Starting Over (Section 1)

    "That's everything, miss." The truck driver said.
    "Ok, great. Thank you both so much." Bella said as she handed some money to the two men.
    "Thank you. Have a good day." The second man said.
    "You too." Then she watched as the two men got in the truck and drove away.
    Once the truck was out of sight Bella turned to look at her new home. After a minute she went inside to start the tedious chore of unpacking and settling in. Once inside, she shut and locked the door, out of habit more than saftey, then opened some windows and the slider that led onto her back deck, to allow the breeze from the water to flow through her house and maybe cool it down some.She found her fan and placed it by the open door in hopes to help the breeze. Satisfied that she had done what she could to circulate the air she looked around at all the boxes.
    She started in the kitchen. Meticulously opening each box, unwrapping the plates and glasses and putting them in the dishwasher. Then she unpacked the silverware, scarce as it may be, and loaded them in with the plates. She put the pot, lid, three pans and cookie sheet in the sink. Then she put her appliances, a microwave, coffee pot and a blender, in there spots on the counter. She broke down the boxes and threw away the old news paper she used to wrap everything.
    "Well, that only took, an hour." She said to herself as she looked at her watch. She went to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water from the few that she had stopped to get at the convienience store on her way into town. Along with the two bags of chips, a jar of salsa, the six pack of Sam Adam's Summer beer and the small container of Ben and Jerry's Phish Food ice cream.
    Drinking the water she headed into the living room. She had a couch, her father's overstuffed armchair, her mother's mother's hand-made wooden coffee table that her mother's father had made for her as their first wedding present. Bella found her stereo and placed it in the spot that the television would go, when she bought one. She plugged it in, found a station that she might like and got to work unpacking the boxes. Family photo's of her with her parents, photo's of her parents, photo's of each of her grandparents. She set them all aside, they were going to be hung up, but she didn't have a hammer. The pictures of her graduating from high school and college she placed on the mantle above the fireplace, only because her father was in both. And the one of her at the beach when she was little she placed there too, because it was the only picture she had of her and her mother. The crystal vase that had belonged to her mother she placed on the coffee table. After cleaning up the empty boxes and trash she moved into the next room. In the dinning room was her parents polished mahogany table and six chairs, along with the matching china cabinet. She unwrapped the china sets and placed them behind the glass. Then headed upstairs.
    The only room that needed to be set was her bedroom. She had the mover's place the kingsize bed in the middle of the room with the headboard against the wall. On either side of the bed she placed to two darkwood side tables, with a lamp on each. Her mother's dresser was on the opposite wall, the full-length mirror was beside it. The hand-carved hope chest was placed at the foot of the bed. In here, the only stuff to unpack was her clothes. She hung everything up in the walk-in closet, her shoes were hung on the back of the door. Anything that she didn't or couldn't hang up went into the dresser.
    Happy to have everything unpacked and cleaned and put away she consulted her watch. It had taken four and a half hours to unpack her few belongings and clean up the packing materials. "That's just slightly pathetic." she said to herself as she headed downstairs. She went into the kitchen, shut and locked the slider door, then found her bag and her car keys and headed out to do some food shopping.
   
    Bella pulled into her driveway, parked and got out. As she was rounding the front of her car to unload all the bags she noticed that her neighbors were home. She brought all the groceries into the kitchen, locking the front door behind her. Once everything was put away she made a sandwich, grabbed a beer and headed out onto the back deck to watch the waves and eat. As she sat there she heard a noise over at her neighbors house. She looked over and saw a couple come out onto their deck and sit down. Although she couldn't hear what they were saying she heard them start talking. When she finished my dinner she stood up, grabbed the empty beer bottle and headed in the house. When she stood up she noticed that the couple had stopped talking. But she didn't look over at them. She just went inside and closed the slider behind her.
    Bella went upstairs to her room, grabbed her guitar and her shoulder bag and headed back downstairs again. Sitting on the couch, she took out a pen, a pencil, a notebook and a binder of sheet music. After opening both the notebook and the binder to blank pages she started to pluck out chords and write them down. After about five hours of playing and writing she put everything bag into their respective bags, shut off the lights, closed the windows, made sure all doors were locked, then she headed up to bed.
    The next morning Bella got up, took a shower, got dressed and went downstairs for some food and coffee. After finishing her breakfast, she poured another cup of coffee and headed outside to the beach. She just sat there enjoying the warmth of the sun before it got brutally hot, which was already starting to happen, and enjoying the sounds of the waves. A few minutes pass before she hears something move behind her. Turning her head she saw someone walking on the beach. She turned back to the water. When the same guy came and sat down beside her, she had to really focus on not jumping up and running.
    "Good morning." He said.
    "Morning." She replied quietly. "My names Aiden Campbell. I live in the house beside yours. I just thought I'd come over and introduce myself."
    "At 7:30 in the morning?"
    "Well, I was on my deck and saw you come out with your coffee. When you came down to the water I figured I may as well introduce myself. Seeing as we're both up and outside."
    "I see."
    "So, do you have a name?"
    "Isabella Mandanici."
