by K L Finalley
She opened Zoe's door and loaded her and Mallory inside. Then, she leaned down and kissed Mallory who stroked her face and said, "Let's go home."
Hyde Park Village was less than a seventh of a mile from the house. It took minutes to weave through the streets to the house. As they passed each house, Zoe rose up in her seat and asked, "Is this one ours?" But, none of the them were. Having been wrong so often, she folded her arms and stopped asking. So, when Jacqueline slowed in front of a blue two-story house with a wraparound upstairs balcony and huge, brick front porch, Zoe didn't say a word. Jacqueline and Mallory didn't say a word. They looked at each other and smiled. Jacqueline didn't signal. Instead, she turned the wheel and pulled the car under the porte-cochere. "This IS our house?" When the car stopped, Zoe shrieked and jumped out the car.
It was nearly eight in the evening. Jacqueline had left all the exterior lights on for dramatic effect, so the house was aglow. The downstairs lights adorned the eaves of the house to illuminate it from below as well as well as the upstairs lights cast a warmth from above. Jacqueline and Mallory sat in the car as Zoe ran from the car to the front porch and peered inside the double entry doors and into the side glass inserts. Once she realized she could not see inside the house, she returned to the car, but she did not stop. She ran past them. It was obvious that she'd hoped to peek into the backyard, but she underestimated the strength and presence of the newly installed birchwood vinyl fencing. Frustrated, she returned to the car and pointed to the building to the right of the house. "What's that?" she asked.
Jacqueline lowered the window to answered the wild beast. "The garage."
"What's the top part?"
"It's a mother-in-law suite. It's like a little apartment," she answered.
"Is Grandma movin'…"
Mallory jumped out the car before Zoe could finish. "Never. Grandma's never moving in. Ever. That's just what it's called. We can look at it tomorrow." She opened the backseat and removed her bag. "Let's go inside."
Zoe ran to stand next to Jacqueline who was opening the side door. After unlocking the door and disengaging the alarm, Jacqueline stood back expecting Zoe to run through the house, but she didn't. Instead, she stood by Jacqueline. "Well, I guess I'm your tour guide. So, this is the mud room."
"Why's it called that?"
"You come in here if you're a mess. Get it. If you're muddy, you don't walk in the front door. You walk in here, so you can sit on the little bench and take off your dirty clothes or shoes." Jacqueline pointed to the door to her left. "That door over there is the door to the utility room. Open it." When Zoe pushed it open, the light came on. "So, here's the washer, the dryer, a sink, a place to hose things off, and a big table for projects." Zoe didn't seem interested. "Okay, let's move on. Go straight." As they re-entered the mud room, they headed into the house. "That door is a half bathroom. Just a toilet and sink. And, here is the kitchen."
"It's huge," she said. Mallory walked into the kitchen and leaned against the island.
"So, this is our kitchen. It's got cork floors, granite counters, a wine cabinet..."
"You can see into our cabinets," Zoe said.
"Yes, your mom likes that."
"We got chairs at the counter. I can sit up there and eat breakfast." Zoe ran to the nook and pulled herself up into the wooden barstools.
"Or, you could eat at this table. It's a nice, little table for eating, too," Jacqueline stood by the breakfast nook.
"Why is there a couch in the dining room?"
"First, that's not the dining room. That couch area is called a keeping room. It's like a place people go to talk and be a part of what's going on in the kitchen without being in the way," Mallory tried to explain before Zoe disappeared. The two followed. She walked into the formal living room. "This is the living room."
"Look up," Jacqueline said. "This is the only two story room in the house. I was thinking the Christmas tree could go in here. Wouldn't that be nice?"
"Uh huh," Zoe said as she entered the foyer to the house and headed left.
"That's my office," Mallory said. "So, I can have a place to do work from home." They watched as Zoe looked in and walked away. She stuck her head in the next room. "That's the dining room. The real one. Do you like it?"
"Uh huh," Zoe said and backpedaled to the opposite end of the hallway.
"Are you going upstairs now?" Jacqueline asked as she passed the stairs.
"No, I want to see what else is down here."
