Chapter 3
A New Beginning
Sunrise was Ashley’s alarm clock. She decided it was her turn to make breakfast. While she gathered the ingredients for pancakes, she thought about how important this trip was to her and her father.
She couldn’t recall when they had spent this much time together.
It was good. She made a pot of coffee and brought a mug outside and waited for her father to wake up, then heard the familiar tones of his voice singing in the shower.
She chuckled. It was part of his routine since she was a little girl.
He said the acoustics made him sound like Van Morrison, but his repertoire ranged from Sinatra to Smokey Robinson.
Not that he sounded like any of them, but Ashley always enjoyed humoring him.
She padded back to the kitchen area and began to stir the pancake mix together with the eggs and milk.
She checked the fridge for blueberries, and sure enough there was a small container on the shelf.
He really did think of everything, she thought to herself.
Then she remembered that this is where he lived.
Once they finished breakfast, Ashley took her turn in the shower and began to get ready for the next round of meetings.
She steamed the creases from the trousers of her pantsuit and recalled the day she was packing her clothes a few months before.
Her navy-blue pinstripe outfit was a vast improvement over her former daily attire.
The day before, she opted for a long skirt and light sweater.
She had come a long way, not on a fashion runway, but respectable.
Stanley was waiting at the camp entrance promptly at 10:45 and shuttled her off to campus, with more small talk about the area. Stanley gave her tips on what parks to visit and when. He also made mention of a few local hangouts that were close and safe.
When he delivered her to the school, Mi Cha was waiting on the sidewalk.
“Hey there!” Ashley waved as she handed Stanley the cash for the ride. “Did you just get here?” she asked.
“Yes. I saw the taxi pulling in so I decided to wait for you,” Mi Cha said with a smile.
“Thanks! So, are you still nervous?” Ashley asked.
“A little. Not as much as yesterday. I honestly didn’t know what to expect. But everyone’s been so nice.”
Ashley chuckled. “They want to make sure we don’t change our minds. I think they have to give us a refund if we bail within the first thirty days.”
“Seriously?” Mi Cha asked.
“Ha! I don’t know, but it sounds like a thirty-day warranty kind of thing, no?”
Mi Cha laughed. “You’re funny.”
Ashley paused. She never considered herself funny. Maybe witty from time to time, but funny? But here was a total stranger’s opinion. Interesting.
Ashley checked the card that had the room number for her meeting. It was a few doors from Mi Cha’s. “Looks like we’re going to be seeing a lot of each other.”
“I hope so.” Mi Cha blushed.
Ashley was glad she’d found someone to navigate this new unknown with.
After their meetings, Ashley and Mi Cha met up and walked to the entrance where Todd was waiting for them on a bench and Mi Cha’s mother was just pulling up to the sidewalk.
Introductions were made and then they were off to see their home for the next year.
Perhaps the next three years. It depended on whether or not either of them was going to continue with their PhDs at Dartmouth.
A lot can change in a year, Ashley knew, but she was learning to go with her instincts, and also with the flow.
The two young women climbed in the back, and Todd sat up front with Mrs. Kim.
There was easy conversation among all of them.
It took less than five minutes to drive to the complex of studio apartments.
The young women checked their keys and discovered they were on the same floor, across the hall from each other.
“This is super,” Mi Cha said. “I’m so happy we met yesterday.”
Ashley agreed. It was as if serendipity had stepped in. Starting over in a new place can be overwhelming. Having a chum from the get-go was reassuring.
Their apartments were on the second floor, and they decided to take the stairs.
They inserted their keys in their respective doors and flung the doors open.
The first thing Ashley noticed was the sunlight pouring in from the windows, making the petite space bright and cheerful.
There was a kitchenette on one side with a small stove, fridge, cabinets, and a sink.
A café table with two chairs was pushed against the wall.
The far end of the room had a seating area with a sofa and two armchairs.
Adjacent was an alcove that served as the bedroom, with a long desk beneath another large window.
The bathroom entrance was in the alcove, next to a large closet.
Todd looked around. “I think my place is a little larger than this,” he teased.
