Their Forever Home

by Syndi Powell

  He glanced around the living room and walked to the wall of pictures John had hung the day before. Amid the family pictures that Jo had brought, John had also put those of the house from the time the Czarnecks had lived there. The display told the story of the past and looked toward the future.

  Once the other two judges arrived, John felt the knot in his stomach tighten. This was it. This was their chance to prove that they could outbuild and outdesign the other teams. He waited while Mr. Belvedere handed clipboards to the judges. “You have the honor of being the first house we’re judging today.”

  John didn’t know if that was a good sign or not. Maybe if they were the standard to what every subsequent house was held to, it could work in their favor. Then again, a wow factor in another house could bump them from first place.

  Mr. Belvedere turned to John. “Why don’t you tell us what was the idea behind your design, John?”

  He cleared his throat and flipped through his note cards. He knew he had written something down somewhere about that. Not finding it, he decided to speak from his heart. “The houses we were given all have histories of families that lived there before. And with the Tanners moving in, the house will meld those memories with new ones. It was our hope that we could incorporate that into the design of the home.” He motioned to the picture wall. “Which is why we mixed pictures of past and present here.

  “And with the introduction of technology into the design, we wanted to add more of the mixture of past and present. New technology fused with good old ideas.” He paused. “Sensy, turn the temperature down two degrees.”

  The HVAC system turned on, blowing cool air into the room. The Tanners looked at each other and smiled.

  “Sensy, play the CD at a volume of three.”

  Music started to play softly, a jazzy tune full of sax and horns.

  The sweet sounds followed them as they went on to the kitchen. Jo gasped and rushed to the brand-new stainless steel double-door refrigerator. She opened the doors and turned to Donny. “This fridge is almost as big as our entire kitchen at the apartment.”

  Everyone chuckled at her observation. John stepped forward and showed her the monitor on one of the doors. “Sensy, add eggs, milk and bread to the grocery list.”

  The monitor listed what he had just said, making Jo look at him with big eyes. “That’s amazing.”

  “And easier for you to keep track of what you need for your family.”

  One of the judges raised his hand. “Can you tell us about the light fixture above the kitchen table? I don’t think I’ve seen anything quite like it.”

  Cassie stepped forward. “We found it at a salvage place. It had been discarded by someone who didn’t see the worth I could under the dust.”

  “Exquisite.” He marked something on his clipboard, and John shot her a smile that she returned.

  They took turns pointing out the different innovations they’d put into the kitchen and then led the group to the mudroom. From the door, they could see the backyard. At first Donny seemed interested in the green features of the washer and dryer, but his gaze slowly shifted to what was outside. John trailed him and opened the garage door. “We figured you’d like to put your tools in here.”

  Donny nodded and put a hand on the varnished carpenter’s bench. “It’s almost a full-on man cave, thank you.”

  The judges joined them and John led them to the garden, where the tomatoes he’d planted months before looked ready to eat. “Jo, we prepared the ground for a full vegetable garden that I’d be happy to help you plant next spring.” He walked to the playhouse and placed a hand on the roof. “And this is for the boys. It’s got everything they might want for outdoor play.” He pulled out the small table he’d refurbished. “I used the old tiles from the bathroom to create the mosaic.”

  Jo shook her head and placed a hand to her mouth. “It’s beautiful.”

  “And the backyard is now fully fenced, so you can get that dog they want.”

  They returned to the house, started in the media room, then went across the hall to the twins’ bedrooms. John had designed each as a mechanic’s garage. He had also built a wooden track at their waist level on one wall with a tunnel that connected to the other twin’s bedroom. The dresser looked like a tool chest in red and silver. Car designs drawn by John hung on two walls. “You said they liked cars.”

  “They love them.”

  Each boy also had a wall that contained a huge tablet and whiteboard in order to do homework and play games.

  Donny looked awestruck. “Unbelievable.”

  The judges seemed to agree and made notes on their clipboards. Cassie ushered them out of the room and down the hall to the master bedroom. “John’s vision for this room was to make everything soft and plush. Whether it was the silver mist color on the walls or the dozens of pillows on the bed and down comforter, he chose things that would bring a sense of comfort and peace.” She walked to the headboard and put a hand along it. “He repurposed an old door and painted it navy for contrast with the bed.”

  “Was it a door from this house?”

  Cassie nodded. “It started its life as the front door actually. It’s a solid piece of oak that will last for years to come. I have to admit that I was skeptical at first, but as you can see it adds to the ambience of the room. And mirrors the mix of old with new.

  “When we gutted the room, we were able to also create a half bath here.” She slid the frosted glass door along the wall to reveal it. “You don’t have to worry about morning traffic jams in the main bath anymore.”

  Jo walked inside and shook her head. “Donny can share the one down the hall with the boys. This is now my retreat.”

  The judges chuckled and made notes.

  “We also repurposed some of the tiles discarded from other houses to create the mosaic floor in here.”

  The last stop was the main bath. “We brought technology in here as well. Sensy, turn on the shower to seventy-two degrees.”

