Chapter 11
11
Honey
The old farmhouse had four bedrooms, yet it suddenly felt small to Honey. As much as she loved having Jewel and Cooper around to help out, she realized they needed more room. And if they felt this crowded in the summer when it was possible to be outdoors, what would it be like on a cold winter day?
That wasn’t her only concern though. The stairs were getting trickier for CT to navigate. And even though she’d relocated their bedroom to the first floor more than a year ago, CT still felt the need to go up to the second floor and poke around. And once he was up there, he had no respect for Jewel’s and Cooper’s personal space or belongings. Sometimes they would go to their rooms and find things not only rearranged but missing as well. Why CT wanted the odds and ends, or where he put them, remained a mystery. But there was no denying he was the one responsible.
It was all very irritating, but today felt like the last straw when CT stumbled down the stairs. His arms had been loaded with a few clothing items that he claimed were his, although they were not, and as a result, he hadn’t been using the banister.
“Are you hurt?” Honey asked as she helped him to his feet.
He just nodded, allowing her to lead him to his chair in the living room, where she examined his scrapes and bruises. She was just bandaging his knee when Jewel came in from working in the garden.
“What happened?”
“Dad was exploring upstairs again.” Honey nodded to the pile of stolen clothes still heaped at the foot of the stairs. “You might want to put those things back.” She lowered her voice. “And install locks on your doors.”
Jewel shook her head. “He could’ve been killed on those stairs.”
“Yes.” CT nodded like that was a real possibility.
“Plus, I saw him stumble on the back porch stairs yesterday,” Jewel said. “This isn’t good.”
“I know.” Honey rolled his pant leg back down over the bandage. “But what can we do?” She shook a finger at her husband. “I keep telling you to stay off those stairs, but do you listen?”
He gave her his hangdog look.
“I know.” She kissed his grizzled cheek, instantly realizing he hadn’t shaved lately. “You forgot.”
“Yes.” He nodded. “I forgot. I won’t do it again.”
“Right.” But she knew his words meant nothing. Oh, sure, he hoped he wouldn’t do it again, just like so many other things, but he would. His brain would trick him into believing there was a reason to go upstairs. And Jewel was right, a bad fall could kill him. As she took her first aid kit back to the kitchen, she wondered which was the worse way to die—from a bad fall or from slowly losing your mind and winding up bedridden in diapers with someone wiping your chin? She knew which route she’d choose for herself.
“Mom,” Jewel said as Honey came into the kitchen. “We have to do something.”
“Do what ?” she asked with irritation. Jewel and Cooper had only been here a week and they were already trying to change things. She needed and appreciated their help, but she and CT were used to being on their own. It wasn’t easy adjusting to a bigger family. But at least CT had started to remember their names ... some of the time.
“About this situation. With Dad.” Jewel sounded determined to have a conversation that Honey would rather avoid. Really, they could talk until they were blue in the face, but what good would it do? She returned the first aid kit to its cabinet, then turned her back to Jewel, trying to think of a way to change the subject.
Honey stared blankly at the calendar on her fridge. The picture of the lighthouse made her long to visit the coast. Not that it was likely to happen. Suddenly she noticed today’s date. “I almost forgot. I have a doctor’s appointment this afternoon with”—she squinted at the tiny appointment note—“Dr. Gretchen Bauman. I guess she’ll be my new GP. The ER doctor recommended her.”
“Yes. I saw that,” Jewel said. “It’s at two. Cooper can stay with Dad, and I’ll drive you there.”
“Thank you.” Honey moved toward the door.
“But I want you to stay and listen. I have an idea, and I want you to hear it.” Jewel was relentless about whatever was on her mind.
“An idea?” Honey braced herself for some harebrained plan.
“When I took the baking dish back to Marta yesterday—you know, the one she sent the tamales over in—”
“Oh, yes. Those were so good. I meant to write her a thank-you note.”
“Well, I thanked her for all of us. Anyway, she gave me a tour of their house. You know, it’s a manufactured home.”
Honey took a deep breath. “Yes, I’m aware of that.”
“So, anyway, Marta explained how Miguel originally placed the home there as a hardship dwelling.”
