Moving House

Toni brought Sarah McGee with her to look over the furnishings in her house to see if there was anything she could use in her new house. Once inside she noticed Richie had moved his things out, the den and weight room were empty.

“It’s a lovely house Toni and your gardens I know it must pain you to leave all this, you’ve put a lot of work into the garden I can see.”

“I really did, there was nothing when we moved here.” Toni looked out her back door and turned away. “Anything you see you can use we can tag it Sarah.”

“You said you had some bedroom furniture?”

“Yes, upstairs let’s go have a look.” The large guest room was empty she noticed except for the bedding folded neatly in the middle of the floor. In the end Sarah decided on an oak bedroom set from one of the guest rooms, it was the room Toni had fixed up for Michael and she noticed Richie had been through it and taken his things out that she’d decorated with. She wondered why he didn’t take the bedroom furniture did he not plan for Michael to come back?

“This was a boy’s room, Richie’s son came and spent a little time here.”

“I thought as much, I’d like it for Tee’s room if that’s okay with you.”

“Of course it is, Sarah.”

“You know Toni, when Travis bought Glenridge I furnished it with my own taste - it may not be yours and if you want to change anything, maybe bring your furniture over there, that would be fine. I just wanted you to know you wouldn’t be stepping on any toes.”

“Thanks Sarah I may do that, not that I don’t like what’s there but I have some things I’d like to keep.”

“Well we could have a big move house day, I mentioned the beach house and if it were me I’d get rid of what’s in the lounge room anyway maybe you could send some of the things from Glenridge out there.”

“I’ve not been to the beach house yet, Travis keeps talking about taking me out there.”

“Get him out there this weekend there is nothing to keep him on the farm and Tee can help us get settled in the new house.” Sarah took Toni’s hands, “I am so glad you’re with us Toni you are exactly what Travis needed”

“Thank you Sarah, everyone has been especially welcoming to me and I appreciate that.”

They hugged and walked down the hall Toni stopped at a bedroom an opened the door, “You know Sarah, this room is where I first talked with Travis when Jan came over here that night in a state. This probably sounds crazy but we connected that night and I thought him a very special person. Little did I know then that we would end up together. I can’t put into words how much I love him.”

“I don’t think you have to Toni it shows you know,” she smiled and walked over fingering the comforter. “What will you do with this?”

“I don’t know do you want it, I think my Dad slept in here for a few nights everything is practically new here. I can have it cleaned for you.”

“I think I would like it for my guest room, I like the color and pattern. There’s no need to let things go to waste. You will find that Travis never thinks about money or the cost of things, he wasn’t brought up that way of course and I’m sure he remembers but since he came into the money his tastes have changed. He can afford the best and has it. But I’ve been proud of him, he hasn’t done foolish things with his fortune, he’s invested. The only foolish thing I thought was the boat but at the time he had a reason for that.”

“All boys have to have their toys. I love the boat. I never had to worry about money growing up it was only after I left home and went to New Jersey and began supporting myself that I learned how to budget. Now, according to Travis I have to learn how to spend; he wants to take me shopping.” Toni grinned.

“He likes to shop, unlike most men he can spend some time in a store. Will you keep working Toni?”

“It’s only three days a week and it gives me something to do, something useful. I don’t know about that yet, he’s mentioned me hiring a couple more therapists and just run the clinic instead of actually working. There’s plenty of work at Glenridge I could do. Everything happened so fast I haven’t had time to really figure out what I need to do yet.”

“You’ve plenty of time no need to rush into anything. I’d like to have a look at that dining room table and chairs again.”

“Okay, let’s go downstairs,” Toni smiled linking her arm with Sarah’s. She no longer worried over the things in the house it was like they almost belonged to someone else, someone she once knew.