by T. L. Haddix
“It hasn’t even officially hit the market yet.” A surge of excitement ran through him, and he looked at Sarah, who was watching him with pursed lips. “Feel up to a trip?”
She laid the phone on the table and took a drink of the coffee. “What do you think?”
He laughed. “I’m excited. It may turn out to be nothing but…”
Sarah was shaking her head. “If it’s the place I’m thinking of, it’s not nothing. It’s something indeed. Remember that little house that sits on the hill, the one where the property fades back into a hollow behind it? Judging from that map and the picture he sent, I think that’s it.” A sparkle of pure giddiness lit her eyes. “Call him.”
Owen was already pulling up the phone app.
“Good morning, sir,” Jonah Sutton said as Owen put him on speaker. “I figured I’d hear from you sooner rather than later. How are things on the mountain?”
“Fine as frog’s hair. And in the valley?”
Their granddaughter Molly’s husband laughed. “Fair to middlin’. What do you think?”
“Is it really right next door to you all?” Sarah asked. “Is it the property with the house with the little hollow behind it? And why is it a hollow there in Tennessee and a holler here in Kentucky?”
Jonah chuckled. “Yes to both, and I have no idea to the latter. The gentleman whose family has owned it for decades has decided to head for the warm, sunny beaches in Florida. He knew we’d been looking, so he came to me first. He’s planning to go to a realtor next week and list it.”
Sadie came into the kitchen just then, still half asleep from the looks of her. “What smells so good?” she asked as a knock sounded on the front door. Reversing course, she headed down the hall, calling, “I’ll get it,” over her shoulder.
“Ten dollars says that’s Noah, come for the baby. I’m surprised he wasn’t here before dawn,” Owen murmured. To Jonah, he said, “How’s your schedule the next few days, yours and Molly’s?”
“She’s working today and tomorrow, off Friday, and I’m here at home, working in the shop. I have a deadline on a commissioned basket. That said, you know you’re always welcome here regardless of our work schedules.”
Owen knew better than to suggest they get a hotel room. “We might have some tagalongs.”
“We haven’t changed the layout of the house since you were here,” Jonah said, teasing. “There’s plenty of room. When are you coming down?”
He exchanged a glance with Sarah. “Let me call you back on that one once all the troops are assembled. Thanks for the heads-up.”
“Yep. I’ll be around—just give me a buzz.”
Noah, Sophie, Easton, Colin, and Sadie came in as he was ending the call. Noah and Sophie were cooing over the baby as though they’d not seen her in weeks, never mind that it had been less than twelve hours since they’d left her with Easton.
Owen simply shook his head and shared an amused, knowing look with Sarah. “Could one of you kids get the casserole out of the oven? It should be ready any second. And the fruit salad is in the fridge. Set that out too.”
Colin and Easton moved to do the tasks as everyone else came to the round table where Owen and Sarah sat.
Sadie took the chair beside Owen, resting her head on her folded arms. “It’s too early to be awake,” she said around a yawn.
He brushed back her hair, marveling at how fast she was growing up. “You could have stayed in bed.”
“Nah. I might miss something.”
He chuckled, then looked across the table at his oldest grandson, who was talking to the baby. “Is she in one piece, Noah?”
“Of course, but I do think she missed us.” He nodded his thanks as Sophie handed him a jar of baby food and a spoon. “What do you all have going on this morning?”
“We were thinking of taking a trip actually,” Sarah said. “We just spoke to Jonah. It looks like he’s found something.”
As though someone had pressed pause, all the activity in the room came to a halt, save Baby Owen, who was happily trying to stick her fingers in the jar of food.
Noah absently moved it out of her reach. “Property?”
Owen gave a single nod. “With a house that may or may not be habitable. It’s right next to Jonah and Molly.”
“Oh.” That was all. Noah was frowning.
