Finally Home

Finally Home

D. A. Ratliff

Chapter One The Arrival

Not for the first time since she arrived, Lia Sinclair considered turning her rental car around and returning to the Savannah airport. As she neared her destination, the uneasy feeling was intensifying. Why she had allowed her mother to talk her into coming to this tiny coastal town escaped her.

She last visited Beaufort, South Carolina, on her fifth birthday. Her grandmother, Josephine Amelia Pope Sinclair, insisted her parents celebrate her birthday with her father’s family. She remembered the party in the backyard of the spacious white house near the marsh. Balloons and crepe paper decorated the trees, tables with colorful coverings scattered across the lawn, and sitting on one, a birthday cake nearly as tall as she was. It was a magical day, but she never saw her grandmother Josephine again. Her grandfather, Franklin Sinclair, forbade it.

Her parents promised to visit again, but that day never arrived. Two years later, her father died in an auto accident, and Lia never spoke about Beaufort or her grandparents with her mother again.

Crossing the bridge over Salt Creek, she concentrated on which street she needed to turn onto when her phone beeped. She didn’t have to look. It had to be her mother.

“Before you ask, I’m not there yet.”

Her mother chuckled. “Well, good day to you, too. How close are you?”

“A few blocks away—I almost turned around a couple of times.”

“Sweetheart, we discussed this and decided a trip here would do you good.”

“You decided it would be good for me. I just gave in.”

Her mother sighed. “Amelia, your grandmother left the house and everything she owned to you. After reading her letter, you know visiting is the right thing to do. With what you’ve been through, you need a change of scenery.”

A wave of panic, then pain gripped Lia, but she pushed it back. “Mom, I could have gone with you and Perry to San Francisco. I….”

“No. You need to do this. You’d be bored at this convention, and once it’s over, Perry surprised me with a trip to Hawaii for our tenth anniversary.”

“That’s great, Mom. He’s been very good to you.”

“Yes, he has, and I’d better go. Our flight is about to board. Honey, you’re going to be fine. That mess is behind you, and you have nothing but clear air in front of you.”

“I’ll try, I promise.”

“Did you pack your brushes? You should be able to find many wonderful things to paint.”

“Yes, I did. I’ll try to paint you a masterpiece. Have to go. The GPS is telling me I’m almost there.”

“I’ll call you when we get to the hotel. Love you, darling.”

Silence told Lia her mother had ended the call. Her mother, the lovely Olivia Sinclair Branford, deserved the wonderful life she had now. After her father, Gregory Sinclair, died when she was seven and her brother Jason a year old, Olivia devoted her life to her children. Only after Jason entered high school did Olivia begin to live her life. She met Perry Branford at a political rally, and they fell in love at first sight. Lia shivered. As happy as she was for her mother, that kind of love would never be hers again.

She turned onto a narrow residential street, only a few blocks from historic downtown Beaufort, threading around the twists and turns until she reached her grandmother’s home. Large oak trees lining the street, their gnarly limbs draped with Spanish moss, stood like sentinels guarding the marsh. As the GPS announced she had arrived, she parked, dropping her forehead onto the steering wheel. Rolling her head to the side, she gazed at her lime-green leather purse sitting on the seat. Her grandmother’s letter was inside, haunting her.

A thick document had arrived by courier six weeks after she returned to Seattle. From her art training, she recognized the ivory envelope paper made of expensive cotton rag that bore the name of the law firm Ellison and Ellison. The packet contained a letter from Jasper Ellison informing her of her grandmother’s death and that she was the estate’s sole heir. Her grandmother’s silver embossed initials adorned the flap of a smaller white envelope tucked inside. The multi-page handwritten letter hinted at the sweet fragrance of honeysuckle lingering on the thin sheets.

Josephine Sinclair’s final written words echoed in her head, asking her to come home. As she buried her head in the steering wheel again, Lia whispered to herself. “Home is Seattle, not Beaufort.” She took a deep breath, knowing she was fooling herself. Seattle hadn’t been home for nearly twelve years. At the moment, she didn’t have a home.

Swallowing, Lia grabbed her purse, stepped out of the car, and stood quietly, taking in the view. The three-story house sat on a corner lot, the first floor hidden by gray stone arches, foundations for the wide verandas wrapped around the front and one side of the house. A three-story wing jutted into the rear garden. The main entrance was on the second level, accessible by sweeping steps.

The air was heavy with the fragrance of early summer flowers, tinged with the salty aroma of the marsh. She walked the few steps across the narrow roadway and opened the low wrought-iron gate. The front yard was not excessively deep, but the plantings were formal and lush with pink and white flowers, ferns, palmetto palms, stately oaks, and tall magnolia trees framing the view.

