Protecting the Black Wolf's Mate
By: Wizardtho
Chapter 21:
Bella's POV
When I got all of the bananas sliced that Leah had handed me, Sam came over to give me my shake. I smiled as I took a long sip, then moaned at the taste, "So good. Did you get one?"
He held up his shake as Emily asked, “Anyone else want one of these before I wash out the blender?”
Paul and Leah both asked for one, but Charlie shook his head, "Coffee for me, thanks. Hey, Bells?"
I smiled, so he said, “I took up the very corner of the carpet, in both the living and bedroom in the apartment, to see what was underneath.”
I nodded, “And?”
He shook his head, "No such luck. Subfloor."
I wasn’t surprised. "It’s alright, Dad. We knew it was bound to happen somewhere, and I’m not surprised it was there. I don’t think that the garage was built at the same time the house was. I think that was an afterthought… for like extended family or hired help."
He nodded after a minute of thought, agreeing with my assessment. "That sounds right. Will it be hard to match it to the main house?"
I shook my head, "Nope. They sell wood floor medallions online, and we can get unstained ones. We can use the layout of the border and main portion of all the floors in here. It shouldn’t be hard to duplicate them in the apartment. The only thing we have to figure out is if you want stone flooring in all of the wet areas or just the bathroom."
He hummed in thought, then said seriously, "The kitchen in here has wood, so we should keep it going and make it look like they were built together. I say stone just in the bathroom, with the wood for everything else."
I nodded, then continued, "Once we know what the upstairs holds for flooring, I’ll have Leah take a picture of all of the floor medallions, so I can get the same overall style for all the rooms that need it. We can research prices and everything once we know what we’re dealing with. The stone is a different issue, though. There were a lot of soapstone and butcher block counters back then, but they’ll never hold up now. We need something that will stand up to hot pots being laid right on the surface, scratches, spills, and all of the cooking that will be done on a daily basis. I hate to say it, but I think we need to go with granite. I’d love to see soapstone or slate in here, but it’s just too soft, plus it scratches and stains easier. They both have the same price range as granite, though, so it won’t be a hit to the budget by choosing one over the other. Quartz, even though it’s maintenance-free and stronger than granite, would be a hard sell for me, because it’s way too modern to fit in with the house. The only way I would consider it is if I could miraculously find one made to look like soapstone."
Charlie looked a bit confused, then asked, "Will you show me pictures of each type later? So I know what you're talking about?"
I smiled, "Sure, Dad. You’re really into learning all of this, aren’t you?"
He agreed, saying, "And what better way to learn than by doing? It also helps that I get to spend more time with you and Sam while I help work on the house."
Leah smiled, "I think you’re right about the quartz, Bella. It would be the best as far as wear and tear, but with regular care to the granite, it should last for years and years. Plus, the right granite in a space can be timeless. It won’t go out of style in a few years."
I nodded, "That’s what I was thinking. Plus we can let the granite and the furniture be the colors in the house, so that the walls don’t take away from all of the woodwork."
Sam nuzzled my neck, "That’s a wonderful idea, Angel. I think that would work out well. You could use the paint samples as a guide to include those historic colors in the granite and fabrics for the house."
We continued to talk and plan as Leah cooked breakfast. I drank my shake, and soon we were ready to eat. It smelled amazing, so my stomach voiced it appreciation loudly. Thankfully, Leah cooked a boatload of food. There was stuffed french toast with bananas foster topping, mixed fresh fruit with whipped cream on top, maple sausage links, orange juice, as well as another shake for me (without the calorie powder).
I took my vitamin a few minutes after I finished my third plate, to which Emily noted, "I don’t have to worry about you eating enough, that’s for sure. You’re doing well, as long as you make sure you eat until you’re full, and that you eat whenever you’re hungry."
I happily agreed, "Kay. I promise. Are you heading out?"
She nodded, "I have a few patients to see, but I'll check up on you before your test... Thursday, right?"
I nodded, so she said, "I'll check in tomorrow night, then I’ll be back for the movie night. Just call and let me know when. Have Sam put my number in your cell."
