Joletta stood looking out of what would be the window of her bedroom. Not that it was a bedroom yet. It was actually only an unfinished floor surrounded with framework with a partially completed roof above it.
The room was large, nearly 15-foot-wide and 12-foot-deep. She would even have her own bathroom connected to the room and a closet that looked almost as big as the bedroom they had all shared in at the little duplex across from Susan’s.
Of course, since the storm had destroyed that house, her family had all been living with Susan. Although that house was much bigger than the apartment, it was old and had small closets and only one full bathroom. There was also a half bath, which helped, but in comparison, this house felt like a mansion.
For Jo, it was not going to be easy. It was somewhat sad moving away from Summerset Hills. She had made friends that she would miss after she moved, and she would miss some of her school activities. In the past she had never participated in any of the “extras” at school because of their frequent moves, but her friend Tina had encouraged her to try out for a part in the school play. It did not take very long until she realized how much she enjoyed it. She had always loved music but found it exciting to see how everything, the script, music, costuming, set, and acting, all fit together.
She would especially miss seeing Tina and all the things they did together. She and Tina were best friends and had spent a lot of time with each other, especially in the past several months. It was easier since Grandma Susan (as they now called her) had taken on much more of the responsibility for Annie.
Tina’s brother Jacob had even been flirting with her the past few weeks, but so far, she had totally ignored him. He used to tease her about playing with Barbie dolls, and she still got mad when she thought of it. He thinks he’s so big now. Let him flirt, she thought to herself. Actually, she was enjoying his attention immensely, but she wasn’t about to let him know! She hated to admit it, but she was going to miss him too!
They had come out to the worksite today because Jim wanted to check on the progress the carpenters had made in the past couple of weeks. The early spring weather finally seemed to be behind them, and now that the ground was dryer, he said things should start moving along.
It shouldn’t be too many weeks now before they would be making final decisions about paint colors and furniture, curtains and all the other details that had to take place before they could move in.
Jim and Sandi had decided to have the house built rather than looking for a pre-built home. That way, all of them would have a say in the design and specifics that would make it special for them.
It was getting closer to the wedding, and the plan was to have everything completed so they all could move directly into the house when they returned from their honeymoon.
Jo and Annie were going to be staying for several weeks with Bill and Mary’s family and would remain until Jim and Sandi had gotten back from their trip and had the main area put together and in livable order.
At this point, there wasn’t much there except the exterior walls and some of the interior framework indicating where each of the living areas were to be. It was going to be a very busy place for the next couple of months.
It promised to be a beautiful house. The living room, kitchen, dining room, office, and master suite were on the ground floor, with three bedrooms and a library upstairs. There was also a large family room and utility room in the finished basement. It had 3 ½ baths and would have walk-in closets in both the master bedroom and Jo’s room. A covered patio area created the floor for a large balcony connected to the upstairs library.
Joletta’s window faced a large pond, and there was a thickly wooded area behind that. The property that the woods were on did not belong to them but was conservation land so would never be available for building purposes of any kind but would remain wild and beautiful.
Jim told her that after they got settled in, he would have a barn built in the side pasture. Jim’s father had said when the building was ready for use, he would have Golden Boy brought to live with them. The horse had always been Jim’s, and since Joletta enjoyed riding, he felt it would be good for both the horse and his new granddaughter.
For Annie, there was to be a new puppy as soon as Sassy, one of J.R.’s prize-winning golden retrievers, had her litter in a few weeks.
Both Jo and Annie would have their own rooms, and the fourth bedroom would be for guests or perhaps someday for the extra child Jim hoped he could persuade Sandi to have. He said he wanted a little brother for Jo and Annie. Of course, what he really wanted was a little boy for himself! Sandi said she was not ready to make that decision. They would have to wait until things calmed and then they would talk about it more.
The wedding was to be on July 12, exactly 2 years since Sandi and the girls had first walked into Jim’s office. It felt like it was only yesterday, and it felt like a lifetime ago.
There would only be four attendants. Jim’s closest friend from college was to be the best man. Beth was serving as matron of honor with Joletta as bridesmaid and Annie would serve as “little bridesmaid.”
The plans were already in high gear. Mom said she didn’t want anything too elaborate but had agreed to have it at the Benning Estate. Gloria had hired a professional wedding planner who was making all of the arrangements and seeing to all the little details. It was going to be a challenge keeping Gloria and Monica from getting too carried away. They neither one seemed to understand what a simple wedding was.
