CHAZ
“That baby looks awfully content in your arms, Uncle Chaz.”
Beth Barlow is a woman who says what she means, but that doesn’t mean her words aren’t also dripping with double meanings and secret feelings. Like right now, when I’m holding my niece, Indie. Sure, the infant is snoozing away after the bottle I gave her and she looks peaceful as can be, but that isn’t all my mom is saying. She is also hinting to me that she’d like even more grandchildren in the future, more than likely some from me. I’m not opposed to having children, but I’m forty, single, and at the time being without a job, so I’m not sure having a family is in the cards for me at all.
After everything came crashing down in Sacramento, I decided to get away from it all and visit my sister and mom. It always feels good to come to Strawberry. The small-town life has never appealed to me that much, but after visiting them so often, I’m starting to see why they like it so much. Some people say they like small towns because it is a slower pace, but there is nothing slower about my sister’s life. She runs a booming hotel in the heart of Strawberry, her husband is the captain of the local fire department and they are doing both of those jobs while raising a newborn.
It is crazy and chaotic, but she’s so damn happy here. I see it in her face every time we’re together. For so long I missed those genuine smiles, but now that she found her real calling and a real partner in life, she’s just so damn happy. Now I’m the one who has no idea what to do with my life. There is nothing left for me in Sacramento. In fact, I’m meeting with a real estate agent when I get back to list my house. I can’t afford to keep dipping into my savings each month. If I sell it, I will at least be able to use the funds to get a lease on an apartment until I know what my next move is.
That is a problem for next week. Right now, I’m just enjoying my sleeping niece, my crazy mom, and the view off the back porch of Angela and Harrison’s house.
I look back over at my mom and smile, “She’s as content in my arms as I am content being the fun uncle.”
“You know what would be more fun than being an uncle…” my mom teases.
“Winning the lottery?” I tease back.
“Charles…” she warns.
“Mom, I love you, but now is not the time to talk to me about kids and futures and all that bullshit.” I glance down at Indie to be sure she’s still napping. Not that she’d be repeating any curse words I might say, she’s not close to saying her first words yet. “Everything has been blown up like dynamite lately. I just want to slow down and get my bearings.”
“You’re drawing some crazy conclusions there, son. I wasn’t going to mention anything about kids. Maybe you’re projecting a bit.”
“Uh-huh, so humor me, if it wasn’t about babies, what was that comment about?”
“I don’t know if I want to tell you that now,” she scoffs. I’ve played this game with her before though, so I’m not falling for it.
“Okay. Let me know when you’re ready to talk.”
She huffs at my response, “Fine! I’ll tell you. What do you think about helping your dear old mom with a little project?”
“What kind of project?”
“Ever since Miss Indie came into the world, I’ve realized that my time here with Angela and Harrison is limited.”
“They aren’t going to kick you out, Mom. Does that have you worried or something?”
“I know they won’t kick me out,” she waves off my crazy idea, “But I need to move out and find a place of my own. They let me stay even after Harrison moved in and they got married, but now they have a family and I’m taking up the only second bedroom they have.”
“You know they’ve already asked me about building on, right?” I didn’t know if my mom did know, but before everything with down with Leland, Angela and Harrison had asked if I could take a look into building another suite off their small cottage so Mom could have her own living space. They had the space and the funds, it was on the list of things to go over with them while I was here. It would at least give me something to do while everything else was up in the air.
“I had a feeling that they were up to something, but not ready to share with me yet. That is why I started looking around for my own thing.”
“Ma, don’t worry about that, everything is going to be just fine.”
“Would you just hear me out, Charles?”
“Yes, Ma,” I grin at my mom, “Tell me what you’ve been thinking about.”
“I’d rather show you if you don’t mind.”
I look down at Indie, “Well, I’m kind of in the middle of something, can it wait?”
“Yeah, sweetheart, it can wait until your sister gets back. Just enjoy those baby snuggles right now.”
Once Angela returns home from work, I take my mom in my truck, following her directions out of the town of Strawberry and into the farmland. We make a few more turns and go up a long driveway that leads to a decent-sized farmhouse. The home has seen better days, but in my mind, I can see the beauty that it once was and could be again.
“This is the place, Ma?”
“Isn’t it beautiful?”
“If tetanus is beautiful, yeah.”
“Charles!” She smacks my arm, “Don’t tell me you can’t see the potential in this place.”
“Of course, I can, Mom, but you can’t live in it the way it is now.”
“Which is where my handsome and talented son comes into play!”
“I’ll indulge in this silly idea for a bit. Even if I did fix this place up and it was as good as new and safe enough for my mom to live in, this place is way more than you need. Not to mention, it is all the way out here. I don’t like the idea of you being alone and Angela wouldn’t either.”
“I wouldn’t be alone if you purchased this place with me, fixed it up, and then moved in with me.”
I lean my head back onto the headrest and sigh, “So this is what this for all about?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” My mom replies, her statement dripping in sarcasm.
“You’re not as sly as you think, Mom. I know you want me to move here and now you’re dangling this property in front of me to make it happen. It’s kind of mean when you think about it.”
“Chaz, sweetie, look at this place. This is a wet dream for any contractor.”
“Jesus, Mom,” I groan, “Can you please not talk about wet dreams?”
“You’re such a prude, baby boy. Listen,” her voice gets serious. “I know that things are a mess right now and I can’t make it better, but I can offer you a new opportunity. This job might not be the same as your huge jobs in the city, but it could be the start of something good. Word will travel, they already know the work you did on the inn, then they’ll see the house and you can start doing little handyman jobs for income.”
“You don’t know that is going to work,” I interject.
“Yes, I do. This is my town now and I know how things work. They don’t care about the trouble your stupid partner got you in. They care about your work ethic and the final product, two things that you know you can be proud of.”
“Just slather it on, will ya?”
“You don’t need to make the choice tonight. This property has been vacant for about five years. I do love it out there though and I think you would too. If it is too much or not the right time, I understand. But when you’re ready,” she reaches over and grabs my forearm, “let me know and I’ll be ready too.”
BẠN ĐANG ĐỌC
The House That Built Me (Strawberry Inn Book #3)
Lãng mạnKelsey Founders was living her best life as a teenager growing up in Strawberry. That was until one day her parents decided they were moving to follow their dreams and took Kelsey along with her. Their idea of a dream life was nothing but hell for K...