After Noah’s baby sister had made her move to the little town of Burning Springs, Tennessee, permanent earlier in the year, Owen and Sarah had visited the area. The cold winters of Eastern Kentucky were starting to bother Sarah, and the place was close enough that they didn’t have to travel far or spend too many long hours in a car or plane to get there. If traffic was good, the trip could be made in under three hours.
Though he and Sarah had never seriously considered relocating, they’d both been surprised by how at-home they felt in the small town. The reasons for its appeal to Molly had been obvious immediately.
“It reminds me of how Hazard used to be,” Sarah had told him as they returned from their first trip south. “I’ve missed that thriving, small-town feel. I didn’t realize how much until this week.”
To his everlasting shock, Owen had discovered the same about himself. For a man who’d spent most of his life as something of a recluse, the insight was a bit startling.
After they’d returned home, they’d let that epiphany sink in. In late April, they’d returned to Burning Springs for Molly’s wedding. After the ceremony and reception at Molly and Jonah’s home, Owen and Sarah had surprised everyone by renting a cabin near the middle of town and staying for an additional three weeks.
By the time their stay was over, they were both enchanted with the area. Making the decision to look for a sizeable piece of property on which they could build a second home had been stunningly easy. Breaking the news to the family that they’d be moving for at least part of the year, on the other hand, had not.
“When are you heading down?” Sophie asked quietly.
“We’ve not decided yet,” Sarah replied. “Soon, though. Maybe even today. There’s no time to waste, especially with it being so close to Molly and Jonah. It’ll go on the market next week. We’re getting an early look because Jonah’s neighbor came to him first.”
“Do you want some company?” Colin said, coming over to stand beside the back door.
“Don’t you have to work?” Owen asked.
He sighed. “Probably. I think Em has some weddings we’re shooting this weekend.”
“I don’t have to work,” Sadie said with impertinence as she poured herself a short coffee, then added enough sugar to make Owen wince.
“Me neither,” Easton said as he got plates down. “Since the office is closed this week while Syd and Sawyer are on vacation with the kids, I’m free.”
Owen squeezed the back of Sadie’s neck. “There are two. What’s your schedule like?” he asked Noah.
“Tight. We’re finishing up a huge kitchen this week.” Noah owned a custom woodworking shop that he ran with his brother, Eli. “Are you still thinking of building?”
“If the land suits, yes. We might get down there and see that the house is fine for another year, but if not, we’ll need to get a move on.”
“You sound awfully sure that this property will suit,” Noah said.
Sarah touched Noah’s arm. “Let’s all get some food.”
“Actually, I should go. Eli’s meeting me at the house to load up the trailer.” Noah handed Baby Owen to Sophie, giving them both kisses. “Love you. Have a good day.”
“Love you too,” Sophie told him. She glanced at Owen.
He was already on his feet, knowing this information was difficult for his grandson to take in. “I’ll walk you out.”
They didn’t say anything until they were standing beside each other on the porch. Looking at Noah was somewhat jolting now and again,
as he was very much like a mirror peering into the past. Owen’s stamp—as Sarah liked to call it—was all over the boy. His build, the way he stood, even the mannerisms he used when he was aggravated—like rubbing the back of his neck, which he was doing now—were carbon copies of Owen himself. Their similarities didn’t end with their looks either. Of all his children and grandchildren, Noah was the most like Owen in personality and temperament. Owen understood very well the turmoil Noah was feeling right now.
“It’d be bad enough if you were thinking about moving to London, you know, and it’s only a hair over an hour away. But three hours…” Noah sighed. “It feels like the end of the world.”
Owen put his arm around Noah’s shoulders and hugged him close. “It’s a good town.”
“I know. And you’d only be there part of the time. Until you decide to stay, and then the mass exodus of Campbells starts. The whole family would be down there within two years, guarantee it, with the possible exception of Pip and her brood and Ben and Ainsley.” He gazed out across the land. “I always thought Sophie and I would raise our family here on this farm. Now though, I get the feeling we won’t be doing that. This move is inevitable. Also, as I’m being ridiculous and emotional and all those things ordinarily reserved for women, I’m going to go use some power tools and hammer nails.” He sent Owen a sardonic smile.