  Warm water started to spout from the faucet as John pulled the shower curtain back to show them. “We used glass tiles in the shower and mirrored the jade-green-and-ecru design in the floor tiles and bath accessories.”

  Mr. Belvedere put his hand under the water and gave a nod. “I’d say that is seventy-two degrees. Sensy, turn off the shower.”

  They ended the tour on the covered front porch, where John had placed a porch swing with bright blue chambray pillows. Jo and Donny took a seat there and let it slowly rock. “We created the covered porch so that the Tanners can sit out here on evenings and watch the neighborhood. I created the mosaic tile table here, as well using tiles from the old kitchen’s backsplash.”

  “I think we’ve seen everything we need to. I’ll confer with my fellow judges for a moment,” Mr. Belvedere said.

  He huddled together with the two as John leaned against the porch railing and Cassie joined the Tanners on the swing. She looked up at him and raised her eyebrows. What now? He smiled and watched the judges talking to each other softly.

  Finally, Mr. Belvedere stepped forward. “We do have one final question for the Tanners. How did John capture your needs in his design?”

  Jo and Donny glanced at each other, then she sat a little forward. “I wanted a safe environment for my children but also one where they could grow and learn.” She turned to John. “That bedroom you created for them... I have no words.”

  “And they gave us our TV room plus a man cave in the garage.” Donny grinned. “I can see the boys and me rebuilding an old car in the driveway when they get older.”

  “The kitchen was more than I had hoped for, as well. So big and bright. The perfect space for us to gather as a family at the end of the day, to reconnect and share our adventures at the kitchen table with the window seat.”

  Mr. Belvedere scribbled these comments down and gave a nod. “Thank you. And in
what way did they miss the mark with what you wanted?”

  Another glance at each other. Jo shrugged. “Maybe a shower in the half bath, though with the limited floor space I don’t see how that could have happened.”

  “We tried, Jo, but it would have shrunk your bedroom,” Cassie said.

  “Mr. Tanner, your thoughts?”

  He shook his head. “I got everything I wanted. And more.”

  The judges nodded and wrote this down as well. Mr. Belvedere thanked everyone for their time. “A photographer will be out to take pictures.”

  John spoke up. “Mr. Belvedere, about the house next door—”

  He frowned. “Yes, it was unfortunate that we had to lose the fifth team.”

  Donny stood and walked toward him. “John, Cassie and my wife and I have been talking about going in and finishing the work there. I may not know much about carpentry or design, but I can follow directions.”

  “The other contestants have also volunteered their time. We want to see out the project. On our own time, of course,” Cassie added.

  Mr. Belvedere looked between them, shaking his head. “I was going to hire a firm to complete the work, but I have to admit it was all going to take some time to arrange. This would be much faster.”

  “We can make it work.” John stood shoulder to shoulder with Cassie. “Please, sir. We’d like the chance. Not for us, but for the family that had planned on moving in.”

  Finally, Mr. Belvedere nodded. “All right. I can send you the list of what the building inspector said needed to be finished.”

  Mr. Belvedere smiled. “ I look forward to seeing you all when the results are announced. We will be hosting a party at the Whittier the Saturday before Labor Day, so be sure you’re there.”

  The judges left and walked across the street to the next house. John looked over at Cassie. “I say we go home and change clothes and see what work still needs to be done next door.”

  * * *

  CASSIE RESTED HER forehead on the upper kitchen cabinet and closed her eyes. Because Nick and his team had been close to the end of the contest, much of the work on their house had already been completed. It needed a tweak here and there. And the building inspector had left a list of six items that had to be fixed before a notice of occupancy would be granted.

  The biggest item on the list was that one of these kitchen cabinets blocked the vent for the stove, which meant the cabinets needed to be moved down by two inches. John groaned under the weight of the cabinet. “Are you going to sleep or are you going to make sure this is level and drill it into place?”

  She snapped to attention, apologized and checked the level. “A little higher on the left. Wait. Right there.” She drilled the screw through the back of the cabinet and into the wall. “I don’t understand why Nick didn’t realize that he blocked the vent.”

  John dropped his arms. “I don’t think he was worried about doing things right, since he was sabotaging everybody else.”

  “And that’s the thing. He also sabotaged his own house, too. Granted, it kept the suspicion off him but he still destroyed some of his own effort.” She shook her head. “I don’t get it.”

  “He was also the first one to accuse you. That put him on my bad side from the beginning.”

  Cassie unscrewed the next cabinet while John braced it from below. They had two more to move and reattach. “At least we’ll know things are being done right this time.”

  “Knock knock,” came a call from the living room.

  “We’re in the kitchen,” John called.

  An older woman entered the kitchen. “Hello. John, you mentioned you needed help finishing this house, so I talked to a few of my neighbors.” Half a dozen more people entered the room behind her. “So tell me. What do you need us to do?”

  Cassie looked at John, who grinned. “Miss Loretta, thank you. I didn’t expect you to volunteer.”

