Chapter 20

She went back to her desk and sat down. She glanced over at me and winked. She pulled out a schoolbook and started reading.

RING

Picking up, she said,

“Good afternoon and thank you for calling The Armstrong Family Real Estate Company, ‘If you list with us – someone will buy it!’”

“Yes, I’ll connect you,” she said, causing my phone to ring. I saw that Dad had looked up to watch her. He seemed impressed.

“Hello, my name is Stuart Armstrong ... how may I help you today?”

The call was the delivery company, following up on the delivery.

The rest of the day was quiet. We left in our two cars, meeting back at home.

The following Thursday, I left at noon to go take my Real Estate Test. Dad gave me a good-luck handshake as I left. I showed back up with Sari and a big smile on my face.

We both went to our desks, and I sat down.

“Well?” he said, “I know you don’t get the results for about three or four days, but how did it go?”

“I’m only sure that I got one wrong, Dad. However, otherwise I’m positive I passed it,” I said. “I guess I am something of a ‘lame duck’ Realtor, until I get my license.”

“Stuart, I have some friends at the PBR; we’ll have your Realtor number by tomorrow. I called in a favor,” he said.

“Thanks, John – I appreciate that!”

Sari giggled at that, and was looking at her high school math book. I received a text.

‘My GED test is next Friday; can you take me?’

‘What time is it?’

‘Nine in the morning!’

‘No Problem, will schedule with Dad later! Love you!

‘Love you more!’

We went back to what we were doing. I had a box of forms, I was putting away, and adding to the inventory. Sari was math smart, so I emailed the excel doc I created.

She opened it up, and motioned at me to come over.

“Yes, Miss Armstrong?”

“Can I change this document, Stuart? There are some things I can do to improve it,” she said.

“Certainly, remember that if we run out of anything, I’ll be the one who gets a chewing out, all right!”

“Yes Sir, I understand,” she said, adding a big smile.

I went back to my work.

She got up and went to the supplies cabinet, looking for something, getting out the Dymo gun. She put her school stuff away, and proceeded to make some Dymo labels. I figured out what she was doing. I should have thought of it myself, but she took the mundane project and turned it into something to help us all.

When complete, she called both Dad and me to the supplies’ cabinet. “Gentlemen, all the generic RE Forms have a place to be kept, and are now labeled for all of us to keep organized, please. Our specific PBR Forms are all on the fourth shelf, similarly labeled. I plan to take an inventory monthly, and will task Stuart to show me how to re-order them in the future. Ordering forms is a perfect assignment for the new kid, me. Are there any questions?”

“No,” I said. “Nice job, sis!”

“Very good ideas, to keep track of them all like that. Stuart, I would’ve expected that kind of idea out of you; great idea Sarah.”

I stayed quiet, and let Dad think that Sari decided to do that on her own. It would raise her stock with her father.

After sitting back down, I got a text.

‘Why did you let Daddy think I did that?’

‘It will help you when we are ready to announce you’re ‘with child.’’

‘Thank you, love you’

‘I know!’

At home that night, Mom said to wash up; dinner was just about ready.

We were getting one of our family’s favorite meals tonight; homemade noodles, with chicken pieces. One of us has always helped Mom make this before. The fact that we were all unavailable, worried me, I went back down to talk with Mom for a minute.

“Hey beautiful!” I said.

“Yes Stuart, are you wanting to tell me why I didn’t get any help on this today? When had you planned to let me know that your sister started work ... today?”

“Joy, a couple of things happened, and I didn’t realize the ramifications, until we just now got home, I’m sorry?” I said, putting my arms around her.

“A heads up would’ve been nice, Stuart. I was sure that I was forgetting something that you had told me. I almost called her school. However, I was certain that I was overreacting and plugged away at this difficult meal all by myself,” she said.

Sari and Dad walked in, as I pulled from her, and helped to bring this meal to the table. During the meal, there wasn’t much conversation, although I did get a couple looks from Joy.

“Joy, did Stuart tell you that he took his Real Estate Licensing Exam today?” dad asked, sounding excited?

“No, he didn’t. He must’ve been too busy to tell me that, how do you think you did, Stuart?” she said between bites of dinner.

“There was a question about water rights, that was written in a way that I thought I got it wrong. Other than that, I thought I did really well,” I responded.

Sari joined in and said, “I hope it wasn’t about ‘riparian rights, ‘ Stuart. I remember testing you, and you had it word perfect, when we studied together. A landowner has the right to a ‘reasonable use’ of the water on his property. All riparian landowners have equal rights, and the water is tied to and cannot be severed from the land title.”

“Would you listen to her, Joy – she’ll be ready to join the company as a Realtor, when she turns 18 as well,” dad said proudly of his daughter.

“Excuse me a moment,” mom said getting up from the table, and going into the kitchen.

“Did I say something that I shouldn’t have?” dad said out loud.

“No, Dad – Mom is pissed at me, for a completely different reason. I’ll be right back,” I said, getting up to check on her.

I carefully went into the kitchen and saw her, at our breakfast table, dabbing at her eyes.

“Mom, can we talk a moment please?”

No response – I sat down anyway.

I put my hand on hers and said, “Is there more to this than what we talked about, Beautiful?”

“Don’t try to be charming right now, there are other things going on that you don’t know about honey,” she said.

“Does is have to do ... with your being pregnant, Joy?”

She stopped mewling and looked at me, “How did you know about that?”

“I’ve been around pregnant girls my own age, so I detected this,” I lied.

“It’s just that ... all of you are gone all day. When your sister didn’t show up when I expected, I realized that I would be alone most of the time, now. I feel so old and left behind!”