With This Ring

By

Retta Michaels

Preface

Dear Reader,

In a lot of my writing, I've never felt the need to write a preface. With this story, I want you to know what to expect. For me, the story is a mixture of a whole lot of truth and a whole lot of fiction.

For me to explain it, I must sit and tell you what my conceptual plans were for the novel

IN LIFE, we are not given a set list of directions and plans how to complete it. Some people don't like the unknown, so they don't take any foreign steps into different territories. With others, they know no structure.

Rather than having a nameless character out there who could sue the fuck out of me for even inferring they're a member of the mafia, I chose to go personal and use my own name. It's a lot less messy and a lot more friendly for my lawyer.

I am not a member of the mafia. I will not say I do not know a lot of the family members from several cities, but I am not a member myself.

I will state at one time I was with a man named Gino who headed a crime family. He's since passed and this story has been released with permission and editing done by his son who is still a dear friend of mine. (Thanks Dave.)

The names I've used in the story besides my own are ficticious. The names have been changed to protect everyone. Where names weren't important, I have not used them.

I have given enough references to who the person is so if you can read between the lines, you can see who they are. With that said, I will not say more about the characters.

The story is made up. It is totally ficticious. None of the incidents happened, and nothing of the sort ever occurred. If you choose to believe it did happen, and if you choose to believe it's true, then that's on you. I will state now if I receive an email asking me if such and such part is true, I'll be polite and refer you to the Preface and leave it at that.

The reason I'm writing this preface is because I want people to know when I write, I write fiction with an air of the style of writing used by the National Enquirer or the Sun. There's an air of truth in there someplace, but it's actually fiction. If you choose to believe it's truth, then do so...I've got about twenty acres of swamp land I'll sell you and someplace on that land is a complimentary I-phone. If you can find it, it's yours.

With that said, I'll now state the characters of this story will probably be used time and time again. I think I've found a niche in this style of writing. I'll tell you now, it's done in the style of Mack Bolan “The Executioner”, James Bond, or Scarface.

“With This Ring” is the first book of the saga. It shows how someone can go from leading a normal life wanting to lead a normal life to being thrown into a complex cast of characters which require him to be more and more of what he doesn't want to be.

I hope you enjoy the story.

Chapter 5:

Rose came over and said, “Steve, you go help the boys with the gold. Rhette and I need to talk.”

He said, “Mama, we need to talk. I've made a mess of things and would like to straighten it out.”

“Son, when I get through speaking with him, he'll understand a lot more than you'll ever be able to tell him.”

He nodded and went out. She said, “Let's go get something to drink and then head down the beach on the four wheeler.”

We went into the kitchen. She got out four insulated sport drink bottles and filled them with cold tea. She smiled and said, “We'll be gone a while. We keep towels out here on the back porch to wipe off sand. Whenever you go down there, take one with you, and don't bother to put it into the wash when you're back.”

We walked out to her Gator and hopped on. She drove us out to the beach and then went down to a rock outcropping. We parked and got off. She started to climb and I followed her. Once we got up to the top. I saw a concrete rest which one of the cannons should rest. She sat down and patted the bench beside her.

“Rhette, I'm going to tell you a story, but no matter what I tell you, it can't be repeated. It's personal and not anyone but James and I knew what went on.”

“Ok, you have my word on it.”

She smiled and said, “James and I got married. No matter how we tried, I couldn't conceive. I didn't know what the problem was but we went and we went and no baby. James got disgusted with me and he began messing around.

I wasn't supposed to know he was doing it. Call it woman's intuition, or whatever, but I knew about the time he started. He'd start coming home an hour later and things just wouldn't seem right with him. Usually, when I'd need something from town, I'd call his office and he'd take down what we needed and he'd stop by the store on the way home and get it. Well, he suddenly wasn't there and wouldn't get the message. Then it became my fault because I wasn't calling earlier in the day.

Somewhere around the time we were married twelve years, I got pregnant. James' mama was sick and dying and the one thing we didn't need at the time was a baby. Just the same, that became my fault too.”

“Why?”

“James thought it was him that couldn't get me pregnant. I wouldn't normally say this, but he was a huge man when it came to his equipment. He thought and I thought that he shoved it in too far.”

“Ok”

“Well, I got pregnant and he jumped to conclusions it was one of the darkies and I had been messing around. I'll tell you now Rhette, there was only one man in my life. James.”

“Well, I can tell you now, he's their daddy. Their eyes are all the same.”

“You know and I know, but James wouldn't be told otherwise. He kept making the accusations and they were really painful. Emotionally, I shut off from him.

We went forward and I had Stevie. I went into labor and James decided he didn't want to come home that night since the arms of that other woman were too important. His mama was sick and as sick as she was, she helped me deliver Stevie.

As soon as he was born, she took one look at Stevie and said, “The damned fool can't help but tell that's his baby”. I was embarrassed because I thought our arguments were private, but apparently, she knew. Nothing was a secret in that house with all the help we had at the time.

When James got home, I could hear her chewing into him about what a fool he was. He was drunk and he demanded to see the baby. After all the threats he made about killing the baby, I took a pistol and told him if he laid a hand on the baby, he'd be a dead man. He left the room and that night went to the bedroom which became his.”

“Ok, so your marriage was basicly broken then.”

“Yeah, but that's the way life was. 'For Richer for poorer' and all that, I kept my vows.

“So what happened?”

“James sometime along the way began seeing Randy's mother. Once again, I wasn't suppose to know, but I did. The perfume was different and his hours with her changed his schedule. Instead of an hour late every night, he'd come home whenever he felt like it.

His mama got sicker and sicker and finally she was laying on her death bed and I was nursing her and had Steve laying right next to her caring for them both. When she died, it was she, he and I. James came in later that night and I told him she was dead and he demanded to know why I hadn't gotten ahold of him. I told him if he'd be so kind to come home instead of going to that woman, he'd know these things. That's when he told me she was right down the road on our drive.”

“On the drive coming up to the house?”

“Yes. You see, back then, Jacksonland had our own shanty town. It's where the original slave houses were. Sometime in the twenties, they all burned and the houses which is identical to the house his mama lived were built...I believe they were called double shotgun houses.

Well, he told me to go to shanty town and I'd find the one she was at since his Sheriff's car would be parked out front. I told him I would NOT go looking for him in the arms of another woman for anything. If he couldn't give me the respect to come home, he deserved not knowing what went on in this house.

He got upset and said he'd do what he damned well please and I'd give him respect. My response was I went into mine and Stevie's room and locked myself in with the pistol. He buried his mama and I came out for that.

One afternoon, James came home and Stevie was out in the yard. He was in a foul mood and told me I'd perform my wifely duties whether I liked it or not. He raped me on the staircase. When he was done, I asked him if it was good because if he touched me again, I'd kill him. He chased me through the house and we got to the bedroom. I got to the pistol and I shot. It shot him in the groin. He left out and made it to the hospital. All this time, I never knew what I did to that man that day until I washed him after he died.”

“What happened.”

“James was a huge man, as I said. A lot of his penis was taken and there was a huge scar there.”

“Serves him right.”

“Well, after that, I became pregnant. Once again, James accused me of having an affair. Interestingly, Randy's mama had become pregnant too. We had the babies, but when I had JT, I knew the signs and called the doctor. He came and delivered JT.

After that, James came home from work when he was supposed to and by that time, the damage was done. Stevie wouldn't go near James so JT became Jame's son. James doted upon him and when Steve would go towards his daddy, he'd be told to get his butt back across the room with me.”

“What a bastard.”

“Yes, but it's the life I chose.”

“It wasn't the life Stevie chose. Doesn't he realize he could have apologized?”

“It wouldn't have mattered. By then, I wasn't interested in him and that was that. Randy's mama was the brunt of James' wrath. He accused her of cheating and I let it go on. One day, when the boys were little, I drove back from town and was driving through shanty town and I saw a little boy up on a porch with James' eyes. I knew that was Randy and I knew it was James' baby.

As the boys grew older, they went down the road to play as any normal kid will do seeking out playmates. One day, James brought the boys home yelling at them how they were never to be down the road playing again. I knew what his concern was but I never said anything.”

“What happened?”

“It never stopped them. Steve didn't go as often, but since JT and Randy were the same age, they began be be fast friends.”

“Did James try to stop it?”

“No. I really think he knew the writing was on the wall and knew it'd be a matter of time before he'd have to face the questions.”

“I'm not understanding something. What happened to the shanty town?”

“I'm getting to that.”

“Ok”

“When the boys were about ten and twelve. James came home one day and he was in a really foul mood. He was yelling at me and told everyone in the house to leave.”

“Who was in the house?”

“All the help.”

“Ok, let me ask a few questions because I'm not getting a few things. Why was there a shanty town if there wasn't anything on the farm being raised?”

“Until then, we farmed the trees ourself and we logged them. The tops and the limbs would go to heating the houses and the logs would be taken and sold.”

“So the farm sustained itself.”

“Yes.”

“Ok, now I'm understanding why the shanty town was there.”

“Yes, the guys worked the logging and their women would help cleaning and cooking at the house. We had nearly eighty guys working plus their families. It was our responsibility to cook, and cloth all of those people and see their needs were met. They lived poor, but we all did.”

“Ok, so what happened to the shanty town?”

“As I said, James came home and he cleared everyone out of there. This in itself wasn't unusual, but this day, he was in a really bad mood. He told me to take the boys and to leave and never come back. I left and went into town to my parents house.”

“Your parents still alive?”

“No, but they were at the time.”

“Ok”

“I went and my daddy was getting up there in age, but he was still young enough to know what was going on. He'd had enough and late that night when James came to town, my daddy went out with an axe handle and beat James. He told James either he would give me respect as his wife, or he'd not live to see his next year. James was nearly unconscious and I stood up for him. My daddy told me that was the one time I had to choose James over him.”

“That had to be rough.”

“Yes, but I took him home and nursed him. While he was laying there, I told him my choice was made and no matter how bad it was, the days of him being a rounder were over. He didn't say anything, but before he went back unconscious, he vowed he'd get even with my daddy. I went in with the pistol and waited until he was conscious. When he came too, I raised the pistol and gave him the choice to either be a husband or to end his life. He told me he'd end things but I better watch my back. I told him he better watch his mouth and he better take a look over his shoulder because if I had to be his shadow, I'd personally see he never laid on another woman. His comment to me was I didn't know what I was talking about. That's when I told him about seeing the boy down the road with his eyes. Even when he was facing a pistol, he denied Randy was his. That's when I told him if he wasn't his, then he sure shouldn't care if JT played with him.”

“What happened.”

“Later that night, the shanty town began burning. James went out on the front porch and told the men that came up asking him to call the fire department they were already called. I knew they weren't as I was responsible for making phone calls in the house.”

“Why didn't you call the fire department?”

“IN a sick twisted kind of way, I wanted James to get caught in the lie. I wanted the men to come and take out their anger on him.”

“That would have been terrible because it probably wouldn't have been him they would have stopped at.”

“No, but somehow, I think everyone knew I was in the same boat they were.”

“So it burned?”

“It burned until the next day. People's things were out in the middle of the road and James didn't do a thing about it. He went to work and I told the men to load their belongings up in the old pickup and take them to town to find places to live.”

“What happened with Randy's mama?”

“He tried to put her in his mama's house!”

“What!”

“Yes. They were moving their things over to the house and I went over and took the shotgun. Randy's mama came out and I told her I understood her dilemma, but I wasn't going to let her stay on my property and continue with James.”

“What'd she do?”

“She told me to raise her son and to just go ahead and kill her because there wasn't any other choices for her.”

“Oh man.”

“Yeah. So, I told them men to load her up and I moved her into town to my mama's place. My mama took her in and the man she's now with his my baby brother.”

“Oh.”

“He sure wouldn't let James around her and believe me, James tried and got himself beaten several times.”

“What did you do?”

“The first two times, I didn't know it. We weren't sleeping in the same bedroom, and I really didn't keep tabs upon him. The third time, I got the phone call and got told. When James came home, I was waiting out front with the shotgun. When he stepped out, I shot his car. He took off to the right and I took out the hitching post. He took off down the road and I reloaded. I shot and James went down.

The boys were there and they came out and were yelling at me that I'd killed their daddy. They went down the road and they brought him in. The doctor was called and he showed me how to remove buckshot.

James was laying face down and each time I'd jab in the tweezers to get another piece, he'd cuss me and he'd threaten. When it was all over, his legs and his butt were a bloody mess. James was moaning in pain and I took the peroxide and poured it all down his back. He began screaming in pain and the doctor looked at me like I was nuts. I told the doctor, “This man has been warned time and time again he shouldn't mess with what he's messing with. He's now going to either realize I'm his wife or I'll make every waking moment of his life hell....now, hand me the rubbing alcohol.” The doctor smiled and he handed it to me.

James knew I was one movement away from pouring the alcohol down his back and he told me he'd do anything. That's when I told him his days of being Sheriff were over and his days of being a husband were beginning again. He agreed and the next day, I went into the Sheriff's department and got myself made deputy.”

“Oh man”

“Yeah. When James was able to report to work, I went in and we began riding the roads as partners. When he went into a restroom, I went in before he went and made sure there wasn't anyone in it. Then he was allowed to go in. When the day was done, we went home together.”

“So then what happened.”

“Somewhere along that time, I saw how crooked James was. The payoffs he was taking was frightening. I told him he was disgusting to me and then started running the people off. James told me I was putting him into the poor house and I told him it didn't matter, we could continue living upon what he was making.”

“That was good.”

“Yeah. One day, we were at the dinner table and James called Steve in and told him he was going to run for Sheriff when James' term was finished. I told Steve I'd support that and Steve was happy. It was a first for him because James had never paid attention to him.”

“Ok, so that's how Steve became Sheriff.”

“Yes.”

“Rose, here's what bugs me. Steve doesn't realize JT's just as much a victim in this as he. The way I see it, JT's getting hind tit. He's to take the Sheriff after Steve's done with it and when Steve gets Governor, JT gets that.”

“Rhette, in some political dynasties, it happens. Look at the Kennedies. Jack got President first. Bobby was in line to take it and then Teddy tried. If you ask them, I'd be willing to bet each of them would have told you it was their birthright and not them receiving hind teet. They each had their own plans of what they'd do in office and none of them got to fulfill the dream.”

“So I'm looking at it wrong.”

“A bit. What you need to know was James was a crooked politician. I'll tell you that and I knew it. Steve's got some things he's not told me about, but I know it. JT's told me a few things and he wants to make changes to clean the place up even Steve hasn't succeeded in doing.”

“SO you're telling me Steve's refusal to answer my question was because he's covering.”

“Hon. I know my boys. JT's much like you. His doings are so out in the open everyone knows what he's doing. With Steve, I love him, but I'll tell you when he's up against a wall, he'll refuse to answer rather than lie to you and have you thinking low of him.”

“Then tell me what to do.”

“Go back in and keep his mind off it. To you, confrontation is the best source of getting things into the open. To him, confrontation will blow it up and it will sweep things he didn't want to talk about under the rug until he's able to clean things up to the point you're told. My advice is to go back and keep like you're not paying it attention and then when he's ready, you'll be amazed at what you hear.”

“That's fine, but it's like the elephant in the middle of the living room. Everyone's seeing it, but it's getting ignored.”

“My advice is to pet the elephant and tell him it's ok and you're aware it's there and you'll still love him when he tells you about it.”

“Ok, let's go over and see that house. Something's telling me that house should be priority. The plat map and the cup are pieces of the puzzle. You hold onto them and we'll get an attorney called.”

“I'm not sure an attorney will be able to do much.”

“The man who can get me the attorney will also be able to get that gold sold. He'll move mountains where everyone else will wonder how to go around it.”

“Is he nice?”

“David?”

“Is that the man's name?”

“Yeah. Dave's nice. His dad and I were a part of each other's lives and I could've very easily spent the rest of his life with him.”

“What happened?”

“If you must know, Gino was mafia. There's the elephant in the middle of the room if I said he wasn't. Now, if you want to know, I'll tell you Gino was a helluva businessman and he handled his organization so amazingly well, he took it from a band of simple crooks to being one of the best financed in the country.”

“And you want this man to be associated with Steve?”

“Ro, you might not like it, but I already know what a lot of Steve's problem is within his office. What it boils down to is corruption and small people in small offices all thinking they're powerful. Sometimes, you have to stroke their egos and other times, you just have to go in with a bulldozer and remove them. We're going to have to do that back home, and it's going to make me look like I'm opening the can of worms. IF you ask me, it's high time it got done.

I'm sure there are points in this county's politics which are the same way. The good old boy system works that way.”

“What do you mean?”

“I believe Steve was trying to tell that police chief he knew how the game was played, but I was now under his protection and as a professional courtesy, he should start getting some things done.