Climbing the steps, Lia fought to shake off the apprehension threatening to overwhelm her. Everything felt so alien to her. She reached the top step and grasped the railing, her knees weak. What did she think she was doing? Three months ago, she feared losing her freedom, and now she stood on the steps of a house she owned but barely recognized.

Lia took a moment to look around the wide porch. Rocking chairs and wicker tables painted white stood out against the soft gray of the painted floorboards. Enormous Boston ferns sat in wicker planters framing the front door, with small pots of pale pink and orange impatiens scattered along the wall. Her artist’s eye imagined the setting in the soft pastels of a watercolor painting.

She sucked in a breath of the warm, fragrant air and tamped down the urge to run. Before she changed her mind, she crossed to the double front door and pushed the doorbell, which responded in a deep melancholy tone, matching her mood.

Through the glass panes in the doors, Lia saw a woman with silver-streaked hair, wearing a rose-colored blouse and flowered skirt hurrying through the large foyer. The woman opened the door, smiled warmly, and reached for Lia’s hand. “My lands, you look like your grandma when she was your age. I’m Sadie Lee Pickett. You come on in.”

Lia crossed the threshold, and the years peeled away. The two-story foyer’s soft yellow walls and the curved stairway, covered with a cream and gold runner, jarred old memories of running up and down the stairs with her father. The sparkling crystal chandelier glittered even in the low light. A round mahogany table sat in the foyer’s center, holding a vase of fragrant snapdragons, the flowers reflected in the highly polished wood.

Sadie Lee asked softly. “You remember being here, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do. I remember running up those stairs with my dad. It’s been a long time.”

“That it has. Now, where are your things?”

“Uh. Still in the car. I wasn’t certain where to park, so I pulled in across the street.”

“No problem. Let me have your keys, and I’ll get my grandson, Danny, to bring your car into the drive and your things into the house.”

Taking the keys from Lia, Sadie Lee continued. “I’m sure you need to freshen up after that long flight and drive from Savannah. Your room is to the right at the top of the stairs. We call it the green room—‘cause it’s green.” She grinned.

As Lia started up the stairs, she added. “I’m gonna call Mr. Jasper and let him know you’ve arrived. He said he had some papers you needed to sign and wanted to stop by and see you once you’ve settled in.”

“That’ll be fine, and Ms. Pickett, it’s nice to see you again.”

“I was about your age when you were here, wasn’t certain you’d remember me. You call me Sadie Lee, now.”

“I will, and I am Lia.”

As she climbed the staircase, her grandmother’s words, written in the letter, echoed in her head.

My dearest Amelia,

My silly doctor tells me I have only a few weeks to live. As I lay here with Sadie Lee fussing over me, I know I have only one task left. I must apologize to you and Jason, the grandson I have never met.

I don’t know if you remember the week you spent in Beaufort, but I have never forgotten my first grandchild, a beautiful little girl with chestnut curls and eyes the color of emeralds. Franklin and I had not seen you since you were an infant. With your father’s work taking him overseas and Franklin’s single-minded determination to keep his hands in every aspect of the fishing fleet, we never seemed to have the time to visit. It was our loss. We missed so much of your life and your father and mother. I had hoped spending your birthday with us would bring the family together. Unfortunately, nothing turned out the way I had planned.

Lia stood on the landing, looking down into the foyer as visions of the night they left flitted through her memory. Her mother had awakened her, whispering everything was fine, but they had to leave unexpectedly. She heard the raised voices from downstairs, her father and grandfather arguing. Her grandmother pleaded with her mother not to go, they’d work things out, but they left, her father not speaking for hours while they drove through the darkness. As the memories swept over her, she felt like the small, confused child of that night. She scolded herself —she wasn’t that child. Taking a deep breath, she continued toward the bedroom.

Pale green striped linens and billowy white drapes decorated the spacious room. Her eyes strayed to the French doors leading to the side veranda, and Lia realized this was the room her parents had slept in when they visited. During that visit, she played on the porch through those doors, imagining she was a fairy princess holding court on the veranda surrounded by magical trees. The walls were soft green now, but they had been sky blue in those days, her mother’s favorite color.

Dropping her purse on the bed, she walked to the windows overlooking the backyard. It looked different. The trees had grown, but the arbor and the birdbath remained as she remembered. She gazed out the window when she felt something brush against her leg. Startled, she jumped and saw a large orange tabby cat standing at her feet.

She knelt down and gingerly put her hand out. When the cat didn’t move, Lia gently scratched behind his ear. “And who are you?”