She hugged me, thanked us for letting her stay, then gathered her things before leaving out the side door with a bright smile. Charlie looked excited, so I laughed as I said, "Sam, Honey. You better get going on the upstairs soon, or I think Dad might just bust."
Sam laughed, "I’m excited to start too, My Angel. We’re going to do the stairs first, then work from our room around to the other rooms. That way if you want a nap later, our room is done and mopped, so you’ll be able to rest easy."
I kissed him softly, "Thank you. Now go do your male bonding while you tear things up. Just don’t ruin any moldings, please."
He nodded, "I promise, Angel. We’ll be careful."
Leah set a pad and pen down next to the laptop as she sat it in front of me, then stood by me while saying, "Alright. Now that the kitchen is cleaned back up, I say we get those samples out. Is everything still in the dining room?"
I nodded, then she offered, "I’ll get them. We should have enough room on the bar to spread them out so we can look at everything."
She was back in no time, spreading out the plan for the first floor. Luckily, there were notations on which stone went to which fireplace, wet area, or backsplash. It was easy to make a note on the legal pad for each one. We seemed to be making out easily with everything so far, so I wasn’t about to complain. Whatever the ancestors wanted to gift us with, I was determined to be thankful for.
I did a Google search for craftsman style furniture, then gasped as I happened across the perfect dining set. It was a beautiful set that would seat anywhere from 6 without the leaves, to 16 with all of them.
I called out in my excitement as I grabbed Leah’s arm, "That’s it. Right there! Look! Sam, get the boys down here and look at this!"
I heard three faint chuckles as Leah breathed, "Shit, that’s crazy perfect, Bella. You couldn’t have happened onto a better dining set if you tried."
The guys all came in the room laughing, while Charlie asked, “What did you find that has you so excited, Princess?”
I turned the laptop so they could see, not saying a word. Charlie’s eyes went wide as Paul and Sam both beamed at me. Charlie whispered, "It’s amazing, Bells. With it being adjustable, you can adjust it to however many will be eating."
I nodded, "With all of the pack, imprints, and elders right now, we total ten. That leaves six for new pack members, and I can order matching bar stools to be able to seat more at the new bar, for when the kitchen’s done. It’s not cheap, though, Dad. A nice dining set, with the china cabinet and seating for 6 or 8 normally costs between two and three grand. This, with just the table, leaves and chairs, is more than double that. That doesn’t include the bar stools or the china hutch."
Charlie didn’t even flinch when I said that, just smiled as he replied, "Well, you’d have to buy more than one set to fit everyone, you were going to have to buy bar stools anyway, and you won’t be buying separate nook furniture now. So, I say get it. Order what you need, to make it happen. It's all in the account, and you have the card to do it with. How soon can it be here?"
I smiled, "A few weeks. It’s a made-to-order thing, so it could take up to 4 weeks for us to get it. I have to pick out the stain and how many leaves and chairs to go in the order."
He nodded, "Go with it, if you think it works with your vision for the house. I think it’s beautiful. You have a good eye, Princess, and there’s more than enough in the account to do this and all the other furniture, plus the renovations."
I looked at him warily, but he chuckled, “You haven’t even looked to see what’s in the account, have you?”
I shook my head, so he suggested, "Log onto the bank, Bells. I put it all in your account."
I looked at him like he was crazy, “My account?”
He beamed at me, "Of course, Bells. This is your baby. You need to have full access to the money at all times. What better way than to put it into your account?"
I let a breath out, then logged into the bank’s website.
When I saw the balance in the account, I choked, "Jesus fucking Christ! Charlie Swan, are you insane?!"
There was way too much money in here. “Where the hell did you get all of this money?”
Way too much money. My. God. There was over $200,000 in my bank account… and only part of the overage is what was there before Charlie’s addition!
Sam rubbed my back gently, trying to calm me as Charlie explained, "I’ve wanted to do this for a while, Bells. I’ll never have another mortgage. I don’t have to worry about going into a retirement home, because you’d never let that happen. It’s just not the person you are. Plus, I'll have a more-than-adequate monthly income coming in from my pension for being Chief for so long. What I put into the account was the savings I had been saving for you since your birth, plus the retirement bonus I got from the mayor. My savings is still intact, and I didn’t steal any of the money.”
