A car drove up and stopped right outside the awning.
Charles rose to let Sara out of the table booth.
"I promise I will call if I see anything you should see. Between two-fifty and a million, right? All are on one floor, or the master is on the bottom floor. We have a pool and a fenced yard for a dog we may get. No repairs are needed; newer, in an established neighborhood, the better part of town, and has no flat roofs. Did I forget anything," Sara teased as she went out the door.
"Yes, immediate move-in," Marge yelled as she closed the door. Sara met the realtor before she got to the door. "Sara."
"Yeah, Sara, and your Amanda Turner?"
"Yes, that is me. I have a list of houses for you. Most are empty, and a few people are moving out as we speak," she told her as they got in her car.
"So, you have all the criteria," Sara asked.
"Yes, everything you asked for; you have a huge price range, so we have a bunch to see," Amanda told her.
"Well, it's for my Aunt and Uncle, but they are getting too old to keep looking. I told them I would look and narrow it down for them."
"I have had many people who have done the same thing for parents," Amanda told her.
Turning up a road she had been down before with the other realtor. Sara pointed as they went by a house they had seen with the old realtor.
"We looked at that one."
"Why, it has nothing you are looking for," Amanda said.
Sara told her, frustrated. "Now, see why I called another realtor; she didn't listen." She just hoped she did.
"Yeah, she was probably trying to sell what she had a full commission on. But as you can see, she lost the sale," Amanda said with a smile.
Turning into a driveway. Now, this one has four bedrooms and three and a half baths. Built in 2007, one owner. Amanda opened the door. The bank has had it for about six months now. They want three-forty-nine. You can offer less and see what they come back with."
Sara did her walk-through. "Does it have a fenced backyard?"
"Yes, ma'am, it does," she said, stepping out the back door.
"Ok, let's see what else you have," Sara said. "I like it all one floor, and not much needs to be done. It is good, but let's look at a few more." Sara knew Marge would not be happy with that one. It looked like every other house in the neighborhood.
"Marge wants a southwest flare, so why live out here otherwise?"
Driving a few miles away, she pulled into an area near the foothills. The location was greener, with a few more trees and lovely homes, some very nice. She pulled up to an impressive Spanish-style home with great character. It had a red tile roof, tan stucco, a lovely arched covered front porch, a long driveway, a split three-car garage, and oversized windows on a large lot. Not that flat roof Marge doesn't like. It was impressive.
"How old is this one."
"It looks old, but it was built in 09. The owners wanted the traditional Spanish, but all the upgrades of a modern home."
"And it is?" Sara asked.
"Oh Yes, it is a five-bedroom, five-and-a-half bath with a pool and a maid's quarters or pool house. It is seven hundred and fifty thousand. The owners transferred to Houston, and they moved out two weeks ago. You could take possession in days for a cash sale. It is somewhat different; it has a mother-in-law wing. It would be great for you. It has a separate entrance and garage and is set up like a master bedroom. It is very nicely done," the realtor told her as she opened the door. "I'm thinking someone's mother lived with them."
Sara was impressed as she walked around the massive expanse of the entrance, which made her fall in love with the place. She checked every room, all the closets, and the two masters' rooms, and then went out to the pool.
"Oh, Charles would love this. Is it heated," Sara asked,
looking at the paperwork, "No, but you could have that done easily. But right here is a hot tub." She pointed out as they walked around the large, fenced backyard.
"I think you did it with this one. Both of them will be happy. I will have a room way down there. Family is one thing, but living with them in that motor home is getting old. Charles can only pass so much gas at night until it is not funny anymore," Sara told her.
"OK, take me home, and we will bring them back to this one."
Sara called Marge with the realtors, and they drove back to RV Park.
"Yeah, I found one. We are coming for you.
No, it is no big deal; no one is there. Tell him to put on his shoes, and he will be fine.
No, there is no one to impress.
We are maybe fifteen minutes from you.
No, I think you will love this one.
It has a hot tub, pool, and all.
Yes, ma'am, and two masters.
I know it sounds and looks good.
Just be ready. I think we have found a house."
Sara hung up and said a little prayer. Please, God, let them like this house.