“I was thinking the same thing. But at least mine is firmly grounded,” Ashley quipped. “I think I’ll do just fine here, Dad.”
“I’d bet on it.”
Ashley went over her list of items she would have to bring with her when she moved in.
It included linens, dishes, cookware, flatware, a coffeepot, shelf liners, soaps, and cleaning items. A laundry basket and a couple of trash cans were added to the list. She inspected the walls and made a note of what she could hang that would make the place her own.
She stopped for a moment to take it all in. This was really happening.
“Dad, I want you to know how much I appreciate everything you and Mom have done for me to get me here.” Her eyes teared up. “Including the ride in the RV.”
Todd gave her a big hug. He too was getting a bit misty-eyed. “You’re going to need a lot of stuff, but maybe we should forego the RV and you can ship everything here. This way you and your mother can drive up in her SUV.”
“But what about you?” Ashley asked.
“What about me?” Todd answered her question with a question.
“Aren’t you going to see me off?”
“Of course. Your mother will make me sit in the back seat.”
Ashley was relieved. It would have been awkward and a little sad if both of her parents didn’t bring her to her new home.
She and Mi Cha agreed to return on the same day to move in, and exchanged their contact information.
Ashley gave Mi Cha a big hug, which Mi Cha seemed to appreciate very much.
Ashley thought it might be a cultural thing.
Not everyone is as touchy-feely as her and her family, but who doesn’t like a really good hug?
The weeks leading up to her final move were hectic, with packing and shipping and sorting. The day before they were ready to hit the road, Todd wheeled a bicycle from the garage with a sign that said, DARTMOUTH OR BUST!
“We figured you could use a set of wheels up there.”
“Oh, wow! This is incredible.” Ashley promptly mounted the teal Streamdale seven-speed bike, complete with a wicker basket.
She clamped the front caliper brakes. Ashley’s face lit up like it was Christmas.
“This is exactly what I needed!” She had already decided getting a car at this point wasn’t necessary.
Her plan was to finish in a year and then decide what type of wheels she required.
Todd urged her to get off so he could show her another added feature: It was foldable. “So it won’t take up too much room.”
Jessica stood close by. “I remember when we tried to teach you how to ride. You didn’t want training wheels, but after a few scrapes everyone thought they would be a good idea. Funny thing, though, you caught on so fast the training wheels lasted less than a week.”
“I’m a quick study,” Ashley said and hugged her mother.
Jessica handed Ashley a bicycle toolbox. “Just in case you get a flat tire.”
“And this is in case you need to hang a photo.” Todd handed her another tool kit. This one was pink, fully equipped with titanium scissors, pliers, measuring tape, screwdrivers, clawhammer, adjustable wrenches, a utility knife, and other multi-tool accessories.
Ashley was getting choked up. Her parents had thought of everything.
“You guys are the best.” Ashley wrapped her arms around her parents and gave them a crushing hug.
“Come on. We need to get moving.” Todd shooed them along.
Once everything was packed in, Ashley stooped down to give Sugar Babe a big hug. “You take care of Mommy, okay?” Sugar Babe held up her paw. “Aw, such a good girl.”
Geraldine, the neighbor, assured everyone that Sugar Babe was in good hands for the few days they would be away.
The threesome piled into the SUV. Ashley put the makeshift DARTMOUTH sign in the rear window and shouted, “Let’s rumble!”
A cool breeze welcomed them to the campus. The hint of autumn was in the air, signaling the White Mountains would soon transform into a beautiful display of reds, oranges, and gold.
Cars and rental trucks blocked the streets, but the atmosphere felt more like a festival. People were sharing the many dozens of cookies that accompanied them to their new digs. Someone anonymously ordered a dozen pizzas to be shared by students.
The friendly banter and laughter eased Jessica and Todd’s minds.
They had no doubt their daughter would flourish in this environment.
Their only concern was the distance. When she was at Swarthmore, she was a little over an hour’s drive from home.
Even though she wasn’t moving across the country, six hours by car was a bit of a stretch in an emergency.
Ashley spotted Mi Cha and her mother, along with another woman who Ashley surmised was a relative. Mi Cha ran up to Ashley and gave her a big hug.