It was to be held in Gloria’s lovely rose garden behind the main house. There were benches and beautiful walkways as well as a large lighted fountain that would be a perfect setting later in the evening
Sandi had asked her to promise and keep her guest list to 50 or less, and there would be at least another 40 or so guests that were family and friends of Sandi and the girls. She was not comfortable in crowds and to be the center of attention absolutely petrified her.
It still seemed strange to Sandi and Joletta that they were to become a part of the Benning family. This was “a rags to riches” story that topped even her favorite childhood fairy-tale, Cinderella. Not ever, even in her wildest dreams, had she ever come close to thinking she would ever fall in love and marry a man who would someday be one of the wealthiest people in the country.
She worried that she would not know how to act around the people in this world that she knew little about. She didn’t know how to dress or talk or even use the right fork at the dinner table. She didn’t want to embarrass anyone, especially her fiancé’.
Not that anyone had said anything her to make her feel that way. It had now been several months since she had been introduced to Jim’s dad and Gloria, and they had spoken nothing but kind words to her. Still, it was a long way from where she had started, and she still felt like she was walking on shaky ground when the family was together.
No one that did not know already would have ever guessed that he had money. Jim was a very down to earth person and a hard worker. He did not discuss finances with the majority of his friends. He felt his finances were not anyone’s business but his own, and now, of course, Sandi’s, and he preferred to make his own way. He had somehow been able to separate general friends and business friends.
There was plenty of money to be had but, only on occasion, had he used any of the generous allowances that came from the trust fund left by his mother. He also owned stock in his father’s company, which, up to this point, had never been touched. His father had once hoped he would join him in the business but, until now, Jim had shown very little interest.
Since he would be returning to college to complete his teaching degree and was at the same time acquiring a family, at least for the time being, he planned to use some of the cash that had been building equity since he had turned 18, almost 20 years ago.
It would give them options that he had never accessed, and that Sandi had not ever known existed.
Sandi would now have the choice of working or staying at home with Annie and Jo. She could buy clothing from retail stores instead of the thrift shops and did not have to worry about the cost of groceries. She could even afford to have her hair and nails done professionally for the first time in her life. Not that she necessarily wanted someone else telling her how to dress or wear her hair. She was determined that she would never forget where she came from and not ever let the fact that they were now financially in a far better place change who she was on the inside.
Gloria did have a weekend planned for them to go into the city and do some shopping. Jim had been telling Sandi for weeks that she should go on a shopping spree, but, so far, she was still wearing the same jeans and casual shirts as always. It was going to be hard to go from the bargain basement to shopping the best stores on the strip, so to say.
She would be giving up her job at the nursing home and would miss all the friends she had made there, but even if she had wanted to continue, it was much too far to drive. The property that was soon to be her home was close to an hour’s drive away.
She was still undecided as to what she would do in the long run, but for right now she would stay home with the girls. They were growing up so fast. Too fast, as far as their mother was concerned. It seemed only a moment ago that Jo had been a tiny baby, but she had now grown tall and slender and was looking more and more like a young woman instead of the sweet child she had held in her arms so long ago. And then there was little Annie, now talking up a storm and getting into everything, she never stopped for long. She was like a happy little whirlwind spinning around in joyous circles. Sandi knew this one was not like her older sister, who had been quiet and thoughtful from the beginning. This one was already quite the” tiny tomboy” with rosy cheeks and wide blue eyes.
The property that the house was being built on was an early wedding gift from Jim’s father and Gloria. There were almost 20 acres of beautiful, green, softly rolling land that was only a few short miles from the family estate. “Just far enough,” Jim’s dad had said, with a grin, “that we won’t be sticking our noses into each other’s business!”
“What are you thinking about, Sweetie?” Sandi came into the room and stood behind Joletta.
“I don’t know exactly. I guess, just about how much our lives have changed in the last two years. It all seems so unreal.”
“I know, I think the same thing sometimes. I have a hard time believing it myself. This is going to be such a beautiful house, don’t you think?”
“Yeah, but Mom, are you sure this isn’t just another dream?”
“Is what a dream?” Jim came into the room carrying Annie on his shoulders, her very favorite place these days.
“Joletta is afraid this is all just a dream, and she will wake up, and it will be gone.”
Jim swung Annie down from his shoulders and encircled the three of them in his strong arms.
“You bet your bottom dollar this is a dream, Joletta! But there is a difference with this dream. In this dream, you don’t have to wake up. You are already awake and, you have my word, you never have to worry about it disappearing.”
“THIS DREAM IS HERE
TO STAY!”