What I don't believe is Steve's ever been in so far he's ordered hits upon anyone. IF he has, then he's further gone than I'll care to associate and I'll end the relationship there.”

“I doubt if he is.”

We drove over to the shack and that's the way I have to describe it. If I'd not seen it so clearly in my mind, I would have sworn someone had taken the house and had shoved it over into the corner of a field. It looked that neglected.

As soon as I saw it, I said, “Oh man.”

“Honey, I had no idea this place was in this state of disrepair.”

“Me neither. She wants this place put back into rights and something's telling me it has to be done and there's no other way around it.”

“Does it have to be on this location?”

“I don't know, but I'll tell you it has to be this house. What we need to do is we need to get a shotgun and come out here. I'm not going to have you climbing through any of those weeds to get to the house and us facing a rattle snake on the way in through that mess.”

“Ok, but what we should do is get the tractor and back in with the brush hog going to clear those weeds.”

“That's terrible.”

“Out of sight out of mind, but now it's in my sight, we've got to get something done.”

When we went back to the house, Steve had the will out and the plat map. “Mama, this plat map shows the original home site is over there at that other place and doesn't show this place at all.”

“Yes, this place was built after. Your grandma said she'd stay there when your daddy and I got married because she by all rights should have us move out there. If that's what she meant, then she was right.”

“But this house is on the land.”

“Yes, but if the will states that's the house you have to occupy, then I'll tell you now it's not fit to live in. Rhette and I were just over there and it's terrible.”

“Well let's go look at it because this will states we have to occupy it.”

I looked at Steve and said, “Hon, the name of this place better be changed to Green Acres because this is Park Avenue compared to that place over there. We just came back to get the tractor and the brush hog and a shot gun to even get into it.”

“It's that bad?”

“When was the last time you were over there?”

“Ummm, maybe five years ago?”

“Well, a lot has went on in five years if you could still reach the place.”

“I didn't go in, I just drove by it. It wasn't good then.”

“Well, ride over with the brush hog and we'll gnaw our way in because the weeds are so thick there's bound to be some snakes in that mound of brush.”

“Where's JT?”

“Why?”

“He knows how to operate that better than me.”

“You ride over with your mama, I'll drive the tractor.”

He smiled and said, “I'm sorry.”

“No problems, we'll talk later.”

He gave me a whipped look again and I said, “Steve, you need to think about a few things. I'm sure there are things going on you're ashamed to tell me, but it'd be better if you just put them out in the open. We can deal with them together if I know. If you choose to keep them secret, they're not doing anyone any good.”

“I don't want to talk about it.”

“I told you I wouldn't leave and now I'm back. You called me a liar and now you're going to eat those words. I hope they're tasty because you're about to find out what you're asking me to do. There's no way I'll move into that house the way it is. Now get me the keys and I'll do what I can.”

He went in and got the keys. “It's not been started in about ten years. The horses eat the growth.”

“Then there's a reason they won't go near the place. Take a shotgun and if it moves, blast first and then pick up the rattles later.”

“I better take a bunch of shells.”

Rose said, “Get me mine too and we'll do this together.”

He smiled and said, “Ok, at least one of us will be shooting something!”

I chuckled and said, “I'll be working on getting that tractor started.”

I went out to the other shed. Pushing the door open was a chore, but once it began moving, it creaked along the track and slid open. Inside, I found an old Massey Harris still with the brush hog attached. I went over and got up on it. I attempted to prime the carberator and heard an empty gas tank. Over near the door was a bunch of five gallon plastic gas jugs. Three had gas in them, but I could tell they were all not much count. There were two other jugs empty so I poured off what was usable and went out to the road and poured out the settled shellac. When all of them were emptied, I went out to the road and set it afire. It burned and the smoke was terrible.

Back in the shed, I got up on the tractor and began priming the carberator and finally got the motor to hit. When it caught and roared to life, I eased back on the choke and got it to moving. It groaned and lurched out of the shed.

I drove over to the home site and then eased the brush hog down and began operating the PTO which got it to cutting. Steve was standing there up on the bed of the gator. I backed into the brush and began chipping away at the overgrowth.

When I had about twelve feet cleared, I heard a bang and looked over towards Steve and Rose. Rose was standing upon the seat and aiming at the ground. Steve took aim and fired again. I pulled forward and then eased into the growth again. Somewhere within me, I was told to turn to the left rather than go the direction I was heading. I did and when I'd eased six feet. I saw a huge rock wall which would have easily put the brush hog out of commission. I pulled forward and then eased in again. This time I was able to make it to within ten feet of the porch.

I pulled out again and set the brush hog down for a clean cut next to the ground. I went back in and cut so the ground was as low as the pasture.

When I pulled out, I went around and began doing sweeps using the front of the tractor to knock the overgrowth down so it could go beneath the blades. It was slow going, but with each pass, I was gaining yard.

The whole time I was cutting, I was hearing bangs. I'm guessing the gunfire is what brought Randy and JT to the pasture in JT's truck. When they got out, they were both sporting shotguns. They saw what we were doing took up into the bed of the truck away from Rose and Steve. It seemed I'd make a pass and the bangs would continue.

Eventually, I was up to so the side of the house was close. I went ahead and the front of the tractor went down like the wheel fell into a hole. Fortunately, I'd been taught the first thing you do in that situation is shut down the PTO and remain calm. I lowered the deck of the brush hog and it acted like a counter balance to right the tractor. Using the brush hog as my counter weight, I raised it which again let the tractors other wheels support the weight and backed up. I back out and then went in backwards and mowed over the hole.

When I was sure I had mowed over the hole, I went forward and swung around. By this time, Rose and Steve were up near where I'd mowed and were really letting loose with the gunshots.

I pulled out and as I pulled out, I saw at least five snakes moving. I started pointing. JT and Randy went in and they began shooting too.

I pulled out into the pasture and parked. The thought of having Rose walking into that mess would have had us both killed.

Steve came over and said, “We're going to go get some brush killer and start spraying down the yard. The whole place seems infested.”

“Wait until I get it mowed. I've only got a part of the yard done and the other side needs to have it cleared too.”

“There's a well on the other side. The hole you fell in was where the outhouse used to be. I have no idea where the outhouse went. I'm guessing the winds from Hugo or something carried it away.”

“It was a surprise.”

“I was worried, but you sure got out of that mess easy.”

“It took remaining calm and doing what my grandpa Orville taught me.”

“Well he taught you good because mom was sure worried.”

“All in a day on the farm. How many have you killed?”

“I don't know. We've emptied a carton each.”

“So you guys need more ammo, right?”

“Yeah”

“Well, go get the weed killer and ammo and I'll be here.”

“Let the ones that didn't get killed sink back into the woods and hopefully, we'll not have to kill as many. Don't go mowing over there because we've got to point out the well.”

“There's a well over there too?”

“Yeah.”

“Is it on the plat map?”

“I don't know. They've got all the pastures noted and where the house is, but I'm not knowing what I'm looking at.”

Rose came over and said, “Man, that was incredible!”

She came walking over smiling and said, “I know my shoulder's going to let me know I've been shooting tomorrow, but I've not been that busy with a shotgun since your daddy and I were first married.”

JT and Randy came over and said, “We've got more ammo”

Steve said, “What gauge do you have?”

“Randy's got ten and I've got twelve.”

Steve said, “Mom's out with her four ten and I'm out of sixteen. IS there more at the house I don't know about?”

JT shook his head no and laughed, “Where's Homer when we need him!”

Steve said, “Maybe I should call the department and get the guys out here for target practice. They could use it and they could bring us more ammo.”

Rose nodded and said, “Make sure Rhett's not in the way though. I'll go back to the house and see what we've got.”

She took off on her gator and then Steve said, “Guys, here's the bad news. The will states by all rights, that house is the one we've got to inhabit. It didn't tell us how long we had to inhabit it, but it stated we have to inhabit it when we take possession. Right now, as you can see, that place isn't fit for anyone to live. We'd get in and probably find ourselves facing more when we tried to leave. I'll tell you now, I'm not going anywhere where I have to shoot my way out.”

I looked at him and said, “I'm counting my lucky stars we didn't try going in there by ourselves. That was terrible.”

JT smiled and said, “Rhette, don't go out into those woods then. The snakes out there are nearly as thick.”

I looked at him and Randy said, “WE use to go out and take a box of ammo and shoot until we were empty just like this. What you don't know is those trees are so dense they are a breeding ground for bugs and little critters that bring the snakes in to feed upon. They are thick in there.”

Steve said, “You guys weren't supposed to go into the trees.”

JT said, “We did, but now we're figuring out how dangerous it was. Fortunately, Randy had my back about every time I was about to get bit.”

Randy shook his head and said, “We used to go in there wearing shorts. Man, we were so dumb.”

JT said, “How'd you get the tractor running Rhette?”

“There was fifteen gallons of fuel. A lot of it was bad, but I got what was good put into the tank.”

JT laughed and said, “Randy, there goes your supply!”

Steve looked at him and said, “What do you mean?”

“Randy had home made hooch in those jugs.”

I began laughing and said, “What proof was it because this tractor is running fine!”

JT laughed and said, “Randy got an old boy that had a bunch in a fifty five gallon drum. We bought it and was going to spike the punch for our high school graduation. We did one punch bowl, but that was it.”

Steve said, “Oh man! That stuff had to be ripe!”

“Well it sure fired up the tractor. Someone ought to go get some gasoline to mix with it. This thing's probably running way hot.”

JT said, “Well, I thought it had a stuck cylinder the last time I ran it, but I sure can't tell that now!”

We all sat back and laughed and then JT said, “I'll go get the gas. It's over in the stables.” He hopped upon the tractor and drove off.

Steve and I got up on the bed of the pickup with Randy. Randy was counting shell casings. “I'm counting nearly seventy here.”

Steve said, “Mama and I went through at least that many. If each one was a snake, then we really had a bunch.”

Randy said, “The other side is more towards the woods. It's really going to be thick. What you need to do is check in under that place.”

Steve said, “I have no idea how we're going to get the house raised back up.”

“Steve? Does it say it has to be the original house or can a house be put there in it's place and be lived in?”

“I'm not sure. All it says is it should be at that location.”

“Would you mind if I call Dave and get him to get us a lawyer to look at everything?”

“It wouldn't hurt.”

He looked uncomfortable speaking about Dave and I chose to ask. “Steve, are you uncomfortable with me having Dave looking into things?”

“I'm thinking of the future.”

“I'm aware of that. If he's working in the shadows, then we're not directly relating him with you. The attorney is going to be the best in his field no matter who it is.”

“So he'll spend the money to get us the best?”

“He'll do that because he wants to see me happy. He'll do that for a large part because he wants in your good graces.”

“Why?”

“There are a lot of reasons. Reasons which you don't know. Reasons you can suspect. And, reasons which are blatantly clear. One of the reasons you don't know is he's not getting younger and as with most of these guys, they want to retire where the weather is nice and there are people who are in the higher income brackets. It's like it would be if you or I were retiring. They sure as hell don't want to be where they're viewed as a continual threat to the power structure that might be fought over.”

“So out of a turf war.”

“Yeah, and look where you are. You're in the middle of an area where a lot of the houses are owned by people who are high income. They can go to the club and rub elbows but also stay behind that gate and be left alone.”

“What's the obvious reason?”

I looked at him and knew he was testing me. “Let's see. If he can come in and help you get what you want done, then when you get into the Governor's seat, he can get deals done too.”

“What if there aren't any deals to be made?”

“What if there are? We're talking about a shipping port. I'll tell you now, someone's going to be in there and if not, there's no shipping port. Between you and I, I'd rather have someone in there I know than a group which you don't know and have them choosing to put someone up against you and getting a lot of embarrassing things out.”

“What sort of things?”

“Who knows? What's in your past that's embarrassing? You might not want to answer that, but I'd rather hear it from you than be involved in a relationship and be in a campaign and have it all come out. Now, I've thought of some things and you might be dodging the question, but I'll go wading in because I know it's most likely there.”

“Do we have to talk about it now?”

“No, but you telling me that tells me there's something there. You dodging it earlier told me there was something there. I'm not going to press it, but I'll tell you I could find out without you telling me.”

“How?”

“Between you and I, just because Dave knows I'm here means he's somewhere in the shadows looking. I know that because that's what I'd do. You'd do it too.”

“I doubt that. I don't go looking for trouble where I'm not personally located.”

“Let's put it this way and I don't really care if Randy is in the bed of this truck or not. If JT was going somewhere to live, and you had the things at his disposal and he had the sort of problems I've had, wouldn't you go looking?”

“I imagine.”

“Well, I'd say he's probably looking into the good old boy network and checking to see if it's alive and well and how much I've associated myself with by being with you.”

“What if I told you there are problems?”

“I'd tell you I imagined there were. What if I told you I'd already laid out the scenario in my mind to your mom and she pretty much reaffirmed it?”

“What then since you know so much.”

“Well, since I know so much, I'll tell you. Most politicians are the same. It doesn't matter if it's backwoods Missouri, Kansas, or low country South Carolina. You've got lawyers all hoping to be something to someone and you've got judges who are on the inside. A part of spending all that money to get there is to be on that inner sanctum. A part of it involves the kick backs, pay offs, and bribes. It involves in one good old boy sitting back at his desk lighting a cigar and playing the part of fat cat to a younger more impressionable guy saying he can get the matter resolved and calling his “friend” who will make matters dissolve.”

Randy smiled and said, “Sounds like one guy I know”

Steve said, “Well, it works that way, but I've tried not letting it happen too much with me.”

“The key word is tried. Now, if it's not worked with you, I'll tell you how it's worked and you can rest assured you've been neutered. It's working on the level of fat cat calling the judge and the arrest you made being dissolved before your eyes between he and the prosecuting attorney.”

Steve turned around and hopped off the truck. “You don't know what you're talking about.”

“I'm afraid I do. Now, you want to hear the other side of the coin?”

“You apparently have it all made up in your mind, I guess I could entertain you.”

“Well, there's the part of the bankers. They rub shoulders and they slide fist fulls of cash to get projects done. That involves the trades which also slide politicians money. They all are paying everybody and they're all getting a cut. The banker perpetuates it because he's getting the interest off the money. The contractor is getting the profit and the politician is ok-ing the project. Call him the road commissioner, building inspector, or whomever, he's getting paid. All of them write it up and the unsuspecting are the one's paying.”

“I'm not a part of that.”

“Ok, so you're not on that gravy train. Which line are you riding? Push cart because each time you have to get over by a fast moving local, they're all shoving money in your pocket as they go by.”

“Rhette, you're really bugging me by telling me I'm corrupt.”

“Steve, I'm not going to tell you a thing. IF the shoe is on your foot, I'll find out. You should know I would rather hear it than find out when I get that phone call.”

He looked at me and said, “Call him and tell him we need a lawyer.”

“Ok, criminal or real estate?”

“Rhette!”

“Ok, I won't press. I'm going to make the call.”

I got off the back of the truck and started walking towards the house. I got about ten feet and he said, “Would you slow down!”

“Maybe I've got something on my mind. Maybe I've got to think.”

He came up and said, “You don't know how it is.”

“Oh, I do. I'm probably not even scratching the surface, but I sure bet I'm banging on all eight cylinders.”

“Rhette, call him and see what he can find out about the land and then I'll tell you anything you want to know.”

“Ok, you might want to make a map because I do know the road to the Governor's mansion is going to involve a lot of kissing asses. I also know it's a whole lot easier to be on our way with a lot of people already having that phone call and thinking their ass has been kissed.”

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“Let's see. Corruption isn't new here. It's probably older than what we dealt with out there, but I doubt it's older than the new breed which builds a Vegas casino. Those guys will burn a casino to show you it can be done. Those guys will do it in a style it will leave you scratching your head of how they'll ever come up with a different way.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“It's all being done. Just because it doesn't involve you yet doesn't mean it won't some day. There are a lot of crazy som'bitches out there in this world. There are also some that you choose to have on your side which will make those crazies think you're so nuts they run in fright when your name is mentioned.”

“What do you mean?”

“Steve, you tell me your secrets and I'll tell you mine. When those come out, we'll know the pages we're on and see if the book is even in the same library as the other.”

“So you think we're backwoods here.”

“No, it's all very real to you. What I told your mom is this...intimidation is a street where there's always someone bigger and badder. Are you having drive by's in your projects?”

“No, that's in the bigger cities.”

“Pretty scary isn't it.”

“Yeah.”

“Intimidation. You're sitting in your house and you're thinking you're secure and boom, blam, blam, you're sucking shit up off your floor under your coffee table because someone chose to make you feel insecure. I wonder if the big bad judge whom has you wondering what his next move has saw the floor lately.”

“Don't do it!”