Charlie let a breath out as he looked to be thinking, then offered, “Think about it this way. I was alone for so long. I owned the house in Forks free and clear shortly after your mom left with you. With Renee refusing to let me help out by sending money for you, that left way too much money a month that wasn’t being used. I had already started a savings account for you before you were born, so each week I had my check split into three parts. Some went to my savings, some to yours, and the rest to my checking. I had always planned to give you your savings for college. I know how much you hate school, as well as how much you love this house. Please don’t freak out about the amount there. Use it for the furniture and restoration, to make this place your home. Make it what it should be."
Sam wiped the tears from my eyes, then I got up to hug Charlie tightly, "You saved so much for me? All this time?"
He nodded before kissing my forehead, "I always hoped you’d choose to come live with me, but either way, you are my only child. I love you more than any phrase could ever express. I know I don’t tell you all the time, but that’s another reason why I wanted this fresh start for us."
I nodded as I whispered, "Thank you, Daddy… so much. I’m really looking forward to spending more time with you, too, and I’m glad you’ll get to spend time with Sam working on the house."
He nodded, "I know, Princess. I am too."
He released me, then I said softly, “I guess I need to go get my purse so I can order our dining set.”
Leah chuckled as I wiped my eyes, "I’ll go get it. You start on selecting the finish and options."
I nodded, then Sam asked, “You alright, Angel?”
I didn’t really know what to say, but I whispered, "I never knew. I just always figured since he had been alone during my childhood, that it would be awkward for him if I came back. Then when I did, it felt like we just lived in the same house, but went our separate ways. I just never knew."
Sam hugged me to him, "He's trying, my little Beauty. He wants to make it right, and this is part of it."
I nodded into his chest, "I know. I think I'm finally learning who the real Charlie is... and I'm glad he’s my dad."
He smiled as he released me, then kissed my lips softly before touching my stomach, saying, "I'd better get back up there to help them. They’re debating football teams now, so no work is getting done."
I laughed as Leah came back into the room with my purse. Sam gave me one more kiss before kneeling to kiss my stomach twice. Leah awed, making me blush, then Sam chuckled as he jogged toward the steps.
After completing the order for the dining set, we made sure to save a picture with a copy of the details on the laptop. We also ended up finding an executive desk and chair set, a drafting table to view and draw plans on easily, a wood and leather studded chair and a half set with ottomans, a small four-person table and chairs set, as well as a matching smaller table to fit between the two chairs.
The study was finished being furnished except for one thing… the built-in bookcase. “Leah, hand me that pad, please.”
She did with a questioning look, so I whispered, “Watch.”
She followed me into the study, then I sat on the floor looking at the bookcase wall. I knew what I was envisioning, so I looked down at the pad to sketch out what I wanted. The very center of the wall was going to be a leaded glass door display area with a three drawer filing cabinet below. To either side of that were the actual bookcases that set back about 8 inches from the display, so that the focus of the pieces looked good, yet didn’t overpower the fireplace.
I looked from the paper to the wall one more time when I was finished, then Leah said, "We’ve gotta call Sam, Sweetie. This is incredible."
She poked her head out of the room as I sat there, then called out, "Guys, Bella’s done something amazing again. You’re gonna want to see this."
A minute later, Sam came in with Charlie and Paul following. He frowned at me, asking, "Isabella, my Angel, why are you on the hard floor?"
I smiled, handing him the pad without a word as I pointed to the blank wall. All three of them gasped, but Paul asked, “Bella, you sketched this?”
I nodded with a shrug as Leah explained, "I sat here and watched her, Paul. She looked at the wall for a few minutes after we bought the furniture for this room, then she just started sketching."
Charlie asked, “What’s under the display, Bells?”
I looked up at him as I said, "Filing cabinets. It’ll be easier to keep the plans and houses separated that way, but won’t take away from the room."
I stood up, walking towards the bump-out windows. “My drafting table and stool will be here, my desk and chair here.”