"So, tell me where a good place to buy furniture is," Sara asked the realtor.
She and Marge have been talking about furnishing a home for weeks.
"I'll show you. We will drive right by it. They have good quality furniture and deliver fast. Tell them I sent it to you and you will get a discount. They do a lot of staging for our houses for us. We work with them all the time," she told her.
"Here it is, Grimes furniture," she pointed at a sprawling building.
"The house is in a good location, stores all around, but you still have that country feel. The large lots help. That one is on almost two acres. Lots of mowing, but you can hire a man and wife to stay in the maid's quarters, and they can keep the place up for you."
"That is an excellent idea, but I'm not doing it," Sara told her. She laughed to herself what a diva she had become in a few short weeks. She should be crawling on her knees thanking them, but she is making jokes about not being willing to clean their house here. She should be ashamed, but she needs them set up for when she leaves to make a life for herself.
*
The realtor showed the folks around, pointing out everything she had already shown Sara. Walking behind them, Sara envisioned the rooms filled with Comfortable furniture, Charlie sleeping on the couch, and Marge reading a book.
"So, what do you think?" Sara asked as they stood in front of the hot tub.
"Oh baby, you did wonderfully. This is perfect," Marge told her, looking back at the house.
"Yes, it is," Charlie said, walking towards her, pulling her into his arms and holding her tightly. "This is perfect. Where is my checkbook?" He teased.
*
The realtor put the house on the fast track. With the economy in the downturn, not too many homes were selling. Money was tight and stiff to find from banks. Most people could not walk on water, so houses were sitting. A cash sale, everyone jumped to make the commission. The title company, the surveyor, and the inspection were done in days. The few things the inspector found were not enough for Charlie not to do the deal. The house was theirs in ten days with a handshake and the passing of the keys. A new life started for them all.
In a new Cadillac Charlie bought a few days earlier, they drove over to do a walk-through again. Charlie turned the key, opened the door, and welcomed them in. Sara and Marge talked about the furniture they envisioned in each room while Charlie checked out the workings of the hot tub. He came in telling them his plans. "I'm going to have a metal building erected on the side of the house to park the RV in, extending the drive over there," he said, pointing to the side of the house. "It is going to take up too much of the driveway otherwise," he told them after seeing other metal buildings in the area. "It seems to be no problem around here. Several homes have buildings out behind them."
"That sounds perfect. I was wondering where we were putting that monstrosity. We can store the mower and other equipment in there. Keep the garages for cars. We need room for the other two cars. Once Sara learns to drive, she will need one, and of course, we should get a jeep so we can explore the countryside," Marge said, sounding like a much younger woman.
"Sounds good to me. You drop me off at the RV, and I will bring it over here while you two go look for furniture."
Marge smiled at Sara and headed for the front door. Deciding to stop for lunch first, they talked about what kind of furniture each one wanted.
"I have never been in a furniture store. I have no idea what I want," Sara told her.
"Well, this will be fun. We will first walk through the whole place, then narrow it down to a few choice pieces. We have to keep in mind the style of the house," Marge told her.
"That is true, but remember, we have all the antiques in storage, too," Charlie reminded her.
"Oh, Charlie, there aren't that many, and for a big house, we can place them around, and it will look natural as if we brought in new and built around the old stuff instead of the other way around."
"Ok, well, let's get going. I'll call the moving company when I get back to the RV and have them deliver our things ASAP," Charlie told her.
Back at the campgrounds, Sara helped stow away the chairs and barbeque while Marge pressed the buttons to retract the awning, raise the levelers, and bring in her bedroom.
*
Stepping into the store, a saleswoman approached them. Marge raised her hand before she reached them.
"We are just looking for now," Marge called out to the woman looking for a sale.
"Okay, let me know if I can help you," she told them, walking away.
Taking a left away from the woman, they walked along, looking at the different room arrangements. Sara looked ahead; they had dozens more to look at.
"My goodness, I had no idea there was this much furniture to choose from," Sara complained. It seemed daunting with everything they had to choose from and how much they needed.
"Oh, this is nothing. They have furniture stores in Jersey that are three times this size. I'm sure they also have bigger ones in this town."