“I can’t argue with you that it’s inevitable,” Owen told him quietly. “This idea of establishing another house, even if it’s only for part of the year, it feels right. I never thought I’d say that. We might well get down there and discover we want to make it permanent. For right now, however, we’re going to be quasi snowbirds. Sarah hurts too much here in the winter. It’d be stupid to stay here just because this is where we’ve always been.”
“I know. I’d never ask or expect you to do anything that hurts her. As I said, I’m being ridiculous.” Noah stretched. “In the end, it’ll work out. Too, if you really need me there, I’ll drop whatever I have to. I hope you know that.”
“I do. Go on and get to work. We’ll talk soon.”
As he watched Noah head toward the barn and the path behind it that led to his house a short way down the ridge, he sighed. “This won’t be easy, but the right way isn’t always the easy way. I wish it could be.”
But Owen hadn’t made it to his eighties and not learned that lesson the hard way. He knew the change would be worth the effort, however, and he was eager to actually get it underway.
With Sadie and Easton in tow, Owen and Sarah made their way to Tennessee, where they met with Orland Freel, the property owner.
“I’m old, and it’s too much work,” the sixty-seven-year-old said bluntly that evening. “I’m ready for some bikini-watching. The house isn’t in bad shape, but I’ve not put much into how it looks in the last ten or fifteen years. After my divorce, I stopped messing with geegaws and stuff.”
The house didn’t look terribly bad from the inside—just lived-in and somewhat neglected. That said…
“Would you have any objections if I had a couple of my grandsons take a look?” It wouldn’t affect whether they wanted the property or not—Owen was fairly certain from the look on Sarah’s face that she was as interested as he—but it wouldn’t hurt to know what they were getting into beforehand.
“Not at all.”
“Good. How does the property line run?” he asked as they stepped out onto the screened-in back porch.
“See that fence?” Orland pointed at the chain link in the distance. “It goes up through the tree line, then swings all the way back around in a big arc. Jonah’s property bumps up against it on the left here. He’d probably be able to show you better than I could. The boy has an affinity for the woods, in case you weren’t aware.”
Owen smiled. Jonah was a shape-shifter, something Owen doubted Freel knew. “I’ve noticed that about him. Who owns the other properties around you?”
As the man detailed his neighbors, of which there were only two aside from Jonah and Molly, Owen watched Sarah. She was well pleased with what she saw, and he could practically see her itching to get her hands on the place.
“Mr. Freel, how soon are you wanting to move?” she asked when he stopped for breath.
“The sooner the better, at least from my perspective. It could take a while for the bank to come through with the financing given the size of this place and uh… well, you know. You two aren’t spring chickens, I mean.”
Owen hid his amusement at her narrowed gaze, speaking before she could. “I think we’ve got that covered, the financing. We’ve been looking for a place for a while now, and we have those ducks lined up in a neat row. Sarah’s been good at pinching pennies through the years.”
That was the truth—but buying the property wouldn’t hurt their finances. They’d not lived extravagant lives, and Owen’s books had done very well. If they came to an agreement on the property, they’d pay cash. Freel didn’t need to know that yet, however.
When his phone rang a couple of minutes later, Freel excused himself. “If you want to look around more, make yourselves at home. I’ll be on the front porch.”
Once he was gone, the four of them meandered toward the back of the yard, which ended in a copse of trees about a hundred feet from the house.
“What do you think?” Owen asked the group.
Sadie lifted her nose to the wind, inhaling deeply as she closed her eyes. When her lids lifted, her irises had shifted toward those of the wolf. With a blink, they were normal again. “I’d love to run in these woods.”
