the process of finding my new home. It took time and research from us both, but when we found the small town of Harrison, Pennsylvania I knew it was perfect. I was thrilled for the mountain views and cold weather during winter, which will signal the end of one year and give a fresh, clean start to the next.

Breaking me from my thoughts, the looming sign that reads "Welcome to Harrison" comes into view, letting me know I've arrived. My face immediately breaks out into a smile and I roll down the window to take in a breath of the crisp country air that flows through.

Turning down the radio as I drive down the main street, I slow down my speed to take in the small town I now call home. The residents of the town are all around me, decorating the streets with all the fall colors. Besides Winter, Fall is my favorite time of year. The colors are like fire, the reds, oranges and yellows light up the world, one small part at a time.

Deciding I've been distracted enough I leave the main street of town behind me, turning onto the road that will lead me to my new home. I bought some land during the Summer of last year and while I was selling the law firm I had a house constructed. The plans the architect helped me design blew me away, even better than I'd imagined and honestly, it's my dream home. The best part of the house design is a full art studio spanning the whole back of the lower level of the house.