Comfort Side Of Heaven Page 6

  “Sage, you know moving your dad will be a big expense to take on but with the plans you have told me about, I have no doubt you will achieve it if you put your mind to it. I love the idea of still being able to come and go when I want as long as I can.” I see the minute Sage comes up with another idea.

  “In fact, if you don’t mind, I would love to build a small cabin down there for when you want to feel closer to your family and stay a little longer. I know some people wouldn’t be comfortable with a cabin so close to a cemetery, but I don’t think you’re superstitious at all. I would put it by the grove of trees and it wouldn’t be very big; I think a one-bedroom with a small kitchen or however big you would like. You could also go fishing at the pond while you’re here if you wanted.” I consider what Sage has said but I doubt this woman knows the money it would take to make this happen. I am not saying the idea doesn’t have its appeal though.

  “You haven’t heard my other terms yet. You may change your mind.” I see the smile cross Sage’s face.

  “Then tell me. It won’t change my mind and let me worry about all the costs. The way I look at it, anything I do to this property is an investment in its future. Added buildings brings up the value of the property, not to say I would ever part with the farm—because I won’t—but it will bring the value up anyway in case I ever need to use part of the property as collateral for a loan. I’m not saying I will, but it’s still an option.” Sage has given this a lot of thought. She has a smarter business plan than I gave her credit for.

  “I think you will need to pay off the original mortgage before you think of another loan.” I smile at her. “The other two things I am requesting are that the orchard remain intact and that the original hothouse not be torn down. I know this is a selfish request, but Christine planted every one of those fruit trees and the hothouse was her favorite place to be on the entire farm. The orchard was where our daughter was conceived and the hothouse was Christine’s getaway.” I see Haddie raise her eyebrow and she wants to laugh. Haddie knows that our oldest son was conceived in my old truck and our youngest in the loft in the barn. We may not have had a bunch of money to spend on romantic evenings out, but we made do and created great memories right here. Haddie and Christine were best friends and they shared everything over the years.

  “The orchard is a beautiful place and I wouldn’t change a thing about it except adding more trees. The hothouse will only need a few modifications to it, but I have plans to build a bigger one a little further away from the house. I want that one for strawberries and organic herbs. I also would like to grow a few medicinal plants in there. I am not a fan of doctor appointments, so I like to grow my medicinal plants and go the natural way to treating myself.” I have a few reservations to that.

  “Are you talking about growing marijuana in Christine’s hothouse?” I raise my voice a little without meaning to.

  “Of course not Nick, that’s illegal. I grow things like ginseng, lavender, and peppermint. They are so I can take a more natural way to healing. The Native Americans had a very different way of healing their people and I think it’s a much more natural process. I don’t like putting drugs in my body that may help me get rid of my illness but also hurts my body in other ways. I have done a lot of research on the herbs, flowers, roots, and even some vegetables but it’s all perfectly legal, and I make sure it’s safe before I try it., I would consider growing marijuana if it was legal in this state for its medicinal purposes.” Sage makes sense. I don’t like giving my money to a pharmacy either for the drugs I take daily just to live. I know my cost is lower than a lot of my friends, but it’s only a matter of time before it will cost more—I don’t pay much attention to the healthier choices. At my age who cares? I can hear Christine yelling at me now for that thought.

  “It’s not my place to judge but I want Christine’s special place to be special to someone else and I think your plans sound solid. I just hope you know everything you have said is going to cost money, a strong will, and determination. I just hope you can see it through. I think we have covered all the things I had issues with except the bottom line, the price. Are you ready for that?” I look from Sage to Haddie who has been sitting there quietly.

  “I want you to give me the price you would charge anyone else. Your stipulations that you requested are not an issue to me so just give me the number.” Sage is all business now.

  “I think she’s ready for it so put her out of her misery,” Haddie adds.

  “I want eight hundred and fifty thousand dollars. I know your down payment will be sizable at that price, but it’s below the fair market value.” I wait for Sage to try and talk me down on my price, but she just smiles. She gets out of her chair and walks around to me and puts her hand out to me to shake. I take her hand and shake it gently.

  “Deal.” I am stunned.

  “What? Just like that, no dickering?” I don’t think I have ever done a deal so fast. We didn’t even raise our voices. Sage is excited and bends down and gives me a quick hug and a soft kiss on my cheek. I feel my cheeks heat up.

  “Look there, you can still blush Nick. How long has it been since that has happened?” Haddie is adding to my embarrassment at the show of innocent affection. She likes to make fun at my expense.

  “Hush woman,” I tell Haddie, but my eyes are back on Sage. “Don’t you need to talk to your bank?”

  “No, this will be an all-cash purchase. Do you have a problem with a fast closing? I will need to have my attorney involved so what we talked about—the cabin and cemetery, the orchard, and the hothouse—can be put in the paperwork and Nick I know you gave me a below market price. This place is valued at one point two million dollars and my attorney is already on the title search—not that I don’t trust you—but he said it was necessary since it had been passed down through family.” I don’t know who is more shocked, Haddie or myself.