“Why the fuck not? I mean it's amazing how the case you gave away yesterday or last week can suddenly get tried or not...when the phone call afterwards gets made. Or, the power of his kid being lifted off a street can have him in your pocket for a long time. “

“Rhette. It's not that bad here.”

“How much money are you making a week extra that's not on your paycheck to tell me that?”

“Rhette.”

“Steve. If you think I'm being a real bitch say so. A few hours ago I was a whiny fucking bitch. Now, I'm hitting you where I know it's happening and I've asked repeatedly to be told what it is I'm facing when we hit that campaign trail. You still don't talk, so I'm thinking aloud at what I've got to do to release you from that fear.”

“It's trading one for one I don't know.”

“Ok, so is it in the will that you run for another office?”

“No”

“Good because what I'll do is I'll hold onto that conversation with Dan and keep him thinking you're running so JT can get into the Sheriff's office. You're out of it and as high as I can hold my head when we go into town is how far I'll raise it. Everyone will know but me and I'll know the moment I get that phone call. Now, I'm going to walk to get to that phone and make the call to get you a lawyer to get this place into your name.”

“You're making this hard.”

“No. I'm making this easy. You don't have to tell me a thing. Instead, I'll be the Sheriff's wife and I'll wonder when I've got to see you pulling some shit. Now, I'm walking to that house and don't try to say another word until you're coming clean with me. I'll not lose my face over you. You got me!”

“This is about your personal security isn't it!”

“DUH! Let's see. We're three miles down a fucking road. Yeah they can come up the thing and blast away and have a grand old time. The way it is, it could be one of your fucking officers that does it for all I know. OR, it could be a speed boat with a 50 caliber running by out there or a plane coming over. It all depends upon how bad the person is that wants to do that drive by. Why the fuck do you think I'm choosing to keep that gate shut? Why the fuck do you think I'll be putting in steel mesh on the back side of that gate? It's because I know anyone who wants to can blow that guard shack and get up the drive in town. It's because I know out here, I know it's possible it could happen. How many police officers came down that road while we were out there blowing away some snakes? Not one. How many would come if it were people receiving the same treatment?”

“Rhette, I'm sorry.”

“Steve, I love you. I can hope you're my security blanket and hope it won't be happening, but there's also the hope I can know it's coming and know that as much as I hate the thought of us having to run to those woods for cover, that the idiots aren't going to be shooting from cover of them.

Now, before I make a run with you politically, you're going to have to tell me everything else. Right now, you're retiring at the end of that run because if you do it without telling me, you'll do it alone and when that disgrace happens, I'll be a part of your past and not there with you.”

“You're telling me we're finished then.”

“You running?”

“I had hoped.”

“Then either talk or consider this our final conversation. I'm not going to see you brought down and be there to catch the wreckage. Naïve doesn't begin to describe how I think you're being about it if you do.”

“So you think they're all corrupt?”

“YES!”

“Is your friend corrupt?”

“Have I heard conversations which tells me he's got to kiss asses all day long? Yes. Have I heard how he lives in fear of becoming known or found out? Yes. Does he continue to do it even though he knows he's got to walk a tightrope? Yes. And finally, do you think I'd enjoy being up there doing it as he does? Not no but fuck no!”

“So what do we do?”

I let out a big sigh. “Just tell me what it is that you're doing. That way I know. That way it's known and I can say, “OH THAT! Well he told me about that!”

“Well, would you listen and let me tell the story?”

“I will but would you sit everyone down and tell us all at once so we all know what we're facing?”

“Who? You mean Mama and JT?”

“And Randy. Yes.”

“Why him?”

“Because I plan on having him out there on the trail campaigning and shaking hands. I want your daddy's little secret to be known and I want no one to use him for blackmail. I want him to feel like he's got some importance to you. Don't you see how he came running when he thought he was needed?”

“He did that for JT.”

“You are so dense sometimes it just really scares me. He knew your dad was dead. He knew the threat was gone. BUT, as long as you're alive, I guess your daddy will have a secret. Jeez.”

“That was a low blow.”

“No. The low blow is when you're up on the stand at a debate and the other person chooses to use him as a inference to you hiding things and keeping secrets. How do you think you'll handle it then? Will he be an embarrassment? Or will he be someone you choose to bring out and blow that son of a bitch out of the water. Drive bys happen in all shapes and sizes. Don't you get it?”

“So you're telling me that anything that I have in my past will be fair game to be used against me.”

“Yes. Just like they could use Chad against me! BUT, you know what? I'll have Chad's ass out there on the trail slapping hands and telling people what a charm I am. I want every guy who's had a shotgun wedding to know I got just as fucked. I want everyone to know I overcame and I conquered. That's what prison taught me. Secrets are only as powerful as the one hiding them. If you have everything exposed, then nothing gets used. That's how I got ahead in there and that's how I made things so I could live in that world.”

“I'm understanding you more and more.”

“Good. Now, let me walk across this field and get to that phone.”

“Rhette. Just tell me you love me.”

I turned to him and hugged him. “Steve, there wasn't a question. It's not an option I'll stop. What the option is, is how far you push me out with what it is.”

I turned and walked across the field. When I got to the gate, I went over and across the pasture to the parking area. The walk wasn't as long as it seemed previously and yet, because of the growth of trees, it made it seem like it was further. Going through the wrought iron gate into the inner yard, I thought of how lovely this place would seem if it were landscaped in pretty flowers. I imagine in it's day, the place was really a showplace. Interestingly, I imagined it with Steve out front on the steps with bunting on the porch and him acknowledging his win for the Governor's office. The only thing I didn't imagine was me standing next to him when that took place.

Going into the house, Rose came into the living room to see who it was. “Oh hon, you surprised me!”

“Just me. I'm using the phone to call and get us a lawyer. I'm thinking and I want to see what our chances are with a few ideas I have.”

“What do you mean?”

“The will states we have to have occupied that house. It doesn't state it has to be that house, but a house on that site. If that house can't be saved, does it nullify that will and that plat? Or, can it be a new house that can be built there?”

“I never thought of that.”

“Well, she wants it to be that house for some reason. I don't know if her soul is crying out for us to experience what she did, or if it has to be that house for a reason. She's not telling me things are hidden there, but I do know it has to be there.”

“Hon, what's upsetting is she let us live in this place knowing it probably voided the previous wills. She probably would have told whomever we occupied that house, but she also knew James was a rounder.”

“Maybe it was because of her feelings towards you. She liked you, didn't she?”

“Yes. We got along wonderfully.”

“And she lived there the whole time?”

“No. when James' daddy died, she went there to live. She said it was her place and wanted us to have lots of babies and us to have them knowing this as home.”

“When did James' daddy die?”

“We'd been married about two years. He was really advanced in age. One day, he went out on the front porch and sat down in that rocker and just died.”

“I was wondering because I don't get his presence here at all.”

“You wouldn't. The man felt trapped here. He wasn't happy here and as many times as he could, he'd take that old Roadmaster of his and he'd go up to Charleston.”

“What was in Charleston?”

“The ships. The man loved his ships. That's why when they had to move this house back, I was surprised he never moved it so he could sit upon the porch and see the water. He didn't. He made it so it faced the South.”

“You'd think he would have faced it to the capital of the Confederacy if he was a true Southerner.”

She smiled. “Spoken like a true Yankee”

I chuckled and said, “Well, maybe he faced it so he could face Bluffton. That's where I'll be when he doesn't come up with what's eating him.”

“He will. You're whittling away and what's funny is you're doing it so transparent he sees it. That's what's scaring him. It'd be like JT questioning him.”

“That's what the next road block is. I think. When he comes out with them, it's got to be with everyone sitting there.”

“Why?”

“The road to the capital is going to have you, JT, Randy, and me on it out there shaking hands. For us to know and not be taken out of the water when those secrets come out, he's got to let us in on them. It's not just me. He's got to tell us all.”

“He won't do it.”

“He will or we won't make that trip. He knows the option is out there that he can retire and wither away to being a retired Sheriff with everyone knowing his secrets but us. I think his desire is strong enough he's going to face it.”

“It would make him stronger to face the demons with us. Then, anything we face on the trip there wouldn't be anything.”

“What I think the key is now is to have him and JT talk.”

I dialed the phone and it rang. “Hello”, Dave's voice said growling.

“Boy that was rough, you ok?”

“Yeah, just irked like hell, but how are you?”

“I'm doing well. I've got a question.”

“Shoot.”

“Who's the best real estate lawyer you know?”

“Why? You having problems over your place?”

“No, I'm looking for loopholes in a tax.”

“What sort of tax?”

“Inheritance tax.”

“Huh? You've got to buy your place from an estate?”

“No, Steve. His daddy died and there's an inheritance tax that's probably twenty five million.”

“Oh. Well you need to contact Thad Moseby. The man's a genius.”

“Where's he at?”

“He's in Vegas. He can take a parcel of land ten feet wide and make it a mile.”

“Ok, what I need is in regards to a land grant and whether the tax has to be paid if the title was prior to it even being a state.”

“Oh, nice precedent.”

“I thought so. Do you have his number?”

“How about if I have you called. You going to be there in about five minutes?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok, wait there and I'll have him call you. You got your cell?”

“It's with me always.”

“Ok, He'll call you.”

I rung off and she said, “He think it can be done?'

“He says it's an interesting precedence.”

“It will be if it saves money.”

“We'll see. It could be used to bite him later in the campaign. The opponents could state he was trying to bilk the state before he ran and what's changed?”

“We'll use it as a campaign tool. Expose the weakness and use it to become a strength.”

“Smart.”

My cell phone rang and I answered it. “Hello?”

“Thad Moseby. I hear you got a problem.”

“I do. Here's what the will states and what the situation is.”

I read him the will and then told him the situation.

“You don't owe taxes. They're not going to attempt to collect them. If anyone's paid taxes prior, that's not a precedence. That's their ignorance of the law. You're using the law for your defence.”

“Ok, now, I'm going to throw you a few things here so you know what we're up against.”

“Ok”

“The house is in South Carolina.”

“Ok, one question. Was the house in their name when the state reentered the union?”

“Yes.”

“And it was a part of a land grant prior?”

“Yes, but it was a part of a dowry.”

“And you can prove that?”

“Yes, we've got a cup here and a map and the will.”

“What's the cup?”

“It was given to the family along with the piece of land. It's solid gold and has an inscription stating it was awarded in valor for heroism in battle or some sort of thing.”

“Good. That is wonderful. It makes your case stand more solidly. They'll not ask. If anyone does, show them the map and the cup and they'll back off.”

“IF they don't, you going to come in and save our bacon?”

“My fee is negotiable.”

“Negotiable to the point it's cheaper to pay the tax or negotiable that I can put you on a plane and get here.”

He laughed and said, “You get in trouble, you give me a call and I'll come get you out of your scrape.”

“What do I do for future generations.”

“Leave it as it is. If you put it into trust, it changes the deed in your lifetime and the taxes might go retroactive. What I'd do is will it as it is with a complete explanation as to how to beat the tax man.”

I got off the phone and Rose smiled. “Good news?”

“He said the tax man can't touch us. If they attempt to do it, he'll come in and save it.”

“It's a shame James and I paid the taxes. I wish I'd known it then.”

“Sometimes we don't know things, but James might have not contacted a good lawyer.”

“No, he didn't contact one at all.”

“A fool and his money are soon parted. He should've.”

She shook her head sadly and said, “We trusted our instincts. I wonder if all those people that lost plantations knew they didn't have to pay the taxes.”

“They probably weren't a part of land grants. The catch there is this one is.”

She said, “Well, it's all water under the bridge. At least you kids don't have to pay those taxes.”

“It makes it nice. We have to put it in future Wills how to beat the tax man so they don't think they have to pay them.”

She smiled and said, “I'm glad you two are going to have children.”

“Yeah, I've got an idea there which might work.”

“What is it?”

“I've got some family members who are rather poor. I think what I'll do is put the word out I'll pay a million for a baby. That should start a stampede and we'll have quite a few of them here. With Steve's semen, and my family members, our kids will have my blood and his.”

“Smart. I like that idea.”

“We have to see if it flies past Steve. Let me go tell him the good news about this and I'll bring the other up to him.”

I went out and he was just coming up the steps out front. “Sit a spell. I've got good news and an idea to tell you.”

“Ok, the good news first.”

“We don't have to pay the taxes.”

“How'd you find out so fast?”

“Dave has a lawyer he knows who is like a hot shot attorney for real estate. I spoke with the man and he told me it's not a problem and if anyone thinks they can get it to let him know and he'll come in and represent us on it.”

“Good. Now, what's your idea.”

“It's about children.”

“Ok”

“I've got a lot of family members who are poor. What I was thinking is telling my mom to put word out throughout the family we're wanting to have kids and we'll pay a million to each person who wants to be a surrogate.”

“Oh man, a lot of them could want to do it.”

“Yeah, but with what we saved on the taxes, we can afford it. Besides, what I was thinking is it'd be nice to have our kids have your blood and mine in them.”

He smiled and said, “I like the idea.”

“Good. Let me go get the idea given off to my mom so she can get it out to the family. Who knows how long it will take for it to fester with them before we have a taker.”

I got up and he pulled me down onto his lap and kissed me. I returned the kiss warmly. We sat there and hugged nuzzled for a few moments until Randy came up on the porch. His voice startled me.

“Hey guys, I'm going to go in and see if I can get a drink.”

I came up with a start and said, “Sure, let's go in and get you something to drink. I need to use the phone anyways.”

Randy blushed and smiled. Steve began to apologize with Randy saying, “Steve, no apology is necessary, I've been there a few times myself. It's your front porch and I'm not harmed by it.”

I went in and got Randy a glass of tea. He had followed me and said, “Thanks Rhette, now I've a question to ask you.”

“Ok, shoot.”

He smirked at my using Steve's phrase. “Is it fine with you if I come here to visit?”

“Sure, why not?”

“I wasn't welcome here. I've asked Steve and he said it was fine with him if it's fine with you.”

“Well, I'll have a talk with him, but don't ever feel you have to ask to come out here. Your kids are welcome as is your wife. We'll make sure the past doesn't rear it's ugly head.”

“So you know.”

“I know Rose's side of the story. I'd love to hear yours and your mama's.”

“I doubt if she'd tell you anything.”

“I can understand, but I also think everyone should be able to tell their side of a situation. Is your mama fine now?”

“Yes. I think his death will help begin the healing for her.”

“I'm glad to hear it. Would you do me a favor?”

“What's that?”

“I know you're close to JT, but would you try getting closer to Steve too?”

“I'll try. I'm not sure how to relate to him. We fell out of touch a long time ago. It wasn't anything bad, it's just he stopped trying.”

“I understand, but I'd like for you three to be close.”

“I'll try. I can't promise it will be better than it's been, but I doubt if it'll be worse.”

“I need to make a phone call. Please excuse me for a moment.”

“Sure.”

I dialed home and there was no answer. I left a message and rung off.

When I went into the living room, Steve and Randy were talking. Steve asked Randy, “Where is it you're living now?”

“Sunrise Apartments, it's a tight squeeze, but we all fit.”

I looked at Steve and said, “ With that money from the gold, you guys can get a house!”

He smiled and said, “We've got to pay off my tow trucks and gas station first.”

I looked at Steve and said, “Randy, you use the money from the gold for the house and I'll take care of the gas station and the trucks.”

Randy started to object and Steve said, “Randy, I'll give you a pointer about Rhette. When he cares, he gives. To him, money is something to be spent upon those he loves. For him to offer means he cares for you and your family more than you know.”

Randy smiled and came over and hugged me. “Thanks.”

“No problem, now tell me what bank it is and I'll get the funds over to them to pay those off. If you need trucks, let me know. Do you have a rollback?”

“No.”

“Ok, let's look on ebaymotors for a rollback for you. Now, what sizes are your wreckers?”

“The size I've got out there.”

“Let's get you a mid-size. It will pay for itself. I doubt a semi will pay for itself, but a midsize can latch onto a midsize truck easier than the the smaller ones.”

Randy smiled and said, “You know your wreckers.”

“A guy I used to really like has a wrecker service. I've got police scanners at home and listen to the calls. The amount of times he's used for a rollback and the amount the midsized is called out, I know he's making money.”

“I wouldn't know how to begin getting something on ebay, would you help me?”

I looked at Steve and said, “Do you mind if we take the time to do that now?”

“Sure. Randy, put your name on the wrecker lists at the Sheriff's department. They rotate throught the lists and as your name comes up, they'll call you.”

Randy smiled and I asked, “Do they require a fenced in lot here for impound?”

Steve nodded and said, “Here, by ordinance, they have to have a enclosed lot which most use a fenced in compound.”

“Randy, would you be better served if we put up a metal building for that instead? It'd give your place a better appearance and would get your trucks in out of the weather.”

He nodded and said, “That's what I was thinking, but the money's never been there.”

