area so I typed in our zip code.” He leaned forward. “Did you know that building houses in California is more than twice as expensive as say, North Dakota?”
Gil looked at Maria whose face, just beginning to show lines, glowed with pride. Since she’d never married, Eddie was the son she’d never have. Looking from her to his son, he realized anew how much he owed this woman. Granted she’d come to him as an illegal from Venezuela, but at his prompting she’d taken advantage of the amnesty offered, studied and gotten her citizenship papers. It was at her insistence that he’d made the decision to move his office home. She’d been right. His son had been growing up without him. It was thanks to her that the boy was open to him at all. But the years of seventy-hour weeks had paid off, and now he could afford to relax a little.
“Would you want your office in the house or in a separate building?” Eddie’s question broke into his father’s thoughts.
“More coffee?” Maria stood next to Gil.
“Only if it’s leaded. I need caffeine this morning to answer all his questions.”
Marie studied his face for a moment, then brought the carafe over. “Just for today.”
Gil looked heavenward as if praying for patience, but the slight smile made Eddie laugh.
“You might as well give up, she won’t change her mind.” He slipped a piece of his toast to Bonnie who’d been eyeing every bite that went into his mouth but never made a whimper. Wiping his mouth on his napkin, Eddie watched his father.
Gil picked up the advertisement. “Forty acres, eh. I don’t see that we need forty acres.”
“They have some smaller ones, like twenty.”
“Do you know how big twenty acres is?”
“Half of forty?” Eddie’s eyes danced. “How long does it take to build a house?”
“Depends on the size, but usually six months to a year.” Eddie had been a baby when he and his wife went through the construction of this house. Getting the house built took up a lot of Sandra’s energy, but taking care of a baby who required repeated surgeries, only to finally realize their son would never be normal, was what really made her run.
Gil looked up to see Eddie watching him, one hand stroking his dog, the other tracing patterns on the place mat on the table. A sign that he was more concerned than he let on.
All he wants is a horse, for crying out loud. He’s not asking for the moon. But what if he gets hurt?
That was the real question. While Gil had not been home much of the time, he made sure Eddie had everything he needed and was protected as much as possible. A gated community, a private school, all the gadgets any kid could desire, and now, his father’s attention.
Guilt whispered,
His son didn’t ask for much
.
Reason responded,
It isn’t the money, it’s the time. It’s always been the time.
“Get your backpack and I’ll meet you at the car. Maria, you come too, please. But keep in mind, it takes a long time to find a house that you like. Don’t get your hopes up.”
They turned off the freeway at the designated road and followed the signs to Horse Country, entering under a squared arch of golden peeled logs. Local rock walls flared out to the sides with a bed of shrubs that hosted a rearing horse of bronze on each side. The paved road wound before them, going on either side of the guard shack in the middle. They stopped to greet the guard, and he handed them a map, showing the sales office with the already sold lots colored green. The developer had left many of the California oaks and Jefferson pine trees in place, clearing out the underbrush so it looked more like a park than a housing development. They headed back toward the entry and stopped at a model house with a Sales Office sign in a nicely landscaped yard. After Eddie wheeled out of the van, they made their way to the glass doors in what would eventually be the garage.
As they entered the office/house, a dark-haired woman motioned she’d be
Gil looked at Maria whose face, just beginning to show lines, glowed with pride. Since she’d never married, Eddie was the son she’d never have. Looking from her to his son, he realized anew how much he owed this woman. Granted she’d come to him as an illegal from Venezuela, but at his prompting she’d taken advantage of the amnesty offered, studied and gotten her citizenship papers. It was at her insistence that he’d made the decision to move his office home. She’d been right. His son had been growing up without him. It was thanks to her that the boy was open to him at all. But the years of seventy-hour weeks had paid off, and now he could afford to relax a little.
“Would you want your office in the house or in a separate building?” Eddie’s question broke into his father’s thoughts.
“More coffee?” Maria stood next to Gil.
“Only if it’s leaded. I need caffeine this morning to answer all his questions.”
Marie studied his face for a moment, then brought the carafe over. “Just for today.”
Gil looked heavenward as if praying for patience, but the slight smile made Eddie laugh.
“You might as well give up, she won’t change her mind.” He slipped a piece of his toast to Bonnie who’d been eyeing every bite that went into his mouth but never made a whimper. Wiping his mouth on his napkin, Eddie watched his father.
Gil picked up the advertisement. “Forty acres, eh. I don’t see that we need forty acres.”
“They have some smaller ones, like twenty.”
“Do you know how big twenty acres is?”
“Half of forty?” Eddie’s eyes danced. “How long does it take to build a house?”
“Depends on the size, but usually six months to a year.” Eddie had been a baby when he and his wife went through the construction of this house. Getting the house built took up a lot of Sandra’s energy, but taking care of a baby who required repeated surgeries, only to finally realize their son would never be normal, was what really made her run.
Gil looked up to see Eddie watching him, one hand stroking his dog, the other tracing patterns on the place mat on the table. A sign that he was more concerned than he let on.
All he wants is a horse, for crying out loud. He’s not asking for the moon. But what if he gets hurt?
That was the real question. While Gil had not been home much of the time, he made sure Eddie had everything he needed and was protected as much as possible. A gated community, a private school, all the gadgets any kid could desire, and now, his father’s attention.
Guilt whispered,
His son didn’t ask for much
.
Reason responded,
It isn’t the money, it’s the time. It’s always been the time.
“Get your backpack and I’ll meet you at the car. Maria, you come too, please. But keep in mind, it takes a long time to find a house that you like. Don’t get your hopes up.”
They turned off the freeway at the designated road and followed the signs to Horse Country, entering under a squared arch of golden peeled logs. Local rock walls flared out to the sides with a bed of shrubs that hosted a rearing horse of bronze on each side. The paved road wound before them, going on either side of the guard shack in the middle. They stopped to greet the guard, and he handed them a map, showing the sales office with the already sold lots colored green. The developer had left many of the California oaks and Jefferson pine trees in place, clearing out the underbrush so it looked more like a park than a housing development. They headed back toward the entry and stopped at a model house with a Sales Office sign in a nicely landscaped yard. After Eddie wheeled out of the van, they made their way to the glass doors in what would eventually be the garage.
As they entered the office/house, a dark-haired woman motioned she’d be
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