  “Let me get this straight, you rode into town on a bus looking like a starving runaway, but you have cash to buy this place? What other surprises do you have Sage?” I don’t know what to think.

  “Lordy, Sage. You are the most interesting person that has been in Comfort in a long time. You are a secret keeper though. I was ready to adopt you myself to give you a place to settle. You and I are going to need to sit and talk this week.” Haddie is going to drill this girl with so many questions.

  “I’m sorry for worrying the both of you and I never meant to deceive you. I told you that I had enough money to stay at the bed-and-breakfast. In a few months all my history will be in the open, but I will sit you both down and tell you everything before that happens. When I turn twenty-one there will nothing for me to hide from anymore. I just want to get this deal on my farm done, but I promise that when it is a done deal, I will stop hiding from the two of you. The night I move in here, I will cook dinner and tell you every secret I have ever had and answer any questions that you have to ask me.” I guess Haddie and I will just need to exercise our patience. Sage goes back to her side of the table and sits down and waits for me to say something.

  “I guess we need to eat and get Haddie back to town. It sounds like you are going to have a busy week.” That makes Sage and Haddie both laugh, and Sage picks up her sandwich and takes a bite. She chews it and then she swallows.

  “If you want another attorney to represent you, I will pay for it and I’m also paying any cost of title transfer with the taxes included. It’s a good idea to always have representation when it pertains to legal matters.” I laugh a full belly laugh. Sage is looking out for my best interest even though her fancy smancy lawyer could pull a fast one over on me.

  “I have an attorney for my part of the sale. How much time are you talking about for a short sale? It will take me a while to find someplace to store the furniture. I’ve already taken a few of the family mementos to the house in town but I don’t know what to do with the rest of the things here except put them in storage. Before I can do that, I need to go through it all.” This is the pa
rt I have been putting off. It should have been done a long time ago. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.

  “If you’re not going to keep the extra family things then you could take it to town and have one of those big estate sales,” Haddie suggests. That’s not something I could do, putting a price on memories. “If that isn’t something you want then maybe donate it to the church for their annual sale. The money goes towards buying essentials for children taken into foster care.” I think about it for a second.

  “This house has five bedrooms; we could move your family possessions in one of them and if you want to sell the furniture, I will buy it. I like the way the house feels now. The furniture is made of solid wood and I love it. I mean if you want to sell it. This way you could take your time going through everything else or we could move it to the attic. I don’t want you to feel rushed but as soon as the paperwork is signed, I would like to move in.” Sage looks like she wants to say something else but I’m not sure. “I would also like to keep one of the rooms upstairs for you or Haddie if either of you want to come out and stay a night or two to visit. I mean after living in the country for so many years don’t you miss it occasionally and Haddie living in the same place that you work must get old sometimes. This can be a getaway for both of you. I mean if you want it to be. Nick it will take a little while to get your cabin built. We can talk about it later, just know the door is always open for a friend.” Sage acts like Haddie or I would say no. In the little time I have known Sage and the more I learn about her past makes me want to protect her. It’s as if she has healed a part of my heart.

  “That is the best offer I have had in a month of Sundays. I have always wanted to be out in the country sitting on a front porch watching the sun go down,” Haddie says sounding almost giddy.

  “Sounds like a plan,” is all I say. Selling this place may be the best thing.

  Chapter Eight

  Sage…

  This last week has gone by so fast. I have been spending a lot of time on the phone with Mr. Stanton and I even set up a conference call, so Nick could be reassured that I do have the means to buy his property. Even now thinking of the farm as his property in my head seems unusual. Since the day Nick, Haddie, and I went to the farm for our little talk and negotiations between Nick and myself, I have known that farm is mine. Comfort, Texas is meant to be my home. It’s where my dream becomes my reality. I am meeting Mr. Stanton at the diner today for lunch to go over everything before we sign the final papers tomorrow. I know what Mr. Stanton is going to warn me about before we even speak. He has been trying to get me to wait until closer to my birthday to sign the property papers. I have let my mom and her boyfriend, Greg, delay my life long enough. It is time to move on and I am ready. I have seventy-two days until my twenty-first birthday and I inherit the bulk of my dad’s estate. I have put this meeting off as long as I can. I walk down the stairs and it is unusually quiet for this time of day. Haddie likes to have one of her friends over for lunch and they giggle like teenage girls. When I’m at the end of the stairs, I see that the front door is shut. Since I have been here that door has always been open unless we were sleeping. That’s when I see the three of them sitting in the parlor, Mr. Stanton, Nick, and Haddie. I should have known Haddie was up to something. She quit asking me questions and I thought she was giving me space, but it looks like Haddie has decided to come at me from a different angle. I should be mad, and a little over a month ago I would have been. Since I have been here, I have come to think of Nick and Haddie as my family. I let my guard down and this gruff older man and flighty loving woman snuck their way into my heart. Then there is Mr. Stanton who has done nothing but help me since my dad’s death and even before then. It’s because he was the same way with my dad. They had more than an attorney/client relationship, much more. The feelings Mr. Stanton had for my dad carried over to me because I can tell you if he hadn’t been there for me, I don’t know what would have happened to me. I don’t even want to think about where I would be.