“A what?”
“The manufactured house was meant to be a hardship home for his parents. Because of their age and health issues, he got it permitted as a temporary residence. His real plan was to use his GI loan to build a stick-built house over by the creek. For him and Beth and Anna.”
“Well, their house doesn’t look temporary to me.”
“No, it isn’t now. But what I’m saying is it was okay with the county to have it placed there.”
“Yes? And your point?”
“My point is you can have two homes on farm property if one is considered a temporary hardship dwelling.”
“Temporary? Like a camp trailer?”
“No, a manufactured house, like the Oroscos have, doesn’t feel temporary at all. In fact, it’s really nice.”
“Good. I’m happy for them. Such nice people.”
“So I don’t know why we don’t get something like that placed on your property here. A single-level home with good accessibility for Dad and—”
“I’ll tell you why, Jewel.” Honey pursed her lips. “Your father and I cannot afford it.”
“But I can afford it, Mom.”
Honey held up her hands. “I would never let you do that.”
“But with Cooper and me living here, it’s too crowded.” She thrust her arm in the direction of the living room. “And Dad is falling down the stairs.”
“I know it’s not ideal, but we can make do.”
“But don’t you see, if you and Dad had a nice manufactured home to live in, Coop and I could stay right here in the farmhouse. We could fix the place up.” Jewel held up a forefinger. “Which brings me to the rest of my idea. Can you imagine how great this place would be as a B&B? It’d be such a great way to make money.”
Despite her reservations, Honey considered this. “You know, I used to imagine doing something like that. Back when we were younger.”
“It’s such a pretty location, out here in the country. I have artist friends who would love to visit and paint here. And I got to thinking we could even offer artists retreats and all kinds of things.”
“Oh, Jewel, that’s a big dream. It sounds interesting, but it also sounds impossible.”
“But my mom always told me to dream the impossible dream,” Jewel reminded her.
Honey smiled. “Yes, I was younger then. When you have more energy, impossible things seem more possible.”
“Well, I’m still young.” Jewel stood up tall. “And I have energy and ideas. Better yet, I have the funds. The proceeds from selling my condo and gallery are just sitting in the bank. Can’t I invest them here?”
“But that’s an investment that won’t pay you back.”
“The B&B could pay me back. Plus, Cooper and I would have a place to live.” Jewel pointed out the kitchen window. “And I can imagine creating a studio for myself and maybe even a small gallery out there in the barn. Right now it’s not being used for much of anything. And that old building has such cool architectural lines, it could be gorgeous.”
“You really are a dreamer.” Honey slowly shook her head, trying to absorb all that Jewel had just thrown at her. It was overwhelming. And tiring.
“Can’t you just let me dream?” Jewel locked eyes with her. “The risk would be on me, not you.”
“I don’t know.”
“I would take care of all the details. All you’d need to do is trust me.”
“I don’t know,” she said again. “I’m not sure what to say.”
“Imagine living with Dad in a low-maintenance home. You two could be very comfortable and safe. No stairs to fall down. A bathroom that’s easy for Dad. Wouldn’t it be wonderful?”
“Sure, if you could wave your magic wand and make that happen. I suppose it would be nice.”
“Okay then, just let me try, Mom.”
Honey shrugged. “I’m too weary to argue with you, Jewel. Go ahead. See what you can do. But I’ll warn you. Your first obstacle will probably be county codes. Two houses on one property? It just doesn’t sound doable to me. I’d be surprised if they agree.”
“Well, I learned how to comply with San Jose codes while renovating my gallery. I’ll bet they’re way stricter than Sweet Springs. Plus, thanks to that, I know how to jump through hoops.”
Honey could hear CT moaning in the living room, calling out for her to come help. “I need to go.” She opened the cabinet of medical supplies again. “He probably needs some Advil for his bumps and bruises.”
Jewel pulled out her phone like she was getting ready to call the county that second. “Just know that I’m on it, Mom. Unless you say no way, I plan to give this a good try. You’re sure you’re okay with this?”
