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“Ayyup, we can go and file at the courthouse for the change of property,” Mr. Wheeler told them after he accepted their checks; half from each of them. He never raised an eyebrow and didn’t ask questions, which both women found odd as they followed him to the building that constituted the courthouse in Franklin. It was an officious-looking building that would have housed only business offices in Boston, but built in colonial times, it was the courthouse for this town and the county surrounding it.
Many pieces of paperwork later, Whimsical Island was the property of Mrs. Marion Whiting and Mrs. Barbara Jenkins, including all water, mineral, and resource rights in perpetuity. They would be responsible for any improvements, taxes, etc. on the property from now on.
“Oh, my God. We’re crazy!” Barbara said as they left the courthouse, Mr. Wheeler having left determinedly. They saw him enter the Franklin Bank and assumed he was depositing their checks.
“I’m crazy for you,” Marion said quietly, so only Barbara could hear. She smiled up at the larger woman, showing her admiration for the woman and causing her to catch her breath at the sight of her dimples.
Barbara wished she could lean down and kiss her right there to celebrate their purchase but knew better than to show affection in any public place. She could occasionally get away with an impulsive hug or a kiss on the cheek but knew better than to push it. People would look at them oddly if they weren’t careful.
“Now, what do we do?” Marion asked, not sure what to do now that they had the land.
“We look for somewhere to rent or buy a boat, then we find somewhere to store it and a trailer.”
“A trailer?”
“Well, we are going to need a trailer to haul our things up here, and we will need somewhere to store it and our vehicle.”
“I’m going to sell the Packard,” Marion decided then and there.
“Why? We need it to haul–”
“We should get a truck, so it can tow the trailer.”
“Well, since my Ford is on its last legs, let’s plan on selling that too and putting the proceeds towards either the trailer or the new truck?”
They discussed their plans as they made their way to the docks. They learned they could also buy a dock, which surprised them both, but seeing the condition some of the haphazardly built docks were in, they soon understood how easy it was...and why. They found one dock they felt was structurally sound. Marion even went so far as to look below it to inspect the rotting timbers and declared they had a good long life before them. The dock came with three parking spaces and they were able to buy it for a very reasonable price, getting a receipt from the city for their new property.
“Now, what?” Marion asked when they were finished. It had been an expensive day.
“I think we head back home and start making arrangements to move up here. We can buy a trailer and a boat down there just as easily as up here,” she pointed out. She was also anxious to get started and plan their move. They’d have to put some of their possessions in storage, but the majority of what they could use would be moved up here for their new home.
They checked out of the hotel. After packing up their bags and making sure they left nothing behind, they took the last ferry back down the coast. Barbara didn’t know if it was the excitement of knowing they had accomplished their mission or if the ocean was a bit calmer, but she noticed Marion didn’t suffer from the seasickness she had experienced on the trip up. That was a relief to both women as they quietly discussed their many plans and what they would need until exhaustion finally caught up with them. They dozed off in the chairs on the deck of the ferry, blankets covering them and keeping them warm from the elements. Finally, forced inside by the cold, they took seats on a bench with dozens of other travelers, placing their luggage beneath their legs and their purses under their backs, so no one could get at them, and dozed. They couldn’t truly sleep with all these people around them, but apparently, others could, and the snores and bad breath were strong in the air around them.