Chapter 3
The house was perfect. She might get rid of a couple of things that weren’t to her taste, but for the house, she was loving having so much space.
Debra walked into the bedroom that her aunt and uncle shared and looked at all the boxes.
She was donating their things, like clothing, to charity.
There were other things like her uncle’s collection of pocket watches that she was going to keep, as well as her aunt’s jewelry collection that she remembered her wearing from time to time.
There were so many good and wonderful memories associated with the house. She remembered Christmases as well as other holidays. If it were something big, her aunt and uncle would celebrate it. Even Taco Day.
But it was the back end of the house that she was most amazed by.
They had added rooms on, entire wings of rooms that would hold several families.
There were six bedrooms with their own bathroom and kitchenettes.
It looked as if they were planning to have people stay with them throughout the summer months as each room was decorated with a spring and summery theme.
She did wonder if, at some point, it had been decorated for the holidays that just passed, but she wouldn’t know since she couldn’t ask them.
It was things like that she would get the saddest about.
Not being able to talk to them as they were no longer around.
It hurt her heart that she had lost them both at the same time. Of course, Aunt Cindy had died first in the accident, but that wasn’t the same thing. They had died together, she supposed, like they would have wanted to, and that was good. But she missed them both so much it hurt her inside.
When the front doorbell rang, she went to answer it cautiously.
She didn’t want to encounter her mother today.
Yesterday had been bad enough. Today, she wanted to bask in the love that was still around the house.
The love that the two people she loved more than anyone else had shared with her.
As she opened the door, she had a smile on her face, knowing that the man there wouldn’t cause her any trouble at all. It was Ivan.
“I’ve come by to see if I could help any.
The clinic is closed now, and I have all this free time.
” She said that she was just going through closets today and taking things out of them.
“I can help lift them if necessary. I’m to understand that you’ve decided to donate everything that they wore. That’s the best way to go. I can help.”
“Great.” She led him to one of the bedrooms and told him that everything in the closet had to go; he just had to make sure that he checked the pockets.
“I’ve found all kinds of things in the pockets of my uncle’s suits.
Some money and some other items that he was fond of carrying, like chewing gum and toffee bits.
I remember him always having some when I was a little girl and needing something to tide me over until lunch or dinner.
He was a good man, and I’m going to miss him forever. ”
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t have anyone in my life like that.
My parents weren’t the best people to be around.
” She said that she’d heard of them. “I don’t know how you could live in this town and not have heard of them.
They were the worst kind of people when we were growing up.
My mother killed my father and blamed it on us so that we’d be sent to prison.
That’s where she is now. Life without parole. ”
“I’m glad that you guys were able to turn out so well.
I’ve always heard that you are what you’re made of, but I don’t believe that.
If I did, then I’d be a worse person than my mom.
She raised me in my formative years. Then I was off to boarding school until I turned eighteen.
” He asked her if she’d had a good time there.
“Yes. It was wonderful. I have so many friends that I can call on. I wouldn’t, but I could. ” She smiled at him.
“I’ll get started.” He went into the bedroom that held all her uncle’s suits and ties.
There were quite a few of them hanging in the closet that she wondered where he wore them all.
She handed him a box that he could put the things he found in the pockets, and went to her aunt’s closet.
She had so many dresses with tags still on them, she wondered if she had a problem with shopping. Obviously, she could afford it.
She realized that she was hungry when Ivan said he’d gone through all the suits.
They were laid out on the bed, and he was putting them in the tall boxes as he went.
The box was full of candies and some money, and she had to laugh.
Someone would have thought it was strange to get a suit with those things inside it.
Since there wasn’t anything in the house they could eat, they decided to order out.
There were a number of places that they could pick up from, but only a couple that would actually bring the food to you.
So they settled on pizza again. It was that or subs, and that would have been too heavy for lunch.
Eating in the big kitchen, they decided that they had enough work done for the places that would pick up the things that she was donating.
The boxes were in the living room now, and it would be easy for them to pick things up.
She placed the call for the pickup, and they were on their way in a few minutes.
“What do you say to having dinner with me tonight?” She asked him if he was sure. “I am. I’d like to get to know you better, and I can’t think of a way to do that other than us going out. It was so much fun the last time we went out with Devlin. Even though he did abandon us.”
She said that she remembered. “It was nice, I will admit that. And I would like to get out of the house for a little while. It’s been good getting things done around here, however.
I do have to get the kitchen cleaned out.
The things in the cabinet will be fine, but not the things in the refrigerator or the freezer.
Luckily, they didn’t have much in either one. ”
“I guess that would be because they had a cook. I’ve noticed that my brothers don’t have much in the way of leftovers when they have a cook.
I think the staff takes home what’s left over.
” She said she didn’t know she’d never had a cook or staff at all before.
“Me either. I’ve only had someone come in and clean up after me once in a while.
Like once a week, I guess. Other than that, I’ve never really had much in the way of help.
But then I’m not really home all that much. ”
“I work a lot too. I clerk for Judge Rainer, and I love my job. He’s the one who suggested that your brother go to the reading of the will with me.
I’m ever so grateful that he did. I don’t know what I would have done without him there.
” Ivan said his brother was handy for a lot of things that were law-related.
“I guess so. I never wanted to be an attorney. I like what I do, and that’s about the extent of it. ”
“He works for my oldest brother and his wife most of the time. He does take on cases that he likes. And when he did that for you, I guess. He’s a great brother.
He also helped me out with the transfer of the vet’s office to me.
It wasn’t that big of a deal, just an exchange of ownership, but it helped me from not having to find an attorney to do it for me.
” She said that it was nice having an attorney in the family.
“It saves in having to find one that you can trust.”
“I would imagine so. I trust the men and women I work for, but that’s about all. They seem to do a good job when in the courtroom.” She decided to change the subject and smiled at him. “This isn’t talking about us. I was wondering how long you’ve been a vet? Not long, I’m guessing.”
“About two years now. Only six months with my own. It’s not been as hard starting out because everyone who was with the other vet just stayed with me.
I had a built-in clientele. It made it nice because I could hit the ground running instead of trying to drum up business when I was just starting out.
Doc Winter was a good vet, and people loved him.
That’s what I’m hoping for at the end of my career, someone to take over for me when I’m ready to retire. ”
“I never owned a pet in my life. Not even a goldfish. I was at boarding school when I was younger until I graduated from there. Then I went to college for a while and never had time for one there either.” He said he thought every child should have a pet.
“I’ll maybe get one now that I have a house and yard.
I noticed that the pool is fenced in, so I’d not have to worry about that.
I might even just get me a cat to live indoors. ”
“We don’t do well with cats being shifter wolves.
Dogs are all right with us. With Lica being the alpha, they tend to hang around more when they’re strays than not.
You could get a kitten, and she could get used to me hanging around.
” She said she might do that. As a dog wasn’t really her cup of tea. “You wound me.”
They both laughed, and she made them a cup of tea each.
She’d always loved the tea that her aunt would get for her, and she found the same brand and flavor in her cabinets.
Making the cup for them both, they talked about what they enjoyed in food.
She wasn’t much of a taste tester when it came to new foods.