“That’s fine. Go ahead and do what you can, dear.” Honey patted her idealistic daughter’s shoulder in what probably felt like a condescending way, then hurried to check on CT before he got really worked up. She did appreciate Jewel’s youthful enthusiasm and energy, but this wild idea for a second home and a B&B really did sound like an impossible dream. Still, why not let her have at it? Her daughter would probably discover the whole thing wasn’t practical or doable or even possible. But at least it would give her something to dream about. Maybe that was what mattered most. Honey wished she had room for dreams.
Jewel
It took several days to hear back from the county, but she was relieved when they finally agreed to the placement of their temporary hardship home to help care for her dad. Jewel had doggedly pursued this goal by visiting the local manufactured home company on the same day she’d gotten the green light from the county. According to the internet, there was a company located just outside of Sweet Springs. When she got there, she saw the big sign for Hanford Homes and soon discovered the owner was none other than an old high school beau, Aaron Hanford.
“I had no idea this was your business,” she said. She studied him closely from behind her sunglasses. Aaron definitely appeared older but was still fairly attractive in a middle-aged way. He had a bit of a paunch and thinning hair, but he maintained the same swagger and confidence she remembered from high school. Just a bit warmer and friendlier.
“So tell me. What on earth are you doing back in little old Sweet Springs?” he asked as he strolled with her through the lot, pointing out various model homes that were bigger and more expensive than what she had in mind.
“I was about to ask you the same thing,” she confessed. “I thought you moved out east.”
“I did for a while. But when my dad retired a couple years ago, he offered me this business and, well, it seemed a good opportunity.”
“I heard you got married,” she ventured. “Any kids?”
“Yeah. Two teen boys. But they live back in New Hampshire with their mom.”
“Oh? Divorced?”
He held up two fingers and shrugged. “Twice.”
“I’m sorry.”
“How about you?”
She held up one finger. “Once.”
He smiled. “Well, that happens. Just gotta make the most of it, right?”
“I guess. But New Hampshire isn’t close. Don’t you miss your sons?”
His smile faded. “Yeah, sometimes I really do. But it was my choice to move back. And in order to afford child support, plus alimony for my second wife ... well, I needed the kind of job that pays the bills.”
“Like selling these?” She pointed to the big manufactured home in front of them. It was nice enough but more house than her parents needed.
“Yeah. And I do a little contracting too. It all works pretty nicely together.” He pointed at her. “But you still haven’t told me what you’re doing here. Or why you’re looking at manufactured housing. Is it for you? Are you here to stay?”
She explained her recent move home and her parents’ need for help. “The county gave me the green light for a hardship house, and I want to find something to make life easier for them. It needs to be affordable and not too big since they have less land now.”
“Yeah, I heard they sold the farm.” He scowled. “To the Oroscos.”
She didn’t miss his disdain. “Only part of it. Do you know the Oroscos?”
“My baby sister married Miguel Orosco. Man, was that ever a mistake.”
Jewel blinked. “Your sister?”
“Yeah. Do you remember Beth? She was five years younger than me.”
Jewel barely recalled a little sister. “I’m so sorry for your loss, Aaron. Miguel told me his wife passed away, but I didn’t realize she was your sister.”
“Well, I blame Miguel for it.”
“You blame him? For her cancer?”
He let out a long, exasperated sigh. “Long story. Another time.” He put on a phony smile. “So what kind of house are you looking for?”
Still trying to wrap her head around Aaron’s sister being married to Miguel, she attempted to get her bearings. “Well, like I said, my parents need something simple, small, and low maintenance. And accessibility is critical. My dad’s health will continue to deteriorate. At some point he’ll need wheelchair assistance and a hospital bed.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” He pointed down the row of houses. “I might have something to interest you.”
As they walked to the other end of the lot, he asked again how long she would be in town.
“I’m hoping to renovate the old farmhouse and turn it into a B&B. It’s old and needs lots of repairs and upgrades, but it has personality and potential. And it’s really pretty out there.”
“Sounds like you need a contractor.”
She glanced at him. “Yeah, do you ever handle remodels like that?”
“Sure. I just finished restoring the Phillips’ house up on the hill in town. Turned it into a real showplace. You should see it.”
“Well, we don’t need a showplace. And I’ll be on a budget.”
“Aren’t we all?”
“A small budget.”
He laughed as he pointed to a house painted a garish shade of yellow that almost hurt her eyes in the bright sunlight.
She struggled to think of something to say as they approached it. “That’s a real eye-catching color,” she commented wryly as he unlocked the turquoise blue door. “I hope the interior colors aren’t as wild as this. It might be hard to see past them.”
“Don’t worry. This got painted to please a customer with wild taste, but the folks lost financing before we had a chance to change anything inside.” He opened the door with a flourish. “Voilà.”
She went inside and was immediately relieved to see the neutral color scheme. “This isn’t bad.” She instantly regretted her words. After all, he was a salesman. She needed to act less interested. But she was pleased that it was bigger inside than she expected. And it had vaulted ceilings.
“It’s just under a thousand square feet but has three bedrooms and two baths and, as you can see, an open floor plan.” He crossed the main living space. “And check out the width of the doorways. You could easily maneuver a walker or wheelchair.”
She walked around, looking it all over. “It looks like it could work. Well, except for that exterior paint color.” She grimaced. “But I assume we’ll get our choice of colors when we place our order. Right?”
“You could order one from the factory. Or you could take this one.”
“Really? I thought all of these were models just for looking.”
“Well, this one has been sitting here for a while. I wouldn’t mind moving it. Especially to an old friend.” He grinned. “Like you.”
“And it could be painted.”
“Of course.”
“I bet Cooper and I could do it ourselves.”
“Cooper?” His brows creased.
“My thirteen-year-old daughter.”
He looked relieved. “Oh, yeah, a thirteen-year-old should be able to paint. Work’s a good way to keep a kid outta trouble too.” He chuckled like he knew a thing or two about raising teens. Although Jewel had her doubts. How much could an absentee father really know about parenting? Cooper’s dad was sure clueless.
She stepped closer to Aaron, her mind fixed back on the house and a possible deal. “So, Aaron, will you give an old friend a good price on this eyesore?”
“Eyesore?” He waved his hand toward the kitchen. “Did you notice the quality of these appliances? No scrimping here.”
She shrugged, trying to maintain her nonchalance. “I’ll admit it looks okay in here, but the exterior...”
“Needs paint.” His smarmy expression reminded her of a used car salesman. “Why don’t we head to my office, and we can talk about it.” He fanned himself with a hand. “It’s pretty toasty in here.” He nodded up to the overhead ceiling fan. “And just so you know, besides those, there’s a heat pump with forced air and AC. Your parents would be comfortable year-round.”
“Good to know. Okay, let me take one more stroll through. I want to take some pics and seriously think about it.” Keeping her poker face on, she took photos of the main room, then headed back to the master suite. She mentally measured the space, imagining the potential to comfortably hold a hospital bed and recliner for Dad, with room left over to maneuver a wheelchair or walker or whatever might be needed. Recently Mom had been talking about how the farmhouse bedrooms were too small and were unable to accommodate what was surely in their future.
She took more pics of the roomy main bathroom, noting that its wide-open shower would be perfect. Mom could use the other two bedrooms and have a full bath all to herself. And it would be so great for them to have everything on one level! It really was ideal. Now if only it fit within her budget. She mentally crossed her fingers as they went back outside. Cringing at the brightness of the exterior—had they used crosswalk paint?—she realized it was actually a happy mistake that could work in her favor.
The heat was beating down on them as they crossed the asphalt back to the building that housed Aaron’s office. As promised, it was much cooler in there, and his young assistant met them with bottles of chilled water. Jewel tried not to eavesdrop as the pretty girl told Aaron about a difficult customer who’d just called.
“Well, you call Dale right back and tell him this is a limited-time offer,” he said a bit sharply. “And that he’s not the only fish on the line.” Aaron laughed. “Well, don’t use my words, but you know what to do, Alyssa.” He winked at the girl, then grinned at Jewel. “Right this way.” He led her into his private office and seated himself behind an oversized desk in front of a bookcase full of sales catalogues. Aaron suddenly turned all business, throwing dates and numbers and plans at her so quickly, she felt her head spinning. She asked questions and wrote notes on her phone until she fully understood what he was offering.