“Well, look for a lot and get it and we'll get you a building put up.”

“I've got a lot that's right by my garage. It's one hundred and thirty five thousand.”

“Is it big enough to put a building up and not mess with ordinances?”

“Yeah, it used to be a gas station and used car lot.”

“Are the tanks in the ground or above?”

“They're no longer there. If they were, I'd not be considering it.”

“I understand. The amount of money it takes to get a tank removed is horrendous. Figure what it'd take to get everything done so it looks the best in town and we'll get it for you.”

He smiled and said, “You really sure about that?”

“Yeah. Now, is your station a convenience store or a gas station?”

“It's a gas station. The bays are leased to someone who has a car repair center. There's enough space to put up a couple more bays on the side. I'd thought about it, but as I said, the money wasn't ever there.”

“Well, when you talk to the building man, have him add them on or put you up a new building entirely that will serve your purposes for the next ten years. We're going to see you have a good business for that time. At the end of that time, you should really have enough income coming in to pull the bills.”

He smiled and said, “Can I call my wife? She's going to really be happy. I'll tell her to start thinking about looking at houses.”

“What we'll do is I'm going to call David. He'll send in a jet and we'll load the gold on. It can take the gold out to the casino and get it converted to cash with a lot less hassles than we'd face any other way. I know they'll give us top dollar for it that way.”

Steve nodded and said, “I never would have thought of that.”

Randy went in to use the phone and Steve came over to hug me. “Hon, what you just did was what I really wished had happened when he got into business. Our dad should have done more for him.”

“Well, let's consider it our gift to him.”

He nodded and said, “You do things which make people feel good.”

“Hon, he's the type of guy who doesn't want to take handouts. What you said made the whole difference in the world. What I'd like is for you to take time and spend it with him to get to know him better. Just make the effort and let's invite his family out here for get togethers.”

“That'd be nice.”

“It's an effort that will pay off with our family being closer.”

“I like you using 'our' in that statement.”

“You know. I really like the idea of having inlaws I can share things with. For so long, Kevin's family never made the effort. When we first got out, Kevin's brother made the effort whenever he was in jail and needed bail money, but all the other times, he never made one bit of effort. The last time he got help from us, he asked for the money for bail and then got out and went right back to getting himself in deeper trouble. Now, he's in prison and hopefully, when he gets out, Kevin will be too far away to receive those phone calls.”

“It sounds like his family was a bunch of losers.”

“It's a situation of a mother that just really didn't give a fuck and kids that caught the brunt of it.”

“Where's the dad?”

“Kevin's dad is in California now with his third family. What happened was Kevin's mom had an affair and got pregnant with Kevin's little brother. They all worked in a hospital in St. Louis. Kevin's dad was a Pathologist and the guy she screwed around with was the Pharmacist. He was married and she naively thought he'd leave his wife for her when she got pregnant. He didn't. By then, she'd already told Kevin's dad and the divorce was in the works. Kevin's dad would take the kids and I did say kids each Summer and he'd then ship them to his parent's place for a visit with them each Summer. But at the end of the Summer, it'd be back to the house of no love to live with a woman that just didn't care.”

“Did she ever get remarried.”

“Eventually, but it was after Kevin was already in prison or left from home. I do know she kicked him out of her house when he was twelve.”

“What a mother.”

“Yeah. Not one time in twenty two years did she ever visit him. Her sisters visited him occasionally, but never consistently.”

“So it's a dysfunctional mess.”

“Yeah. The source of him learning how to adapt at life was either prison or me. He's done well, but it's been because he wanted to and not because he was taught better.”

“I didn't mean to imply he was a loser.”

“I know what you meant. His mom and his brother aren't anywhere near the top of the heap.”

Randy came in really smiling. “She's on her way out with the kids. She's going looking for houses, but she wants to give you a great big hug first.”

“Well, know that's coming from us both and not just from me. Ok?”

“Yeah”

Randy went over to Steve and gave him a hug. Steve held onto him and said, “Dad should have done that in the first place.”

Steve lowered his head a bit and said, “Steve, the money I've gotten so far to do things has been from JT. Don't let him know I told you.”

“Well, this is from us and the gold is proportionately yours as an inheritance.”

Steve said, “Do you know if I'll have to pay taxes on that?”

I went up behind Randy and hugged him from behind. “The reason I'm sending it out to Vegas is it will come back to us as having the taxes paid. The check we will receive will be tax free.”

Both of them looked stunned and I said, “Consider it their part of doing business with David. Let me call him and get that jet on it's way out here. That way it can be out there and have the funds put into our account by morning.”

Steve said, “They work fast.”

“They never shut their doors.”

I flipped out my cell and called Dave. “Hello”

“You sound in a better mood.”

“I'm not having someone trying to fill me full of shit now. He now knows better.”

“Good. I've got another favor to ask.”

He chuckled and said, “Name it. Anything for you.”

“We need a jet to come in and fly out a lot of gold to Vegas and turn it into currency.”

“How much is a lot?”

“One second and I'll ask.” I looked over at them and asked, “How much would you say it is.”

Randy said, “It's a hundred and sixty gallons and three quarters of another.”

“It's liquid?” Dave asked as he'd apparently heard the answer.

“No, it's nuggets and dust. We put it into coolers so we could store it out in the open where people wouldn't think to look.”

“Coolers?”

“How many times would you think of looking in a cooler in a garage?”

“Well you have a point there. Ninety nine percent of the time, it'd be empty. I guess I know where to look for the gold at your house!”

I laughed and said, “All the time at my house, the cooler would be empty too. We knew we needed something to carry weight and those came to mind.”

“How much weight do you think that would convert over to being?”

“I don't know. It was in a huge box the size of a steamer trunk. It's pretty wet as it had been placed in a well before the civil war.”

“What!”

“Yeah, we found it.”

“So how'd they get it there?”

“My guess is it came from the gold rush out there and came around by ship.”

“Must be a loaded family to have that much.”

“Yeah, but get us the best price for it and be sure they pay the taxes.”

“When do you want the money and how do you want it?”

“What we'll do is we'll weigh it on a truck scale someplace and then be able to tell you how much there is. Put the money into my account and I'll give it to everyone.”

“Are you going to be able to give it to them without tax people being alerted?”

“Let me ask here because you'd be right about that.”

I looked over at Steve and Randy. “I need your accounts numbers. If it goes into my account, it will alert tax people when it gets transferred.”

Steve said, “Here, have them put it upon my debit card for ours.”

“Mine goes to Randy.”

He nodded and Randy said, “All I have is my bank debit card. Can he use that?”

“Yeah”

Steve said, “We'll have to get him JT's account number.”

I gave David their account numbers off the cards. He said he'd send a plane and would get the funds put onto the accounts.

I said, “Dave, divide the money into five parts. We'll get you the number for Rose. Put two parts of it into Randy's account and one part into the others.”

“You're giving your share to him?”

“Yeah, I don't need it.”

“It's going to be a good amount of money.”

“He can use it. If I ever get to the point I need it, then you'll be called.”

He chuckled and said, “If you ever get to that point, I'll already be there.”

I rung off and Steve came over. “I'll get mom's account number. He's not going to do anything other than that with it, is he?”

“No!”

“I was just asking. Don't feel offended. I don't know him like you.”

“You'll learn to trust him. He's a decent person.”

Randy asked, “How much money do you think it will be?”

“Randy, there are twelve ounces to a pound of gold. For every pound in that trunk, you'll receive the top dollar they'll give. It depends what it assays out to being as to the percentage. The higher the percentage, the higher the amount. My guess if they'd already melted it, it would have been put into bars.”

“So if it's seventy percent, then seventy percent of the weight would be what we receive?”

“Yeah, but I imagine it's a lot more than that. There's a lot of shine to it. You might want to look at closer to eighty five to ninety percent.”

“That's going to be a lot of money if it's at three hundred and fifty per ounce.”

Steve said, “Well, figure that each of us could probably lift two hundred pounds. We all couldn't lift it. I do know each one of those gallon jugs was weighing a whole lot.”

“Ok, if you figure it weighed thirty pounds, that's about twenty four pounds or more of gold. That'd be about three hundred ounces and that'd be about ten grand a gallon. It'd be a hundred and sixty times that, so it'd be a million and a half divided by five which would have each share at three hundred. Randy can get a half million dollar house easily.”

Randy really smiled and said, “Guys, that'd be really nice. I'd have enough bedrooms to get the kids one of their own.”

Steve smiled and said, “Randy, go looking for houses and you find one that you like no matter what the cost is. What you can't pay, Rhette and I will cover. Ok?”

“You don't know how much that means to me.”

Rose came down the stairs and Steve said, “Mama, we need your bank account number. We're going to have the gold sent out and be converted into money tonight. They'll put your share into your account.”

“Oh dear!”

“What we're looking at is probably around three hundred thousand into your account. A check through the mail won't be secure. Direct depositing it will.”

“Ok, well let me get my purse.”

We heard the arrival of JT with the sound of tires skidding on gravel.

“I've really got to have a talk with him about that” Steve said.

“Ok, but do it with love.”

“I will, but he's going to get himself hurt one day.”

“What did he drive? He left his truck out in the pasture.”

“Probably the farm truck. It's an older truck we use for the farm.”

JT came in and said, “Here's the ammo. I got us three boxes each.”

Steve said, “Rhette needs your bank account number. We're going to fly the gold out and get it converted over to money going into your account. It'll be tax free.”

JT's eyebrows raised. “Man! That's sweet.”

“Yeah”

We heard car doors shutting and Steve went into the hallway to answer the door. Four kids came in and immediately went to Randy. A woman came in and went to Randy too. They hugged and Randy nodded at me. She came over and said, “Thank you. We're going to go to some real estate offices to look.”

“Let me make a call for you and see if I can get my real estate man to look for you a place. He'll give you a good deal.”

She nodded “You might want to go over and hug Steve too. He's just as much of a part of the decision as I was.”

Rose came into the room, “Who do we have here!”

Randy came forward, “This is my family. My wife Gina, These two here are our oldest twins. Trena and Rena. Then theres Robin and the youngest there is Sky.”

Rose knelt down and hugged the kids. “Hello!”

Sky asked, “Who's all these people daddy?”

Randy looked funny and said, “Well hon, these guys here are my step brothers. She's their mama and that guy there is your uncle Steve's partner, Rhette.”

“Oh, does that mean they're gay?”

Steve stepped forward and said, “Yes dear, Rhette and I are together just like your mama and daddy.”

She smiled and said, “Good. That means you love each other whole lots.”

“Yes, we love each other whole lots he said.” He picked her up and she turned to face everyone with her finger in her mouth looking unsure of everyone.

“Uncle JT, is he your brother?”

“Yes, he's your daddy and I's older brother.”

“How come I've never met him?”

“Well, he's shy. I'm sure he'll come out of it as he gets to know you more.”

Rose laughed and said, “We'll all be a lot less shy as time goes on.” She made a motion with her hand and said, “Gina, would you guys like a seat and I'll get us some refreshments.”

“How about I come help. I'm not used to people waiting on me.”

“Sure, come into the kitchen and we can get them prepared together.”

When they left, Randy said, “Thanks guys.”

Steve smiled and said, “No thanks necessary. This is how it should have been.”

Rena and Trena went over to JT and sat near him on a sofa. The room had four sofas all facing a center square low coffee table. Randy said, “Rhette, would you call the real estate man you know? We know of some places, but since all the growth in the area, a lot of people who shouldn't be selling real estate have taken quite a few of the people I know for rides.”

“Sure, let me call him. His card is here in my billfold.”

I pulled out my billfold and pulled out Mr Carter's number. I called the number on the card and got ahold of him. He answered,. “Hello?”

“Mr Carter? Rhette Michaels here.”

“Hi Rhette, how's the house working for you?”

“Fine, any word on those memberships?”

“Yes, I sent them in a manilla envelope to you in the mail. You should be receiving them as well as the deed in the next few days.”

“Nice. I need to speak to you about the purchase of another house.”

“So soon!”

“It's not for me, but for someone really dear. The real estate profession in this area has been taking a beating due to unscrupulous characters and they're looking for a house. What they need is a five bedroom and one in an area where an upward professional would be happy with an excellent school district.”

“I've got a few houses in mind. How much are they wanting to spend?”

“They'll have about six hundred thousand to spend of their own, but whatever it costs, you sell it to them and I'll see you're reimbursed.”

“So this is someone who means quite a bit to you.”

“Yes. He's got a family and we're wanting to get them out of the apartment they're in and into a place they'd be proud to call home.”

“When will they be available to look?”

“They're interested now. They were going to go by real estate offices to see what was available, but if you could point them in the right direction, that'd be saving them time.”

“I can bring you by several listings if you'd like and then they could look and decide what they'd like and not.”

“We're out at the Jackson plantation. Do you know where that's located?”

“Sure, it's out north of Beufort, right?”

“Yes.”

“I'm not doing anything this afternoon. I could come out there if needed.”

“Let me ask. Could you hold for a moment?”

“Sure.”

I looked over at Randy “He says he could bring out the listings available and you guys could decide what you'd like to see and then he could show them this afternoon if you'd like?”

Randy looked at Steve and said, “Do you mind?”

“No problems here.”

Randy nodded and said, “Sure, that'd be fine.”

I spoke to Mr Carter and he said he'd be out momentarily. I rung off.

Rose and Gina came in and we told them Mr Carter would be coming out to show them listings. Rose smiled and said, “I'll be so happy for you kids. He's a nice man.”

Gina smiled and said, “Our own home. That's going to be really nice. We won't have to worry about hanging things upon the walls.”

Rose nodded and said, “The pleasure of having your own home is knowing what you plant out int the yard and what you do to it will be there for you and not someone else down the road.”

Randy said, “When we get a place, you guys will have to come over for dinners and cook outs.”

Rose smiled and said, “That'd be wonderful. You might want to contact your mother and see if she'd like to help you kids look. If I recall, she'll be someone that would be good to help with any landscaping plans you'd like.”

“Yes, she's really good at designing people's yards.”

I smiled and said, “Maybe she can get us some ideas for the road leading up here. I'd love to have plantings which would make the place not seem like that road is so infernally long.”

Steve nodded and said, “Whatever it is, we'll have to be sure the horses won't graze upon the plants.”

“What I'm thinking is planting plants the horses will probably eat and that would be fine, but do the horses have to graze there?”

“No, we move them from pasture to pasture.”

“Could we move them to another pasture for the time being?”

“Why?”

“Well, within the next few days we'll have a lot of road traffic on that road and I'd like to get that road surfaced.”

Steve smiled and said, “We'll move them.” He looked at JT and Randy and said, “You guys want to help or do you want to see me make a fool of myself!”

Jt giggled and said, “Oh, I'm not sure. If we let you do it by yourself, they'll most likely be traumatized and we'll have to do it anyways.”

I had to ask, “What did he do to the horses?”

JT giggled and said, “The last time he moved horses, he had his hat off trying to wave at them. They moved and stayed right where they were. Then he decided to take his shirt off and wave it and they moved to the other side of the road. He decided he'd do a round up and went and got a four wheeler. He started moving them up to the house and they moved, but instead of going where he wanted them to go, they went up into the corner and got scared. He decided to hell with it and came in and called me. I cam in and walked over to the lead horse and grabbed it and walked it over to the gate and lead it through. All the others followed. It taught him he shouldn't be afraid of them.”

“Well, that's better than I would have done. I'd probably would've went to town and got carrots and laid a trail to the pasture with them.”

JT laughed and said, “Three miles of carrots. Man, you'd be broke each time we had to move them.”

Rose said, “Rhette, they're tame. Most of them were ridden quite a bit and were let loose to graze. Steve's a bit afraid of them because they nipped at him.”

“Oh”

She smiled and said, “If you want them moved, I'll help.”

“I just don't want any hurt by the traffic which will most likely happen with the wake and all the funeral activities.”

“They're used to the traffic. They stay clear.”

“Even with Mario Andretti over there?”

“Yes, they know he comes through at certain times of the day and tend to make themselves scarce.”

We heard a car door and Steve got up to go check. It was Mr. Carter. He let him in and he came into the living room.

I stood up to introduce him to Randy and Gina and they got down to looking at houses which were available. Soon enough, there were a stack of acceptable and not acceptable. Gina went through the pile again and began to pare them down. She gave reasons for each and most of them involved schools and parks being nearby for the kids. This left four houses of which were nice and easily in the price range they were wanting. Steve went over and looked at the list they'd selected and said, “Can I give a bit of advice?”

Randy said “Sure”

“That one there, right down the street is the projects. Kids travel that street which aren't so nice. This one here, you've got a nice park there and the school is really good. It's close to shopping and isn't well traveled with traffic. Those two others are on streets which if the kids chased a ball out, they'd most likely be hit before they retrieved it, but one of them does have a nice fenced yard. That one over there which is the nicest has a nice yard and is what I'd pick. It could be fenced and you'd have growth room all around.”