I walked to the center of the room, looking towards the fireplace, pointing just in front of me, “Two over-sized chairs and ottomans with a table between them.”
I turned around, pointing just in front of me again, “A small four-person study table for if Dad or I tutor, or if the office upstairs is already taken.”
Sam asked, “Do you have pictures of what’s going in the room?”
I nodded with a wide smile, then Leah said happily, “I’ll get it.”
Leah was back in a minute with the laptop, so I pulled up the folder labeled ‘Bella’s Study’. I tabbed all of the furniture pictures, then handed the laptop to Sam, "Here. This is this room’s furniture. The only thing I don’t know about is the clearance for the doors. We may have to make it so the doors open out into the entry, rather than into the room."
Sam smiled and looked at the room, then at the pictures again. "If you angle the chairs and ottomans in an upside-down V, like this towards the fireplace, you’ll have plenty of room for the door clearance and your table. You’d have to order another of the small tables, though."
I beamed at him, “Leah, can we still change our order?”
She took the laptop from Sam, pulled up the website, then logged into our checkout info. She grinned, “Yes… and all I have to do is hit the change order button, then add another small table before hitting the process change button.”
I nodded, "Do it, please. Sam’s idea will make the room look bigger, plus it’ll be easier to maneuver."
Sam smiled, "We need to get you a room planning software, Sweetheart. If you had one, it would be easier for you to grasp the best layout. You did wonderfully, though. You didn’t get furniture that was too big for the room. The pieces are just the right scale, actually."
I smiled, "Thanks, Sam. You might be right… but right now I need to stretch my legs. I’ve been sitting too long; my legs are protesting."
He smiled, “Would you like to see what we have done so far?” I nodded excitedly as he took my hand.
He led me to the main stairs, saying, "The stairs are perfect, but the railings need to be changed. Remember that the plans and pictures showed wood handrails with wrought iron?" I nodded.
The stairs did look really good, though, and were in the same condition as the floors. I walked up with Sam to the second floor, smiling at the hall. Ah, beautiful hardwood. Sam hugged me, saying, “The whole way through the hall and office is hardwood, along with the double door hall closet.” I was happy to hear that as he walked us to our room.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, praying for hardwood, then opened the doors. The floor was exquisite, which caused me to breathe, “How did we get so lucky?”
Sam chuckled, "Don’t question it, Sweetheart. Just be thankful."
I nodded, "Oh, I am. Sam, this is so beautiful. Leah and I figured out which stone went with which fireplace before we started our online stuff. I can see why that stone went in here. It’ll look amazing when this room is finished… when the house is finished. I can practically picture what everything will look like."
He smiled, “Let’s look at the other rooms, Angel.”
I nodded, so he walked us through each of the rooms. All of them had beautiful hardwood with center medallions, but when we got to the bonus room, I frowned at the carpet that was still there. Sam said, "We were hoping the same thing, but unfortunately, this seems to be a later portion that was finished. There’s subfloor under the carpet padding. No hardwood."
I nodded, "Okay, so Leah? So far, we need to look for two medallions for Charlie’s apartment, and four for the house… two for the different sections of this room, and two on the third floor for the bunk room and the sitting area. We also need you to figure out the square footage of flooring needed, Sam. I need to know the thickness, width, and length of the hardwood we have, plus the type of wood I need to get. I want the house and the apartment to match as far as the wood used, the stain, and the border. The medallions won’t look identical, of course."
Sam smiled, cupping my cheek as he offered, "If you’d like, we can pick out the flooring together after I figure up the measurements, Angel. I’d like to spend a little time with you after lunch."
I smiled widely, "I’d love that. How about Leah and I fix lunch while you guys take out the trim work in the study. Sam, that room’s missing the beamed ceiling, so when we look for the flooring, maybe you can help me plan how to do the ceiling."
He smiled, “Of course, Angel.”
He nuzzled into my neck, whispering, "Don’t take too long, please. I’d like you to save enough energy for the surprise I have planned tonight."
I smiled softly, then whispered, “I promise I’ll get a nap after we look up the flooring and ceiling, because nothing’s going to stop me from spending time with you tonight.”