"That's my office," Jacqueline said. "That little hallway leads to our bedroom." Jacqueline and Mallory left the living room and followed her.
As she opened the door, they watched as she stopped. "That's not your bed."
"No, we had to get a new one made. The other one wouldn't fit. Do you like it?"
With a shrug, she said, "I guess so." She turned from the bed and walked down the hallway inside the master suite. She looked in Jacqueline's closet and at her toilet. She stood at the tub surround. She looked at the double shower. "There's no door to the shower."
They spoke to her from their bed. "You walk around. There's a wall that stops the water from coming out," Mallory said.
"Cool," she mumbled. She examined her mother's sink and toilet. She went into her closet and sat on the chair in the middle.
"Zoe, are you okay? Do you not like the house?" Jacqueline asked with her arms folded.
"No, I like it. It's just huge. Are we gonna be able to keep a house this big?" Zoe asked.
"Well, yes. We sold the penthouse." Mallory said.
"But, it was smaller," Zoe said plainly.
"But, on the water. View is worth more than space. Like a helicopter costs more than bus," Jacqueline said.
Mallory looked at Jacqueline as if the explanation made no sense, but it made perfect sense to Zoe who gleefully said, "Let's go check out my room now."
"Wait, there's another room down here," Jacqueline said as they exited the master suite.
From the hallway in front of the stair, she opened sliding doors to reveal the family room. With floor to ceiling white curtains and a mounted television, Jacqueline sat on the new leather sectional couch. "The family room. This is nice, right? We can watch TV and hang out in here."
"Yeah, can we go look at my room now?" Zoe said.
"Sure," Jacqueline said as she got off the couch.
Whispering to her as Zoe bounded upstairs, Mallory said, "I think she's about to be very happy."
From the staircase, they heard the screech of an eight-year-old. "She's seen it," Jacqueline said.
Running back to meet them, she was blabbering. "Did I get my own living room?"
"What? No! That must be a mistake." There, on the second floor, was an open area with bright colors and soft furniture meant for teenage entertaining. There was a video game system and two televisions. There was a pinball machine and chalkboard painted wall. There was everything she'd need to entertain her friends safely in the house from now through her college years, or so Jacqueline imagined.
"Now, I'm really the coolest." Zoe ran from room to room. She opened doors and closed them again.
"Zoe, there are four guest rooms up here. Do you want me to tell you which bedroom is yours?" Mallory asked.
"No, I'll find it." Then, she stopped running. "Is this a workout room?"
"Yes, with sound-absorbing walls, so your mom can work out and sing if she wants." Jacqueline explained.
"All these rooms have a bathroom," Zoe noticed. "Does mine too?"
"Let's go find out," Mallory led the way.
"Wait," Zoe stopped. On the landing across from the stairs was the piano from the lakehouse, Zoe asked, "Isn't that your piano and your Dad's stuff?"
"Yup, it is."
"That's cool," Zoe said then she continued following her mother. When Mallory opened the door, Zoe jumped up and down. "I love it!" They'd covered the entire second floor. But, beyond the computer loft, there was a door. It was the last room on the right side of the secon
d floor. Zoe opened the door to discover ocean, blue painted walls and a blue braided rug. There were bean bag chairs of various blue and tan patterns. There was a white armoire, desk, queen bed, and chest. Her huge bay window had been made into a seat. She rushed to it. As she jumped onto it, she peered down and said, "A pool. We have a pool! I love this house! I love you guys so much!"
"Zoe, we have to ask you an honest question," Mallory said. "Will you be scared up here by yourself? We have locks and alarms on the balcony. We are just..."
"No way, Mom. It's like I have my own apartment," Zoe dismissed her. "I'm never moving out."
"Why don't you look around a little bit then take a bath…in your own bathroom?" Mallory asked.
"My own bathroom," Zoe jumped up from her window seat and headed into her bathroom. "Look my light comes on like yours does."
"Sure does," Jacqueline said. "You've got everything we've got."
"Except a bar," Mallory said.
"And a pool table," Jacqueline said.
"We have a pool table?"
