Chapter Text
Hope steers into the carpark and parks her car, turns the ignition off and sits still, takes a deep relieving breath and exhales. She opens the door and gets out of her car and walks down to the beach. Taking her shoes off she presses her feet into the sand enjoying the feel of the movement under feet. She walks down to the water and listens for the calming waves coming in and out melodically. This has always been Hope's favourite place, her peace from her life. The sun is shining and she feels the warmth on her skin and the breeze that is silently blowing on this beautiful Autumn day.
Hope has been here hundreds of times since moving from her home of New Orleans after the devastating death of her parents 16 years ago. Even as the time is passing, her grief never subsides, she can barely handle the pain of her loss. Her mind wanders back to those days and what would've been, her parents would have been a loving, calming and above all supportive presence in her life. She sighs again saying to the air “I wish you were still here, I need you” a single tear trickles down her cheek. Listening to the waves she wonders how her life turned and ended up as it is now, painful, terrifying, lonely and still grieving. She looks to the water and thinks how easy it would be just to walk out into the waves it even seems to be beckoning her and to be absorbed by the water and to finally be free, to succumb. She's had suicidal thoughts over the last couple of years but the only thing that pulls her out of her darkness is the thought of her daughter, Ava. Ava Rose Mikaelson is a stunning 15 year old, with long auburn hair and bright blue eyes. She's the mirror image of her mother and Hope is so grateful to have her. Ava is her daughter and her best friend and without Ava even knowing, she has saved her mothers life several times over the last years.
Hope is pulled out of her thoughts by her cell phone ringer, she looks at the photo on screen and smiles. Her best friend and business manager Lizzie Saltzman is ringing. Hope has known Lizzie since high school and they have been each others support through good times and most definitely bad times. Hope asked Lizzie to be one of the managers of the company she inherited when her parents died. Mikaelson Industries, now a global company, and is the top in the world in the IT and technology industry.
“Hey you” Hope says.
“Hi, where are you? I swung by your house incase you wanted to grab some lunch before going to work. You werent there.”
“Sorry Lizzie, I had to clear my head, I'm just at the beach, but yes, lunch sounds great, I can meet you at Salvatore's if you want?”
“Yeah Salvatore's works I'll see you in maybe a half hour?”
“Yes perfect, i'll see you then, Bye”
“Bye”
Hope disconnects from the phone call and rubs a hand through her hair. She can't believe how lucky she is to have such a great friend. She was worried when she offered Lizzie the job as everyone kept telling her friendship and business never works. But thankfully it has.
She starts walking along the beach to get back to her car, pangs of jealousy shoot through her looking at the few people on the beach, they seem like happy couples. 'NO, I can't let this happen i'm not getting in my head again' she thinks to herself.
She drives to Salvatore's, a classy, expensive restaurant that mainly the elite of business go for lunch or meetings and it happens to be just around the corner from the Mikaelson Industries Head office, where she works.
“Good afternoon Mrs Mikaelson, it's good to see you. We have reserved you a table along the window wall. This is on the right hand side of the restaurant an entire side where there are only windows or stacker doors. Hope likes it there she can feel claustrophobic where there is not windows and natural light.
“Thankyou very much Grayson, is Lizzie here yet?”
“Actually here she is right now” he says after looking up and seeing Lizzie approaching Hope from behind.
Hope turns around and smiles, they give each other a hug and are escorted to their table by Grayson. “I'll get a server for you immediately”
“thanks Grayson.
While Hope has been talking to Grayson, Lizzie has taken the opportunity to look Hope over, she looks thin, pale and tired. Lizzie hadn't seen Hope for the last couple of weeks as she was off on a vacation to Switzerland with her husband MG.
“Hope, are you ok” she wasn't going to make small talk first, she's worried about her friend and she thought she'd just blurt it out.
Hope smiles at her but it doesn't reach her eyes, “Of course. I'm fine, how was your vacation”
“No you're not changing the subject that easily Mikaelson, you look tired and I want to know if you're ok , truthfully”.
