Convincing Amy (Amy, #1)

Chapter 01: The Letter

Chapter One 
THE LETTER

January

A young woman slept dreamlessly. The humid January night had forced her to sleep in just a pair of white knickers and a white tank top. Her bed sheets were everywhere but upon her bed, and the fan was spinning at its top speed, trying to cool the bedroom. Beads of sweat were beginning to form along the woman's forehead just as time clicked over to six a.m.

The digital alarm clock on her nightstand began to beep uncontrollably, raising the volume after every five beats. This chiming woke the woman instantly. She was exhausted from the heated slumber, that it took her a little longer than usual to reach out to the clock and stop its alarming noise.

As the room went quiet, the outside world became clearer. The baby magpies were squawking loudly for their parents to feed them, and the kookaburras were welcoming in the new day with a joyous laugh. The strong and hot north wind was wisping through the tree tops, blowing any loose items around violently. The woman could also hear the faint humming of the post man's motorbike along the road.

She sighed loudly before heaving herself off the bare mattress. She searched her bedroom for the strewn sheets and pillows before making her bed in a neat and orderly fashion. She began by fixing the fitted sheet to the mattress properly before she tucked in the matching loose sheet atop of it. The doona was aired and fluffed out before it was spread across the top of the bed. Finally, the pillows and various teddy bears from her childhood were placed at the head of the bed, making the woman's bedroom look a lot cleaner.

With a sweaty forehead, the woman headed out of her bedroom, across the hall and into the bathroom. She locked the door behind her before heading over to the toilet in the corner to relieve her full bladder. After flushing the toilet, she went to the basin to wash her hands thoroughly. She dried her hands on a towel, and then decided to quickly step onto the scales. Her face lit up when the electronic scales flashed her average weight on the small display screen.

Heading back to her bedroom, the woman found her grey jogging shorts and hastily pulled them over her underwear. She searched her dresser for a pair of white socks that she slid onto her feet. She grabbed her hairbrush and roughly untangled the mess within her brown hair before pulling it into a ponytail with black hair elastic. With her iPod in hand, the woman headed out into the living room.

She laced up her runners tightly before placing the iPod earphones into the correct ear and beginning her favourite music. With a good beat thrumming through her mind, she exited the house out to the front porch with a dog lead in her grasp. As soon as the door was shut, she began to call quietly for the family's black and white Border collie dog.

"Lola!" she called, trying not to wake the others who were still sleeping inside.

It was enough to get the dog's attention, for she was at her master's side in a matter of seconds. The woman smiled as she clipped the end of the dog lead to Lola's pink diamonded collar. With that, both owner and dog began their routine morning jog.

They both walked to the front gate, and after it was closed, the woman began to jog and Lola soon caught up to the right pace. There were many others out for a dose of morning exercise, some with dogs and some without. Parents were strolling with their young children in the prams in front of them, and there were even some cyclists along the quiet roads.

After a five-kilometre run, the woman arrived back at her front gate with a high heart rate. She placed her right hand over her heart and could feel the pounding. She hastily collected the morning mail and newspaper from the letterbox before opening the gate and letting Lola free. Instantly, the tired Border collie raced to her water bowl and drank messily.