Randy took a look at the one Steve noted and said, “Let's look at the four, but let's pay attention to this one. All of Steve's points are things I probably wouldn't have noticed until after our names were on the papers.”

“Guys, is it ok if I go look with you? The reason I ask is I pay attention to details. A couple of friends and I went to look at houses back home and of the five, two they liked didn't have 220 for the electrical. One of the others had 220, but it was a fuse box rather than a breaker box which was against code and they would have had to replace before it could have been good for them. A lot of people don't take those things into consideration. Also, take a boom box with you so you can plug it into each outlet. You'll know real fast if one doesn't work.”

Mr Carter noted, “Rhette knows about an unscrupulous salesman I had working for me. He had the man so upset he called Steve on him”

“Yes, that's how we met. Steve came to remove me from my house!”

Everyone laughed and Steve said, “It was nice because Rhette sure let me know what he thought of me.”

Gina said, “Well, I'd like to see these when you have them available to be seen.”

Mr Carter said, “The one you favor is available to be seen now. It's owner is wanting to sell as she's recently widowed and wants to move to Georgia to be closer to family. One item I will note with it is the number of trees. Some people love trees, but others don't.”

“What sort of trees?” I asked

“Oaks”

“Ok, acorns will fall. What do the gutters look like. Are there rainguards on them?”

“I don't believe there are.”

“Randy, my advice is if you like the house to get rainguards put on the gutters. Then the only things in the gutters will be rain and everything else will roll right off. If you don't, you'll have to clean gutters or face having sprouts up in them.”

Randy nodded and said, “Babe, I think Rhette should go with us. He knows what to look for that I'd not even think about.”

Steve said, “Hon, you go with them and I'll stay here. I've got some deputies coming out. We can get those snakes herded over there.”

“If you guys do that, be careful. With the number of them, you need to be safe.”

“We'll be safe. I do think it'd be good to have target practice for the deputies. Mama can drive the tractor.”

She said, “I'm thinking about riding in. Do you think you could do without me?”

Steve looked at JT and said, “Can we get it done together?”

JT said, “Yeah and while we're at it, we can get those horses moved to the south western pasture.”

Gina said, “You guys can ride with me if you'd like.”

“Is it possible we go by my house and get my car? That way we could drive back out here and you'd not have to make the return trip.”

Mr Carter said, “What I could do is drop you by your house on my way home.”

Rose said, “Rhette, would you give me a ride home?”

“Sure. You could see my house at the same time.”

We got up and she said, “I'll go get my purse.”

Randy came over and said, “Rhette, if you've got time, do you want to come by to see the garage?”

“Sure! That'd be nice.”

He smiled and said, “It's not much, but it's something I'm proud of.”

“How about I ride with you and Rose can ride with Gina and the kids if she doesn't mind.”

Gina said, “Hon, you take Rhette by the shop and I'll take the kids over to mom's. That way we can look at the house.”

He said, “Would you go by the house to get a boom box?”

I said, “What I'll do is I'll get my laptop and make sure there is good internet connectivity. It's something you'll need to know.”

Rose came in and I went over to her. “Would you mind riding with Gina and the kids? She's taking them by her mom's and I'll ride with Randy to go see the shop. Then we'll meet at that house.”

“Sure hon.”

I went over to Steve and said, “We won't be long. Is there anything I should get while I'm in town?”

“You might pick up something for dinner. I'm not sure we'll have here and I'm not sure how long you'll be.”

“Ok, we'll make an abbreviated tour of showing you mom my place and we'll be back when I can. You'll give me a call if you need anything, right?”

“Yes dear.”

“You'll be careful above all, won't you?”

“Yes, what could happen?”

“Oh let's see, a few dozen rattlesnake bites and an arm or a leg being shot off is all.”

“No, we'll be careful. If not, we'll have plenty law enforcement on hand.”

“That's why I'm noting the carefulness. If Homer's one of them, Lord knows what will get shot off.”

“He's safe. I don't know what got into him.”

“Well, just be careful.”

He kissed me and said, “I do love you.”

“I love you too.”

We all went out and loaded into cars and wrecker. When we drove to town, Randy said, “Rhette, you can say all you want it's you and Steve's decision, but I know it's you.”

“He's trying. You've got to give him a chance too.”

“I'm trying, but Rhette, you weren't around.”

“I know. There's the factor of your daddy in that equation and he's no longer in the picture.”

“I just can't help but think it wasn't all him.”

“I don't know. Rose told me some things and your daddy wasn't a nice man.”

“You don't have to tell me that. I know he burned all those houses out there and how mean he was towards my mama.”

“What's your step father like?”

“He's nice enough towards my mama. Towards me, he's civil, but there's no love lost if he fell off the planet tomorrow.”

“Why do you say that?”

“He never let me feel like he actually cared. I know he's Rose's brother, but you'll need to know he wasn't even allowed out at Jacksonland.”

“Was that because of your mama?”

“No. It was because he beat the tar out of my daddy.”

“Well, more power to the man.”

“Yeah, but maybe now that my daddy is dead, everyone can get on better terms.”

“Rose is wanting it and I want it, so I think Steve will be willing. What's JT's take on things?”

“JT's fine with things. My step father attempted to treat JT bad and finally one day, JT turned to him and said, “You don't have to treat me like shit just because you hate him. I'm not him and if that's the reason you're treating me that way, then remember that I've got a long memory too.”

“What did he mean by that?”

“There's more to it than what I know. I do know JT was treated decently after that.”

“Good. I'd like to see people getting along.”

When we pulled into Beaufort, we drove through town and came up to the business section. I was all eyes as it'd been twenty five years since I'd last seen the town. Steve pulled into a lot of an old Texaco gas station which had been built of the older sixties style of station.

We got out and he showed me the lot. We then went inside and he said, “This is my office. It's not much, but it doesn't take much for me to run my wreckers.”

“I've got a question and please don't think I'm trying to run your business.”

“Ok What's on your mind.”

“This lot. If you took that lot over there and put it under roof of a large building, you could run your business from it, right?'

“Yeah. That's what I was thinking.”

“Ok, The man that leases those bays. How much are you getting from them?”

“Five hundred a month.”

“Six grand a year.”

“Yeah”

“Ok, you paid a lot for this property and you've got six grand a year coming in. What would happen if you asked the guy to vacate this and put his repair over in an area of the large building?”

“I'd not want him in there. I have a feeling he'd gradually take more and more of the building.”

“Ok, what does your lease with him entail?”

“He rents by cash month to month. He can't pay, he rolls out his tools and it's over.”

“Do you have to give him a particular amount of time to vacate?'

“A month.”

“What if I said, for you to go ahead and build that building and then come back over here and put a convenience store up and paid for it. Would you consider it?'

“It'd depend. I think it would go. There's a lot of need for a gas station here.”

“Ok, so concentrate on that over there and run it as it is and we'll get you in that building. Then, by then, we'll have you with a Casey's or some other convenience store over here. What does Gina do for work?”

“You see what she does. We've got four kids and child care for them is enough to take anything she'd make.”

“If she managed the station during the day while they're at school, and you had your wrecker service, she could hire workers at night. If you concentrate on your inventory and don't keep a lot of slow moving items, you could make it an easy go. My advice is to make it common knowledge cops can come in and get the day old donuts and free coffees. They'll see you've got a good secure environment and you'd have a cheaper source of fuel.”

He smiled and said, “Rhette, that will take money.”

“I know that. When they ask for money, I'll pay. If they ask you for security on the loan, we'll pay outright and they'll most likely agree.”

“And you don't want anything in return?”

“Yeah. The second I call for a tow, I expect a roll back because the moment you dare come with a wrecker to hook onto my Rolls with it, I'll most likely be really pissed.”

He laughed and said, “A Rolls huh?”

“Yeah”

“You got that kind of money?”

“Steve and I do.”

“You're in for the long haul with him?”

“Without question. I love everything about him and his family is mine. I really want this to work.”

“Let me discuss it with Gina.”

“No problem. I'm respecting you more and more because of the way you are with her.”

“If it hadn't been for JT, I'd not have her.”

“He told me a bit of it.”

“He pulled off the game for as long as he could without people finding out.”

“Well, when Kevin rolls in, I think he's going to be very happy.”

“Kevin a good man?”

“Damned good. I think he'll fit in easily and you'll be liking him a whole lot.”

“Good. JT deserves that.”

“Well, let's get over there to that house. The way it will go is if I say I've got to get Rose out to my house to pick up my car, I'm telling you I don't like the place. If you don't hear that, you'll know what I think without me saying it.”

“I like the place already because of the size of yard.”

“Well, what I want to see are bedrooms which are big enough each kid can have space for their things and a bed without being cramped up. My parents made sure we had those things and I really liked it.”

“You parents good people?”

“Yeah. I love my mama a lot. That's the hardest part of being that far away, but as long as I can get back every month or so, I'm happy.”

We went out and I said, “Randy, contact that man about that piece of ground and hire a concrete breaker to do it yourself. Have the tear down done by someone else, but you'll find they'll charge you a new set of nuts to break that concrete and haul it off. It's not hard work and you can lease the equipment.”

“You know a bit about construction, don't you.”

It was a statement of fact and not a question.

“Yeah, I do. I've not enjoyed doing it, but I know what it takes and I'm not afraid to do it. It's a lot of hard work and concrete work is hell on the hands. The acids in it will eat your skin plumb off.”

“JT and I did it for one summer. We worked for a company that I'll probably hire to get the tear down and the laying of the new concrete.”

“When you do, get yourself a couple of lifts. You can work on the trucks and you'll be amazed at how handy they come in.”

“I know. That's what I liked about having these.”

“Those kind there had to make your insurance sky high though. The new kind aren't as dangerous.”

“I hear what your saying.”

We drove over to the place and Mr Carter was sitting out front. I took my laptop and found an easy connection. One thing I noticed was the hosue was CBC (Cinder block construction) which would make any sort of renovation a bitch.

We waited for Rose and Gina to arrive and while we did, Mr Carter showed us the yard. The size of the lot was huge at being nearly two acres. The trees he'd mentioned weren't overwhelming. They were around the edges of the property and in the fenceline of the neighbors. I noted a gravel driveway which wouldn't have flown if I were buying.

Gina and Rose pulled up and we went into the house to begin looking around. I hooked up the laptop in each room and saw the connection was good. The woman owner was there and she balked at letting Gina hook up the boom box. Gina looked perplexed and I said, “Randy, I'm going to take Rose to go get my car. You guys decide, but the only thing I see here is the lot. A complete tear down would be what I'd advise and then a build of a house you'd want.”

Mr Carter said, “It's not that bad.”

“Mr Carter, between you and I, the house is an eighty thousand dollar house with a four hundred thousand price tag. Get her down to the eighty grand and they'll deal. One dollar over that and they're getting screwed. Now, what else is on the list they liked?”

He smiled and said, “A lot didn't go by you.”

“The lot was fine. The rest of it sucked.”

Randy snorted as he'd heard what I said. He chuckled and said, “Hon, let's look at another.”

Mr Carter said, “For a complete rebuild, I could get you a lot in our community for a hundred and thirty nine. It'd include the membership to the golf course.”

“No, they'd have to be paying twelve grand a year in street maintenance fees and the property taxes would kill them. I'd swing for the build of the house, but we have to think of the incidentals.”

Randy said, “You're paying that much for street maintenance?!”

“Yeah, it's worth it because it's got a lot of pluses, but the property taxes are nearly that a year too.”

“Jeez!”

“Yeah, but it's an awesome house.”

We went over to the other house they liked. It was on a lot smaller lot but had a double car detached garage. The style was of the older Sears homes. Two story three bedroom and a bath and a half. The plus of it was the basement had a nice game room and a space for another two bedrooms. No bath was down there. One thing I'd learned was in the low country, a basement meant it was on the ground floor down about a foot or two and the main floor was up high enough to be considered a second floor on midwestern homes.

As we toured the house, I kept smelling something that wasn't right. It smelled musty and just downright overpowering on the second floor. I asked Randy to lift me up through the hatch to shine a flashlight into the attic and that's when I saw the issues. Daylight filtered through about fifty odd seams where roofing wasn't done right. He lowered me and I said, “Not a chance in hell. We'd have to tear the roof off and put another on. With the amount of mildew up there, it'd be unhealthy to live in this house.”

The last house we toured was a long low ranch on five acres. As soon as we entered it, it was feeling like it was a house where love would be plentiful and a home kids would love sharing with their friends. The couple who had it had three children and they'd all grown. The windows weren't new, but the house had a new roof and the general care and upkeep of it was showing they'd cared for the house amazingly well. The asphalt driveway curved around behind the house to a double car detached garage with a studio apartment above it. In between the house and the garage was a swimming pool which had an automatic cover.

Gina was smiling and Rose said, “Rhette, you can't possibly find anything wrong with it.”

“It's a nice house. The only thing I can find fault is the gutters and that's not a huge item.”

Randy said, “Rhette, would you come out with me to the backyard?”

We went out and he said, “What do you think?”

“Awesome house. As I said, the gutters are the only things I can find fault. The roof is new, but when it comes time to redo it, I'd put on metal and not have to do it again in your life.”

“Do you think it's worth the price?”

“Well worth it, but watch me when I go back in and speak to the homeowners.”

“What you going to do?”

“Not much, just get them down a hundred thousand.”

“What!”

“Randy, it's five sixty five. They probably have two hundred in it if they built it new. Us offering them four sixty five, I bet they'll take it.”

“Ok, but don't lose us this house.”

“I won't.”

We went back up to the house and I said, “Mr Carter, Randy needs to speak with you out front.”

Mr Carter went out front with Randy and I asked the homeowners. “IF I get you a check for four sixty five tonight and you're guaranteed it will clear, will you take it?”

The man looked at the woman and then turned back to me. “Son, if you love the house and they're getting it for their kids, we'll take it. We've not had but two that have looked at it and we're wanting to sell.”

“Ok, then they'll take it. Let me go tell him so we can get this done.”

The man smiled and said, “You'll find it's all top notch work. I used to be a contractor and refused to work on my own house. What I did do was insist whomever did work on it did the best work, or they got told to do it over.”

“I can tell. There's not a thing I would have done over. The gutters need rainguards, but that's it.”

“We didn't install them because they stay clear. As you can tell, there aren't any trees real close except those evergreens. You'd waste your money having them put on.”

“Ok, you've got a point. What's the insurance like with the pool?”

“They had us take off the diving board and put on the pool cover. It never raised it a bit.”

“Good. They've got four kids and I'd hate to see anything happen there.”

“Watch this.”

He took off his flip flops and walked out onto the cover and on across the pool. “It's thick enough it holds me, a kid or two out there isn't going to drown. What I've found is if you open it up and then reclose it after a rain, it will get all the accumulated water off it.”

“You're a helluva salesman. I'll be getting one of those covers for ours.”

“Get the new kind which is solid. It's not much difference, but what I liked about it is you could put a lawn set out on it and it'd not collapse.”

“I'll keep that in mind.”

“Let me go tell that man we've got a deal.”

We went in through the house and he told Mr Carter. “We've made a deal for four sixty five. He says he's got the money and I trust him.”

Mr Carter smiled and said, “Rhette, give me a check and I'll get them the papers signed tomorrow.”

I turned to the guy and said, “How soon do you want to have to close?”

“You guys be ready to move in in two weeks and we'll be out. We've got a place in Florida we can get to and all this can be handled by the movers in that time.”

“Ok, it's a deal.”

I turned to Randy and said, “It looks like you guys have a house.”

Gina came over and kissed me and hugged me. Randy came over and said, “You going to help move us?”

“Sure, we'll be there.”

I turned to Mr Carter and said, “You ready to take Rose and I home to my place?”

“Sure, let me go shake everyone's hands again.”

Rose came over and said, “Rhette, I was sold as soon as I saw the color of the house. The more I saw, I liked. It's way too much house for me, but as I walked through it, I kept thinking about whether I'd buy it if I had kids and each room I went into, the better I liked it. When you threw out that offer, I was sure you'd be told to get out, but amazingly, they took it! What made you make that offer?”

“Rose, take a look at the house. It's beautiful and it's nice. There had to be a reason they had it up on the market. Now, look at twenty five years ago what this house would have went for. They probably have two hundred at the most in it. For them to ask three times what they had in it, I knew they'd come down to where they were doubling their money and Randy and Gina would still get a super deal. When Randy and I went out back, it wasn't a question of what I didn't like, it was a question of what I thought they'd take. They took the offer, so it's a super deal for everyone.”

She smiled and said, “If I ever have to move, I want you to go deal for me.”