“I am very happy to see you!” she squealed.
“Me too!” Ashley responded.
Mi Cha’s mother and the other woman approached the buoyant young women.
“Very nice to see you again, Mrs. Kim.” Ashley held out her hand.
“Please call me Ari,” Mrs. Kim replied.
Mi Cha introduced the other woman. “And this is my imo, Aunt Sun-hee.”
“Very nice to meet you as well.” Ashley smiled and offered her hand.
Sun-hee bowed and then held out her hand.
“Her English isn’t as good as my mother’s,” Mi Cha said with a grin.
Sun-hee may not have had a total grasp on speaking English, but she understood her niece. “You stop!” She pouted.
Mi Cha leaned in and feigned a whisper. “She pretends she doesn’t speak English.”
Her comment was an excellent icebreaker, and the introductions continued.
Ashley presented her mother and father to the Kim family.
“You remember my father, Todd. This is my mother, Jessica. Both my parents speak fluent English, but my mother insists that my father doesn’t understand her!
” It took a beat before everyone got the joke, and then Sun-hee couldn’t stop laughing.
Mi Cha was grinning from ear to ear. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her laugh this hard. Ever.”
“It’s all about the company you keep.” Jessica gave Todd an elbow.
Todd pulled out a collapsible dolly and piled it as high as he could with Ashley’s belongings. Mi Cha and her mother were about to lug their boxes, but Todd put a stop to it. “I’ll be right back. You relax and get acquainted.”
Ashley noticed a warm expression on Mrs. Kim’s face.
Did her father have an admirer? Maybe she would even be smitten if she found out her parents were divorced.
That could be sweet, Ashley thought. She had no expectation for her parents reconciling.
They both were much happier with the current situation.
“I’ll give you a hand, Pops,” Ashley said and trotted behind him.
Mi Cha grabbed one of the lighter boxes and followed.
After dropping off the boxes from the car, Todd headed to the storage room to get the items Ashley had delivered.
He loaded up the dolly and unloaded it twice before heading back downstairs to help with Mi Cha’s belongings.
It was a team effort, with Todd bringing up boxes and Jessica, Ari, Sun-hee, and the girls unpacking them as they were delivered.
Three hours later they were done. Todd looked around the two apartments. “Everything in the right place?”
Ashley and Mi Cha nodded, looking exhausted.
“I think it’s time we cleaned up our acts and made dinner plans,” Todd suggested.
“Splendid idea,” Jessica said as she dried her hands on a kitchen towel and walked across the hall. “Would you like to join us for dinner?” she offered to the Kims.
Todd was right behind her. “We can go to that great Spanish restaurant again.” He turned and looked toward Ashley.
“Muy bien!” Ashley responded.
The Kim family was staying at the same hotel, and they agreed to clean up their act and meet in the lobby in an hour.
Now that the SUV was empty, Todd was able to flip the third-row seat, allowing the six of them to travel to the restaurant together.
It wasn’t particularly comfortable, but it served its purpose.
During their meal, Ashley noticed that Sun-hee spoke a good deal of English. Perhaps she’s shy. Mi Cha’s shy. Maybe it runs in the family.
After the many plates of tapas, they decided to forego dessert and head back to the hotel to get some much-needed sleep.
The following morning was breakfast, more unpacking, and pizza.
By the end of the day, Ashley had almost everything set in place.
It finally looked homey. All it needed was something on the walls.
There was a student art festival at the end of the month.
She decided to wait until then and support a fellow student.
Jessica and Todd had a six-hour ride back and wanted to do most of it during the daylight, so they set out at six the next morning. At the crack of dawn, everyone said their fond farewells with misty eyes.
The academic year went by in a flash. Ashley was granted a fellowship to continue at Dartmouth for her doctorate.
Mi Cha decided to move closer to her family and enrolled at Cornell.
They stayed connected but Ashley had learned a lesson in long-distance relationships after she graduated from high school and undergraduate work.
It’s not as if she had a blasé attitude toward friendship, but she was realistic.
People come into your life for a reason, season, or a lifetime. Only time would tell.