“That’s Rhett, ma’am.”

Lia looked up to see Danny standing in the doorway with her luggage. She rose. “Rhett? Really?”

The young man smiled broadly, “Yes, ma’am. He wandered into the house about two years ago when he was real young, no more than a couple of months old, and stayed. Since he seemed so sure of himself, Miss Josie decided to call him Rhett.”

“Well, Rhett, nice to meet you.”

Danny brought her bags in and handed her the car keys. “You need anything else, Miss Amelia?”

“No, thank you for moving the car and getting my bags. I appreciate it, and please call me Lia.”

“I will. See you later, Miss Lia…” he stopped when Lia shook her head and smiled. “Lia. I’ve got to get to my study group. Got an exam tomorrow.”

After he left, Lia freshened up and headed downstairs. She found Sadie Lee in the kitchen, placing lemon bars and chocolate chip cookies on a bone china plate. A pitcher of iced tea and a coffee carafe sat on the L-shaped bar that separated the kitchen and den. A cozy eating nook tucked into a bay window and a sitting area with a large television filled the remainder of the ample space.

“Danny is a nice young man. He mentioned having an exam tomorrow. Is he still in high school?”

“No, he’s going to college, freshman year at the University of South Carolina branch here, studying pre-law. This summer, he’s gonna be working for Mr. Jasper.”

“Good for him. I met Rhett, love his name.”

“That cat, she loved that cat. He’s been moping around, lonely, I guess. But he hasn’t missed a meal, so I guess he’s not that sad.” Sadie Lee took a shallow breath. “Is your room all right?”

“It’s lovely. I think it’s the room my parents were in when I was here. I remember the French doors to the porch or veranda, as I suppose you call it.”

“Child, it’s a porch to me. Can I get you some sweet tea or coffee?”

“Coffee and one of those lemon bars. I haven’t eaten since breakfast.”

“Let me fix you a sandwich.” She turned toward the refrigerator, but Lia stopped her.

“No, please. I’m not hungry and thought I’d run into town tonight for dinner.”

Handing Lia a cup of coffee, Sadie Lee smiled. “No need. I have a casserole ready for you to put in the oven. I figured you’d be tired and need to rest before you got out and explored our fair city.”

Lia took a sip from the china cup. “That’s very thoughtful. Ummm—good coffee. Tell me, are you from Beaufort?”

Sadie Lee poured herself a cup of coffee, then sat on a stool. “Yes, I grew up on Ladys Island. My mother worked for Miss Josie, and I’ve worked for her since I was fifteen.”

“Ladys Island, that’s the big island across the bridge?”

“Part of Beaufort County, most of it incorporated. The city of Beaufort annexed the parts they can tax.”

“Same everywhere, I suppose. I’m sorry, I don’t know a lot about Beaufort. Did you reach Mr. Ellison?”

“Yes, and he should be here shortly. His office is close by.”

“Sadie Lee, this kitchen looks brand new.”

“Miss Josie, she loved to decorate. After Mr. Franklin died, she needed to redo everything, and she started upstairs and worked her way to the ground floor.” She ran her fingertips across the polished tan and gold granite surface. “Miss Josie and I drove upstate to a quarry to pick out this granite. She wanted to see the stone in its natural state before choosing one. She selected everything herself. She had a decorator but drove the poor man crazy.”

“The kitchen is lovely. The dark cherry cabinets are beautiful.”

“She thought a dark, cozy kitchen was cool and soothing in this climate. There’s another kitchen downstairs that she did in white, but I love this one best.”

“What else is downstairs?”

“Your great-grandparents built the house in the 1870s, and then, the lower level had only a couple of small, enclosed rooms used for storage, and the rest was open. The main living areas are here on the second and third floors in case of flooding. In the 1960s, when Miss Josie inherited the house from her parents, she had the bottom floor completely enclosed and added bedrooms and a huge room for entertaining as it opens directly onto the yard. She added sump pumps in case of flooding. After Mr. Jasper leaves, I’ll take you on tour.”

“I’d like that. It is a beautiful house….” Lia paused. “I still don’t understand why my grandmother left it to me, or at least solely to me. Surely there are more deserving family members who were a part of her life.”

“Miss Josephine’s sister Penelope died thirty years ago, and she couldn’t stand her brother-in-law or her sister’s children. There are three—Magdalene, Charlotte, and Raymond. There are some cousins, but most of them are better off than your grandmother was, so they aren’t interested in what they consider a small estate.”

Lia’s eyebrows raised. “I wouldn’t classify this as a small estate, but I understand some might.”

