21. Ace in the Hole #2
As Melissa enters the barn, Cookie huffs at the woman’s singsong voice.
I scratch the calf’s head. “It’s okay, girl.”
The small interior designer walks right up to Cookie and rubs her head. “Did you want to come see?”
I eye her warily. She looks oddly enthusiastic about a fridge and some ovens, even for a designer.
“If you think they look good, then I’m sure they do.” Really, I’ve just been avoiding the house. The morning after Jules left, the sense of peace I usually got from being on the ranch was strangely absent.
One more thing to lay at Jules’ door.
Melissa bounces on her toes, hands clasped in front of her. “I really think you could come see the new stuff.”
Her energy doesn’t seem likely to dim, so I give Cookie one last scratch and the last bunch of clover I brought her.
Yes, I went out into the fields and gathered clover for a cow.
No, I don’t plan on ever admitting this to anyone. Least of all Rose.
“All right,” I say on a sigh. “Lead the way.”
She practically dances out of the barn.
When I finally amble up to the front door, Melissa is already there and waiting, holding it open.
“Huh.” The usual chaos I’ve come to expect isn’t visible. No boards, no tools, no dust.
Melissa waves me in and when I cross the threshold, I actually have to pause to take it all in.
“Surprise!” Melissa jazz hands next to me.
“You guys…” — I blink, looking around — “…finished?” I’ve only been gone three days and yet the hardwoods are gleaming, the clutter is gone, even the windows look brighter, like they’ve been cleaned inside and out.
My shoulders actually relax as I walk through the widened archway on my left. The living space is calming with big, overstuffed couches, a plush leather reading chair and matching ottoman. Everything is turned toward the large picture window overlooking West land.
There’s not a plaid in sight.
Melissa pats a pillow on the leather chair, smirking.
I stand corrected, I have a plaid pillow. And I love it.
“Sorry, couldn’t resist. You can get rid of it if you don’t like it.”
“No.” I step forward, then look down on the new rug. It has the most color out of everything here, with varying shades of blue, cream and burgundy. “It looks great.” I also see that in my surprise, I forgot to take my boots off. I jump back off the rug. “Hold on, let me take my boots off.”
“Okay, but just to let you know, you don’t need to.” Melissa bends down and pulls up the corner of the rug. “See, this is thinner than it looks. And it’s machine washable.”
“The rug is washable?”
“Yeah, the comfy part is the thick pad underneath, but the cover that looks like a rug, that’s actually washable.” She lays the rug flat again. “That was Jules’ idea. She thought you’d like being able to keep things clean.”
Suddenly, there’s a lump in my throat I can’t quite swallow past.
“Oh!” Melissa jump-walks over to couch. “Look at this.” She moves a stack of books arranged on the side table.
“It’s an old luggage trunk! Jules got it after looking over my original design.
” She points to the back of the couch. “I had blankets thrown over the backs, but Jules didn’t think you’d like things strewn about.
” She opens the top of the trunk, revealing neatly folded blankets.
Almost in a daze, I move forward and pull the top one out. The NASA emblem is revealed as it unfurls.
“Holt?” Melissa’s small hand rests on my arm. “Are you okay?”
I keep trying to swallow. Still unable to nod.
“Do you not… like it?” Melissa’s young face threatens to crumple.
“No, no. I like it.” I manage a deep breath. “I love it.”
“Oh,” she says, understanding in her voice.
On another deep breath, I fall back on the couch, blanket still in hand. Why would Jules do these things? Why would she care? Dropping my head back, I stare up at the ceiling, where a huge, wrought iron chandelier hangs. Simple. No crystals or beads.
Like everything else, it’s neat, orderly, uncluttered. Just like I like.
My eyes travel down, catching sight of the fireplace. “Whoa. How did you guys…”
Where a wood-paneled hearth once sat, now there is brick that looks like it’s been sort of painted.
“Isn’t that great? The brick was under the paneling.
We just gave it a quick white-wash to tone down the reds a bit.
” She pats the new mantel, a large, beat-up piece of wood.
“Then Jules had the idea to use some of the wood from the pile behind the barn for the mantel. Tucker said it came from the original barn you guys took down to make room for the more modern one you have now.”
“Jules did that?” But why?
Melissa’s smile nearly splits her face. “That’s not all she did!” Grabbing my hand, she yanks me up off my butt and spins me around by the shoulder.
All I can do is blink.
I was so caught up in the living room, my eyes didn’t even catch the finished kitchen.
The bleached oak cabinets, the white countertops, the light fixtures that look like mini replicas of the one I’m standing under. Even though I know it’s new, it looks like it’s always been there.
“Wow,” is all I manage.
“Come on, come on. Take a closer look.” She pushes me into the space.
Although I knew the island would be large, it looks even bigger with the giant slab of marble on top. I run my hand over it, enjoying the cool, smooth feel and wonder if Jules approved this too. She did complain of splinters last time I had her up there.
Melissa catches my eye, pointing to the far wall by the pantry.
Before I left, Ray had been waiting for countertops and appliances, but the cabinets had been installed. By the pantry had been a hole for an oven and a microwave. Instead, double wall ovens have been installed.
“I don’t remember?—”
“Ta da!” More jazz hands from Melissa as she steps forward and turns on the oven panel. It chimes and a mini computer lights up with various buttons and options.
Honestly, it looks more like something Jules would use in space than an oven.
“Why the change of plan?” At Melissa’s look, I rush on. “I mean, I don’t mind, it looks great, but why?—”
“Because you bake!” Melissa opens the cabinets over the ovens and the drawer beneath them. Up top are racks of cookie sheets, pans, cooling racks and muffin tins. In the drawer are stacked cake and pie dishes.
“I bake?”
“Yeah.” She closes the cabinets and drawer. “Jules said something about you owing her cookies?”
“Oh.”
“This is my favorite part,” Melissa says, stepping up to the island.
“Watch this.” She pushes a button on one of the island drawers.
It opens, a control panel at the front. “It’s your microwave!
We put it here so that you could get your double wall ovens without sacrificing any more upper cabinets.
” She presses the button again and the microwave slowly closes, giving me room to check out the new additions.
“I can’t believe you did all this in three days.”
“Well, it’s all been in the works for some time, and Jules has been checking in remotely as she trains.”
“Training?” Is that really why she left? She was already packing when I went to her room that night. Before I was a huge jerk to her. But if so, why didn’t she say, or explain the sketchy text and calls?
None of this makes sense.
“Yeah, she video calls every day to check progress.” The young woman laughs. “I told her that if the astronaut thing doesn’t work out, she could be a general contractor. That woman is so efficient and organized. How she is doing this and the wedding and astronaut training is beyond me.”
I’m not surprised that Jules is able to accomplish all this while multitasking to the max. It’s the why of it that’s beyond me.
“I just wish she was here for the unveiling.” Melissa spins in a circle, appreciating the final results.
“Yeah. Me too.” The house, filled with Jules’ touch, lacks only one thing: Jules herself. And I guess I better get used to that.