"This is just the one the realtor told me about," Sara offered, not wanting to force her to buy from this place.
"This one has nice stuff. It is good quality. We will buy what we can from here," Marge told her, discounting her concern.
"Don't forget the discount she told us about," Sara reminded her, knowing she spent money like water.
"Let's keep track of the ones we like. Marge said as she pulled out a pen and tablet from her purse. "We may start getting confused. I have the advantage. I know what antiques we have coming," Marge told her.
They spent an hour roaming and making notes. Marge shows her how to pick quality furniture. She was impressed by Sara's taste. They first picked a dining room table and hutch with a southwestern flair. They chose a more formal seating arrangement for the front room. They chose a casual, comfortable combo for the den area.
Sara lounged on each couch to see which ones were most comfortable. She knew Charlie would spend hours lying on whichever one they chose. Choosing a couple of recliners and a seating arrangement, they went on to the three sets of bedroom furniture for the upstairs. In the master bedroom, Sara took her cue from Marge and looked at a different style. There is nothing southwestern about the set she chose.
"For you, Sara, you need a sitting area in your room for when you have someone over. I think a load, a couple of chairs, and a coffee table that will accompany your other furniture would be better. You could even watch TV; the room is huge, and it will all fit just fine."
"No, I'll watch TV with you and Charlie."
"No, I already know you will tire of sitting around with us watching what we want to watch. You will want to be on your own."
"No, I have already grown up. I think I will go back to being a kid."
"Well, that's fine, but you'll still have a TV and stereo in your room so that you can play your childish music," Marge told her with a smile.
"Sweetheart, pick out what you like. We have more money than we can use; we won't last as long as the money will."
"Marge, don't talk like that. You can't leave me alone. I don't know how to take care of myself."
"Oh, you know more than you think. Come on; let's find the rest of the furniture."
Sara looped her arm around Marge and continued their quest for her room furniture. Marge was getting to her two-hour limit. Taking advantage of many chairs as Sara looked for her last pieces, they continued to shop.
"We can always check other places next week if we need anything else," Marge told her.
"I just really want to get this done," Sara complained; she is not a big fan of shopping.
"This is crazy. Most young people love to shop, and with you, it is like pulling teeth."
"I think it is because I have never shopped before. I had whatever was given to me and wore it whether I liked it or not. Now I have to pick things out, but I'm unsure about my taste."
"You have very good taste. I have been watching you. I can tell what you like and don't like. You do have good taste. We will have to go out and do more shopping so you learn to enjoy it," Marge teased.
"Yeah, sure, but let's set up the house first. What do you think of this one?" Sara asked, lounging on a loveseat.
"Sure, it is nice, and the wood color is the same as the bedroom set so that it will go," Marge assured her as she wrote the numbers down.
"Well, we should get what we have already picked out. We need to find the sales lady and have her write all this stuff up," Sara suggested, thinking that would take a while.
"Yeah, let's get what we have picked out. We can always come back or go somewhere else," Marge told her. She, too, was tired of shopping.
They looked around and couldn't find a salesperson who was not busy with other customers.
"Well, we have the stock numbers, so let's see if they can help us in the office," Marge told her, following Sara to the office.
"Oh, look, Sara, a fainting couch would be good for my room. I can lay back and read."
"Yeah, it looks very old-fashioned. It would go along with the antiques. Yeah, put it on your list," Sara told her.
Stepping into the office, two older women and one young man were doing paperwork. A radio played softly on a country station.
"HI. All the salespeople are busy, and we have a list of things we want. Can anyone here help us?" Marge asked.
The young man stood and walked towards them. He would try.
"Yes, Ma'am, I can help," he told them, acting anxious.
Marge handed him the paper with her list.
"Our realtor Amanda referred us, and she said we may get a discount," Sara told him as he reviewed the list.
"Yes, Amanda refers to a lot of people here. You want all this. Or is this what you looked at?" the young man asked, a little shocked at their list. It went on for four pages—sure, it was printed large, but four pages.
"We want all the things on the list ASAP. We bought a house, and it needs furniture before we can move in," Sara told him.
"These are the item numbers on the tag and the price," Marge points out the different things she had written down.