Sarah smiled and hugged her. “I’d love to see you get a chance to run in these woods. This is perfect. It’s exactly what we’ve been looking for. If we’re lucky, we might be able to snatch up a couple other parcels too, from the sounds of things.”
“Maybe. Easton, what do you think?” Owen asked.
He shrugged and looked back toward the house. “I’m eager to see what the rest of the property looks like, but Jonah’s not going to steer you wrong. The house needs some elbow grease, but with a few trips down here, us kids could get you in good shape for the winter.”
“But what do you think?” Sarah asked gently.
His smile was a bit sad. “I wanted to hate it. Noah’s not the only one of us who hates to see you all think about moving. But this is really nice. Shoot, if I had the money, I’d buy it. Maybe you can rent me a corner or something.”
Owen rested his hand on Easton’s shoulder. “I think that could be arranged. Let’s go talk to Mr. Freel.”
Easton gestured at Sadie. “Do you mind if we explore?”
“Not at all. Just be careful. Give us fifteen minutes?”
“We could head back through the woods to Jonah’s,” Sadie said. “It’d be a good trip.”
Sarah grinned. “As long as Easton directs you, you should be fine.” Sadie’s lack of a sense of direction was notorious within the family.
She saluted Sarah with a cheeky grin as they all laughed. “Yes, ma’am.”
As they walked back to the house, Owen took Sarah’s hand. “I’m really excited about this. You’re sure this is the place you want?”
She leaned into him. “Absolutely. I was drawn to it months ago, you know. I would like to consider building a new house. This one is still solid, it seems, and it’d be perfect to set up as a guesthouse down the road. Maybe next spring we can break ground on a house for us—or sooner, depending on what turns up.” She laughed. “At our ages… we’re crazy old fools, Owen Campbell, but I’m excited too.”
“Good.” He stopped and hugged her. “As to the rest, we’re not old. Crazy, maybe. Fools? Never. I love you, Sarah Jane. Let’s go buy a house.”
“Which room do you want to break in first?” she asked sassily as they went around the side.
Owen had to stop again he was laughing so hard. “I’ll leave that up to you. Breaking in
rooms… and you called us old.”
When she smiled, she was as beautiful to him as she’d ever been. “Someone has to keep you on your toes.”
He kissed her. “You certainly do that, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
June 21, 1970
The day after Sarah’s thirty-first birthday, Owen awoke to the sound of her being sick in their bathroom. The house was otherwise quiet as the kids were all with Jack and Gilly for the weekend. Still half asleep, he threw back the bedcovers and stumbled to the closed bathroom door to check on her.
“Sarah?”
“I’m okay,” came her weak response. “Need a minute.”
“I’ll be right back.” He made a quick trip to the half bath under the stairs, coming back in the bedroom a couple of minutes later as she was opening the door. “What’s going on?”
She shook her head and crawled into bed with a groan. “Stomach’s upset. I just need to rest.” She curled up, bringing her knees to her chest. “Ugh, I hate nausea.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. Do you need anything?” He sat beside her on the bed and rubbed her back.
“No. That helps, the rubbing.”
She was pale, her mouth pinched, but she didn’t feel warm. Owen brushed her hair back off her face and neck, running his hand over the soft tresses.
After a few minutes, she sighed. “I guess this means our plans for the day are shot.” Since they were sans children for the weekend, they’d intended to spend the day picnicking and hiking a couple of hours away at Cumberland Falls.
He shrugged. “Not necessarily. I’m sure we can find something to do close to home. I’m more concerned with making sure you’re feeling all right. Is the nausea any better?”
She carefully sat up, shoving pillows behind her. “I think so, yes. It was awful when I woke up.” She shuddered. “It seems to be fading now. Maybe it was something I ate last night.”
“Maybe.” Owen studied her. Her color was much better, and she didn’t seem as tense. He stretched out across the foot of the bed with a yawn, scratching his belly. “Why don’t we laze around for a bit and play it by ear?”