"Yes, it's off from the keeping room. You know the living room in the kitchen thing you didn't understand." Mallory said. "Take a shower. We're gonna run downstairs, but we'll be back up." Mallory pushed Jacqueline out of the bathroom and out of Zoe's room. In the hallway, Mallory whispered to Jacqueline, "I think she likes it."
"She better. We already own it." Jacqueline teased as they headed downstairs.
"There's so much to the house she didn't notice," Mallory said.
"We've got time. There's so much we haven't figured out."
"Like bikes. That was a good idea," Mallory said.
"Yeah, it is," Jacqueline admitted. "How do you feel about the house right now?"
"Amazing. In a couple of hours, we're gonna go lie down in that bed in our home together for the first time."
"You know what we should do," Jacqueline said as she kissed her neck.
"I was thinking the same thing," Mallory cooed. "Go move the car, so we can tuck Zoe in and head to bed."
"Be right back."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Zoe left the bathroom, she discovered Mallory in her bedroom. "Whatcha doin', Mom?"
"Straightening up some. You know, the movers got most of this stuff in the house today, but it's gonna take a little time to get it perfect."
"I like it just the way it is," Zoe said and jumped on her bed.
"Are you sure?"
"Yep," Zoe said.
"Good, because Jacqueline and I want to have a serious talk with you about something before you go to bed. Okay?" Mallory sat on the bed beside Zoe and stroked her head.
Jacqueline had been in the hallway, testing Zoe's computer. She entered the room and closed the door behind her.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Having pulled back into the driveway for the second time, the house had started to feel like home. Jacqueline removed the key from the ignition. She was heading into the side entrance when her plan was circumvented by the sounds of a little girl's laughter. She put her key back in her pocket and walked to the gate that led to the backyard. She depressed the latch, but the gate did not open.
"Sounds like fun back there," she said over the fence.
"Jax, I did a cartwheel," Zoe sang with glee.
"You did?" Jacqueline smiled. A yard. Grass. A pool. A fence. All things she wanted for Zoe. All things she'd made sure she had. "That's great. Is your Mom back there?"
"Yeah, she's swinging on that swing," Zoe said breathlessly. "She has her headphones on."
Jacqueline folded her arms, backed into the gate, and imagined them both. There was Zoe flipping in the grassy, back right of the yard, the part she'd made sure the landscapers knew was to be left for child's play; on the porch, Mallory sat on the swing she'd had installed. It was attached overhead, so as to be shaded by the upstairs balcony - just another perfect place for her to sit and read. "Get her attention. I got a surprise for you out here."
"We gotta a surprise for you, too," Zoe said.
A surprise for me, Jacqueline thought. I haven't asked for anything. She walked away from the gate and returned to the Laredo. She could hear Zoe speaking to Mallory. The two were trying to whisper; and, while she couldn't make out their words, she could hear their mumbling. She walked further away from the gate so as not to ruin the surprise.
Sitting on the bumper, she surveyed the property. Much had been accomplished, but there were things they could still do. She looked back at the driveway and thought about pavers. Then, she walked to the front porch and wondered if Mallory would like furniture on it. Gazing around, she admired the landscaping that'd been done. The raised flower bed and palm trees went well with the new sod. She thought of how well the yard lights had looked with all the house lights on last night. The house. Their home was beautiful, but it was a work in progress. Yet, what they'd accomplished felt like a success.
She was standing at the end of the porte-cochere admiring the front yard when side door opened. "She's coming," Mallory said in a hush. "Are you ready?"
Jacqueline doubled back to the Laredo and squatted down by the passenger's door. "Ready," she replied. Mallory moved to the front of the Jeep and hid in front of the grill.
Each held their position without speaking until Zoe opened the side door. "Hey, where are you, guys?"
Jacqueline quietly opened the door. Then, she said, "Zoe, whistle."
"What?" Zoe questioned.
"Just do it," Jacqueline implored. "Whistle."
"Okay." The girl agreed as children often do to appease the foolish pranks of adults. But, this time was no prank. The whistle was answered by the rattling sound of metal striking metal. Zoe wasn't sure what it was first. She looked at the Laredo wondering what caused it. Before she could identify the sound, there were other sounds. There was a pant and a scratching sound. Zoe went behind the Laredo to search for the cause of the sound, but when she did, the sound got further away from her. She heard her mother giggle at the front of the Jeep, so Zoe raced to the front of the Jeep.