“I'm tired because I run a worldwide company Lizzie and have a teenager, I was up most of the night doing zoom calls to Asia.” she laughs.
Lizzie isn't falling for that though. “How has Landon been”
Hope's face drops, any happiness had just disappeared from her face and worry replaces it.
Landon Kirby, Hope had met him when he served her in New Orleans when they were just teenagers. Her family didn't like him but they ended up getting married anyway and a year or so later, Hope was pregnant with Ava. Landon was supposed to be Hope's epic love but unfortunately it hasn't turned out that way. Landon was a lousy father and when they decided to move to Florida, where they are now, Landon over the years had started drinking, and he has become a monster.
“Why do you ask?” Hope replies
“Hope you didn't turn up to work at your usual time before the birds are even out, I call you to find out you're walking your beach of peace, and you look like shit, it's definitely Landon related plus I haven't been here for you the last two weeks”.
“Ouch! If I look like shit it's because I was up most of the night Lizzie, everything is fine. Landon was on business trip for most of the two weeks anyway. So it's been fine. Ava and I have had some great mother/daughter time, which we don't get a lot of.
“You mean that useless piece of shit has a job?”
“Yes Lizzie he has a job....”
At this time the server comes, Good afternoon Mrs Mikaelson, Mrs Salzman, what can I get you today.
Hope says, “ I'll just have a coffee thanks” until Lizzie cuts in, “No she won't, she'll have the salad and I will too, also can you get us a bottle of your best white wine pls”
“Very well, I will be back very shortly”
“Thankyou”
“Are you ordering for me now?” Hope says slightly annoyed.
“Well someone has to look after you” Lizzie replies with the same annoyance.
Hope doesn't carry on the conversation as she knows Lizzie will not give up, so she asks again what Lizzie's vacation was like.
“aww Hope it was amazing, the ski fields, the fashion and the passion of my wonderful husband.”
Ahhh those damn jealousy pangs hit Hope again, but she does not show it in her face.
“My sister even came over for a week, It was so good to see her.”
“Oh how is Josie, I haven't seen her in years?”
“She's great, she completed medical school and she's been a doctor in a town called Mystic Falls in Virginia for a few years now, she is thriving. It was so good she could take a quick vacation with us.” Hope had only met Josie a few times for some reason Josie went to a different high school and Uni from her sister. But the times she had been with her she could tell Josie was a very kind, caring person. She's totally different to Lizzie. Lizzie being tall and blonde and loves fashion, you'd never see her out of designer clothing. Josie on the other hand is tall, long dark hair with a loose curl and chocolate brown eyes and her favourite clothing was sweats and a tank top. Hope was drawn to Josie and vice versa.
“You should buy a holiday home over there and we can all vacation there, think of how much fun we could have oh and Ava would love it. I could teach her how to ski, I'd love that” Lizzie says with a beaming smile.
“I'll think about it” Hope says with a chuckle, Lizzie love's Ava, just as much as she would if she was her child. She's helped Ava out when Hope couldn't over the years, someone had to replace her dead beat dad.
Landon and Ava don't get on at all. Landon had actually told Hope to have an abortion, but Hope refused, she was not about to lose something she wants so much. He didn't want to leave New Orleans because he had a good job and he felt important, little did he know the only way he got the job was courtesy of the Mikaelson's though. They wanted him to make something of himself, so he could atleast help and provide for Hope. They died thinking he was doing ok. If only they could see him now. Now Landon blames Hope and Ava for his decline and he certainly lets them know it. From a good job in New Orleans to a lousy sales rep for motels job in Florida. The animosity runs deep.
Lizzie and Hope finish their lunch. They both get up to leave and as they get near the entrance they thank Grayson, Hope pays the bill and leaves a very generous tip then they leave the restaurant.
“Ok now when I get to work you're going to be there right?” Lizzie asks with a big smile on her face.
“Yes I'll be there” Hope chuckles back.