Wilted Magnolias weekly excerpt

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Psalm 1:3

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3

Inheritance

The first visitor the next morning as April drank her second cup of coffee was a burly man with bushy blue-gray hair and eyebrows. April opened the door. "Yes?"

The man greeted her with enthusiasm. "April, is that you?"

"Yes."

"It's Paul Winchester. I was a friend of your father. Monique seemed to think I could be of help to you. I'm a contractor. She's my future daughter-in-law."

"Winchester?" April repeated, furrowing her brow. "Danny's dad?"

"Yes. Daniel is engaged to Monique."

"A contractor?" She widened her eyes. "You can find a painter and a roofer, right?"

"Yes."

"Come in please." She stepped back to allow the man entrance. "Would you like some coffee?" she asked.

"Yes, thanks."

April led the way to the kitchen and poured coffee. "Please sit down." She sat in a chair at the breakfast nook. The room was cheerful and bright with canary yellow paint, white trim, and wallpaper borders of daisies, though the paper had begun to peel a bit.

Paul Winchester joined her. He explained. "Monique said she was supposed to send several people but thought I would be a better choice because you already know me."

April smiled. "Honestly, Mr. Winchester, I barely remember you. Did you socialize much with my father?"

"Of course, you were only six. Dorian and I played golf, and Charity, my wife, and I came to a few dinner parties."

"I only remember one dinner party I was allowed to attend."

"The one where you played the piano with Michelle."

She nodded and closed her eyes trying to picture the man in front of her. He patted her hand. "It's all right. You were very young."

She sighed with relief. "Thanks for understanding. My mother's sister, Leila, and her husband, Martin Chastain, adopted me, but they never sold the property. When I graduated in May, they thought it was time to let me decide what to do."

"And what have you decided?"

"To live here. I have a job interview tomorrow. I'm coming home. You see the house." She swept her hand in the air. "It's been neglected."

Winchester stirred sugar into his coffee. "Yes, I saw from the driveway it needs some roofing. That would be the first thing I'd do. Painting, next, once you've had a termite inspection. As it is, you'll need to replace a lot of the wood."

"Wise." She rolled her lips together. "I also need a groundskeeper."

"I would suggest Logan's Landscaping. They're reliable and honest."

"Would I know any of them?"

"Shelby is about your age, maybe a year younger. Zach is a senior in high school."

"I don't remember them. I remember Danny because he pulled my pigtails." April sipped her coffee.

Paul chuckled. "He gave up Danny and pulling pigtails. These days he's Dan."

"I'll remember that. Does he work with you?"

"No, accounting. My oldest boy works with me. Tim is thirty, and I have two grandkids."

"You have a younger child, too, I think. I remember Dan talking about his mother, Charity, expecting a baby and she was soooo old."

Paul laughed outright. "Yes, Jake, fifteen. He was a"—he faltered in choosing a word—"surprise," he finished. "We have two more adopted that live abroad." He drank a swallow of his coffee before he offered, "April, would you like for me to take care of fixing the house?"

"It would be a great help." She nodded and smiled.

"You said you have a job interview?" Mr. Winchester prompted.

"Yes, at The Bugle."

Paul chuckled again. "Carlisle had a stroke about three years ago. Russell came home to take over the paper. He made a name for himself overseas. I think he resents coming home. Neither of his sisters would even consider it."

"Why?" April asked in disbelief. "The paper is a legacy, an inheritance."

"A weekly. Not big time." Paul changed the subject. "Honey, do you have funds for this place?"

"Yes. I couldn't touch my inheritance until I graduated college. I received the insurance payoff just a couple of months ago, but I inherited a great deal of money from the trust Daddy set up, and Dad has invested for me over the years."

"I see."

April affected a "Scarlet O'Hara" accent. "Why, Mistah Winchesta, I'm a re-al Southun Be-elle. I'm wuth a fawtune." She laughed. "But I want to earn my way. I have a journalism degree, and I want to be a reporter."

"That's admirable."

"Aunt Leila—Mom—thinks I'm crazy. She thinks I should sell."

Holding his cup in front of his face, the fatherly man said, "Honey, Monique thinks you're crazy, too."

"Why?"

"Something about a teddy bear." He set the cup down.

"Russell Bear."

The man raised his bushy eyebrows in question.

"I'm not crazy," laughed April with a shake of her head. "I talk to Russell Bear. I know he's a stuffed animal, but he was between a bullet and me. Somehow, his stuffing stopped the bullet's force. A shot from a thirty-eight at that range should've killed me."

"But you did get shot, darling."

She dipped her head back and forth from shoulder to shoulder. "The bullet lodged in my sternum. If Russell Bear hadn't been there, it would've gone through my heart." April held up her hand as Winchester started to speak. "Before you ask, no, I can't tell you who the two people were, only that they argued, and one refused to shoot me."

"I was going to ask about the bear's name," said Paul. "Russell Bear?"

"Russell Dalton gave him to me for my sixth birthday; therefore, Russell Bear."

"When did you last see Russell?"

"That day. He left for England. Is he fat and bald now?"

"No. Monique thinks he's, umm…"

"What?"

"The term she used was 'hot.'"

"So, he's nice-looking?"

"I suppose." Winchester shrugged. "He hasn't changed much. He has rescued the paper. Carlisle focused more on his book the last ten years."

"He needs a good reporter. He advertised, and I'm a good reporter." She smiled, revealing pearly, straight teeth.

"Good luck." The man drank more of his coffee.

The bell chimed again. "More interviews?" asked Paul.

"Not for contractors. You're hired. Will you take care of the lawn service, too?"

"Of course. I'll draw up the paperwork and come back by after I call, since you might be employed." He handed her his business card, and she took another from him to write her contact information on back.