Bella's POV
When I got all of the bananas sliced that Leah had handed me, Sam came over to give me my shake. I smiled as I took a long sip, then moaned at the taste, "So good. Did you get one?"
He held up his shake as Emily asked, “Anyone else want one of these before I wash out the blender?”
Paul and Leah both asked for one, but Charlie shook his head, "Coffee for me, thanks. Hey, Bells?"
I smiled, so he said, “I took up the very corner of the carpet, in both the living and bedroom in the apartment, to see what was underneath.”
I nodded, “And?”
He shook his head, "No such luck. Subfloor."
I wasn’t surprised. "It’s alright, Dad. We knew it was bound to happen somewhere, and I’m not surprised it was there. I don’t think that the garage was built at the same time the house was. I think that was an afterthought… for like extended family or hired help."
He nodded after a minute of thought, agreeing with my assessment. "That sounds right. Will it be hard to match it to the main house?"
I shook my head, "Nope. They sell wood floor medallions online, and we can get unstained ones. We can use the layout of the border and main portion of all the floors in here. It shouldn’t be hard to duplicate them in the apartment. The only thing we have to figure out is if you want stone flooring in all of the wet areas or just the bathroom."
He hummed in thought, then said seriously, "The kitchen in here has wood, so we should keep it going and make it look like they were built together. I say stone just in the bathroom, with the wood for everything else."
I nodded, then continued, "Once we know what the upstairs holds for flooring, I’ll have Leah take a picture of all of the floor medallions, so I can get the same overall style for all the rooms that need it. We can research prices and everything once we know what we’re dealing with. The stone is a different issue, though. There were a lot of soapstone and butcher block counters back then, but they’ll never hold up now. We need something that will stand up to hot pots being laid right on the surface, scratches, spills, and all of the cooking that will be done on a daily basis. I hate to say it, but I think we need to go with granite. I’d love to see soapstone or slate in here, but it’s just too soft, plus it scratches and stains easier. They both have the same price range as granite, though, so it won’t be a hit to the budget by choosing one over the other. Quartz, even though it’s maintenance-free and stronger than granite, would be a hard sell for me, because it’s way too modern to fit in with the house. The only way I would consider it is if I could miraculously find one made to look like soapstone."
Charlie looked a bit confused, then asked, "Will you show me pictures of each type later? So I know what you're talking about?"
I smiled, "Sure, Dad. You’re really into learning all of this, aren’t you?"
He agreed, saying, "And what better way to learn than by doing? It also helps that I get to spend more time with you and Sam while I help work on the house."
Leah smiled, "I think you’re right about the quartz, Bella. It would be the best as far as wear and tear, but with regular care to the granite, it should last for years and years. Plus, the right granite in a space can be timeless. It won’t go out of style in a few years."
I nodded, "That’s what I was thinking. Plus we can let the granite and the furniture be the colors in the house, so that the walls don’t take away from all of the woodwork."
Sam nuzzled my neck, "That’s a wonderful idea, Angel. I think that would work out well. You could use the paint samples as a guide to include those historic colors in the granite and fabrics for the house."
We continued to talk and plan as Leah cooked breakfast. I drank my shake, and soon we were ready to eat. It smelled amazing, so my stomach voiced it appreciation loudly. Thankfully, Leah cooked a boatload of food. There was stuffed french toast with bananas foster topping, mixed fresh fruit with whipped cream on top, maple sausage links, orange juice, as well as another shake for me (without the calorie powder).
I took my vitamin a few minutes after I finished my third plate, to which Emily noted, "I don’t have to worry about you eating enough, that’s for sure. You’re doing well, as long as you make sure you eat until you’re full, and that you eat whenever you’re hungry."
I happily agreed, "Kay. I promise. Are you heading out?"
She nodded, "I have a few patients to see, but I'll check up on you before your test... Thursday, right?"
I nodded, so she said, "I'll check in tomorrow night, then I’ll be back for the movie night. Just call and let me know when. Have Sam put my number in your cell."