    "What brings you to Marathon, Key West?"
    "My father passed away, no syblings, needed a change of scenery."
    "Mother?"
    "She died when I was 10."
    "Where'd you move from?"
    "Boston."
    "Well, Marathon is definitly a bit warmer than Boston."
    "That is very true."
    "Why did you chose to move here?"
    "We came here for vacation when my mom was alive. She had come here growing up. I fell in love with it."
    "Well, welcome to Marathon, Isabella Mandanici."
    "Thank you." she said. "Well, I hate to cut this conversation short, but I have a bunch of things that I need to get done today. It was nice meeting you." She said standing up. When she looked back at him she saw him staring at her with puzzled expression. "Everything ok?"
    "Mandanici. Any relation to Dominic Mandanici?"
    "The mob boss?"
    "Yeah."
    "There are many Mandanici's Just because we share the last name, and the same city, does not mean we share the same blood." she said heading towards her house. "Have a good day." She locked the slider behind her. She grabbed her bag and her keys off the counter and headed out for the day.
    Once she finally found the mall she hit up the stores she needed stuff from first, before spending money on things she wanted but didn't need. She bought a flat screen television, a dvd player, a computer, printer and speakers. Then she bought a computer desk, a desk chair, a televion/sound system hutch, 3 dvd racks, 4 cd racks, a couple bookcases, another armchair, 2 side tables and a couple lamps. Then she bought a table and four chairs, 2 lounge chairs, a club chair, an ottoman and 2 side tables for her deck.
    Once she checked everything on her lists of things she needed, she went and did some fun shopping. She bought a few new dvds, a couple cds, 3 new pairs of shoes, a couple pairs of jeans, a few tank tops and t-shirts, and a new sundress. After she left the mall she went to the local paint store and bought enough paint for each room downstairs and her bedroom, and all the painting supplies she needed. After loading her car up with the things that fit, she scheduled deliveries for the larger items.
    Four hours later she pulled back into her driveway and started to unload everything from her car. When everything was in the house, she started to put things in the rooms that they were going to go in. She decided to turn one of the spare rooms upstairs in to her studio room. Thats where the computer and acessories went. The dvd racks stayed in the living room. The televion, and all the furniture was being delivered the foloowing day. Seperating the paints, she placed all the colors into their respective rooms.
    After everything was placed, she changed into an old pair of jeans, which were ripped at the knees and on the back of one leg, about mid-thigh, and black tank top. She threw her hair up into a ponytail then headed downstairs. She turned on the radio, popped in a new cd (P!NK's new album), opened the windows and the back door, placed the fan by the door for the breeze then, after grabbing a beer she got to work readying the living room to be painted.
    Bella had Almost completed the first coat of paint when there was a knock at her door. Hearing the unexpected knock made her freeze mid-stroke. It took a few minutes to talk herself out of a panic. As she slowly turned to head to the door, there was another knock. She took a deep breath before she opened the front door. When she saw Adien standing on the other side of it, she sighed and rolled her eyes.
    "Good to know, you're glad to see me."
    "Sorry. You're not the reason for the reaction. Well, you are, but indirectly."
    "Care to explain?"
    "No."
    "O.K. maybe some other time."
    "Yeah, Maybe." She said. Before she had a chance to ask him in, he slipped past her and headed into her living room. "Please, come in." she said sarcasticly as she shut the door again.
    "What are you doing?"
    "Finding a cure for the common cold and cancer."
    "Cute." He said finally noticing the sarcasm.
    "Got anymore beer?"
    "In the fridge. Why are you here?" She asked as she watched him go into her fridge and pull out a beer.
    "Would you like one?"
    "Sure. Wait. You didn't answer my question."
    "I just thought I'd stop by and see how you're day went. I saw you lugging in all the cans of paint and thought maybe I'd come over and see if you wanted help."
    "I got home four hours ago. You're just now coming over to offer your services?"
    "I do have to work you know. Just because I work from home doesn't mean I'm not busy." He said.
    "I only have one brush."
    "Don't you have a roller?"
    "You're not going to leave, are you?"
    "After seeing your reaction when you saw it was me at your door and not someone else? Yeah, I'm not leaving."
    "I don't need you to babysit me."
    "Who said anything about babies? or sitting? You just seem a little frazzeled that's all. I'm staying out of neighborly concern."
    "MmmHmm."
    "The burnt orange color's nice. I like it." He said looking at the wall then back at her.
    "Thanks."
    "It's especially pretty on your nose and cheek." He said reaching up and wiping paint off the tip of Bellas nose.
    "The brush slipped."
    "I can see that. You're just slightly covered." He said looking her up and down.
    "Thanks for pointing out the obvious." He just smiled.
    "So, one brush, no roller, huh?"
    "I have nothing else to do with my time at the moment. It's just me. So, yes, one brush, no roller. Sorry to disappoint you."
    "I'm not disappointed. I hate painting. I just figured it was rude of me to sit here and watch you without offering to help first."
    "Where's your girlfriend tonight?" Bella asked as she dipped the brush into the the paint can then continued to finish the first coat.
