Chapter One, Episode 84 - Almost Too Late - Situationally Theirs

Review, Revision, Edit and Update:
Starting this rather late today, I have finally completed my Review. There has been little difference from other reviews: one or two typos repaired and context added to various pieces of dialogue.

I am so grateful to those of you who read my little episodes despite the confusing writing. My reviews have pointed to the many gaps - so I thank you all.

Almost Too Late

It was getting late in the afternoon when Giles went into the house. James was changing from his house sweater to his light jacket. Cook was just finishing up. Not wanting Elizabeth to know their mission, James shook his head almost imperceptibly when he saw Giles. Nodding that he understood, Giles said “James, you ready to go?” 

Cook was too preoccupied with the week's menu to notice the tiny exchange between the two. “Two boys off to get in trouble, are you? Look in the refrigerator for a brown paper bag. There's sandwiches in the bag for you both. You can sit under the apple trees for an early supper.” She went back to her work.

“Thanks Cook. Can we take a couple of apples too?” Giles already had them in his hands. Have we got something to drink, James?”

Elizabeth looked up “Don’t bother James with that. There’s a thermos of cold sweet tea and two glasses in the paper bag with the sandwiches.

~~~~~

“That was a delicious lunch. The setting has been perfect and the company admirable.” James, relaxed and relieved after the afternoon's chat with Giles, was glad that he had called for help.

Earlier, James and Giles had walked in the direction of the apple orchard but once past the tool shed, continued walking over to the cottage. James didn't have a key yet, so they sat on the back steps with the early supper complements of Cook. “What is it, James? You didn’t give me any hints on the phone earlier.”

“I hadn’t even spoken my concerns aloud to myself, Giles. They do seem rather silly now but I still think I need to talk about them. I asked myself three questions to which I had no answers, merely a knot in my stomach.”

“And they would be?” Giles was curious. He knew that James did worry about everything, always trying to clear up every detail. He came to Giles when emotional details were the loose ends he couldn't tie up.

James ticked them off one at a time on his fingers. “Am I being controlling by buying this cottage for Martha? Am I acting as I would setting up a dinner party? Should I confess to Martha that I had not openly consulted her?”

Giles listened closely and then leaned forward “Wow! Coming from you, those are big questions, James. I’ll tell you what my dad would tell me: ‘what do you think, son? If you have such questions, then you may already know the answers.’ ” Giles was actually a bit stymied and had always appreciated that old ‘dad advice’. He hoped it would mean the same to James.

James was surprised at the suggestion that he may have his own answers. “In that case, I think I'd like a bit more of that tea.” James and Giles, in the back yard of the cottage, away from anyone that may be in earshot had much to discuss. 

Giles decided to jump on James' first question. “What gave you the idea to buy the cottage for Martha? That’s a lot of money to spend for a wedding present. You told me yesterday 'we would have five years of mortgage payments' and now you tell me that Martha has never been consulted. Don't you think that could be a problem after a while? I’m assuming that you had decided to pay them on your own and that saying 'we' was just a slip of the tongue.”

“Martha has worked so very hard for as long as I’ve known her. Over the years, this cottage has occasionally come up for sale.” James stepped down in the yard. He regarded the cottage very fondly as he thought of Martha and how much she dreamed about owning it. “She and Elizabeth would talk about what they would do if one of them owned it. When it came on the market recently, purchasing it for her seemed the right thing to do……until now.”

Giles had been listening and watching his friend. He saw the play of emotion on his face, from fondness to worry to sadness and back to fondness again. He could only offer what he knew. “James, Melanie and I have a great marriage, but we’ve still had one or two - maybe three -  rocky times. Actually more than that, but we’ve always gotten past them. Not by kissing and making up but by putting our cards on the table at the outset.” He looked away, thinking of the struggles and joys of their marriage.

“Giles, you’re telling me that I can’t make this a surprise for her?” James had stepped up to the veranda, pacing slowly and thoughtfully.

“No, I’m not telling you anything like that. You’ve known Martha for a lot longer than I’ve known either of you. Does Martha like surprises? You and she have made a lot of decisions together over the years? I don’t know, James.” Giles was frustrated. He wanted to just give his opinion and let that be the answer. He valued James' friendship more than that.

“Giles, you are a good friend.” James stood still and smiled at Giles. “A very good friend and a very annoying one. All you’ve given me is more questions and we’ve only just touched on the first one.” Both men laughed out loud, not something James was familiar with, but when he was with Giles he was able to relax and laugh. “I do believe that it's time I talked with Martha about this. I will 'put it on the table' as you suggested, but will continue with the purchase. Unless, of course, Martha is in complete disagreement. Ron, my financial advisor, did show me options that can be applied to the five years of mortgage payments. The surprise, on our wedding day, will be when I give her the contract with her name on it. I think I may have been acting too much the butler and the controller, but it’s always been Martha who has steadied my ship when I’m about to veer off course.”

“Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.”

~ Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist