Russian Roulette - Family secrets - Draft version!

Ch. 174: Don't be so surprised

Everything was well underway.

All of them had gone to Oak House to see if it would fit their needs or they would have to go shop for something better. Where The Mansion had three floors and was in a massive, square, building, Oak House was in sections of various buildings and multiple floors connected by the main middle building under a magnificent dome structure.

The middle building with the main entrance and grand hall spread out to all the adjoining buildings. It held a large common area, kitchen, dining room and smaller parlors at the back on the left side. There was a sunroom and access to the large terrace from all the back-facing rooms. The right side held another common area and more parlors which could easily be made into game rooms and studies. There were rooms that would be made into homes for the live-in staff in the middle section beside the kitchen.

A set of rounded double stairs under the dome of the hall led to the first floor where corridors divided to the different buildings.

The left wing would become Gareth and Mackenzie's.

It had living rooms and a master suite, on the first floor with access to a large terrace on top of the main floor sunroom. There were two reasonably sized rooms to be made into offices. To Mackenzie's joy, a huge walk-in closet next to the master bathroom and several bathrooms on the floor in general made it perfect for them. The second floor had suites for Rein and Leoni to get one each with a smaller one for Agatha between them. There were guest rooms and one that could become a play/study room. The top floor they had decided to convert into an apartment for Agatha, who had requested to stay permanently, if she could be granted some privacy too for her days off. A kitchen had been put in and a private entrance made at the top of the stairs for her.

Rein was already hassling everybody to get a waterslide from his balcony down to the pool in the back yard.

Not happening according to Mackenzie.

The middle section at the top of the stairs only had one floor. A common area from where the corridors ran and three good rooms, bathrooms and balconies to the back of the house. One of the rooms was placed above the downstairs kitchen and could easily get a kitchen installed too. Those Aidan had put dips on.

The right side divided into two buildings.

One to the back of the house where Jace and Phoenix would get the top floors and the first floor would hold guest rooms and an apartment for Phoenix's parents who had decided not to go back to England.

The other building to the front where more guest rooms and a common area were on the first floor had also been assigned. Devil had asked to get an apartment too and had been issued the second floor. He felt at home with Gareth's gang and would like to stay with them, none had raised an eyebrow at his request. The top floor Richard had asked for. He and Devil had become good friends and he liked being around Gareth's people too. He was not giving up anything; Gareth had signed over one of his houses to Anthony and Lorelai, so they would be staying in town for the most part. Both had jobs that made them travel a lot, but new friendships had been formed and they liked it there too.

There was a larger annex to the side of the house which was being renovated to fit Vasili and Zariyah. They would most likely split their time between Moscow and Oak House. Though Oak House with their grandchildren did hold its advantages.

Rami had fallen in love with what had been the gardener's cottage to the side of the driveway. He had walked in, looked at the dusty rooms with a big smile and claimed it as his.

The basement would be made into a gym, movie theater, wine cellar and storage rooms.

Mackenzie had jokingly suggested a playroom, which Gareth was having made in secret to surprise her, though the entrance would be hidden and placed behind the wine cellar. He did not want the children to accidentally walk in there, and he hoped their interest in wine would be on hold for a while.