Chapter 28
The real estate office of Phillips & Associates sat on a tree-lined street in Andover, a modest storefront with large windows and a green awning that had seen better days. Lauren stared at it from the passenger seat of Michael's SUV, feeling a strange mix of nostalgia and pride.
“Here we are. It must feel funny seeing it now after being away for so many months.” Michael asked, pulling up to the curb.
“It is a little, but it hasn’t really been that long.” Lauren didn't move to get out.
Michael was quiet for a moment. “I remember the fire. I’m just so glad you got out of there in time. It must have been terrifying.”
Lauren nodded. “It certainly was scary.”
“I know you thought everything you'd worked for was gone.”
Lauren nodded. “It felt that way. For a while, anyway. But we rebuilt. Nell, Brian and me. We made it better than it was before.” She took a breath. “I should go in. You sure you don't mind waiting?”
“There's a coffee shop on the corner. I'll be fine. Take your time.”
Lauren climbed out of the SUV and stood on the sidewalk, smoothing her sweater and wondering why she felt nervous.
This had been her business, her team, her life for twelve years.
She had hired both of the agents who now ran it.
She had trained them, mentored them, watched them grow from nervous newcomers into confident professionals.
But that was before she had handed over the keys and walked away from everything she’d built and rebuilt after the fire nearly destroyed it all.
She had planned to open a new office in Sarasota, to start fresh in the Florida market.
But between settling into the new house, getting the kids adjusted to their schools, and driving Olivia to tennis tournaments every other weekend, she hadn't found the time. Or maybe she just hadn't been ready.
She pushed open the door, and a familiar chime announced her arrival.
The interior was exactly as she remembered it.
Two desks facing each other, a small waiting area with comfortable chairs, a wall of listings that had been updated with new properties but maintained the same organized layout she had established.
The smell of coffee and printer ink hung in the air, a scent that immediately transported her back to long days of showing houses and negotiating deals.
“Lauren?”
A woman rose from one of the desks, her face breaking into a wide smile.
Nell Baxter was in her early forties, with sharp eyes and a warm manner that made clients trust her immediately.
She had been Lauren's first hire, a former teacher looking for a career change, and had turned out to be a natural at real estate.
“Nell.” Lauren crossed the room and hugged her. “It's so good to see you.”
“What are you doing here? Why aren't you in Florida!”
“I am. I was. It's a long story.” Lauren pulled back and looked around. “Where's Brian?”
“Showing a property in Newton. He should be back in an hour.” Nell gestured to the chairs. “Sit, sit. Tell me everything. How are you? How are the kids? How's Jeff?”
They settled into the waiting area, and Lauren filled Nell in on the past few months. The trip to Massachusetts, Beth's twins, the clearing out of the Andover house. Nell listened with the focused attention of someone who genuinely cared, asking questions, exclaiming at the right moments.
“Twins,” Nell said, shaking her head. “I can't imagine two babies at once.”
“Beth is handling it beautifully. She has help now. Our half-sister Emily moved in to help with the babies and the orchard.”
“That's wonderful. Family support makes all the difference.” Nell paused. “And what about your mother's house? The Andover property?”
“That's actually part of why I'm here.” Lauren leaned forward. “We’re going to list it for sale by owner.”
Nell's eyebrows rose. “You're not using an agent?”
“I am the agent, Nell.” Lauren smiled. “I’m pretty sure I can sell my mother's house.”
“Fair point.” Nell laughed. “If you need any help, you know where to find us. Brian and I are always happy to assist.”
“I appreciate that. I think I’ve got everything covered, but my brother Michael lives up here and would be the better contact on everything. I wanted to check with you and Brian to make sure he can talk to you if he needs any help.”
“Of course, anything he needs have him call me. Give him my card,” she said, handing it to Lauren.
“Perfect.”
Lauren looked around the office again, taking in the small changes that had accumulated since she left. A new plant in the corner. Updated photos on the wall. A different coffee maker on the small counter by the window. “The place looks great, Nell. You and Brian have really made it your own.”