Looking down the list, he says, "OK, let's start a sales slip. We may need to go out and see what color you want on some of these items." Extending his hand again, he shook their hands. "I'm Derek, and I can pop them up on the computer individually. If one of you would like to sit by me, we can get on with this."
"You go, Sara, I'm tired," Marge complained and remained seated along the wall.
Sitting beside him, he typed the item in, and slowly, the item came on the screen.
"See, Mom, I told you this will take a while," Sara warned.
"You think you could bring her home when this is all tallied up? I'm exhausted," Marge asked Derek.
He looked at her and Sara, then at the two co-workers.
"Yes, Ma'am, I can do that. How do you plan to pay for this?" He asked
"I have Visa, Master card, American Express, whichever one is cheapest for you. I will leave it with you, and when you bring Sara home, I will sign the ticket," Marge told him.
"Ok, we can do that," he told her as he came around and shook her hand. "Visa is best," he told her, taking the card from her.
"Sara, are you Okay with this?" Marge asked; seeing the expression on her face, she looked shocked at the suggestion.
"Yeah, you go and relax. I should not be too long," Sara told her, hugged her, and sat beside Derek.
"You're sure about this?" Marge asked him again. He looked confused.
"Yes, ma'am, you're not putting me out. I will bring her home as soon as possible," Derek said.
"No girlfriend or wife to shoot me for asking you to do this," Marge asked.
"No, ma'am, none of those things," Derek said, turning red.
"That's interesting, but she doesn't either," Marge told him.
"We just moved to town, and she needs to meet people."
"Go home, Mother," Sara told her, bright red with embarrassment.
"Please ignore her; she is from the north, and they don't have any manners," Sara told him as Marge went out the door.
"You call her mother, but you didn't live up north. I can tell by your accent," Derek asked, concerned they were being scammed.
"Yeah, well, she is my aunt. Her daughter was killed, and my parents were killed within months of each other. Mine was killed in a car accident. They came down to Texas to take care of me. She asked me to call her Mom, and I have since then," Sara told him, looking sad.
"Anyways, her daughter's death was no accident, and the company paid them millions, so we moved here to start over. You know, get away from old memories and greedy relatives. But they are getting old, so I do as much for them as possible."
"Well, that is nice of you, and you are lucky to have a family that could take you in," Derek told her, returning to the computer.
"Oh yes, I was. They were ready to put me into foster care. I was only sixteen when my parents died. I was badly injured from the wreck. I spent months in rehab, and then they came for me," Sara told him and sat back, thinking that was pretty convincing. "Yes, I know how lucky I am. The money is just the icing," Sara told him, but she needed to shut up. She was rambling.
"Okay, let's get this furniture ordered. I will pop them up, and you tell me if this is what you wanted and what color."
Sara followed Derek out the front door an hour and a half later. Adding to the furniture, she picked out lamps, nicknames, rugs, and a few pieces of artwork. Saving 10%, she was thrilled Sara knew Marge wouldn't care.
Derek was thrilled he was a new hire, learning from the bottom up. He started in the business office and just made a huge commission. He was fresh out of college with an MBA and no job prospects. He fell into this job when his brother brought him in to replace him. A competitor in town hired his brother. He had been sitting in the office, adding sales receipts, placing orders, going crazy, listening to the two old ladies complain about aches and pains. Sara was like a breath of fresh air floating into the office and brought a much-needed cash flow. Embarrassingly opening the door to his old Chevy, Sara slid in, dodging coke cans and candy wrappers.
"I'm sorry; I haven't had anyone in my car in months. None of them were girls," Derek told her.
"So, you don't date much," Sara asked.
"I don't have much to offer. It's hard to date when all your money goes to paying bills. I have a huge college loan debt. I wish they guaranteed us all a job once we graduate," he complained while he drove her home.
"I haven't even thought about college. I'm still working on my high school diploma. Don't freak. I'm over eighteen; I just missed out on so much school after the accident. Then we have been traveling for months. Now that we are settled, I can take my test and get on with my life as Marge keeps telling me," Sara told him as she pointed to lead him towards her house.
