027 New Life

No one made a scene as Eden walked out the door and unto the driveway. Waves and teary eyes bid her farewell as she climbed into the passenger seat of the moving vehicle to direct them to the new house.

Eden took one final look at the Marshall Estate, waving to the staff who watched her go with teary eyes. From the highest floors, her father and sister watched her go, stony faces glaring down at her as Eden looked forward.

The creak of the metal van doors let Eden know that the last of her possessions had been loaded into the back and they were ready to go.

The truck's engine rumbled to life and soon Eden was on her way to her new beginning.

Ever since her visit to the Kairos building she had the address mapped out by heart, it was her pathway to freedom after all.

The moving van cruised through the streets, passing buildings and shops as it went. Eden felt the wind in her hair, carrying with it a new sense of possibilities. Nothing could stop her now, not her father or her sister, or her ties to the Marshall name.

The moving trucks arrived at the entrance to the Kairos building in less time than it had taken Eden, Rose, and Mr. Green to find it.

The double doors to the building were already prepared as the entryway which her furniture would go through, though Eden only had a bed and her workshop table. Furniture for the living room would have to come later as she saved up.

Eden stepped out of the vehicle to greet the doorman and flash him her keys.

"Ah welcome Miss, I assume you are the latest tenant," he said.

"That's right," Eden nodded and watched the movers jump out of the back to begin unloading her things into the apartment.

"Thank you so much," Eden said to the driver who only nodded in acknowledgment.

"We've prepared an entryway up the stairs to your apartment on the second floor," The doorman said.

"Thanks!"

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The apartment was exactly as she had remembered it from her visit the other day. It wasn't long before everything had been set up by the movers, Eden looked at the bare living room, then headed to the bedroom where she had directed them to place all her equipment and bed.

A surge of emotions overwhelmed her, she sighed in exhaustion. Before the thoughts could flood her brain further, she decided to clean.

"Home sweet home," She said. "Looks like I have to run to the store and get some cleaning supplies, this unit probably hasn't been rented in a bit," she said.

Indeed, as she examined her new apartment she noticed some dust and cobwebs all over her new space which had not made themselves known when she had first visited the apartment.

"I better get to it so it can be done by this evening,"

Eden walked out the door with nothing but her wallet in her overall pocket. Rather than using the elevator which terrified her deeply, she took the same route of stair her movers had used.

"Finding everything to your liking Miss?" the door man asked.

"I am, is there are store around here? I just need some cleaning supplies," Eden asked.

"Yes! Just head out and walk a bit further down, there's a convenience store just around the corner. I promise you can't miss it," the door man said.

"That's helpful," Eden said, wondering if her items could be delivered. Carrying a bunch of cleaning supplies back to her place would be a bit inconvenient.

"Do they have a delivery service?" Eden asked.

The door man put a hand to his chin, thinking deeply about the question. No one had ever asked him much about living within the apartment complex. Many of the tenants would much rather figure things out on their own than ask the staff working there.

"You'd have to find out at the store Miss," The door man said.

"Thank you," Eden said with a warm smile, "I'm Eden by the way, I live on the second floor now,"

The door man returned her smile eagerly.

"I'm George Mallard, I've been a door man for ten years. I live at the staffing quarters nearby when my shift is over," he said.

"Nice to meet you, we'll probably be seeing a lot of each other," Eden said.

"Hmph," A voice snorted from behind her. Eden turned around to see a tall, glamorous woman lower her sunglasses and stare her down. She wore a white, stylish jumpsuit with four in heels and a large white sun hat.

Her brown skin glowed in the sunlight, highlighting the woman's brown eyes all the more.

"Wow," Eden gasped, the lady looked like she could have been in her 30's. Definitely older than Eden who was only 20.

"If you're done braiding each other's hair, I would like to be going now. George did you call me a car?"

"Yes, Mrs. Winslow," George said, pulling open the door for the woman.

"Sorry Ma'am I'm new to the building, I was just asking directions," Eden said apologetically. The woman only moved towards the door now being held open for her.

"Word of advice, try not to block the door next time," she said, sliding her glasses up her nose. Her heels bounced off the cobblestone as she walked towards a sleek white car that had pulled up to pick her up.

In one smooth motion she disappeared behind tinted glass.

"Who was that?" Eden asked in awe. She hoped she could be that gorgeous when she was older. The woman reminded her of Rose in some ways.

"Margaret Winslow, one of the wealthiest tenants in the building. She had a life time lease on her penthouse here," George said.

Eden absorbed the information quickly, Mrs. Winslow would be someone to watch out for in the future. She had a feeling she didn't want to upset the glamorous woman.

"I've got to go now George, that apartment isn't going to clean itself," Eden said to the older man.

He waved her off and soon she was out of the apartment and down the street, searching for the convenience store.