Mr Carter came out and I opened the door for Rose. She got in and I got in the back seat. As we drove, Mr Carter asked why I'd offered what I did and I told him what I'd told Rose. He nodded and said, “Rhette, if I'd known they'd taken that offer, I probably could have sold the house several times already.”

“Yeah, but it was timing. Your lack of having people look at it also helped.”

When we pulled to the entrance of the community, Mr Carter asked the gatekeeper to open my gate for me. The guard did and we went on to the house. At the entrance when we pulled off the street, Rose took a sharp intake of breath and said, “My God it's beautiful!”

“Yeah, that view sold it for me. Inside, you'll see a whole lot of modern conveniences which are like yours. They don't build them like yours anymore, but this one sure is the closest I've ever seen.”

Mr Carter dropped us off and I thanked him for his time. “No problem Rhette. Any day I can make a sale to you, I'm happy. If you ever want to, I'd be happy to have you come in and be a home buyer's liason. You could make a nice living finding flaws and pointing them out to people. It'd make the buyers more satisfied and although it wouldn't get some houses sold, it'd sure get the ones which are good people in them. I had no clue that one house had a bad roof. As soon as I can, I'm going to be contacting the seller and telling them that house will never sell with that roof being in the shape it's in.”

He pulled off and I went over to the garage. I used my key to get in and opened the garage door. I used my garage door remote to disarm the alarm for the house and then went up to let us in. As we toured it, Rose asked, “Rhette, this is the house you're going to be giving to JT and Kevin?”

“Yes. I won't need it any longer, but it's going to be lovely for them.”

“No matter what you paid for it, it's worth the money. I love every inch of it.”

“It's nice, isn't it. I'll treasure it because the front door is where I met Steve.”

She giggled and said, “For that alone it's worth it.”

We closed up the house again and I pulled the Rolls out. I opened the door for her and the suicide doors impressed her. When she sat on the seat, she said, “Oh my, this is comfortable!”

“Yes, and the drive of it is like no other.”

When we drove down the street of the community, she ran her hand over the burled wood. “I love this car!”

“It's awesome. When I get mine in, you'll see a car which is identical, but totally different. This one will be Steve's.”

“He wants it?”

“He loves the car. He'd never buy it for himself, but he loves it.”

“I can see him in this car. This car feels like the cars they used to make. James had a Cadillac that rode like this one does. This car doesn't feel like it's going to be blown off the road.”

At the gatehouse, I stopped and told the gatekeeper we needed the gate shut. He nodded and pushed a button on his panel. “Rose, come around and get it. I'd like to see you drive it. If you like it, I'll get you one that isn't a convertible.”

She came around and got in. I helped her adjust the seat and then the mirrors. She fastened in and as she began to drive, she said, “This car makes me feel confident. I think I'd very much like one.”

“Good, then it's decided. What color do you want?”

“Light blue. I'd love to have leather seats and everything the same.”

“Alright, let me call and see if they're in.”

I called and got Rodney immediately. He answered and I said, “Rodney, this is Rhette Michaels. You remember me from the other day?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I'm sitting with my mother in law and she's driving my car. Would you do an inventory check and see if you can find a new Phantom in light blue with blue leather interior?”

“I can tell you now it'll be a special order.”

“Ok, now what do you have that has blue leather interior?”

“I wouldn't know. Let me look. Why?”

“Because as I see it, only paint is keeping you from selling a car. If you can get me a car painted that's sky blue, and has leather interior, we're in a deal.”

“Rhette, they'd never let me do that.”

“Damn. You're telling me that car is going to take nine months.”

“Rhette, let me call and see.”

“Well, I'm going to be ordering my mom one too. She'll want white, but I'm not sure of the interior.”

“We have one that's white with blue interior.”

“OK, take that off your inventory for her and I'll get down there to get it for her. You have to deliver it though.”

“Where do you want it to go?”

“Missouri”

“We'll get it there. Let me make a call and see how long it will be for the sky blue.”

“Call me back and I'll be waiting.”

I rung off and told her he was checking to see.

“Hon, if it's going to take a long time to build, then don't fret any for me.”

“No. One thing you'll find is if you don't have the color you want, you'll always want that color. I had a car once that I loved the car but hated the color. Since then, I decided I'd have what I wanted. This one isn't the color I want, but it's worth it to have while the other is being built. It's special enough it will be the last car I'll ever need.”

“They last that long!”

“Yes. The metal is as thick as a guard rail. They don't make other cars that way anymore. Back in the forties, they did over here, but in the late seventies, they started making cars cheaper and cheaper quality. Now, they're so full of plastic they don't last. For me, I'd rather have quality.”

“This is a beautiful car. The hood on it being stainless steel is unique.”

“It says it's quality. In this environment, how long do you think it would take for paint to be damaged if it were baking on that hood? With them making it reflect without paint, it gets hot but won't pop paint.”

“That's different.”

“They pay attention to the details. These seats and that roof are lifetime items. Other cars say they've got leather seats, but these are awesome.”

“The comfort is amazing.”

“Yes, you're right there.”

We tooled up the highway and she caught her speed. “Oh goodness! I was doing ninety miles an hour!”

“It's not you. Both Steve and I were the same. It's the softness of the ride and the quietness of it.”

“I'll have to get used to that.”

We pulled into Beaufort and went through KFC's drive thru. I called Steve and he told me to get enough for ten people as there were five deputies out there still. We ordered enough and then went on back out to the highway.

When we pulled up to the house, she said, “Are you sure you want to leave this out?”

“Yeah, it'll be fine. It's just a car.”

She laughed and said, “It's a beautiful car.”

“I could probably sell people those cars. The more I drive it, the more I think about the value of it. Some people will buy a new Cadillac every four years and they'll get a forty thousand dollar loss on it. In the thirty or forty years they drive, they'll be about even with this car money wise. The advantage of it is they'll still have a car they can sell and get a nice return back out of it.”

“I hadn't thought about it.”

“But, let them get in a wreck with a Cadillac and they'll wish they had this one. The Cadillac will crumple up into a ball. This one will crumple, but it's sure not going to get anyone hurt.”

“So you're confident I'll be safe driving it.”

“Absolutely confident. I'm putting you in one and my mama in one. If JT would have one, I'd get him one too.”

“The kid would have his worn out in five years. He's rough on a truck. The thought of him in a car this nice would be overwhelming.”

We went into the house and laid everything out upon platters and in serving bowls. We set the dining room table for nine and I called Steve to tell him we were home and the food was upon the table. He said, “Babe, put it into the oven and call the fire department. We've got to burn the house.”

“Why!”

“It's full of snakes. The basement, the house and even up into the top of it is nothing but snakes. We mowed and mowed and the guys shot everything they could, but when we got a truck up close, all we saw were the floors slithering with snakes. JT's coming back and getting some fuel to get it going now.”

“Ok, I'll call the fire department.”

Rose looked alarmed and I told her. “Oh my! We were going to go in it!”

“Yes, the more I think about how close we were to really getting hurt, it scares me.”

“Well, it sounds like they're making the best decision.”

“One thing I promise is I'll build a house there on that spot which will make her happy.”

“Hon, if you do, I'll help pay the cost, but I want a house like yours over there. Your house is incredible with the beauty of it.”

“You think it'd fit in?”

“Oh yes! What I think is it'd fit in better than this one. What I'd want Steve to do is to move the barn and the shed there and have the stables moved so we could open up a yard between the two. Then, I could live over there and you two could have this one. Your kids would be able to freely come over and stay in their room there or over here and they'd feel like they were valued at each.”

“Ok, we'll speak to Steve about it. Do you think she'd be happy with it?”

“Honey, what woman wouldn't be happy with that house? The only thing I'd do different is an elevator, but maybe that's because I'm getting older and wouldn't ever want to be away from all those rooms.”

“Ok, but I do want you to know you're more than welcome to stay here. The thought of you moving into town and us not being close scares me, but the thought of you being that close comforts me.”

She came over and hugged me. “You know you use words which make me feel so good.”

“Well, you should. I really like the closeness we have. Why don't you call the fire department and I'll go prepare rooms for the guys.”

“They're staying?”

“No, but right now they're sweaty, but later when it's time to eat, they're going to all smell like smoke. We'll need to launder their clothes and make them comfortable. I can't see them all sitting here smelling of smoke and enjoying dinner.”

“They'll be hungry. Do you think we got enough?”

“We might want to call the restaurant and order up another order like this one with about thirty more breasts. We'll have firemen who will need fed too.”

“You're so sweet and considerate it's amazing.”

“Thank you. Now what we'll need to do is get ice also because they're going to be thirsty.”

“Ok, I'll go call the fire department and start making a list to call the restaurant.”

“I'll go upstairs and get the rooms ready.”

I went upstairs and began opening bedroom doors. What I found in the house was each room had it's own restroom. They'd took closets which were huge and had converted them into restrooms in the move. They'd spent a considerable amount of money, but the place was really like a hotel with the number of rooms and the beautiful antique pieces. If worse came to worse, we could always open a bed and breakfast and have an easy twenty rooms available.

Rose came up on the third floor and saw what I was doing.”You are so much like her it's amazing! She used to come up here and open all the doors and the windows to air it out.”

“Well, it would make sense. This place is beautiful!”

“Yes dear. I'll tell you a lot of these rooms probably have never been slept in. About ten years ago, I went through and bought all new linens, bedspreads, and curtains because the others were falling apart.”

“They sure a beautiful.”

“One thing you'll notice is the kitchen would never support all these rooms and neither would the dining room. I can't imagine what they planned for the family except having multiple wives.”

“It's built like a hotel. I love it, but even with the most kids we probably could have we'd not be able to fill them.”

She smiled and said, “The only way I could think they would have filled them would have been to house all the darkies and neither James nor his daddy would have ever let that happen.”

“How many bedrooms are there?”

“Twenty eight. Fourteen are on the second floor and fourteen are on the third. The sunrooms on the bad side I count as rooms, but I'm not counting all the baths.”

“So there are fifty eight rooms upstairs! Man!”

“Yes, what I had thought was finding a way to put in an elevator and staying here, but heating this house in the winter is outrageous!”

“Why would you heat?”

“It does get cold here. There are nights we get down to the forties.”

“I think what I'll do is see if we can't shut off a lot of these rooms from that heat. If we're not using them, there's no sense in heating them.”

She laughed and said, “You and Steve are too much alike there. He checked the electrical to see if it would support an electric furnace in each room, but it won't.”

“What are the furnaces like?”

“Furnaces! It's one huge beheamoth underneath in that breeze way. I think they counted on all these fireplaces heating the house with it as a backup. Even if we did, all this pine would burns incredibly fast and the resin off them would clog up the chimneys. I doubt even if they have chimney sweeps around here anymore.”

“We'll have to get this place redone.”

“When you do, you need to see if they'll put electrical outlets in. The bedrooms up here have but one outlet and those are in the middle of the room hanging from those light fixtures.”

“There aren't any others!”

“No. Downstairs, on the first floor, they put in one outlet per room on the outside wall, but the amount I've got plugged in is what they will hold. If you plug in anything else, you'll blown the fuse.”

“We'll get that changed.”

“What you'll see with the vacuum sweeper dear is what I've rigged up. There are extension cords. The only room I can plug it in is the laundry room without it blowing a fuse, so I ran extension cords through the house and up the steps to sweep.”

“That has to change. I'm amazed this place hasn't burned down from the electrical.”

“You and me both.”

“Well, I'll talk to Steve and we'll get some crews out here, but I'm not sure what he'll want to do.”

“He'll want to do more. I think he was waiting on his daddy dying so he could get the work done. James refused to spend a dime upon this house.”

“Why not?”

“That's the way he was. His phrase was 'if it's not broke, don't fix it.' I believe he really thought it would cost too much.”

“I've got the money, so when we're having you that house built, we'll be having the work done here.”

I paused and then asked, “Would you live here if we got the things done so it'd be more comfortable for you?”

“Probably, but I want you to have your space. I know what it's like to be a couple and have to worry about what you say around others. That's why I think it's best I have my own place.”

“Either way, I think it'd be nice for the kids to have their grandma close. I grew up without a grandma until my mom married my adopted dad and then we got one. While she was alive, I really loved having her.”

She smiled and said, “Honey, I'll be happy to be in the kids lives. I just don't want to be so entrenched here, I'm in your lives too much.”

“Ok, well, I'll call Robert and see if he has the plans for that place over there. What I do want to do is have it so we have a well landscaped yard. If I've got to put up rat fence to do so, so be it.”

“What's rat fence?”

“It's a type of fence that's got really little holes in it. There's not going to be any rattlesnakes getting through it.”

“There's a type of fence like it which is a solid sheet of steel like corregated metal, but it has a lot of tiny holes in it. I've often thought about having that so the kids couldn't get over or any snakes could get through. The babies are just as lethal as the parents. I've seen them where they looked like worms. When Stevie was little, he nearly picked one up to play with it.”

“Oh my. You had to be scared.”

“Yeah, you don't know how lucky I felt to be in the right place at the right time.”

“Well, I've got the money to fence this whole place and if need be, that's what we'll do to keep the kids safe.”

“Honey, don't get so diligent they can't be kids. There's always going to be danger someplace around here. If you fence them in, they'll find their sense of adventure out there in that water and then we'll have a real bad time of it.”

“Why?”

“You go out a hundred feet and that beach gets real deep real fast.”

“Sounds like this would have been a better place to put in that port than where he showed me.”

“You bring that up and he'll get real defensive real fast.”

“I'm not, but how far do we own down that beach?”

“We own nearly to Beaufort. There's a state park in there, but we own around it.”

“Well, we'll have to look into it. Does the water get that deep that fast down that way?”

“Most of the time,but there are a lot of rocks out there too. The surf is really strong and what you have to realize is where those rocks are used to be shore line. It's just like out there.”

The fire department rolled up with sirens blaring. I went out front and motioned for them to follow. I went over to the gate and opened it and let it through. I kept it open so as to have the other fire vehicles to pass through.”

Rose came out front and said, “They'll be pumping and transporting water, you might want to move your car.”

“Ok”

I backed the car up nearer to the ocean and sat in the car for a moment to get a mental picture of what we'd need to do to put up her house and get the estate looking like I thought would be nice. From where I sat, I could see the corner of the house which was really burning. I knew it was far enough away to not burn the wood with it's heat, however the embers could fly that direction and we'd have a big mess.”

Rose went walking that direction and I got out of the car to follow. She smiled and said, “Listening to the radio?”

“No, sitting in the car looking at that part of the estate imagining what it'd look like with your house and all the the things I'd like to have done to make the places nicer.”

“What would you have done.”

“That barn and the stables would have to be moved. This area back there would have to be dozed, but it would open up the yard so we can see each other. Then, I'd put the stable/garage over there with another barn back. So they were sitting over there. We could have a corral for the horses back behind them and make it so they would know they could go in there and be fed.”

“We don't feed the horses. They graze out on the pastures.”

“Yes, but the idea is to get them to knowing they can go there and then we can keep them in when there are bigger gatherings.”

“Ok, I'm understanding now.”

“What I'd like to see is us getting some animals which aren't normally on places such as pea fowl and real pretty birds.”

“Wouldn't they go to the trees?”

“They could, but I think they'd come to the trees out in the yard if we put up some ornamentals which would give the place color.”

“Neat, I hadn't thought about that.”

“I'd like to see some trees along the road which would be nice....maybe some pears, apples, and other fruits. Then we'd have plenty of fruits to put up and have for Mabel to make pies.”

“You're really sold on her making pies, aren't you?”

“Yeah, since she told me she'd make the pies if I got her fruit, I've been thinking about a lot of different things we could get. It'd help her and it'd help us.”

“In that barn, in the back is a tiller that attaches to the tractor.”

“Really?”

“We used to put up big gardens. I believe down in the breezeway is the canning jars. We used to can everything when we had all the workers here. The gardens were huge. One year, we had twenty acres in garden.”

“Man, that took a lot of work.”

“We had plenty of help. I remember that year because we really put up the canned goods. That whole breezeway was nothing but racks of canned goods.”

“They did all the cooking in the house?”

“No, out there in the shanty town, we had a building which was like a big picnic pavillion which was screened in and had all the tables and kitchen supplies. There were five cook stoves in there,”

“That must've took a lot of gas.”

“All of them were wood. We'd take sawdust from when they cut down the trees and would use it to fuel the stoves.”

“Oh, that must've been nice.”

“Yes, the trees came in handy because they used the tops and limbs to heat their houses. The wood pile out there was huge. It had to be nearly a half an acre. They stacked it and everyone would take home armloads of wood to heat for the night.”

“I'm amazed it didn't down sooner.”

“It wouldn't have burned if it hadn't been set. I've often thought of that fire and thought how we could have did things better. The houses were entirely too close together when they didn't need to be. I didn't build them and they were here when I got here, but if we'd just moved every other one, they could have had more space and only one would have burned.”