    "I don't have a girlfriend."
    "Then who was the girl that was with you the other night?"
    "That was my sister, Celena." He said. Bella didn't reply.
    For the next couple of hours, Bella painted and Adien watched. THey made small talk. When he asked her questions about her personal life she avoided the question or gave vague answers when unavoidable.
    Before she started on the second coat she went into the kitchen and grabbed two more beers. After handing one to Aiden she Picked up the paint brush and started in on the second coat.
    "So, can I ask you something?" Aiden said.
    "You've been asking me somethings all night, why ask to ask now?"
    "I don't know."
    "What's the question?"
    "Why are you avoiding the personal questions?"
    "I don't know what you mean." She said. She got down from the stool to go get another gallon of paint from the other side of the room. Adien got up and went over to her. Before she could grab a paint can, he had grabbed her wrist to stop her. She just looked up at him.
    "Yes, you do."
    "I just met you this morning. I'm not a trusting person. I wasn't brought up to be. I'm not about to devulge my life's story to someone I met less than 24 hours ago." She said pulling her wrist out of his grip. "What I've told you is all you need to know, until I feel comfortable telling you more."
    "Just tell me one thing."
    "What?"
    "Why'd you leave Boston?"
    "I told you that this morning."
    "I think you've got another reason."
    "Maybe I do. But like I said. What you already know, is all you need to know." She grabbed the paint can and headed back over to the stool and started painting again.
    By the time she had finished painting and Adien had gone home it was almost two in the morning. Bella went upstairs and went to bed.
    The next morning she woke up are 10. After brushing her teeth the first thing she did was go downstairs and make some coffee. She poured a mugful and then poured the rest into a pitcher and placed it in the fridge for later. Bringing the coffee upstairs with her, she got ready for the day. She wore a pair of black crop-pants, a light blue tank top and black flip flops. She brushed out her dark brown just-past-her shoulders- length hair and left it down. When she finished her cup of coffee she grabbed her keys and bag and headed out for some more shopping.
    She found a music specialty supply store downtown. As she was browsing the amps and microphones a guy came over to her.
    "Can I help you with anything in particular?" He asked.
    "I'm looking for a bunch of particlars, actually."
    "Like what?"
    "I need everything to make a recording booth."
    "A recording booth?"
    "Yes."
    "Let me go get Randy. He's the one that will know how to help you." He said then disappeared through a door behind the counter. A minute later another guy came out.
    "So, a recording booth, huh?"
    "Yes."
    "Do you have anything at all, or are you starting from scratch?"
    "I have a 15' x 30' room."
    "Ok. Well, Lets get started." It took almost two hours to get everything picked out and written up that was needed to make a booth. "I assume that you are going to want to have all this delivered to your home and set up?"
    "Yeah. I know how to use it all, I just have no clue how to put it all together."
    "Ok. How about this Saturday at 9 am?"
    "Sounds good to me."
    "Great. Saturday at 9 it is. And your grand total is $59,889.76." Without blinking an eye she handed him her credit card.
    "$60,000.00?! What are you buying, the entire store?" The kid behind her asked.
    "No." She said turning around to face him. He was about her age, 26, and just a bit taller. He was holding a guitar and amp. "I'm putting a recording booth in my basement."
    "Oh, wow! That's awesome. I tried to make a mini studio in the basement of my apartment building. The landlord caught me bringing in a mini switchboard and started freaking out."
    "I just need you to sign on the bottom." Randy said. She turned around, read over the order sheet and then signed her name on the line. "Great, So, again, we will see you Saturday at 9." he said handing her, her copy of the reciept.
    "Great. Thanks for all your help." She said and then left the store. On her way back to her house she stopped at the garden shop and picked up a few flowers for her front bed. She had a little over an hour to kill before the first of her furniture deliveries arrived.
    When she got home, she went upstairs and chained into her paint covered clothes. While she waited for the truck she started on her garden. After the furniture was delievered and the men had left, Bella finished weeding the garden. As she started to plant the first flower she felt someone watching her. She looked over and saw Adien standing there watching her.
    "Don't you have anything better to do?" She asked turning back to the flowers.
    "I was just on my way out to get some groceries."
    "Why'd you stop?"
    "You."
    "How? It's not like I asked you to stop and come over here."
    "In a way you did."
    "Oh, yeah? How?" She asked shaking her head.
    "You're planing them too close together."
    "You're a gardener now?"
    "No, but my mom taught me alot." He said as he knelt down beside her and took the gardening spade from her.
    "Excuse me. I know how to plant flowers thank you very much."
    "Yeah? You're not doing a very good job." She reached over and tried to get the spade from him. He just moved it further out of her reach.
    "Really? Grow up. And give it back. I know what I'm doing."
    "They're too close. They'll end up choking each other and dying."
    "Not according to the guy at the flower shop. And not according to the multiple successes I have had in the past."
    "Just, go away and let me do this."
    "It's MY garden!!! I'm not going anywhere!"
    "You shouldn't be allowed to have a garden!" He said smiling at me. and Ignoring my outstretched hand.