“We've tried to honor what you built while putting our own stamp on it.” Nell's voice softened.
“You know, after the fire, when we rebuilt this place together, I thought that was the hardest thing we'd ever do.
But then you told us you were leaving, and I realized that was harder.
I didn't know if we could do it without you.”
“And?”
“And it turns out we could. But it took a while to believe that.” Nell reached over and squeezed Lauren's hand. “You gave us the foundation, Lauren. The training, the systems, the confidence. Everything we've accomplished since then started with what you taught us.”
Lauren felt her eyes sting. “That might be the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me.”
“It's the truth.” Nell stood and crossed to one of the desks, returning with a framed photo. “Look at this. From the holiday party last year.”
The photo showed Nell and Brian surrounded by a small group of people Lauren didn't recognize. Clients, she assumed, based on the festive backdrop and the champagne glasses in everyone's hands.
“We closed forty-seven transactions last year,” Nell said. “Our best year ever. And we're on track to beat that this year.”
“I've seen the numbers. What you and Brian have done is incredible.”
“It wouldn't have happened without you. You built something real here, Lauren. Something that lasted. Even the fire couldn't destroy it. We’re just happy we get to be the people who run the place.”
The door chimed, and a man entered, tall and thin with a receding hairline and an easy smile.
Brian had been Lauren's second hire, a former accountant who had grown bored with numbers and wanted to work with people instead.
He had a gift for the financial side of real estate, explaining mortgages and closing costs in ways that made anxious buyers feel calm and confident.
“Lauren!” He crossed the room in three strides and pulled her into a hug. “Nell texted me. I couldn't believe it. What are you doing here?”
“Passing through. My brother is waiting outside. We're on our way back from my mother's house.”
“The Andover house?
“All done now. The movers left this morning.” Lauren smiled. “It's been quite a week.”
Brian settled into the chair beside Nell. For the next twenty minutes, they caught up on everything, business and personal, the deals they had closed and the ones that had fallen through, the clients who had become friends and the ones who had driven them crazy.
Lauren found herself relaxing into the conversation, into the easy rhythm of people who had worked together for years and genuinely liked each other.
She had been afraid, she realized, that coming back would feel like a loss.
That she would regret leaving, regret giving up something she had worked so hard to build.
Instead, she felt proud. Proud of what she had created, proud of the people who were carrying it forward, proud of the legacy she had left behind.
“So,” Brian said eventually, “the Andover house. You’re doing a FSBO?”
“That's right. Michael and I are handling it together.”
“Speaking of which,” Nell said, “have you thought any more about opening an office in Florida? You mentioned it when you left.”
Lauren sighed. “I think about it all the time. But life keeps getting in the way. Olivia's tennis schedule alone is a full-time job. And I wanted to give myself time to adjust before jumping back in.”
“That's smart,” Brian said. “But don't wait too long. The Florida market is hot right now. You could do really well down there.”
“I know. Maybe once things settle down. Once the Andover house sells and we get through the summer.” Lauren smiled. “One thing at a time.”
“That's what you always taught us,” Nell said. “One transaction at a time. One client at a time. One day at a time.”
“Did I say that? It sounds very wise.”
“You were very wise. Still are, I’m sure. I have no doubt your mother’s house will have competing buyers. It’ll sell fast.”
“That's the hope.” Lauren stood and stretched. “I should probably get back. Michael's waiting, and we've got a long drive tomorrow.”
“You're driving back to Florida?” Brian asked.
“My grandmother insisted. She drove her RV up here, and she's driving it back with all of us in tow. My mother, my sister Sarah, Chelsea, and me.”
“Five women in an RV,” Nell said. “That sounds like an adventure.”
“That's one word for it. My grandmother has already mapped out the route. Apparently there's a rest stop in New Jersey with excellent pie.”
“Your grandmother sounds like a character.”