Sadie Lee stared at her coffee cup. “I’d watch my back with those three. Magdalene was unhappy about the will and quite vocal about it. When she found out Mr. Jasper sent you a copy of the will first and notified you before they knew anything, she was one angry woman.”

“Considering they lived here with her all their lives, I can understand.”

Sadie Lee’s eyes turned from amber to black. “Your grandmother had her reasons for doing what she did. You accept that, and don’t go worrying about those three.”

Before Lia could answer, the dulcet tones of the doorbell rang. Sadie Lee rose. “That’ll be Mr. Jasper. I’ll go let him in. You wait right here.”

Jasper Ellison was of average build with graying dark hair and lively hazel eyes. He was wearing an expensive dark-blue suit, gray shirt, and gray-striped tie, and Lia found herself surprised, then embarrassed that she hadn’t expected such an impeccably dressed lawyer in a small Southern town. She chided herself for having such a thought.

Sadie Lee made the introductions. “Jasper Ellison, this is Amelia Sinclair.” After exchanging greetings, Sadie motioned for Jasper to sit. “Can I get you some coffee or tea?”

Jasper shook his head. “You know better, Sadie Lee. Miss Josephine always told me I was such a pest I could wait on myself.”

Sadie Lee smiled broadly and nodded. “That she did. I’ll leave you two to talk.”

Jasper poured a tall glass of tea, grabbed a cookie, and sat down on a stool around the corner from Lia. “I must say, Sadie Lee told me on the phone that you looked just like Josephine did when she was your age, but I’m surprised at how much you look like her. She was a beautiful and good woman and a good friend.”

“I’m going to be blunt and ask you the same question I asked Sadie Lee. Why did she leave this house and everything else to me?”

He sipped his tea before he answered. “I asked her the same question. She told me it was none of my business.” He laughed. “Then she told me what she wanted me to know. There were few secrets between us. My father was her attorney, and when he retired, Josephine let me know she expected the same service and loyalty from me as she had from him. I tried to live up to that expectation.”

Jasper grabbed another cookie, and Lia shook her head. “That’s not answering my question, Jasper.”

“Your grandmother was a complicated woman. She was also a lonely woman.” He bit his lip before he continued, “How much do you know about what happened between your father and grandfather?”

“My mother told me what she knew, but I did not realize how strong the rift was until I received Josephine’s letter.”

“Josephine?”

The corners of her mouth turned up slightly. “I don’t know what else to call her.”

He blew out a breath. ‘Sorry. I—I think that’s what you should call her. She wasn’t a fussy woman. She was direct, honest, and demanding but not fussy. After everything that happened, life was lonely for her. Josephine never recovered from the loss with your father estranged from the family, then dying, and your uncle dying a few years later.”

“But she had Franklin. Mom thought they were very close.”

“Did they love each other? Yes, they did, but things were never the same. Franklin threw himself into the shrimp business. He went out on the boats as often as he could for days. It was easier than being at home, facing the empty house.”

“You said Josephine was lonely? Did she have friends?

“Lonely is one thing. Busy is something else. This community will miss her greatly. She was a strong patron of the arts and supported numerous charities, holding many events here. To the world, she presented a happy face, gregarious and warm. Only those of us who knew her well realized the truth.”

“You still haven’t answered my question. Why did Josephine leave all this to me?

“Honestly?” Lia nodded, and Jasper continued. “I think she missed you. She talked about you, with me, Sadie Lee, Virginia Reynolds, Miss Ginny as everyone calls her, who was her best friend. You should talk to Ginny. She can probably answer your question better than I can. But I think your grandmother felt the family, her family, needed to be in this house. This was the only way to ensure it did.”

“In her letter, she only asked that I visit and not sell the house right away. She asked me to live here for a month before I decided what to do.” Losing in thought, Lia gazed out the French doors leading to an outside deck. Jasper said nothing.

Still looking out the doors, she spoke. “I was reluctant to come here. My life has been in chaos for over a year, and I only want to rest and determine what happens to me next. I wasn’t certain I wanted to follow someone else’s dictates so soon. But my mother thinks I need this time to reconnect with my father’s past. I thought I’d at least try.”

Jasper grinned and grasped Lia’s hand. “You have no idea how much like your grandmother you are. She wouldn’t have given up, no matter what. She didn’t give up, and I don’t think you will, either.”

He pulled a file from his briefcase. “I have some documents for you to review. As I told you, your grandmother set up a living trust to avoid probate. Upon her death, I became the trustee, and this is the document transferring all properties to you. There is a separate trust for the two buildings she owned in the historic section of town, and those trusts do have restrictions due to ordinances placed on historic properties. Should you choose to sell those buildings, there is a process we will have to follow. As for the house, other than the thirty days she requested you honor before deciding, the house is yours to do with as you please, with one exception. The small house at the rear of the property currently holds a fifty-year lease. Sadie Lee is the lessee. She and her grandson live there. Any property buyer will have to honor that lease for its duration or unless she voluntarily breaks it.”