“Who set the fire?”

“I can't prove it, but I know in my bones James set that blaze. He's just walked in rather fast and when he walked past me, he smelled of kerosene which is what they lit their those houses with.”

“Primitive.”

“Yes, but everyone was happy.”

“I wonder if it could be done today.”

“I doubt it. With all the trees being contracted now, it doesn't make sense. They come in with the huge machines and they cut what a crew of men could cut in a month in a few days.”

“What do they do with the tops and the limbs now?”

“They pile them in big piles and just burn them.”

“It's a waste.”

“Yes, but no one depends upon them for heat anymore. It's all electric or gas.”

“Maybe we could put in outdoor furnaces so the heat could be used if we needed them.”

“We don't heat that much, but it's sure save money.”

“What are the heating bills like?”

“It's really outrageous because the furnace is the old kind which used to have wood. They fitted it with burners and it's gas now. When we kick it on, it heats the house, but it's nearly seventy dollars a day.”

“Oh man”

She smiled and said, “That's why I don't heat the house that much. There's no way to shut off the upper rooms. By the time the downstairs is really cozy, the third floor is a hundred degrees.”

“That's got to change.”

“You figure it out hon, but it will take more work than will be affordable.”

“I really need to call an architect and see what he can do.”

“We'll talk about it with Steve because I'm sure he has a lot of ideas he'd like to do to the place to change it.”

“Well, what I think, if you don't mind is we'll build yours first and then live in it while we have the work done on the house.”

“I wouldn't mind that at all. You're paying for the work, so it's the least I could do.”

“How much do the trees bring in a year?”

“A lot, but I couldn't tell you. I know what JT's trees bring in, but James was always extremely private with the estate's finances.”

“Would Steve know?”

“No, that's one of the arguments which he and James had.”

“Who paid the bills while James was ill?”

“He did all the way up to last month! He'd have me take him down the steps and into his office so he could write out the checks and get the bills paid.”

“The man should have gotten Steve involved. Now Steve will be in there having to find out things from scratch.”

“I suggest you go in and help him.”

“I will, but another thought just came to mind I'll speak with Steve about. With the amount of wind here, we could do good to invest in some big windmills to generate power.”

“I think he might let that happen. He's often talked about the amount of evergy we could harness here.”

“Good. If we can make it so our needs are met and we're selling the excess, we'll be money ahead in the long run.”

She smiled and said, “I'm really glad you're here, but you learn the finances of this place. Don't let him be the way his daddy was.”

“I won't. He needs to know we're in this together.”

“I should have insisted more with James.”

“From the way it sounds, he probably wouldn't have changed.”

“No, but at the same time, his daddy made a lot of problems too. He would tell James to things and his word was like law. The one thing he told James I put my foot down upon was him laying a hand on me. I told him if he dared, it didn't matter if this was Jacksonland or not, my daddy would be in here getting me and whipping him and his daddy for the thought. He didn't.”

“Well, Steve knows what will happen if he dares. That's the final straw that happened between Kevin and I for which I ended things.”

“He hit you?!”

“Yes.”

“You don't think he'll do that to JT, do you?”

“No, he's learned his lesson. I've already given him the advice of never doing what he did in our relationship again because if I find out he did, he'll deal with me. JT won't have to deal with a thing.”

“You think he'll pay mind?”

“Yes, because he knows it put me out the door and right now, I'm being friends but I won't care one way or another. JT can just as soon be attending a funeral while he's waiting for those bruises to heal.”

She chuckled and said, “Honey, you and I are alike in so many ways, but you're a man and you've not got to deal with how it is being a woman in a man's world.”

“I understand. My mama put up with that sort of treatment. Some of the lasting scars on my memories of my dad are the memories of him mistreating her. You don't erase those from a child's memory no matter how old they get.”

“You should also put the kids into the discussion of the estate. The younger they are, the more apt they'll learn about finances better. JT thinks because he can afford it, he can get a new truck and tear up the one he's got. He doesn't know the value of a dollar.”

“Kevin will probably put him into line about that. I'll tell you right now, the moment takes a ride with him, JT will be embarrassed because Kevin won't get into the vehicle again unless he's driving. He did that with my brother and if it comes to my brother driving him to the hospital or bleeding to death waiting on an ambulance, Kevin will wait on the ambulance. I've seen him put people out of a truck at work over driving wrong, so I know he'll do it with JT.”

“Maybe that's what it will take.”

“Steve keeps saying he's going to speak with him, but doesn't.”

“Well, I think that conversation is going to take place. After that ride I took, I think Steve would surely speak with him. It's a double standard if he will arrest someone for driving that way, but will let his brother be that way on the highway.”

“I don't know what his problem is.”

“I know what it is because he told me. He thinks because Steve's the Sheriff, he can get by with it. What happens if someone is Sheriff and he doesn't make it? Does he suddenly decide he needs to follow the laws?”

“I bet he's never thought of that.”

“Well, I'll tell you that it's a whole lot easier to break that habit now than to be embarrassed and have it be an issue between he and Kevin.”

Another fire truck showed and then a tanker truck. Soon, Steve came over and said, “They're just watching it.”

“Did you tell those fire guys the woods are full or rattlesnakes so not to go off in there?”

“No. They know the reason we burned the house was because of the snakes.”

“You might tell them. Someone's liable to think we killed them all.”

“Ok, you still got supper on?”

“It's in the oven heating. We'll throw some butter in the potatoes and they'll be as good as new.”

“I'll let the guys know. They can eat by taking shifts.”

“I'll make you and JT's plates and then your mother and I will go ahead and eat. I'll not have you going hungry because someone couldn't be considerate. What parts of the chicken do you like?”

“Legs. Put me four of them back and I'll be fine.”

“What does JT like?”

“I don't know.”

“Steve, go ask.” I said rather disappointedly.

“What!”

“You should know these things.”

“He's an adult, he could get them for himself.”

“You're an adult as I am. I could tell you which part any of my family likes even though it's been years. It's a part of taking the time to learn.”

“Ok, I'll go learn.” He said smiling.

He walked away and Rose chuckled. “You know you're right. I could tell you which parts all my brother's and sisters liked.”

“How many are left?”

“All of them, why?”

“I got the feeling they stayed away because of James.”

“They did. I go and see them, but they knew better than come out here because of James' ways.”

“What'd he do?”

“He'd be rude. It finally got to the point they'd not come and if I wanted to see them, I had to drive myself into town. I see them once a month by taking Tuesday and Thursday evenings and driving into town to see them.”

“So they're here locally.”

“All are in Beaufort with the exception of Naomi and she's in Charleston. She married a military man and he's retired there.”

“You might want to tell them the house is back open to visitors and tell them they'll be treated by family as long as they're nice in return.”

She chuckled and said, “My brother who's married to Randy's mother won't. He's head set about gays, I'm sorry.”

“His loss. What's his wife like?”

“She's a dear. She and I get along wonderfully. I've let bygones be bygones.”

“It's the best way to be. I doubt if I could be as gracious to those Kevin screwed around with.”

“There was more than one?!”

“Yes, but I forgave the girl. The guy, well, he's the main one that did this to my face.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I'm afraid he's now deceased. He met with an untimely end while in jail.”

“I have a feeling you know more about that then you're telling.”

“Yes, but I'll state this. I could have forgiven my face had he not blackmailed Kevin into believing something else could happen if they didn't get involved together. He did so knowing fully well what he did and then using it against Kevin. For that, he got what he deserved, none of the others will be treated the same.”

“You speak of it with so little emotion.”

“It's hard to get emotional when everything's already been done. I can understand Kevin's viewpoint, but he should have chosen to tell me what was happening. We would have handled it together and our relationship would still be strong.”

“I understand. I think if James had came in and told me he was finding other women attractive, it would have hurt a lot less than finding out he had actually went out and acted upon those feelings.”

“That's why I forgave the girl. She was a nurse and they hit it off while I was in the hospital because she was a nurse. I really think Kevin tried it because he'd never been with a woman previously. He did and then he came back home. So, I viewed it as a learning experience for him.”

“I doubt if I'd been the same way if James had done something with a man. He'd probably found himself being very embarrassed.”

“That's the difference between a gay relationship and straight. You can't embarrass someone too much for something viewed as being normal by everyone else.”

“That's true. I'm sorry, I never thought of that when I spoke.”

“I understand. That's why it was so hard when Kevin went with another guy. He already had me, so he knew what that was like.”

“How did you take it when you found out?”

“It hurt like hell. I found out in July it was happening. Like an ostrich, I stuck my head in the sand hoping it would go away. Finally, when he came home and confessed everything telling me he was planning on moving out to be with the guy, I stepped in and did something about it. I knew I couldn't fight on the sexual grounds, so I had the guy arrested on all the drugs. It nearly came back to bite me because Kevin was involved.”

“He was selling drugs!”

“No, he was owner of the house in which they were growing all the drugs. They picked a nice neighborhood and bought a house. Inside that house was thousands of plants. Not even the neighbors suspected it was happening.”

“I'm afraid I would know.”

“Probably, but a lot of people in towns now don't even know who their neighbors are. Since there were two guys seen entering and leaving, I imagine they told their kids to stay away from the house because a couple of gay guys were living there. That probably helped the house stay as isolated as it was.”

“I never thought of that. How'd they get the drugs out?”

“Easy, it had a two car garage. They'd pull into the garage and load it up. Then they'd pull out and take it to where it was sold.”

“Amazing, you know so much.”

“I had to learn about those things. They put a tracking device on Kevin's truck which took them to the house. Since it wasn't where the guy lived, their suspicions were raised, but shortly after those trips to that house, the market would be flooded with pot, so they added everything up and then began to watch it. They bode their time and then when I put everything into motion with Kevin, they stepped in and made arrests. They weren't real happy with me because they wanted to catch more people, but I really didn't care what their plan was...I knew I had to do something then.”

“Let's go in the house and get their plates prepared. I see a couple of guys heading this way.”

We went into the house and I prepared Steve's plate. She said, “Honey, JT likes breasts. Steve might've not known it, but that's what he likes.”

“Ok, here's two for him. We'll put one back wrapped in foil for later.”

She smiled and said, “You're fixing those plates like you were from the South.”

“I fix them the way my mama would if we were having company. She cooks like she's feeding an army and then eats leftovers afterwards.”

She laughed and said, “You'll find the same here.”

“I have a feeling you two will really like each other. I don't know when they'll be coming in, but I imagine they'll be taking trips this way several times a year. Of course Steve and I will be heading that direction too. If you'd like, you can go with us later next week when we head back.”

“I'll think about it. There are a lot of things I need to do around here.”

“Rome wasn't built in a day, take that day to rest and come back with us. I'd really find it an honor to have you meet everyone.”

“Ok, since you put it that way. You know, that's the longest trip I'll have ever took.”

“Really!”

“Yes, the furthest I've been away is Atlanta and that was for a Sheriff's function with James.”

“We'll have to travel some then. You'll be amazed at all the things you've missed.”

“Do you travel a lot?”

“Yes, I've been to a lot of the states and to Canada and Mexico. Do you like to fish?”

“Not really.”

“Me neither, but I have a trip planned up North at a place called Molson a friend told me about. The trip is booked and they've got some really huge fish people have caught. It's a reservation from what I summize and the lake there is just teaming with fish.”

“That sounds nice.”

“I don't normally fish, but the thought of me holding up a fish as big as I am and posing for a photo is too good to pass up.”

“Do you get to keep the fish?”

“I think so. If we do, we'll have some fish hanging on the walls in the office.”

She laughed and said, “It sounds like you'd be a sportsman if you had a chance.”

“Yeah, but I'm not one that kills something for the sport of it. If we ever go some place and I kill an Elk, you best know we'll be eating Elk.”

“I've never had it.”

I chuckled and said, “Well, it's something that doesn't taste like chicken!”

She laughed and said, “Someone once told me turtle tasted like chicken. I tried it and found I didn't like it. To me, it was greasy.”

“That's one thing I refuse to eat. I don't eat varmit, critter, and reptile. The thought of it just doesn't sound appetising. I was tricked into eating deer meat and found I liked it, so since then, I've tried Elk and Moose as well as Buffalo. All of those I like better than beef. If we get a chance to grow buffalo, you'll see some roasts in my ove which will amaze you. The person I knew that had a roast of it had one bigger than a huge turkey. It was absolutely the best meat I've ever had.”

“How'd they cook it?”

“He had a big terra cotta roaster. He put it in it and then prepared it like you would a beef roast. The thing was moist and so nice that a slab of it cut off was bigger than a huge platter.”

“Oh my! I bet it was good.”

When the guys came in, I said, “Guys, I've got rooms open upstairs. Go wash up and put your clothes out and we'll get them washed.”

“You can't wash fire gear.”

“Ok, go wash yourselves and put on the robes on the doors on the backs of the doors in the bathrooms. When you're done with the room, close the door and that way the other guys will know that rooms already been used.”

The guy smiled and said, “We're not planning on staying the night!”

“No, but those chairs in the dining room are Chippendale. You'll not sit on them and ruin them either.”

Rose chuckled and said, “Honey, they're not Chippendale.”

“They look like it.”

“I don't know who made them, but they're not Chippendale.”

“Let's check. Under the seat should be the name.”

We went in and I flipped a chair. There was the mark of Chippendale.

“Oh my! Those have to be worth a lot and I've let the kids play all over them!”

“You used them which is what they're meant to have done. In my house back home, you'll find nothing but antiques in every room of the house except for the entertainment center and the sofa. Everything gets used. Up in the bedroom is a chair like the ones you have upstairs that is worth twenty thousand dollars. You've got the foot rests that match, so yours would be worth fifty thousand.”

“Which ones!”

“The sitting chairs in the bedrooms.”

“I bought those from a furniture store for twenty dollars each!”

“Yes, and I got mine for four dollars at an auction. I call mine my old man's chair because it's the kind my mom's God mother's brother used to have sitting out upon their front porch. I saw that chair and knew I had to have it. Later, when I was trying to find what it was on the internet, I found it was worth all that money. Since then, I've made it a point to know what each piece was worth because of insurance coverage.”

“We need to do that here. I had no idea. If this place burned down, the coverage wouldn't begin replacing one of those chairs.”

“Well, we'll video tape everything and then document them. Those beds are worth a lot. I'm amazed at some of them you have because they're like brand new.”

“They are. Some of those rooms have never been slept in.”

“We'll have to do that some day.”

The guys came down and had on their robes. They prepared their meals buffet style and then went in and sat at the dining table.

Steve came in and saw the guys in their robes.

“What's up with them in robes?”

“You need to go take a shower and not be in those grungy clothes to sit on those chairs.” Rose giggled.

Steve looked at me and said, “Why?”

Rose said, “Those chairs are Chippendale and he's not going to have anyone ruining them.”

“Chippendale? As in the strippers?!”

“No, as in the furniture maker. That table in there seats twelve and it's probably really rare. Your mother had no idea of it's worth until I said they were Chippendale.”

“What's it worth?”

“The chairs alone are probably worth fifteen grand each. The table is probably worth a hundred grand.”

“Really!”

“Yeah”

“Steve, he says those sitting chairs in the bedrooms are worth twenty thousand each. The last I knew, the insurance on all the furnishings for this house was only ten thousand. You need to go through this place with him and get it insured for what everything's worth.”

“I had no idea!”

“Yeah, The beds up there are probably worth thirty thousand easily. I've seen one at an antique mall which had a price tag on it of fifty thousand. It disappeared, so I'd say someone bought it. I do know I've seen one in the Dupont Register for seventy five.”

Steve said, “How about if I stand in here and eat. All I'll do is go back out there and get dirty.”

“No, then you'll have all the guys in here thinking they'll have to stand to eat. Be a good example and show them you do it too.”

“This is ridiculous.”

“Sweetheart, would you do it so I don't get an ulcer worrying about the furniture?”

He smiled and said, “Ok, but we're going to have to do something different in the future.”

“In the future, you won't smell like smoke and have that suet all over you, but if you think you'll sit on one of those chairs with mud and grunge on you, we'll be having this talk.”

He laughed and said, “You sound more like my mother than my mother.”

Rose piped in and said, “I had no idea that table was worth what it was when you were growing up. If I had known, you can trust you'd been raised differently. Now, you know what they're worth, so go be a good boy and mind your mothers!” She said giggling.

He kissed her and then kissed me. “Yes moms.”

He went upstairs and she said, “See what it takes to make these boys mind.”

JT came in and said, “Where's Steve?”

“Upstairs taking a shower and getting into a robe. You go get yours and then come down to eat.”

“Why do I have to do that?”

“Rhette, let me save time.” She said smiling, “Because I said so!”

He smiled and said, “And I imagine Steve didn't mind.”

“He tried but now he thinks he has two mothers. When you come back down, have him tell you why and you'll be amazed.”

