Second Chance (3 page)

“Shannon, this is not your house. It hasn't been for almost two years now. John sold it. It was in his name only, so he had the right to do with it what he wanted while he was alive. And, truthfully, that is not all that he did...” Parker said looking down as he flicked through his files.

“What do you mean that isn't all that he did? He took my home away, what more could he do?”

“I don't know the easiest way to say this, so I am just going to go through the facts. He took his wealth and redistributed it well over a year ago. He set up a college fund for Courtney that will pay her tuition for up to eight years if needed. He set up a trust fund as well. She'll start getting that money at age twenty five. If something should happen to Courtney, God forbid, the money will be donated to one of the charities that John specified…” he started.

“Okay. Those are both reasonable things....”

“He took the rest of the money that wasn't being used to pay bills here and at the farm or for his medical care and he donated it,” Parker said looking up and moving his glasses down to the tip of his nose.

“What? Are you saying that he left me nothing? I am broke?” I shot up from my seat, and I swear my head almost popped open from the anger.

“That is precisely what I am saying, Shannon. Look, John was a different breed. I don't even know why he stayed married to you because he sure had a deep hatred for you, it seemed. I tried to talk to him about having some compassion here....” I was shocked to hear Parker even knew the word compassion. The fact that he knew what John did was wrong was even more irritating.

“This can't be legal....”

“You could fight it, Shannon, but honestly you would need money to fight his estate. And, I don't think you'd win. He sealed this paperwork up tighter than a drum. You know John.... he was a barracuda when it came to covering his legal bases. I will say this.... You will get a small insurance policy that he had set aside with you as the beneficiary. It's $100,000,” Parker said pulling out the paperwork.

“Wow, how wonderfully nice of him.... I don't understand how he can do this to me since we were married for 18 years....”

“Well, for one thing, he spent most of the money while he was alive. It was his money to spend....” Parker said with a little too much sarcasm in his voice.

“It was OUR money,” I corrected him.

“Again, Shannon, you could fight it but you are just going to spend a lot of time and money...”

“Well, whatever... explain this thing with Phil Sizemore. What are my rights?” I asked.

“I cannot advise you legally, Shannon. But, I can tell you that Phil has been very kind to wait for two years so that John could die in peace here at home. Now he wants to move into the home that he has owned for all this time. I called him on my way here, and he is willing to give you one week to move out,” Parker said in a matter of fact tone.

“Well, aren't all of the men in my life so kind to me....” I said sarcastically as I rolled my eyes into my head. Feeling even more trapped with John in death, I sank further into the sofa. My hand was throbbing, my head was about the burst and I just wanted to run away.

“Shannon, here are the keys to the farm. I think you will like it there. It's got ten acres and a restored farmhouse. It's actually a pretty nice place. Rustic, but nice. There are a couple of horses there, a barn.....”

“I don't care for the outdoors, Parker. I am terrified of horses. John knew all of that which is why he is punishing me even in death.....” I said closing my eyes and leaning my head against the wall. My long brown hair was a mess from a day of stress.

“Well, Shannon, I suggest that you make the best of it. Be happy for a new start in a new place in a paid for home,” Parker commented as if he was judging me.

“You know what? You don't have the right to tell me how to feel. John did that for 18 horrific years, and I don't need any of this crap from you!” I shouted as I stood up and regained my power. “Can I at least get the address of my new home? And can I know who owns it?”

“The address is on this paperwork,” Parker said handing me a stack of papers. “The owner is.... well, it's actually me, Shannon. John bought it and quit claimed it to me with the stipulation that I allow you to live there for as long as you want, then sell the property for fair market value and give the money to charity,” he admitted. “As his friend, I plan to keep that promise.”

“So you own my house? Wow, that's classic....” I said putting my hands on my hips as I paced back and forth.

“Look, I agreed to uphold what John wanted. We were friends for over 15 years, and I won't go back on my word,” Parker said standing up. “Be out of here by Monday or Mr. Sizemore will call the police and report you as a squatter.” With that, he walked out the door leaving me in my stunned state.

Chapter 4

Denise slammed the papers down on the table nearly knocking over my glass of red wine.

“What in holy hell was he thinking?” she shouted as she popped up out of her bar stool and covered her mouth. “Shannon, you'll come live with me and Dan. You don't have to live in some crappy cabin on farmland in the mountains. Tell Parker to shove it, and you come stay with us...”

“No, Denise, you and Dan have enough on your plate with his mother living there. Plus, I want a new start. I want to start over on my own since Courtney is leaving for college. I may not live there long, but I am at least going to go up there and see what he's done to me.... what was his final jab, ya know?” I said defeated and a little tipsy from too much wine.

“You are welcome to live with us, but I know that you need some time alone.... some space to figure things out....” she hugged me from above as I sat stoically at table running my hand along the granite edges. Living in luxury would soon be a thing of the past. Sure, I could take the insurance money and start over, but how far would $100,000 take me without a home?

“I told Courtney what her father did. She was appalled. She was angry. She wanted to stay with me and put college off for a year, but I told her no way. I just want to go up there and see what he did....”

