As the car came around the bend I saw the house, it was set back from the road but the view was amazing. This house had stood for centuries and the grounds were immaculately kept. It is a magnificent Tudor Revival mansion and if I recall right has an original 17th century foundation, although the family had been there for over 500 years. It's amazing what an 18 year old can find on the internet about the guy she likes. It's also amazing how much I can remember now. I've seen many photos of this estate but this is the first time actually see it in person. I had thought about convincing my friends to come do a house tour, but I'd have been so embarrassed if Ethan would have been home, especially after we'd broken up. So I stayed away.
Ethan squeezed my hand. "It's amazing Ethan." I said.
"Next week it will be your home." he said. "I've wanted to bring you here for years."
I smiled at him, "Tell me about the history of the estate."
Ethan started talking about the history of the estate, some things I'd learned and others were probably more of family only knowledge. I loved hearing him tell of the place he grew up and obviously loved. He pulled around to the back of the house and into a garage.
"Since we open the main part of the house to visitors, this garage is attached to the family wing, and only family and friends are allowed into this area. During the off season when tours are closed we use the main area of the house for parties and such." Ethan explained.
"And you live here with your parents? Are we expected to live here?" I asked.
"I usually stay the weekends here, unless I have events in the city to go to. And we have a whole floor in the family wing that will be just ours. We have a few bedrooms, a drawing room, office and a multipurpose room. The family typically all eats together in the family dining room on the first level. We also have a family library, drawing room and the kitchen which is part of the house tour as well, but we have a small pantry off the dining area for snacks and such so we don't have to go into the kitchen."
"So during the week you stay at your penthouse?"
"Yes, since I work in the city it is easier that way."
"And Mom will be able to stay there with us?"
"Yes, she is more than welcome to stay there or here, wherever she feels most comfortable." Ethan assured me.
When my teenage self dreamed of marrying Ethan, I never realized how complicated it would be. I mean, having a house that is open to the public for tours, sharing a house with his whole family, and being in the public eye are not what I pictured. But I was coming to realize that this was the reality I was facing. Maybe having gone for years without him in my life and growing up was a good thing. Also knowing that no other person I've met has made me feel the way he makes me feel. It makes me realize that even though some things are going to be difficult, I know I want to be with Ethan. He is my one and only.
Ethan gave me a tour of the house, the whole house. We managed to get the public part of the house between tours so we didn't run into other people. He saved the area of the house that we'd be living in for last. Apparently this floor was just opened up in the last year and was newly redecorated. Previously Ethan had a room on the floor his parents lived on, it wasn't until he became engaged that they started prepping the floor for his future family.
"If you don't like any of the decor, feel free to let me know and we can change it. I gave Charlotte free reign over most areas. I only requested to have the office done how I wanted and the common areas explained to me so I could say if I didn't like something. I honestly haven't really seen it since it was completed." Ethan explained as we walked up the stairs to our floor.
"I'd hate to waste all the money that went into redoing this area, so unless something is just awful to me, maybe we'll keep it however until we make this our primary residence." I said.
"That works for me as well." Ethan said. "I chose everything in the penthouse and Charlotte didn't touch it, but if there's anything you want to change about that once you see it, let me know."
We walked into the drawing room and Ethan explained, "All the furniture has been in the family for generations, the couch and chairs have just been reupholstered." I looked and noticed the ornate wood on the furniture and fell in love. They had been recovered in a golden color, which honestly is not the color I would have chosen but it did highlight the ornate golden wall designs. I was glad that the other than the golden accents, the rest of the walls were white. I honestly can't stand patterned wallpaper, it makes things too busy and makes my brain go crazy.
Next we visited the office and I could instantly see that Ethan had designed it. It was very masculine and functional. The mahogany desk was very sturdy and looked antique as it probably was. My eyes were drawn to the built in bookshelves behind the desk and then to the antique globe stand off to the side. I loved this room.
There were four bedrooms on our floor, two was set up as guest rooms. The master bedroom was done very much for a woman and the other bedroom was more masculine. It was weird to see that as I'm pretty sure it was designed so that Charlotte and Ethan would have their own rooms and Charlotte had claimed the master bedroom. I don't know why that struck me as wrong, but it did. It may have been because this was Ethan's childhood home so in my mind it should be his. But I don't know if they'd discussed it, maybe Charlotte just had more clothes and needed the closet space.
"I think this room needs to be redone, I can't picture you in it." I said to Ethan as he showed me the Master bedroom.
Ethan laughed, "I think my bedroom is across the hall."
"I guess we could use that room and give this room to Mom." I shrugged. "I just thought you'd want to use this room, but judging by the décor I must admit I'm confused."
"Honestly, I wasn't expecting this either, I mean I never discussed with her the ins and outs of how we would live but I figured once we were married we'd share a room. I guess she had other thoughts. Probably justified since she had her own room in the penthouse.
"I would be fine giving this room to your mom, that way we wouldn't have to redecorate it and we can stay in the other room, it's not that much smaller. It's up to you, I really don't care."
After a bit more discussion we decided to take the smaller room and let Mom have this master bedroom, especially since it wasn't our primary residence.