Tuesday January 15 2019

Work was well underway on Bobbie’s apartment and a separate crew was finishing up the exterior of the motel. They were lucky the weather was cooperating.

Trixie called her and said she and Greg wanted to see her. They agreed to meet for lunch.

Bobbie wondered what they wanted to talk about.

They met at the Restaurant run by the community college culinary students. The service could be a little slow but the food was usually excellent.

Bobbie walked in and saw that Greg and Trixie had their heads together. Bobbie thought they seemed pretty cozy, reminding herself that Trixie was staying at Greg’s now. They were moving pretty fast. “Hi. How are you guys doing?”

“We are fine Bobbie and you look great too. We have big news. I’ve decided to leave my firm and move back to Crow Harbour. I’m not completely retiring. Greg and I were talking and he’s going to help me open my own office here. Bobbie, I hope you will stay on as my client.”

“Of course Trixie, I can’t imagine doing this without you. I’m so happy you’re coming home!”

“That’s what we want to talk about,” said Greg. “I’ve been thinking of establishing an office here in Crow Harbour as well and have an idea that might benefit us all. I could build another building on your motel site where Trixie and I could have some business space. It would be a 2 storey building that mirrors the newer section of the motel, but would be separate, with a corresponding glass corner window. You could have a grand Motel reception area on the main floor and upstairs we’d build a big boardroom and a suite of offices for Trixie and me.” As he spoke he pulled out an artistic rendition and the architectural plans for the project.

Bobbie looked at the plan. “I really love this, it opens up possibilities for me if my reception area is moved out of the restaurant too, but why even do this Greg? It’s a big project and you could rent offices anywhere in Crow Harbour.”

He smiled and said, “I have a nice office back at the house but the new build will be such a large space, I was hoping we could add an art gallery to your reception area. My niece Lacey graduated from a fine arts program and I promised to build her her an art gallery. I’ll build on your land and lease from you so we’d be partners.”

“So we will manage reservations in an art gallery. I love it but what if you and Trixie break up?” Bobbie blurted out.

Greg patted her hand and said, “Bobbie, we’ll always be friends. I like your energy. You helped me though a bad time when Mom died, I think you will be a good business partner. Besides, I’ll always want to have the art gallery for Lacey. If Trixie and I part ways, we’ll just have to charge her more rent for her office I guess.”

Trixie feigned being indignant and smiled.

“All right,” said Bobbie, “when can we break ground?” They all laughed and agreed their lawyers would have to draw up something but it could be as early as the following week.

Bobbie wondered if Alex would have made a deal like that.

Tuesday Jan 22

Bobbie woke early and noticed it had finally snowed so it would be a good day to clean the dress again since she was going to lend it to Mitch. After that was done, she decided to give Johnny a call and invite him over to her new house at the motel. He thought that sounded great and said he’d pick her and the dress up and then do lunch before the visit.

They had lunch at the Treat Shoppe and Bobbie decided just to have a piece of cheesecake and coffee and Johnny had shepherds pie, after he confirmed they didn’t use flour in the gravy.

“Geez Bobbie, you have to start eating meals more regularly, you’re wasting away,” commented Johnny.

“This cheesecake should fix that,” pointing at it with her fork and thinking that her jeans were getting a little loose.

Johnny paid and they headed to the motel.

Inside, the apartment floors were done, and the bathrooms were roughed in and they had finished the framing for all the rooms.

“Wow, this is a great space. It’s like a fancy warehouse loft.“

“This 18 ft. wall down the centre is going to be all bookcase.”

“Do you have outside space”?

“Not really. Since I’m on the second floor it would be expensive to build a deck and it wouldn’t be very private with all the guests.”

“What’s behind that wall?” He pointed to the far east wall, where the walls had high windows.

“That’s where the main hotel connects to this newer building. Since this building is taller, If you put a hole in that wall you’d go up about four stairs and be on the roof of the original motel.”

They looked at each other and said, “Roof deck!” together and laughed.

“I don’t really have it in my budget,” admitted Bobbie. “But I can get them to move the bedroom wall over a few feet to continue the hallway and build stairs and put a door in the wall at that end of the hall. It will be good to have roof access anyway, all the new HVAC stuff goes up there. It’ll make things easier for those guys and down the road I can get the deck built up there; the views will be spectacular.”

“Bobbie, please let me know when you are ready for the deck, I really want to build it for you to thank you for everything you’ve done for me and Mitch.”

“Oh Johnny, you don’t need to do that! But it would be so nice. I’ll have you and Mitch and Sidney over for a barbecue when it’s done,” said Bobbie gratefully.

Sunday Jan 27 2019

Trixie called really early for a Sunday. Barb’s husband Jeremy passed away early in the morning.

“Oh God! Where is she now? I’ll get dressed and leave a note for Mom. I’ll meet you at Barb’s. I have a key.”

Trixie grunted and hung up.

Forty five minutes later, Trixie walked in to Barb’s house and found Bobby making coffee. There was a bag of muffins and a bag of bagels on the counter and Bobbie said, “Barb got home a few minutes ago. She seems OK. She wanted to get cleaned up and will be out soon.”

Trixie put a tray of hot drinks on the counter, “I brought some London fogs.”

“Thanks guys,” said Barb, walking into the kitchen. She sat down. “I was at the hospice in a cot beside Jeremy when he passed in his sleep. He’d had a good couple of days and we had a chance to say goodbye and it was as good as it could be. It’s nice to know we said mostly all we needed to say. I feel a little lost even though I’ve been expecting this for a long time. All the arrangements have been made and there’s not much left to do. His will is ironclad. Everything is in my name and he had a decent insurance policy and investments. And I’ll have my teacher’s pension”.

“Jeremy was a good client Barb, I can take you though his portfolio because now it’s yours. His lawyer told me he signed over everything to you so there’s not even any probate.” Trixie was working with Barb and formerly Jeremy, as an advisor.

“When are you going back to work? I expect that you are feeling a little lost because for the last year or two, your every waking moment was spent worrying, taking Jeremy to appointments and making arrangements and now that’s all over, so you will have some space to fill. Work might help.” Bobbie was thinking of her own loss and how keeping busy was how she was able to cope.

“I’m not teaching a class any more. I’m on a sunset assignment to coordinate ongoing teacher training. I’ve been on leave without pay for the last 2 months though, to be with Jeremy and could actually retire next year.”

“You could go now and defer your pension,” said Trixie

“I enjoy the assignment, I am researching the newest teaching techniques and chatting with co-workers about what they need. Remember that trip to Australia I took last year to study how children in the outback are taught remotely? I want to map out a similar program for kids that travel with their parents or have long hospital stays. I’m going to go back to the office the week after next to try and get back to some sort of normal routine.”

“Whatever you need sweetie.”

“Do you feel any better about Alex yet?”

Bobbie answered, “I have intense sadness wash over me every once in a while. It seems to be when I’ve made a bunch of decisions about something and I’m questioning myself. It’s different losing your husband suddenly I think. I was newly retired though, so I was prepared to start a lot of new routines and that may have helped.”

After their coffee and muffins, Barb looked at her friends. “You know I love you guys a lot but I think I need to be alone for a while.”

“Why don’t you come over to Mom’s later, when you feel like it and we can relax and drink some wine and you can stay tonight if you want to. Mom’s got a big stew in the oven.”