Marge met them in the driveway, signed the statement, and gave him a hundred-dollar bill for his troubles.
Derek stood dumbfounded in the driveway. "Um, Ma'am, you don't need to do this. I was happy to bring her home."
"Good, then take her out to dinner one day soon," Marge called out as she walked back to the house.
"Mother," Sara yelled, "please come in and let me speak to my mother." Displaying her audacity.
"Oh, Sara, don't worry, I would love to take you out for dinner."
"No, she has gone too far," Sara complained.
"Why, we both could use a friend. You're new to town, and I'm freshly back," Derek told her.
Calming down, she looked at his sweet face. "Well, not tonight. I'm too tired."
"No, I can understand you have had a long day," he said, looking disappointed.
"No, really, I have. It started very early with the house's closing, and we have been going ever since," Sara informed him.
"No problem, Sara. You have the store's number; call when you're ready. I would be happy to take you to dinner," he told her, trying to hand her the money back.
"No, you keep it; she won't take it back. Come on in, and I will show you around," she told him as he followed her into the house.
"Nice place," Derek told her as they entered. It was impressive, with high ceilings and lovely tile floors. Marge came out of the kitchen. Sara shook her fist at her. Marge smiled and kept walking.
"Thank you, Derek. I loved it when I first saw it. We had been looking for a few weeks, and I found a new realtor. She showed me this one, and it was perfect for us. Come; let me show you my room."
Sara took his hand and pulled him past the living area and Marge's judging eyes.
"The house is so cool it has two master suites. This one was for a mother-in-law or something like that, but it is mine," Sara told him excitedly, pulling him into her room and out the side door. "I have a separate entrance and a garage for the car I will get someday. I have to learn to drive first." She took him around the rest of her room and even showed him her shower. Took him out to the pool. "Isn't it nice? I had nothing like this growing up. We were poor. Anyways," Sara said in her thick Texas drawl.
"There are three bedrooms upstairs. I love it here; I can't wait to move in and out of the RV."
"That is a mighty nice RV," Derek told her.
"Yes, it is, but not after you have lived in it for months."
"Yeah, I can understand. It would feel cramped."
"Let Charlie get to snoring; lord, it is bad."
Marge waved from the den, where she was sitting on the fireplace. Sara gave her a not-too-happy smile.
"Okay, really, Sara, when you are ready for that dinner, I will come and take you out gladly," Derek said.
"Oh, that is so sweet. Let things settle down around here, and I will call you."
"Good, let me get this paperwork back and set up the delivery. They should be able to bring most of the order out tomorrow."
"Great, then I will see you soon," Sara told him as he walked out the door. He could hear her yelling.
"Mother, I can't believe you did that," Marge smiled as she entered the den.
"Oh, you need to be with young people, not around us old fogies all the time."
"But I'm not ready to date anyone. Good lord, it has only been a month."
"True, but that was a lifetime ago. You need to get out and have some fun," Marge told her.
"Well, he is very willing to take me out."
"Good, tell me about him. I already know he is handsome."
"Yeah, I noticed that right off. He is nice-looking, polite, and just out of college. He is a funny, sweet person. I told him all about myself and kept to the story. He figures the furniture will be delivered tomorrow. If not, all the rest will be in the next few days. We will get settled, find a doctor for Charlie, and then relax. But Marge, I'm neither ready nor looking for a boyfriend. I plan to stay away from men for the rest of my life. Pops is the only man who has not beaten or raped me or all around mistreated me my entire life."
"But Sara, there are lots of men out there who would never hit, rape, nor mistreat you. You have to be open to meeting them. Life can be lonely without someone in your life."
"Mom, I was pushing it when I said a month. I need to heal before you push me out the door. My life was hell; I needed time. I know you feel it is for my good, but not yet."
"Ok, I'll back off, but you can't hide from life."
"I don't plan on doing that. I will work on my GED and get a driver's license. I will find a job and probably check out community college," Sara told her.
"Good, but don't worry about working. We need you to worry about furthering your education."
"I know you have lots of money. It is yours, not mine."
"Yes, it is, but I can spend it anyway; I want, and I want to help you."
"Well, that is nice of you, but I want to see if I can find a job," Sara informed her.