“When are you going?” Denise asked.

“Well, the movers are coming Friday, so I guess I will be living there as of Saturday. It's about two hours from here. Maybe I should buy some overalls and a moonshine machine...” I laughed chugging a little more wine.

“I don't think they make actual machines for moonshine, sis....” Denise giggled as we both fell into a fit of laughter.

The rest of the night was sister talk, and the rest of the week was filled with packing boxes, saying goodbye to local friends and helping Courtney pack for college. She would stay with Denise for another week until she left for college life. Who knew I would leave home before she would?

Friday was hard. Saying goodbye to my daughter was the hardest part, but I couldn't let her know it. Part of me wanted to jab John one last time by not moving into the farm house. He couldn't force me to do anything from beyond the grave, but he also knew that I would have no marketable business skills or money to get my new life started.

After the moving truck pulled out of the driveway, I climbed into my SUV and began the long drive to the mountains behind it. I drove further and further from a life of wealth to a life that I didn't know. I was terrified.

Chapter 5

It was just before dinnertime when the moving truck pulled into the long gravel driveway of my new home. Shockingly, it wasn't all bad. Lined with beautiful pecan trees, the driveway stretched for at least a quarter of a mile. The clear blue sky was starting to have a hint of pink clouds that were backlit by the sun. I sure didn’t see these kinds of sunsets near the city. I felt a little bit blessed in that moment. It unnerved me.

At the end was a circular drive, still made of gravel, that was situated in front of a completely renovated white farm house with a lovely wrap around front porch. It looked so homey. It was a far cry from the beautiful home we had in the Atlanta suburbs, but it wasn't terrible. I felt like I was in the middle of nowhere, and I guess I truly was. I was already feeling pangs of loneliness being so far from “home” without my daughter or sister.

The home had dark shutters and a large front door that was curved at the top with these unique curved windows bordering it. I had never seen anything like it. There were two small verandas on either side of the front door that looked like the perfect place for a tea party back in the 1800s.

The moving truck pulled to a halt right in front of my SUV. I hopped out in the steamy Georgia heat and walked up the front steps to open the door to my new home. My new life. My uneasy new world.

Not sure what to expect, I asked the movers to take a short break while I turned on the lights. Thankfully, Denise had helped me call ahead to get all of the utilities turned on. I turned the key in the lock of the tall, heavy front door. When I walked inside, I realized that it was actually breathtaking.

The original hardwood floors had character, and there was a big entrance hallway. Although everyone had described the home to me as a “farmhouse”, it felt more like a true antebellum home that you would have seen on
Gone With The Wind
, although it was a good bit smaller than that.

The house wasn’t overly decorated. It was very simple with a lot of rustic appeal. A simple throw rug adorned the foyer floor while the hand sewn wood beams were overhead. I could just peek into the kitchen where I noticed stone walls with arched doorways. It was breathtaking.

The kitchen cabinets had been refinished and painted a soft blue color. The cabinets had glass doors and were stocked with dishes. There was a cut-out in the stone kitchen wall where a black cast iron pot hung on a chain secured to a wooden beam.

Antique plates were fastened to the walls. A rustic wood table made from logs was situated in the middle of the eating area. I could see a covered sun porch just off the kitchen.

How could John have bought a place that I love already? Did he misread my distaste of the outdoors, namely camping and the like, for a distaste of beautiful old homes away from the city?

“Mrs. Harris? We really need to get moving with your furniture. Can you start showing us where to put things?” asked Gerald, one of the movers. I had been so smitten with the house that I totally lost track of time and the fact that I had asked the guys to wait out front in the humid Georgia heat.

“Oh, sorry, Gerald. Yes, please start bringing things into… my new home,” I said, surprised at the comfort those words brought me.

Maybe John actually gave me a final gift, in his own demented and strange way.

Chapter 6

As night fell over my new home, I realized that there was no going back to my old life. No smog. No traffic. No glitzy restaurants. No tall buildings to cloud my view of the real world. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to live away from the fray. The city had been my home with John, and I wanted to leave everything about him behind… except our daughter.

Just then, my cell phone rang. As if on cue, Courtney was on the other end of the line waiting to check on me. She was worried about me, and I could tell. But, I wasn’t about to give her any reason to be concerned. This was the beginning of her life, and she needed to know that I was okay.

“Hi, Mom! How is the place?” she asked vacillating between trying to sound excited and feeling a bit of trepidation about what her father had seemingly done to me.

“Hi, honey! I miss you already…. But actually this place is beautiful. It’s way outside of the suburbs for sure, but it is a lovely home on gorgeous land. I caught part of the sunset tonight and it was breathtaking. I think I will be just fine here, Courtney,” I said with a sigh as I fell into a deep leather chair in the living room.

“Do you need anything, Mom? I can come up there…”

“No, no… I am okay. I think we both need to focus on starting new lives. You at college and me… well, here… at my new home. I guess I should name the place since it is a farm…” I said giggling.