  “It is about time you decided to come down and join us.” Haddie sees me approaching and speaks first.

  “I was under the impression that I was meeting Mr. Stanton at the diner for this meeting.” Mr. Stanton stands up and walks towards me. I know why.

  “Lyric you are looking so much better than the last time I saw you. You have a glow to your cheeks.” Mr. Stanton doesn’t stop until he takes me into a crushing hug. Just the smell of him gives me a sense of peace. I feel a jolt to my heart realizing how much I have missed him, not just him, but my whole life I left behind when I ran from my mom and Greg. I let myself have the feeling for a few precious minutes and I hug him back just as tight. I let him go and we both step back.

  “It’s Sage, Mr. Stanton. Please don’t forget if someone comes in. I’m not ready for everyone to know my business just yet.” Mr. Stanton knows my reasons, but he doesn’t agree with them. We both walk back over to the sofa and sit down.

  “I don’t know why you insist on calling me Mr. Stanton. It makes me sound like an uptight businessman. I was at the hospital the night you were born, and I know you better than your…” Mr. Stanton stops talking and looks at me. He’s not rubbing it in my face that my mom doesn’t know me very well, but he knows if he says it out loud that it would hurt my feelings. Not because it isn’t true—it is true—but because it will remind me of why Mr. Stanton was at the hospital the night Mom gave birth to me. He was there to pay everyone hush money. My mom was drunk that night and ran her car into a ditch. She had the good sense to call the family attorney before she even called my dad. One thing Katrina Stanley-Dade was good at was watching her own backside. If I had been taken from her that night for child endangerment, she would have lost her meal ticket. That was not an option for her.

  “It’s habit. If it makes you feel better, I’ll call you Roger. I have always called you Mr. Stanton so it may slip a time or two. Why are you three here with your heads together? I noticed the place is closed up, so what’s up?” I am straight to the point.

  “I want you to consider telling Haddie and Nick about your past and what brought you here. From the talks I have had with you and Nick, I have a feeling that they are both going to remain in your life even after the property is finalized and I feel it’s in your best interest to confide in someone close in proximity to understand what Katrina is capable of since you refuse to postpone this purchase. This is a small community and it has been my experience that a small community will either support you when Katrina starts with her games or they will shun you. If you let Nick and Haddie know the lengths Katrina will go to, then they can help. I give this advice as your attorney and as someone that cares very much about you. I live all the way in Dallas and although it isn’t a long drive, it still would take time for me to get here if the need should arise.” I know what Roger says makes sense, but I think he’s being a little overly cautious. I know it’s an inevitable conversation and looking at Haddie’s face it’s as if she is begging me to share so she can help. Nick’s face is blank, and he hasn’t said a word; I know the feelings are there though and I will not hurt the feelings of the two people who have helped me. I had planned to tell them after I was moved in the house anyway; I just need to have the nerve to do it.

  “Sage, you do what your gut tells you to do. Haddie and I will be here no matter what. I don’t want you to feel ambushed by this, but it would be better if you and Roger explained a few things to us.” Nick is right too.

  “I think this conversation needs to happen but whose idea is it? I thought I was having a meeting about finalizing the deal on the farm tomorrow.” I have a feeling I know the answer. Haddie has been at me all week for details.

  “That would be me and if I can’t convince you to postpone the purchase of the property, then this is the next best thing. I will always look out for your best interests and you and I can have a private conversation before the day is over about any other business,” Roger tells me. It surprises me. I sit back from t
he edge of the couch and decide it’s time I come clean about everything.

  “This may take a little while for me to get this all out. I try not to think about the catastrophe my life turned out to be.” I take a deep breath and Haddie comes and sits on the other side of me and holds my hand. She gives it a little squeeze to show me I have her support. I look at Nick and he nods his head. “Have either of you ever heard of Travis Dade?”

  “I haven’t to my recollection,” Nick answers first.

  “The name sounds familiar, but I’m not sure where I heard it,” Haddie answers. I look at Roger and he gives me a small nod.

  “He was the lead singer and one of the founders of the band TALK Kraze. His stage name was Tra Dade and he was my dad.” I feel a pang of sadness fill my heart. I not only miss my dad, I miss my family—all the members of the band and my best friend.

  “That’s the band that Rita is always going on about. She was telling me just last week that it was a crying shame for someone that hot to die so young.” Haddie looks at Nick and Roger. “Rita’s words, not mine.” Nick looks a bit upset at Haddie.

  “I don’t think you need to blurt that out when you can see how upset Sage is.” Nick is short with Haddie, but I don’t think he realizes it.

  “It’s alright. I’m used to it. Some of my friends at school used to say the same thing in more graphic ways. All they saw was the rock star persona. If they had looked past his appearance, and everything they thought was glam, they would have known he was a very good man. Too old for them, but still a good man.” I know I sound ridiculous but it’s true.