She hugged me, thanked us for letting her stay, then gathered her things before leaving out the side door with a bright smile. Charlie looked excited, so I laughed as I said, "Sam, Honey. You better get going on the upstairs soon, or I think Dad might just bust."
Sam laughed, "I’m excited to start too, My Angel. We’re going to do the stairs first, then work from our room around to the other rooms. That way if you want a nap later, our room is done and mopped, so you’ll be able to rest easy."
I kissed him softly, "Thank you. Now go do your male bonding while you tear things up. Just don’t ruin any moldings, please."
He nodded, "I promise, Angel. We’ll be careful."
Leah set a pad and pen down next to the laptop as she sat it in front of me, then stood by me while saying, "Alright. Now that the kitchen is cleaned back up, I say we get those samples out. Is everything still in the dining room?"
I nodded, then she offered, "I’ll get them. We should have enough room on the bar to spread them out so we can look at everything."
She was back in no time, spreading out the plan for the first floor. Luckily, there were notations on which stone went to which fireplace, wet area, or backsplash. It was easy to make a note on the legal pad for each one. We seemed to be making out easily with everything so far, so I wasn’t about to complain. Whatever the ancestors wanted to gift us with, I was determined to be thankful for.
I did a Google search for craftsman style furniture, then gasped as I happened across the perfect dining set. It was a beautiful set that would seat anywhere from 6 without the leaves, to 16 with all of them.
I called out in my excitement as I grabbed Leah’s arm, "That’s it. Right there! Look! Sam, get the boys down here and look at this!"
I heard three faint chuckles as Leah breathed, "Shit, that’s crazy perfect, Bella. You couldn’t have happened onto a better dining set if you tried."
The guys all came in the room laughing, while Charlie asked, “What did you find that has you so excited, Princess?”
I turned the laptop so they could see, not saying a word. Charlie’s eyes went wide as Paul and Sam both beamed at me. Charlie whispered, "It’s amazing, Bells. With it being adjustable, you can adjust it to however many will be eating."
I nodded, "With all of the pack, imprints, and elders right now, we total ten. That leaves six for new pack members, and I can order matching bar stools to be able to seat more at the new bar, for when the kitchen’s done. It’s not cheap, though, Dad. A nice dining set, with the china cabinet and seating for 6 or 8 normally costs between two and three grand. This, with just the table, leaves and chairs, is more than double that. That doesn’t include the bar stools or the china hutch."
Charlie didn’t even flinch when I said that, just smiled as he replied, "Well, you’d have to buy more than one set to fit everyone, you were going to have to buy bar stools anyway, and you won’t be buying separate nook furniture now. So, I say get it. Order what you need, to make it happen. It's all in the account, and you have the card to do it with. How soon can it be here?"
I smiled, "A few weeks. It’s a made-to-order thing, so it could take up to 4 weeks for us to get it. I have to pick out the stain and how many leaves and chairs to go in the order."
He nodded, "Go with it, if you think it works with your vision for the house. I think it’s beautiful. You have a good eye, Princess, and there’s more than enough in the account to do this and all the other furniture, plus the renovations."
I looked at him warily, but he chuckled, “You haven’t even looked to see what’s in the account, have you?”
I shook my head, so he suggested, "Log onto the bank, Bells. I put it all in your account."
I looked at him like he was crazy, “My account?”
He beamed at me, "Of course, Bells. This is your baby. You need to have full access to the money at all times. What better way than to put it into your account?"
I let a breath out, then logged into the bank’s website.
When I saw the balance in the account, I choked, "Jesus fucking Christ! Charlie Swan, are you insane?!"
There was way too much money in here. “Where the hell did you get all of this money?”
Way too much money. My. God. There was over $200,000 in my bank account… and only part of the overage is what was there before Charlie’s addition!
Sam rubbed my back gently, trying to calm me as Charlie explained, "I’ve wanted to do this for a while, Bells. I’ll never have another mortgage. I don’t have to worry about going into a retirement home, because you’d never let that happen. It’s just not the person you are. Plus, I'll have a more-than-adequate monthly income coming in from my pension for being Chief for so long. What I put into the account was the savings I had been saving for you since your birth, plus the retirement bonus I got from the mayor. My savings is still intact, and I didn’t steal any of the money.”