“This all sounds pretty good,” she admitted. “But to be honest, I’m a little overwhelmed at the moment. I only intended to look today. To get ideas. This is a lot to take in.”
“Of course it is. But you know what they say, Jewel. Strike while the iron’s hot.”
“I never really understood that idiom.”
He laughed. “Well, opportunity is knocking. Don’t be afraid to open the door. I can guarantee you that you won’t find a better deal in the state.”
“Right.” She nodded, wondering if that was really true, or if it was just a sales pitch. All the same, it was tempting. She was eager to get her parents settled and get started on the B&B. But she hadn’t shopped around. “I do appreciate your willingness to get the house in place as soon as possible, but—”
“I sure can’t do this for everyone, Jewel,” he interrupted. “You know, offer a great price and prompt placement. Normally, a customer has to wait a good long while to get exactly what they want. But you’re a special case. You don’t know how glad I am to offer this deal to an old friend. It’s meant to be, but it’s up to you. If you don’t want it, I’m sure I can find someone who does. Now that I’ve decided to move that one, it’ll just be a matter of time. I should’ve got someone in here to paint it last spring. It would have sold in a heartbeat.”
She hated the idea of losing out on the “ugly” yellow house with the great price. “Okay, Aaron, you’re right.” She swallowed hard. “I guess I want it.”
He grinned and shook her hand. He excused himself to get his assistant to print out the sales contract, then came back to his office to make congenial conversation. It was mostly small talk, but the more they visited, the more Jewel grew concerned. Not for agreeing so quickly on this purchase since it really did seem a fair price for everything but because she was worried she gave Aaron the wrong impression ... that she had personal interest in him. Had she been overly warm and friendly? Just to secure a good deal?
“So you really think you’ll be ready for placement as soon as I promised to get you scheduled in?” he asked as she signed the papers. “We do have a gap in the schedule that week. I’d like to fill it.”
“I don’t see why not.” She signed the last line, then dug her checkbook out of her bag. Was she really doing this?
Aaron checked a desk calendar and then looked at his phone. “Well, I can come out tomorrow afternoon to do a quick survey of the land. You know, to make sure you’ve picked the best location. Then I’ll send my surveyor, engineer, and technician to mark things out.”
“Wow, that’s great. Thanks.”
He explained a few more county fees that, as her contractor, he would handle. Finally, they both stood and shook hands again. “It’s a pleasure doing business with you, Jewel. And a pleasure to see you again.” He held on to her hand just a few seconds longer than necessary.
“Thank you for all your help.” She extracted her hand from his with a nervous smile. “I can’t believe how smoothly this seems to be going.”
“I’m glad. But there’s always a hiccup or two along the way. Fortunately, we know how to work through them.” He walked her to the office entrance. “I have meetings all day tomorrow, so I can’t be out to your place until later. Probably closer to six.” His brows arched hopefully. “And I’ll be ravenous by then.”
She got the hint. “Well, I’m not sure what we’ll have for dinner tomorrow, but you’re welcome to join us. Although I’ll warn you, I’ve been doing the cooking and I’m no expert in the kitchen.”
“Thanks, but I thought I’d invite you to join me. There’s this new restaurant in town. I’ve been hoping to give it a go.”
Wanting to stay in his good graces and not sour the deal, she agreed. Reluctantly. But she questioned her decision while walking through the Hanford Homes parking lot. Had she led him on? Been disingenuous? Although Aaron Hanford was probably a nice guy, did she really want to get involved with him ... again? She remembered how little respect she’d had for him after they dated briefly in high school. At the end of the relationship, she’d actually accused him of being a full-blown narcissist. But that was ages ago. They’d both been young and immature.
And Aaron seemed quite amiable nowadays. Well-spoken and kind. She could tell he’d done and seen a lot since high school. Really, what was the harm of getting to know him better? Still, she couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but something about him made her uneasy. Was he just a bit too opportunistic? Or was it his salesmanship? Perhaps she was being overly judgmental. After all, he was really helping her out with this house. Why not give him a chance?