  Cassie finished screwing the cabinet into place, then descended the ladder. “Well, what kind of skills do you bring with you?”

  One man held up his hand. “I’ve done my own home repairs, so I know my way around a workbench.”

  “I can paint and move furniture,” said another neighbor.

  John grimaced. “We don’t have much furniture to move, unfortunately. And there’s no money to go buy more.”

  Loretta put a hand on his shoulder. “You leave that to me, son. We take care of our neighbors around here.”

  Donny and Jo entered the house as the rest of the neighbors started organizing what needed to be done, introducing themselves and adding to the general din of conversation. Cassie climbed on the ladder and gave an ear-splitting whistle. “Folks, John and I appreciate everything you want to do. We have less than a week to get this place ready for the Murphys. I need those with home repair experience to meet with me here. Those with design or home decorating skills will talk with John. I think if we work together, we can make this a home to be proud of.”

  Tiny arrived, too, a dozen boxes of Lucille’s pizza held above his head. “And I’ve brought lunch. No one can do anything on an empty stomach.”

  He placed the boxes on a counter, opened the top one to remove a slice of pizza and stuffed it into his mouth before heading in Cassie’s direction. She came off the ladder and put a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you for the food. I didn’t think of it.”

  Tiny shrugged. “Sal offered me a deal.”

  “I’m going to have you finish the plumbing in the bathroom.” She checked behind him. “Where’s Biggie?”

  “You know how he gets with crowds.”

  “This isn’t much of one, but I’ll take all the help I can get. If he wants to check the plumbing connections in the laundry room that should get him away from the main action.” She handed the list from the inspector to Tiny. “We should be able to get the rest of this done in the next couple of days. John is going to spearhead the design group, and hopefully we can get this done before the weekend.”

  “We’ve been going nonstop for months. What are a few more days?”

  She kissed his cheek. “Thank you, Tiny.”

  She started to ascend the ladder, but he reached up and touched her arm. She looked down at him. “Did you see your dad?”

  She gave a nod. The judging that morning and now going full tilt on the Murphy house had delayed her from worrying about her father. Her mother had said she’d text with any updates once her father faced the judge. But there had been no word yet. “He looks so old.”

  “Maybe because you’re seeing him as he really is and not this puffed-up image you’ve been carrying around in your head.”

  She bit her lip, considering this. “Maybe.”

  “Everything will be okay, Cass.” He winked and grabbed another slice of pizza before leaving the kitchen.

  The group around Cassie waited for orders. She sent one neighbor to give Tiny a hand in the bathroom and recruited another to help her finish moving the cabinets. “All right, folks. Let’s make this happen.”

  * * *

  BY THE TIME the sun dipped low in the sky, they’d made a good dent in the required repairs, and John had a list of items they’d need to find. He joined Cassie on the back porch, taking a seat on the top step next to her. She rested her head on one fist, her elbows tucked tight to her sides. “You look tired.”

  She opened one eye and peered at him. “I am tired. It’s been a long couple of days.”

  “That Miss Loretta is something, isn’t she? Organizing the neighbors to come and finish this place?” When he’d mentioned that they were taking on the other house, he hadn’t expected her to not only pitch in what she could do but to recruit others, as well. “I like this neighborhood. They look out for each other.”

  “Something tells me that Miss Loretta is a big reason behind that.”

  “She told me stories about what i
t used to be like, and I think it sparked something in her to bring that back.” He smiled and leaned back on the porch railing. “She found a sofa that we can use. And I have a bunch of items that I didn’t use in the Tanner house that I can bring here. Same goes for the other designers. Plus Mr. Belvedere dropped off a check we can use to finish the house.”

  “I feel bad that the Murphys seem to be getting shortchanged on this.” She shook her head. “I don’t understand what happened to Nick’s budget that all the money is gone before they finished.”

  “Maybe he wasn’t only sabotaging everyone else—”

  “And assaulting you.”

  “He might have been skimming money for his own personal gain.”

  Cassie winced. “There seems to be a lot of that lately, doesn’t there?”

  He put a hand on her shoulder. “I didn’t mean your father.”

  “But he was doing that all the same. He’s admitted as much.” She glanced at her watch. “The judge denied him bond since he’s a flight risk, so he’ll be sitting in jail until the trial. The detective says he’s looking at five years in prison at least. Plus paying back what he stole. Mother will have to sell the house.”

  “And move in with you?” He raised an eyebrow at this.

  She laughed. “I guess my Aunt Sylvia has said she can stay with her for as long as she needs to. And Andromeda offered her apartment, too.”

  “Your mom will land on her feet.”

  “I know she will.” She stretched her arms out, groaning at the effort. “We should call it a day. Volunteers are coming over at eight tomorrow morning.”

  “I’ll be here.”

  He offered her his hand and pulled her to her feet, bringing her close to him. She looked up into his eyes, then her gaze dropped to his mouth. The temptation to kiss her made him forget where they were standing for just a moment. He lowered his mouth to hers, and she melted into his embrace, their hands entwined and resting on his chest.