Charlie let a breath out as he looked to be thinking, then offered, “Think about it this way. I was alone for so long. I owned the house in Forks free and clear shortly after your mom left with you. With Renee refusing to let me help out by sending money for you, that left way too much money a month that wasn’t being used. I had already started a savings account for you before you were born, so each week I had my check split into three parts. Some went to my savings, some to yours, and the rest to my checking. I had always planned to give you your savings for college. I know how much you hate school, as well as how much you love this house. Please don’t freak out about the amount there. Use it for the furniture and restoration, to make this place your home. Make it what it should be."
Sam wiped the tears from my eyes, then I got up to hug Charlie tightly, "You saved so much for me? All this time?"
He nodded before kissing my forehead, "I always hoped you’d choose to come live with me, but either way, you are my only child. I love you more than any phrase could ever express. I know I don’t tell you all the time, but that’s another reason why I wanted this fresh start for us."
I nodded as I whispered, "Thank you, Daddy… so much. I’m really looking forward to spending more time with you, too, and I’m glad you’ll get to spend time with Sam working on the house."
He nodded, "I know, Princess. I am too."
He released me, then I said softly, “I guess I need to go get my purse so I can order our dining set.”
Leah chuckled as I wiped my eyes, "I’ll go get it. You start on selecting the finish and options."
I nodded, then Sam asked, “You alright, Angel?”
I didn’t really know what to say, but I whispered, "I never knew. I just always figured since he had been alone during my childhood, that it would be awkward for him if I came back. Then when I did, it felt like we just lived in the same house, but went our separate ways. I just never knew."
Sam hugged me to him, "He's trying, my little Beauty. He wants to make it right, and this is part of it."
I nodded into his chest, "I know. I think I'm finally learning who the real Charlie is... and I'm glad he’s my dad."
He smiled as he released me, then kissed my lips softly before touching my stomach, saying, "I'd better get back up there to help them. They’re debating football teams now, so no work is getting done."
I laughed as Leah came back into the room with my purse. Sam gave me one more kiss before kneeling to kiss my stomach twice. Leah awed, making me blush, then Sam chuckled as he jogged toward the steps.
After completing the order for the dining set, we made sure to save a picture with a copy of the details on the laptop. We also ended up finding an executive desk and chair set, a drafting table to view and draw plans on easily, a wood and leather studded chair and a half set with ottomans, a small four-person table and chairs set, as well as a matching smaller table to fit between the two chairs.
The study was finished being furnished except for one thing… the built-in bookcase. “Leah, hand me that pad, please.”
She did with a questioning look, so I whispered, “Watch.”
She followed me into the study, then I sat on the floor looking at the bookcase wall. I knew what I was envisioning, so I looked down at the pad to sketch out what I wanted. The very center of the wall was going to be a leaded glass door display area with a three drawer filing cabinet below. To either side of that were the actual bookcases that set back about 8 inches from the display, so that the focus of the pieces looked good, yet didn’t overpower the fireplace.
I looked from the paper to the wall one more time when I was finished, then Leah said, "We’ve gotta call Sam, Sweetie. This is incredible."
She poked her head out of the room as I sat there, then called out, "Guys, Bella’s done something amazing again. You’re gonna want to see this."
A minute later, Sam came in with Charlie and Paul following. He frowned at me, asking, "Isabella, my Angel, why are you on the hard floor?"
I smiled, handing him the pad without a word as I pointed to the blank wall. All three of them gasped, but Paul asked, “Bella, you sketched this?”
I nodded with a shrug as Leah explained, "I sat here and watched her, Paul. She looked at the wall for a few minutes after we bought the furniture for this room, then she just started sketching."
Charlie asked, “What’s under the display, Bells?”
I looked up at him as I said, "Filing cabinets. It’ll be easier to keep the plans and houses separated that way, but won’t take away from the room."
I stood up, walking towards the bump-out windows. “My drafting table and stool will be here, my desk and chair here.”