Lia took the papers from him. “Would you have any objections if I asked my stepfather to read through these? I trust you, Jasper, but Perry is also an attorney. I would like for him to review what I’m signing.”

“No problem, I think that’s a good idea. Can you give me his email address?” She nodded and wrote the address on the file he handed her.

“Now, Josephine had several bank accounts and certificates of deposit to which she added a payable upon death designation and named you as the beneficiary. This allows the transfer of all the accounts directly to you without probate. All you have to do is go to the bank and ask to speak with Charles Watson. You are welcome to open accounts in the same bank or transfer the money wherever you choose.” He handed her a document summarizing the accounts.

Lia suppressed a gasp as she saw the total amount. “I had no idea the estate was this large.”

“Josephine inherited a rather sizable sum from her family. After Franklin died, she realized a large profit from selling the shrimping fleet and the wholesale. She wasn’t the richest woman in Beaufort but was not destitute.”

“There is a lot to absorb.”

“I realize this is a great deal for you, for anyone, to absorb on such short notice. You’ll cope if you are like Josephine, and I think you are. Before I go, I left home this morning with instructions from my wife, Tillie, to invite you for dinner tomorrow night. Charles Watson and his wife will be there, as will some members of our art community and my son. Please say you will join us.”

Her heart racing, Lia forced herself to relax, pushing back the anxiety before it overwhelmed her. Mixing with people who might know what she had been through the past year was the last thing she wanted. Despite her dread, she’d realized if she were going to remain in the art world, she would have to deal with her past.

She smiled at Jasper. “I’d love to have dinner with you and your wife and friends. Thank you.”

“Great.” He stood. “Look over those documents, talk with your stepfather, and then call the office to set an appointment, and we’ll take care of the paperwork. No rush, any time you choose.”

“The household costs, Miss Sadie Lee, you’re taking care of those payments?”

“Yes, for the moment, I’m overseeing all the expenses. Josephine’s accountant, William Ford, writes the checks. You will meet him tomorrow night as well. So that you know, Josephine bequeathed Sadie Lee a substantial sum before she died. She also donated considerable monies to her favorite local charities during those last weeks.”

“I’m glad she took care of Sadie.”

He grabbed his briefcase. “Me, too. Cocktails at seven, dinner at seven-thirty. Sadie can give you directions to the house. Oh, Tillie said to tell you dress is casual.”

She stood up to walk him out, but he waved his hand. “I’ll let myself out.” He was at the door leading to the large foyer when he turned. “She’d be proud of you. I know it took a lot for you to come down, especially now. See you tomorrow night.”

Lia warmed up her coffee and reached for her second lemon bar as Sadie Lee returned. “You gonna spoil your supper.”

“I’m going to gain weight if I stay here eating your cooking. These are the best lemon bars I’ve ever had.”

“Glad you like them. That Mr. Jasper, he’s a good man, good family, been friends to Miss Josie for a lifetime.”

“I like him. He invited me to dinner tomorrow night and said you could give me directions.”

“Now you want cooking. Wait till you taste Tillie Ellison’s cooking. She is known for her shrimp and grits.”

“Umm, sounds good. It’s funny, my dad loved grits, and my mother learned to love them. She fixed them for Jason and me all the time.”

“See, you’re already a Southern gal. Now I need to show you where the casserole is and how to run this computer of an oven Miss Josie bought. I’ve got a church doing tonight unless you need me to stay.”

“No, I’m getting pretty tired. I want to take a hot bath, have a bit of dinner, and turn in early.”

“Well, come on, a tour of the house first, and then we tackle that confounded stove.”

Lia relaxed as she followed Sadie Lee toward the foyer. For the first time in months, the cloud of dread that hung over her faded a bit. A month free of stress would be welcome, but she knew better.

to be continued

~~~

Chapter Two: https://shopping-feedback.today/fiction/finally-home-chapter-two%3C/em%3E

Thank you for taking the time to read Chapter One. Honing writing skills is a never-ending task, and as I began to write murder mysteries, I wrote a few stories that were less intense as practice. Finally Home is one of those stories which grew into a novel. A romantic thriller with a touch of cozy mystery added in, Finally Home gave me a chance to write something besides a gory death scene. A tad less gruesome, but the story still has moments of excitement. I hope you enjoy it and continue to join me as I post new chapters.