"That is fine, you do that, but the jobs you can find with just a GED aren't the best. I would rather you concentrate on your education. Spend your energy on learning and getting a degree."
"I hear you, but I have never worked a day. No one has ever paid me for my abilities."
"Okay, Sara, you do what you want. We are here to help in any way we can."
"Thank you, that is being a good mother."
"You're welcome," Marge said and hugged her.
*
Charlie's cell rang at 9:00 the following day, and he was pulling a few weeds in the front landscaping.
He made a few calls yesterday. The Morton building man is coming, and a pool company is coming out later today to show him how it works and set up a maintenance schedule. He was pressing to have everything done before winter came. He is so used to the bad winters in Jersey he can't relax until everything is to his liking.
"Marge, the furniture is on its way. It will be here within the hour," Charlie called out after answering another call.
*
Marge and Sara spent the morning unpacking the RV. Sara had all her clothes in her room, some hung and some on her shelves, waiting for her new dresser. She helped Marge with all her and Charlie's things and put the vacuum back into its cubby in the RV. Marge left most kitchen things in the RV so they could bring their clothes and go anytime.
"Now we must go out and buy everything for the kitchen and bathroom. We also need sheets and blankets for the new beds," Marge told her. "Curtains, I want to get rid of the old ones. We also need help with the lawn mowing," Marge complained as a truck stopped out front.
Sara ran up and down the stairs dozens of times, directing furniture placement. Speaking Spanish to a couple of the deliverymen shocked Charlie. "When did you learn Spanish?" He asked her on one of her trips back downstairs.
"Pops, I was raised in Texas, and everyone speaks Mexican. It is just conversational, nothing too fancy. I can keep up pretty well. I know many curse words; I have been called them all."
"Well, being bi-lingual is a plus in the workplace, so make sure you put that down on any application you fill out," Pops told her as they watched the furniture enter the house. Sara directed in Spanish and English. Before the men left, Sara told them they needed a couple to keep the house and the yard up. "If you know someone, please have them come by and talk to us. Oh yeah, it is live-in, and English is a must."
They walked room to room, looking at the furniture. Sara shoved it around, trying to make it work better in the room. Charlie helped lift coffee tables so Sara could put rugs down. After hours of rearranging, Marge and Sara finally relaxed in Sara's room. Watching Charlie out her window, showing the Morton building man what he wanted. They watched them shake hands, and Charlie came into Sara's entrance.
"Well, they can start next week. They have to order the building material and then get going."
"Are they doing the concrete work?" Marge asked.
"No, they work with the concrete guy, who has the footprint of the building. He will send him over later to give an estimate; it should be poured and finished in a few days. We need the concrete cured before they start on the building."
"Well, it sounds like they have it all handled," Sara told him.
"Sounds like you listened closely, with the cure and the footprint. I'm impressed," Marge teased.
"Yeah, he explained everything."
What color did you pick?" Sara asked if her father had one on his property.
"Oh, just like the house, I don't want it to stand out like a sore thumb."
"No tan is a good color," Sara told him.
"Lunch was way past due. Can I make sandwiches for you two?" Sara asked.
"That would be so great. Thank you, sweetheart," Marge smiled as she left the room.
"I had no idea she could speak Spanish," Charlie told Marge.
"I know I was shocked, too. We still have a lot to learn about our Sara."
"Yeah, no more pushing her to date," Charlie chastised her.
"I know; I just want her to have some fun. I feel sorry for her stuck with us all the time. She needs a car and the ability to take off when she wants to."
"Honey, she may not want to take off when she wants. She seems like a homebody, so stop trying to change her."
"Ok, Charlie, I hear you. I can't help wanting to help her escape her shell and live."
"She needs her shell right now. The girl had lived in hell. She doesn't need another man groping on her."
"Oh, come on, I don't see Derek groping on her; he is a nice young man," Marge said.
"The key word is man. All men grope at some point. I remember doing a lot of groping in my youth."
"Yeah, I remember that too. We should try that now that we have room," Marge teased.
"I'm afraid that is all I can do is grope," Charlie complained.
"Better than nothing," Marge encouraged.