“She's almost eighty-one years old and more stubborn than anyone I've ever met. But she's also the reason our family is as close as it is. She doesn't let anyone drift too far.”
They walked her to the door, and Lauren paused on the threshold, looking back at the office one more time. Her name was still on the sign outside, a detail she hadn't noticed until now. Phillips & Associates. A reminder of what she had built, even as others carried it forward.
“Thank you,” she said. “Both of you. For taking care of this place. For making it better than I ever could have on my own.”
“We had a good teacher,” Nell said.
“The best,” Brian added.
Lauren hugged them both one more time, then stepped out onto the sidewalk. The spring air was cool and clean, carrying the scent of new growth and fresh possibilities.
She found Michael at the coffee shop on the corner, nursing a cup and scrolling through his phone. He looked up when she walked in.
“How was it?”
“Perfect.” Lauren slid into the chair across from him. “Absolutely perfect.”
“You look happy.”
“I am happy. I spent so long worrying about what I gave up when we moved to Florida. The business, the clients, the life I had built. But seeing it today, seeing Nell and Brian thriving, I realized I didn't give anything up. I just passed it on.”
Michael nodded slowly. “That's a good way to look at it.”
“It's the only way to look at it. We build things, and then we hand them to the next generation. That's how it works.” She handed Michael Nell’s card. “Get in touch with Nell if you have any questions during the sale.”
“Great, thanks. I like having someone with real estate knowledge in my corner.”
“Hey!” she said as she punched his arm. “What about me?”
“I meant, someone who lives here. You’ll be backup,” he teased.
“Very funny.”
She stood and grabbed her purse. “Come on. Let's get back. Mom's probably wondering where we are.”
They walked out to Michael's SUV, and Lauren took one last look at the office as they pulled away from the curb. Phillips & Associates. Her name, her legacy, her gift to the people who had helped her build it.
She didn't look back again. She was too busy looking forward, toward the empty house where her family was waiting, toward the RV trip that would carry her home, toward whatever came next.
Some things, once built with love, never really ended.
They just changed form, but the love always remained.
Lauren and Michael returned an hour later, Lauren's face bright with something that looked like peace.
“How did it go?” Maggie asked.
“It was great. Nell and Brian have done an amazing job with the place. Sales are up and they’re running the real estate office so well, I think the idea of expansion might be something to talk about.
They’re going to work with us to make sure everything runs smoothly for the sale. Michael has Nell’s number.”
“That’s sounds great. Listen, we’re getting hungry, so let’s think about getting take-out. Michael, what about you, do you want to stay and eat with us?”
He shook his head, “Thanks, Mom but no, I’ve got to get back.”
He hugged his mother, then his sisters, then Grandma Sarah and Chelsea. “Drive safe,” he said. “All of you. And Mom, call me from the road.”
“I will.”
“I mean it. Don't make me worry.”
“You're the third child to say that to me today.”
“There's probably a reason for that.”
Maggie touched his cheek. “I love you”
“I love you too.”
Michael climbed into his SUV and backed out of the driveway, leaving the five women standing in front of the empty house.
Maggie watched him drive away as the others went inside. It took her several minutes before she joined them.
Tomorrow, she would say her final goodbye to this house. She would walk through each room one last time, would visit the woodchuck's hole in the backyard, would close the door on twenty-three years of memories.
But tonight, she was surrounded by the women who loved her.
Her mother, fierce and opinionated and more alive than most people half her age.
Her daughters, grown and capable and ready to carry her forward.
Her best friend, loyal through everything, willing to endure three days in a beige whale on wheels because that's what family did.
“Mom?” Sarah's voice came from the living room. “We're ordering pizza. What do you want?”
“Anything but anchovies.”
“That's very helpful.”
“I'm a very helpful person.”
Maggie took one last look at the height marks, then turned off the kitchen light and went to join her family.
Tomorrow would come soon enough.
Tonight, there was pizza and laughter and the comfort of not being alone.