I walked to the center of the room, looking towards the fireplace, pointing just in front of me, “Two over-sized chairs and ottomans with a table between them.”
I turned around, pointing just in front of me again, “A small four-person study table for if Dad or I tutor, or if the office upstairs is already taken.”
Sam asked, “Do you have pictures of what’s going in the room?”
I nodded with a wide smile, then Leah said happily, “I’ll get it.”
Leah was back in a minute with the laptop, so I pulled up the folder labeled ‘Bella’s Study’. I tabbed all of the furniture pictures, then handed the laptop to Sam, "Here. This is this room’s furniture. The only thing I don’t know about is the clearance for the doors. We may have to make it so the doors open out into the entry, rather than into the room."
Sam smiled and looked at the room, then at the pictures again. "If you angle the chairs and ottomans in an upside-down V, like this towards the fireplace, you’ll have plenty of room for the door clearance and your table. You’d have to order another of the small tables, though."
I beamed at him, “Leah, can we still change our order?”
She took the laptop from Sam, pulled up the website, then logged into our checkout info. She grinned, “Yes… and all I have to do is hit the change order button, then add another small table before hitting the process change button.”
I nodded, "Do it, please. Sam’s idea will make the room look bigger, plus it’ll be easier to maneuver."
Sam smiled, "We need to get you a room planning software, Sweetheart. If you had one, it would be easier for you to grasp the best layout. You did wonderfully, though. You didn’t get furniture that was too big for the room. The pieces are just the right scale, actually."
I smiled, "Thanks, Sam. You might be right… but right now I need to stretch my legs. I’ve been sitting too long; my legs are protesting."
He smiled, “Would you like to see what we have done so far?” I nodded excitedly as he took my hand.
He led me to the main stairs, saying, "The stairs are perfect, but the railings need to be changed. Remember that the plans and pictures showed wood handrails with wrought iron?" I nodded.
The stairs did look really good, though, and were in the same condition as the floors. I walked up with Sam to the second floor, smiling at the hall. Ah, beautiful hardwood. Sam hugged me, saying, “The whole way through the hall and office is hardwood, along with the double door hall closet.” I was happy to hear that as he walked us to our room.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, praying for hardwood, then opened the doors. The floor was exquisite, which caused me to breathe, “How did we get so lucky?”
Sam chuckled, "Don’t question it, Sweetheart. Just be thankful."
I nodded, "Oh, I am. Sam, this is so beautiful. Leah and I figured out which stone went with which fireplace before we started our online stuff. I can see why that stone went in here. It’ll look amazing when this room is finished… when the house is finished. I can practically picture what everything will look like."
He smiled, “Let’s look at the other rooms, Angel.”
I nodded, so he walked us through each of the rooms. All of them had beautiful hardwood with center medallions, but when we got to the bonus room, I frowned at the carpet that was still there. Sam said, "We were hoping the same thing, but unfortunately, this seems to be a later portion that was finished. There’s subfloor under the carpet padding. No hardwood."
I nodded, "Okay, so Leah? So far, we need to look for two medallions for Charlie’s apartment, and four for the house… two for the different sections of this room, and two on the third floor for the bunk room and the sitting area. We also need you to figure out the square footage of flooring needed, Sam. I need to know the thickness, width, and length of the hardwood we have, plus the type of wood I need to get. I want the house and the apartment to match as far as the wood used, the stain, and the border. The medallions won’t look identical, of course."
Sam smiled, cupping my cheek as he offered, "If you’d like, we can pick out the flooring together after I figure up the measurements, Angel. I’d like to spend a little time with you after lunch."
I smiled widely, "I’d love that. How about Leah and I fix lunch while you guys take out the trim work in the study. Sam, that room’s missing the beamed ceiling, so when we look for the flooring, maybe you can help me plan how to do the ceiling."
He smiled, “Of course, Angel.”
He nuzzled into my neck, whispering, "Don’t take too long, please. I’d like you to save enough energy for the surprise I have planned tonight."
I smiled softly, then whispered, “I promise I’ll get a nap after we look up the flooring and ceiling, because nothing’s going to stop me from spending time with you tonight.”