CHAPTER22
MARY
A month later…
Mary was standingin the middle of the living room in a brick ranch house, four doors down from where Thumper and Harley lived. It wasn’t perfect by any means. Dated, overgrown, and in desperate need of new flooring… but the house had something about it.
The airfield was in the distance and after their flight to the beach, the idea of seeing the planes, knowing how much Jax enjoyed that flight, and how close his friends would be… she was in love with the place.
Location, location, location,she mused, and fought to keep a smile off her face as she turned to the woman showing her the house.
“Are they negotiable on the price? The carpet is at least thirty years old.”
“Actually, the family is very willing to sell, and already relocated to New Orleans, so they aren’t even in the state.”
“Will this pass an inspection for the VA loan?”
“Yes – but we should probably have the lawn mowed and bushes trimmed back before the VA inspector sees it. It’s sat empty for nine months, and probably should look well-maintained so it doesn’t raise any red flags or cause him to look hard for something.”
Mary nodded.
The house was lovely… and strange at the same time.
When you walked in, you entered at the dining room, and the living room was off to the right, complete with a brick fireplace. A small galley kitchen led to the back of the house, where a sliding glass door overlooked the fenced yard.
There was a breakfast nook to the right that came out of nowhere. It was odd after seeing the dining room entrance, but it could be used for a game room or office… or playroom for children’s toys.
Before turning to enter the galley kitchen, if you made a left, there was a long hallway with four bedrooms and a bathroom – with a linen closet at the end of the hallway, complete with a built-in hamper. The washing machine was in a closet along the hallway, and the water heater in another – she didn’t see where the dryer went, so they would need to have an electrician put in a plug for one, and a vent.
The master bedroom was massive. Large, elongated, windows far up from the ground that illuminated the entire room, and a nice-sized master bath was just in the distance, near the door for a walk-in closet. Yes, she could see her and Jax living here, making changes, and working together in the yard… stopping to watch an occasional plane take off.
With Harley and Thumper so close, she felt safe… and it was an uncrowded part of town, with few other houses along this street because of the air strip. She wondered for a moment if she would get tired of the noise – and then realized that it made her think of Jax.
He could fly while he returned… and then when he was gone again, she would still be close somehow.
“If I put an offer in today, how fast could we close on the house?”
“You would be moving in within the month – maybe a little longer. We would need to Fed-Ex the papers to your husband for him to sign them, and that might take a little bit to get back,” her realtor smiled knowingly. “I take it you like the house?”
“I love it – and the area,” Mary smiled, pulling out a pen and trying to ignore the trembling of her hands.
There was so much happening, so very fast.
She was flying out on Friday morning to meet Jax’s parents and spend four days with them, before returning home. She couldn’t wait to meet his family, see where he grew up, and get to know his parents a little better. It would keep her busy until her doctor’s appointment in two weeks.
Her positive pregnancy test was the ultimate dream come to life this morning. She never imagined having children, or such a beautiful love with someone so gentle… and now she had both.
When the second line appeared in the window on the stick this morning, she had sat down on the bathroom floor, sobbing tears of joy, understanding that while her body and life was about to change significantly – it was for the sole purpose of bringing a miracle into their world, something so beautiful to share their love.
Even if Jax was gone for another several months, there was a piece of him with her… and always would be.
She couldn’t wait to tell him when he called on Saturday – and couldn’t think of a more appropriate location than while she was at his parents’ house, so she could share the news with them all at once.
“Let’s fill out the paperwork.”
* * *
Williston Basin Airport,North Dakota