He went upstairs and said, “He's a good boy. Sometimes he just needs to be told what to do. With Steve, he has to be told why and then he understands. JT just needs to be told.”

I smiled

Soon, Steve was downstairs and said, “JT got told upstairs in the bathroom why and he's in shock. He's now realizing all the times he's sat on those chairs messing them up.”

“Honey, what we'll do is we'll have some covers made so the kids can sit on them and not mess them up. For special occasions, we'll take the covers off.”

He laughed and said, “Are you going to do that with all the furniture in this house?”

“No, but I doubt if a kid will mess anything up.”

“We used to bounce up and down on those beds. I know what kids do when they have a chance.”

“They're meant to be slept in. If a kid jumps up and down on them, we'll get them a trampoline.”

He laughed and said, “I guess we were poor and made our own.”

“You were hardly poor. You live in a hotel sized mansion.”

JT came in and said, “Can I be fed now please!”

I giggled and said, “Stick out your hands and show me behind your ears and we'll see.”

He looked at me strange and then did it which caused Steve and Rose to really laugh. “Do you do this in Missouri?”

“No!”

“Then why do it here?”

“I was just checking to see if you could follow directions, you passed very well. Here's your dinner.”

They went into the dining room and sat down. The guys came in bringing their plates.

“Did you get enough?”

“Yes.”

“Ok, when you go out, tell about five more to come in and then we'll have a chain going.”

They went upstairs and go redressed.

“Those guys are going to go home and tell their families what a weird custom we have here in order to eat.” Rose said smiling.

“My only hope is they don't think we're doing it for some sort of sexual turn on.”

“I don't know, that one guy had nice legs.”

“I couldn't tell. That one in there at the table is the one I think is hot.”

She giggled and said, “I hope his mother doesn't hear you talking like that!”

I laughed and said, “She'll know I'm falling in love with him, so it won't matter.”

“Go sit with him. It should be fine. I'll go get them caught at the door and tell them as they come in.”

I went in and sat down. JT and Steve were discussing the snakes.

Steve said, “Babe, there were probably a thousand at least inside that house.”

“You told the guys about the woods, didn't you?”

“Yeah, I think they knew.”

“Good, at least they'll be safe.”

“When the fire trucks rolled up, we were shooting them still. They couldn't believe the number of bodies laying all over the place.”

“Hon, you have a few moments so we can speak?”

“Sure, what's on your mind?”

“Your mom and I've decided to build a house over there like the one in town. She loves it and I think it'd be nice to have so when we work on this place, we can live over there.”

“What are you wanting to do with this place?”

“A number of things of which I need to ask you about, but one is we've got to get electrical outlets in the bedrooms. Another is to update the plumbing. Those pipes are getting old and the damage of they could do to this place if one busted or rusted through would be terrible. Since we'd be working on the place anyways, I figured we could go ahead and get it done. Another is the heating system. Your mom told me what it took to heat this place and it's terrible. Lastly, I think we need an elevator. We could also update the breezeway and enclose it so it'd be nice.”

He nodded and said, “It needs done. We could do it when we put that cupola on the top.”

“One other thing I'd like to do is to tear down the barn and the stables and put new ones up. Those are in the way of what I want and those trees behind them could be cut down and dozed so it's one solid yard. With landscaping, the two houses will look like they're complimenting each other. When we have kids, they could run right across the yard to grandmas.”

JT smiled and said, “That sounds nice. I'd have some nieces and nephews to spoil.”

“Speaking of that, I need to speak with you about your driving. You really need to watch it. You might think you can do it, but I'll tell you now Kevin won't ever ride with you but once with you driving that way and if I want my kids scared to death, I'll send them to an amusement park to get on a rollercoaster where I know it's safer.”

“It's not that bad.”

“You tell St. Peter that when he meets you at the gates and drop kicks you for being so dumb. You do it because Steve won't arrest you. What happens if you don't make it to be Sheriff and Steve's not there to save you? I'll tell you now, with the way you drive, if I were a cop, I'd park outside the gate and just wait for you to pull some of those stunts. You'd find yourself without a license and having to learn the lesson of how to drive all over again.”

“Ok...Ok...I'll tone it down.”

Steve turned to JT. “JT, I've not said anything because I've not wanted you upset with me. We're starting to get close and it would tear my heart out if you ended up in the hospital because I haven't said anything. Do it for us who love you. Please?”

JT had tears in his eyes and said, “I love you too, you big lug. Why didn't you say something sooner?”

“I was afraid I'd push you away.”

“Well, I'll drive better. I'd hate to think people were so afraid to ride with me, or Rhette was afraid to let your kids ride with me.”

“That's all I ask is that you try. If you try, then I'll try to forget how scared I was.”

“You weren't joking then.”

“No”

“Damn, I thought you were joking. I'm sorry.”

Steve said, “Rhette, we've spoke with him, let's switch subjects.”

“Ok, the next item I want us to look into is putting up some windmills to generate power. The breeze here is constant and I think there'd be enough to make it financially feasible.”

Steve nodded his head and said, “I've thought that a lot. Daddy wouldn't hear of it, but now the place is ours so I want to look into it. How big do you want to go?”

“Let's look into seeing what we can get and how big we can get. I've got the money, so we can put up a lot of them. If we have a really good income from them, it'd show everyone else there's money to be made and they'll do it as well.”

JT said, “When you look into it, let me know. I'll do some studies on my land and put some up too.”

Steve said, “You have enough to put up the big ones? They'll cost a lot.”

“I've got the income from my trees and that's about ten million a year. I've got the last five years I've not even touched in the bank, so if it costs more, then I'll have to bow out.”

“You'll probably have enough for several nice ones.”

“How much do they cost?”

“You make enough in one year to put up one that generates enough power to light up about a hundred homes.”

“How much does it bring in a year?”

“I don't know. We'd have to check with the electric company. I imagine you'd be bringing in about half a million a year. I'm not sure.”

“I'm making that much letting it sit in the investment funds.”

“I don't know what it will bring in. I'm only guessing. We'll check and see. I know a little one generates enough power to pay for itself in the first two years. I imagine the pay off is the same for the larger ones otherwise there'd be a whole lot of little ones going up.”

“Well, do some checking and let me know.”

“Ok, now the last subject is a touchy one, but I'm going to go ahead and broach the subject. It's your dad's office. The bills are going to need paid and I know you have no clue what they are. One thing I want you to know is I want to be there with you when you're doing this so we both have input into the financial side of this estate.”

Steve nodded and said, “I don't argue that one bit. One thing I want to do is bring mama and JT into it also. They've been kept in the dark just as much as I was. When we learn everything, I want it to be us as a family learning things. There had to be a reason he was so secretive, and I'd rather everyone know what it was.”

“Maybe it was what he did with the income. If the number of trees was the same, then maybe he had a whole lot coming in and he didn't want anyone knowing what he was worth.”

“Maybe, but he signed those over to JT and I and the only thing he had was this place in his name. If you look at the layout of this land, you're going to see it looks like a big jigsaw puzzle piece. All those other pieces which interconnect are the ones he signed away to either JT, Mama, or I.”

“So the only reason he didn't sign this place over to you sooner was because of the land grant?”

“Probably. I have a feeling he knew what he had, but it would have saved hard feelings if he'd just explained it to me.”

JT said, “He never explained a thing to us. For him to tell us something was for him to just tell us. He didn't think he owed us the right to be civil.”

“I'm sorry he was that way, but now he's not with us, so we'll have to learn everything. One thing we're really going to need to do is get this place video taped and insured for what it's actually worth. The thought of being that underinsured is scary knowing all it would take is one good hurricane and it'd be gone.”

Steve said, “When we work on this place, I want it raised about five feet higher. When Hugo hit, we were fortunate it went North of us. If it had hit here, this house probably wouldn't have survived. If you take a look at what happened up in Charleston, you'd see the ocean was hitting about twelve feet up. Here, the waves broke and were only four feet which never made it past the edge of the yard. We lost three feet of yard, but the house was still here. Under this house, the piers are brick. I'll tell you now, those bricks are crumbly. What we need is to raise it and get some heavy concrete piers under it.”

“We'll speak to an architect. What I'm thinking for the new barn and stables is going to be concrete with windows that are blast proof. We can go up higher than the twelve feet and it'd not look out of norms, but I don't want to take something down and not replace it with something better. One other thing I'm wanting to do is put up some of that fencing your mother spoke of. She said there's a sort of fencing that would keep the snakes away from kids and the kids away from snakes.”

“It costs about seventy dollars for eight feet of the stuff. It's not really worth the money.”

“She said when you were little you nearly picked one up thinking it was a worm. How many kids do you think I should let get bit before I think it's worth the amount it costs?”

He looked at me and said, “Rhette, if you want it, we'll get it, but I think you're seeing that situation we have as something usual out here. It's not ever been that bad. Most of the time, they stay in the woods. I think they came into that house because we let the weeds get up.”

“Honey, I'm thinking about landscaping this place and putting in flower beds. There's going to be a lot of shady areas in this yard and along that drive. If they view it as being better without as much competition, they'll come in. I'd rather we fence in that pasture over there and all the way over here so the kids will be safe. IF we can find a similar item which works just as good in plastic, we'll use it, but I'd like to find something that makes your mother and I feel safe to go out and do some gardening.”

“You're planning on putting in a garden?”

“Yeah, she said there's a lot of jars in the breezeway, so we might as well use them.”

“This kitchen isn't big enough to do all that canning.”

“I imagine not. That's one item I would like to speak with the architect about. Do you think there's enough space down below to have a canning kitchen without it being in your way?”

“There's easily enough space.”

“Ok, now, think about what you'd like under there if we screen it in and make sort of a game room, or fun place for us to enjoy evenings as a family, with guests and with the kids. I'd like something like that so when JT and Kevin come over, everyone can be together and not feel like they have to be really careful up here.”

Steve smiled and said, “My Coke machines are down there and we've got it done up like a pool hall now. Let me go get some clothes on and then I'll take you down.”

“Can we wait until tomorrow? There are guys out there that haven't eaten and I want them to know there's food if they want it.”

“They said they'd eaten already.”

“Then we're going to have to freeze some of this chicken because we have enough to feed at least twenty big eaters.”

“How much did you buy?”

“We bought enough for ten big eaters to have about four pieces of chicken each. Then you told me to get more, so we went in and got the same.”

JT smiled and said, “Be ready to eat lots of chicken!”

“No, what I'll have you do is take a bunch into Randy. He's got a big family and I'm sure they'd enjoy it.”

“What's their house look like?”

“Oh! You guys are going to love it. Your mama and I loved the place immediately and so did they. It's got a swimming pool and a nice detached garage with a lot of storage above it. It's a big ranch with enough bedrooms for each kid to have her own. Their bedroom is in a different wing and it's got it's own suite so they can have their own private living room as well as bath. Over in their wing, they've got a nice guest suite also, so the kids can have the other two bathrooms. The living and dining rooms are big enough to easily handle the kids plus about a dozen more.”

“Who has it now?”

“I don't know their names, but they have another place and will be moved out in two weeks. I told them we'd be happy to help them move when they're ready.”

“Did they get a good deal on it?”

“Yeah, I low balled the owner and got it for about two hundred less than they were asking.”

“How much did they get it for?”

“Four sixty five.”

“How much land?”

“Five, but it's a huge square. Everything that has been needed, it always received. It's just the perfect house for them. It's homey and invites you to come on in.”

JT said, “I'll have to have him take me over to see it.”

“When you go, take Steve. He's family too. They're both wanting to get closer, so there's no time like the present to do it.”

JT smiled and said, “I know JT will be happy. He's often asked me why Steve wasn't nicer to him.”

Steve said, “I always felt out of place. You two were close and maybe it was the yelling daddy did, but I really felt uncomfortable.”

“Well, you're adults now, so use this time to get closer. We'll be having kids soon and those girls will need to have babysitting money, so I'm already planning on spending time with both he and Gina for us to go out and do things. Maybe it'd be a nice evening for all of us as well as JT and Kevin to have an evening where we sit and just enjoy each other's company as adults.”

Steve smiled and said, “That'd be fun.”

“We'll have kids, but we're not going to be so absorbed in being parents that we forget we're a couple.”

JT nodded and said, “I think it'd be nice, but you two don't be letting the girls babysit all the time. Remember they've got a couple of uncles who will be happy to pitch in.”

“I'll remember. Their granny has also called some of those times. For me to make everyone happy, I'd have to get a full time job and I hardly think that will happen, but it would be nice to take a few hours every day to write.”

“Can I look at your stories on your laptop later?” asked JT

“Sure, I need to do some writing, but I imagine it won't be for a week before I get back into it. We'll be busy around here. Fortunately, I'm way ahead on chapters, so I can do those things.”

Steve got up and took his plate into the kitchen. More guys came in and said the house had collapsed in on itself so they were going to leave it. Rose asked them if they wanted anything to eat and one smiled, “Ma'am, we done heard you're undressing folks in here before they can eat. I've done a lot of things in my life, but I've never stripped to get dinner.”

She laughed and said, “Well if you promise to eat out on the front porch, I'll throw it to you and you can eat out there.”

“That might be kind of fin!” he laughed.

“It will be but the second course is mashed potatoes and you know they're no good without gravy!”

He laughed and said, “I'll go get showered.”

“You'll find rooms upstairs with robes. Any of you guys who want your clothes washed so you don't smell like smoke, tell me now and I'll get them in the washer.”

One of the guys smiled and said, “I didn't wear any underwear.”

Rose quick as a wink said, “Didn't your mother teach you all the ambulance personel look at your underwear?”

He smiled and said, “Ma'am, I've seen the ambulance girls. Maybe I chose not to wear them!”

She laughed and said, “I bet your mama never taught you that!”

He laughed and she said, “Well promise to keep the robe shut and I'll get you a plate fixed.”

He took off up the stairs and she came in laughing to the kitchen. “Oh sheesh, if I was thirty years younger, I'd give that fella a run for his money.”

Steve cackled and said, “Mama!”

“Oh heck, your mama ain't dead, she's just having fun.”

He looked at me and said, “Let's get JT and go to the office to see what we find.”

Rose said, “Let me know if you find anything interesting.”

“We will, we're just going in to see if we can find the bills. He takes all the mail in there, so we should know something if we find it.”

Notes From Retta:

A lot of my notes are funny glimpses at myself and telling you, the reader, about them!

Today, I thought I'd be glamourous and put my hair up in a french braid. I did it while my hair was wet and it looked good until it dried. Somewhere along the line, I wrote for about three hours and then, Steve came home.

He always greets me with a hug and a kiss, but today, he had a smirk on his face which was making me wonder what was on his mind. Finally, we were eating and he said, “Hon, have you looked in a mirror?”

“No, why?”

“DO yourself a favor and go look.”

I went and the mess I saw was terrible. All over the place was flyaways and it really looked a fright. After the shock, I just stood there and laughed.

He came in and we continued to laugh while I took it down. What started off funny became funnier because the end result was a Phyllis Diller style of do....yeah, I do know who she is and I'm not that old. She's from St. Louis originally, so I do pay attention.

The end result was another wash and a mindset the next time I put my hair up in a style that's intended to be glamourous, I'll use a lot of gel. (Haha)

Many of you aren't aware the beating which I suffered is actually true. The pieces of the puzzle aren't clearcut as I've outlined, but some of the characters are responsible. The plastic surgeries are all to true.

Some of you have desired to meet me. If I seem skittish about meeting you, it's because of the initial reaction over how people perceive me. Although all seems back to normal, I'm not the same and it comes out in many dimensions.

Steve is interested in the psychological affects. He's interested because I'm shy to the point of paranoid, but when I get in a crowd, I'm suddenly extroverted and the eyes drawn to me are because it's a part of that “false persona” I exude in order to not let people get close.

What's a part of my daily world is I put out the words of a love story, and yet, in life, I don't carry the charisma I used to. It's growing better, but those who meet me really don't get to know the real me because of the walls I put up. Go figure.

A part of moving to a different location was to get it all beyond me and leave it in the past. It's a lot harder than it seems because of learned behaviors. Hopefully someday, those ghosts will be put to rest.

“From My Keyboard To Your Heart”,

Retta

RettaMichaels@Gmail.com

Copyright Notice – Copyright 2008 by RettaMichaels

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“From My Keyboard To Your Heart”, “ 'Retta”, “RettaMichaels”, “Retta”, “Rhett”, “Rhette”, “Vonn Michaels”, “VonnMichaels”, and “Vonn Michael's Stud Service Night Club” are all trademarks of the RettaVonnMichaels L.L.C.. None of these trademarks may be used, or authorized without consent.

Disclaimer: All individuals depicted in this story are fictional. Any resemblance to real persons, characters, locations, or incidents is purely coincidental.