Antique House - Book One

Chapter One -Forgotten Treasures

She sat silently at her desk sipping her favourite raspberry tea while trying to stir up her creative muse. Today for some reason, her writing routine that she followed to help her get in the creative mind frame was not working.

Desperate to get her juices flowing, she replayed all her steps in her mind on the off chance she forgot something. "First, I gathered my favourite candles, favourite mug and favourite classical CD. Then I shut all blinds, turned on laptop and let it warmed up and turned on stove and placed my grandmothers antique kettle on burner- I made sure I filled it earlier when I made hot chocolate in morning. Once water was ready, I prepared tea, turned on favourite CD and lit my candles. All steps have been completed, then why am I so blocked!"

"Damn it Melinda, why are you struggling with this?"

Frustrated with her inability to jump start her mind and release the block stopping her from working on her project, she decides to stray from her usual routine and goes for a walk in the park near her country home.

Walking up her winding stairs she enters her spacious and antique designed bedroom. She heads to her extremely organized and roomy closet; she picks out her mother's pink cashmere sweater and slips it on.

Once she was had grabbed her tea and was ready to embark on her walk, she took a deep calming breath and repeated to herself "one

step at a time!"

After ensuring her alarm was on and doors were locked, she slipped the pewter key chain into the pocket of her favourite grey slacks and started walking along her brick walkway. She was surprised at how beautiful it was outside for a spring day and how she was delighting in the sounds of spring all around her.

"I haven't walked this trail in so many years. "

Although it was one of the reasons, she bought this old house and fixed it up to her liking it was almost forgotten about it and neglected. Her gardener kept all her shrubs, flowers and trees looking immaculate and this was something that made her proud to have this beautiful picturesque yard.

Looking around at all this majestic beauty, she couldn't help but think back to how far he had come in the last few years. It had been a very turbulent four years and it had almost broke her spirit and destroyed her sanity, but with faith, prayer and determination as well as professional help she had climbed her way to where she was now.

As she walked down the cobblestone walk way, images of the past began to flash through her mind and flooded her thoughts. Overwhelmed by what was taking place, she decided it was best to go sit down in the most peaceful and serene place she knew – her perennial garden.

Hidden among the tall cedar hedges in her back yard was a beautiful perennial garden that she designed, and selected all the flowers, shrubs and decorations for it as well.

She smiled at who proud of this garden and herself that she was as she had researched each aspect of it, as well as she even planted it herself. This hidden beauty now seldom visited was still immaculately maintained as she left specific instructions with the gardener on how to care for it and paid him handsomely to come in an extra day a week to care for it alone.

Once she reached the cedar hedges, she felt around for the carefully hidden and trimmed entrance. Taking a moment before entering, she took in the beautiful smell of cedar which always reminded her of her grandparents' house and then she carefully looked around three times to ensure she was alone and entered her forgotten gem.

Walking to her granite bench she took a deep breath and looked at all the flowers blooming and admired all the radiant colours. She felt a wave of sadness as she thought to herself, how she had neglected to spend any time here in the last couple of years. She made a mental note to try to visit her space at least once a month.

As she sat down on her bench and took a sip of her tea, everything began to flood back to her and she began to feel trapped in the flash backs.

"Why is this happening now?"

"It has been years since the memories have haunted me!"

She searched frantically through her pockets, in hopes that her cell phone was with her and then she could call her therapist but her efforts were futile as she came up empty handed. Attempting to calm herself she took a slow breath and said quietly to herself, "only choice is to ride through them, but I am not sure if I am strong enough to handle the outcome"

Taking one last sip of her tea, she placed her mug down on the antique table beside her bench and took a deep breath then closed her eyes while waiting for the flash flood of memories to wash over her.