Watson - Kathi S. Barton Page 0,43

was read, she laid back down on the couch.

Wats was a good friend. All the Wilkersons were that she’d met so far. They were kind yet firm. They didn’t intrude where they shouldn’t, and they would give someone their last penny if they thought someone needed it more than they did.

Her cell phone rang then, and it was Wats again. However, when she answered the phone, he told her his name was Mars. He asked her what she wanted done to the condo and that there were contractual things that he did yearly for the place.

“Your mom didn’t want us to do anything to the place because she said she was rarely there. According to the notes I have on your address, it’s due for not just all new carpets, but an upgrade to the kitchen. She skipped that one three times.” They both laughed when she told him Mom didn’t cook. “Since the place is paid off, you can pick what carpet you want in the place, and since we’re going to be doing that, we can paint all the rooms while we’re at it. Mom wanted people to be happy in their homes so they’d stay longer. Also, she said that since people stayed so long, we saved money on advertising when there was an empty spot.”

“I’d like that, please. An overhaul to the place.” He suggested another route they could go. “You mean I could actually trade in this place for another one? That would be nice. The memories here, there aren’t a lot of them, but the ones I have are painful. What sort of deal can you make me?”

“I can give you the house numbers to the ones that are fully updated. Some of them have more bedrooms, but that won’t make much of a difference if you take one of them instead. I have two that have four bedrooms and one that has five. If I were you, I’d take the five. It’s sitting alone in the street, and since it’s so big, you’re not sharing any walls with anyone. It’s the only house we have in this area.” She said she’d take it. “Good. You’ll be closer to town, as well as the other shops that are finally getting filled out in town. If you let me know when you’d like to go there, I can meet you there with the keys. Anytime is good for me.”

“Now?” Mars said that was good with him. He was headed out the door now. “I’m guessing you don’t live here anymore. That big house on the main drag, I heard it’s being renovated now.”

“Yes. It’s worse than your mom’s condo. It’s been literally centuries since anyone updated even the paint in the place.” She asked him if he thought he’d enjoy living in the house. “I think so. Abby and I are going to make memories of our own. Have laughter with all my cousins and their wives. It’s been tough, I will admit that, but Mom left me in a good place, and I’m doing everything I can to make sure she’d still be proud of me.”

“I’m sure she is.”

She told him she was leaving now and got directions to find the house. It was exciting for her to be able to start fresh and still be close to friends. While she didn’t know all the Wilkerson men, she knew that all the ones she did know were about as kind as they could be to her. And Mom had loved them to pieces too.

Chapter 8

Booker couldn’t wait for the end of the term. He had so much going on at his condo that he wasn’t sure he was ever going to see the light of day again. Then there was the move to his new home. Why did he buy such a huge assed house? He’d been asking himself the same question for days now.

Booker looked up when he heard his name being called. It was Brandon. He wanted them to have dinner together.

“I have about six thousand reports I have to read and grade. Then after that, the school is asking for next year’s plan. I don’t even know what I’m going to be doing tomorrow, much less next year.” He put his paperwork into his briefcase and looked at his friend and cousin. “You know what? Fuck it. I would love to have dinner with you.”

They ended up at their favorite place. The steakhouse on campus, usually very busy in the