Jacqueline stopped her before she could find her mother and said, "Whistle, again."
Without question or pause, she stood still and whistled. As Mallory went quiet, all the sounds restarted. The metal rattled. The scratching sound returned. The pant was more prevalent; but, this time, she looked in the direction of the sound and saw it. And, screeched.
Despite her young age, her white body was already dotted with black spots. Her left eye was already encircled in a black dot. She jumped from the Jeep and ran right to Zoe. With her body outstretched, she leapt upon the girl and licked her face, her arm, her hair.
Jacqueline and Mallory came out of hiding. Jacqueline had her arm around Mallory who had her hand resting on Jacqueline's chest. "Her name is Speckles. She's a thirteen-week-old Dalmatian. I just picked her up from school." Jacqueline said.
Zoe tee-heed as Speckles licked and sniffed her. "Is she mine?"
"Yes, but you're gonna have to take care of her," Mallory said. "Feed her. Bathe her in the utility room. There's a special sink in there that you didn't even notice last night."
"I will. I promise," Zoe declared as she sat on the ground as the dog licked her all over. "Can she sleep with me?"
"She'll be in your room. She can sleep with you, but she can't be on any other furniture," Mallory said.
"She's already fully trained," Jacqueline announced.
"To do what?" Zoe asked.
"Watch this," Jacqueline released Mallory and stood tall. "Speckles," she said with command in her voice. "Lie down," and the pup lowered the top half of her body and looked up with her sad, dark eyes. "Roll over," Jacqueline ordered and Speckles flipped onto her back and wagged her tail. "She knows her name. She can walk on a leash, swim, stay, come, sit, and she knows to get down. She will sleep in her kennel. She won't bite, nip, or bark, but she will defend."
Zoe was hugging her tightly around the neck. The dog looked uncomfortable, but it didn't pull away.
"I can't believe you got me a dog. It's like it's my birthday."
"We told you there wasn't room in the condo, but when we knew we were getting the house we found a pup and sent her off for training," Jacqueline said.
"Do you like her?" Mallory bent down to pet Speckles.
"I love her," Zoe said before Speckles licked her nose. "Mom, can we give Jax her gift now?"
"Sure, do you want to give it to her?" Mallory asked.
"Can I? I mean, we?" Zoe asked.
"Go ahead."
"Jax, me, Mom, and Speckles got you a gift," Zoe said with her hands behind her back.
Looking at Mallory, she expressed, "You didn't have to. I have everything I could ever want…"
"I know," Mallory said and peck kissed her. "But, we wanted you to have this."
Zoe laughed. "It's for the boat."
"Oh, okay," Jacqueline closed her eyes and held out her hands.
"No, Jax, it's in the garage," Zoe laughed at her.
"I guess I have to go get it," Jacqueline reached for her phone. "Which bay is it in?"
"The third one," Mallory said.
Jacqueline unlocked her phone and searched for the garage app. Then, she selected the third bay of their four-door garage. She was walking to the garage, but looking at the phone as the door opened. When she finally looked up, there sat a black grille with silver letters. It had a black powder coated bumper with LED flood lamps on it. She ran her hand over the sport hood, then she stood still and looked back at Mallory and Zoe. Zoe was busy playing with the puppy.
Mallory was staring at her with her arms folded behind her back. "It's not a Jeep, but Elet said you'd need a Hemi to tow that boat." Jacqueline was speechless. She walked along the driver's side and saw HEMI in its bold, silver lettering. It stood out against the monotone black paint job. She peered inside and looked at the red and black cloth seats with the embossed tread pattern. She glanced around at the touchscreen display. She stood on the sidesteps and stared into the back seat that was roomy enough for Zoe to be comfortable. She walked to the back and saw the sprayed-in bed liner and admired the power rear window. She had her head down looking at the dual exhaust when Mallory and Zoe entered the garage. Dangling her keypad, she said, "I had it lifted for you. Three inches should be enough, right?"