Chapter 8

After Sally left, Garrett took her chair and began talking with Kathy. They caught up on all the personal happenings, then addressed the other elephant in the room. She said, "Garrett, I'm so sorry Daddy had to lay you off. Have you found work yet?"

"No, I haven't really been looking. I went ahead and enrolled in college again. I'm taking business courses and some construction and project management classes. I really like working with my hands but I still don't know what I want to do when I finish. Except for the Guard. I want to stay in for my 20 at least. I got promoted to Sergeant last month and the Captain is trying to talk me into going to Officers Candidate School (OCS) when I finish college and get my degree. I only have one year left after this one. He says I have turned my act around and he thinks I would make a good officer."

"Do you like the Guard that much? What if they call you up again? Instead of becoming an officer, have you thought about staying in construction? Or maybe you could purchase and do property rentals or both? You know I got my real estate license so I could work in mom's office and I see so many houses and other buildings that are worth the money. You could buy a house from time to time and fix it up then flip it."

"Yeah, I suppose I could do construction or rentals, but I don't know if I want to do that. It's a shame so many of the houses in town are still empty. Some of them are past fixing up, I'm afraid, and they wouldn't sell for much if they were in good repair. I'm afraid the old town is dead and just doesn't know it. It's a little too far for to the jobs for a bedroom community and there's nothing local to keep people living there. They all move to where the jobs are or, after they get old, they move to town so they can be near family or health care. I really think I will go for OCS and stick with the Guard. I can keep working part time and do the guard and live ok. Gramps left me enough to get by on."

"Is that all you want? To get by? I can live with the Guard if that is what you really want to do, but we need more than that. You know even if you didn't do something in our town, you could do it elsewhere."

"I'll think about it, Kath. I do like messing with remodels and building and I could set my own hours if I only worked on my own projects. I kinda like that."

After Kathy got out of the hospital she and Garrett became an acknowledged couple. They were inseparable like they had been in the past before his ill-advised date with Sarah. Three months later, Geoffrey Goddard, Kathy's attacker, went to trial. This time Daddy's money didn't get him completely off but it helped. He was sentenced to 3 months in county and forced to go to an alcohol detox hospital to dry out. Neither Kathy nor Garrett was completely happy with the sentence but at least he was sentenced this time.

On April 1 Kathy came up to Garrett's place about her normal time—right after she got off work—and bounced across the balcony to plop down on his lap. After their hello kiss she said, "Garrett, I heard a great rumor. Hell, it's more than a rumor. You know the White Oak Cabinet shop burned about a month ago over in Neosho? Well, they just signed a contract to buy the old Eagle Picher plant up on the hill here in town. They're going to equip it and build cabinets there. They'll move all their production down here. They have 43 employees now and plan to hire at least 7 to 10 more. Some of the employees were living in company owned apartments that were damaged so much in the fire they were condemned. I bet we could rent some of them houses here in town if we had some ready to go."

"That sounds good but we don't have the houses and I bet those folks already have another rental. Well, yeah, I'm sure they do, but they won't want to drive 22 miles one way every workday when they can drive a mile or even walk to work in nice weather. I really think you should buy those four houses we were talking about here in town and do a quick renovation so you can rent them."

"I don't know. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to think about it. Now, what do you want to do today?"

"Go look at the houses some more!"

"Besides that. How about we go to town for a while and get a pizza?"

While they were eating their pizza Kathy made a face and said, "This place used to be so good. Heck, I can make a better pizza than they've served the last several times I've been here. And their salad bar has gone to pot, too."

"Yeah, you're right. That pizza you make is awesome. We should have just stayed home and made pizza there."

"Well, that wouldn't have worked. I know we don't have the ingredients and I bet you don't, either."

"No, you're right. Well, if you're done, let's get on down the road. I need to make another stop before we go back home."

They got into Garrett's old Ranger and drove down to the mall. They walked almost the entire distance around the mall interior then Garrett guided Kathy into a jewelry store. A clerk came up to them and asked if she could help them. Garrett said, "Yes. I'm Garrett Mans. They were sizing a ring for me."

"Of course, sir. Let me check to see if it's ready."

When the woman left Kathy turned to Garrett and said, "What are you getting a ring for, Garrett? You don't wear jewelry."

"No, I don't, but it's not for me. I was sort of hoping you would wear it. I, uh, It's an engagement ring and I was hoping you would marry me and,"

"GARRETT MANS! That is about the lamest proposal I've ever heard of. Is that the best you can do? Oh, well, never mind. I'm sure it is, knowing you. I shouldn't, but yes, I'll marry you. Now, let's see that ring."

The smiling clerk was standing beside them when Kathy stopped talking. She looked at Kathy and said, "I have to agree with you, honey. Are you sure you want to marry someone that takes you for granted like he just did?"

"Oh, yes. You have no idea. Now let me see my ring. Oh, It's gorgeous!" She slipped it on her finger and jumped to hug Garrett. Soon a happy couple was headed out of the mall. Kathy was leaning against Garrett, head on his shoulder and her arm wrapped around his waist. Every so often she would raise her finger to look at her ring. That night, for the first time in their relationship, Kathy did not go home after a date. 'Nuff said.

The next morning, after their "snuggling," Garrett said, "I guess I'll call Mr. Douglass today and see what he thinks about your idea, Kathy. If you and your mom will keep managing the properties we might do a couple more rentals. We can see about flipping houses, but I don't think I'm really interested in that for some reason. I have all the money I can ever spend and I really don't want to work that hard. I think maybe I'll put in a few crops on Gramps old farm and just do the rentals on the side. I can be happy with that. Hell, it was good enough for him. We'll have more income than he did because we still have his stocks and I've invested a lot of the money we got from the bank vault. Then there is the rental income and what I make in the Guard. No, I think that will be plenty for me. Besides, as I get more rank I can pull some extra duty in the Guard from time to time and make more active duty pay that way."

"Ok, whatever you think, honey." Kathy gave him a quick kiss and skipped for the door. Just before she went out, she said, "I've got to get home and change so I can get to work. Mom will have to have a blow by blow before the morning is over, you can count on that. See you tonight."

Mr. Douglass was able to see Garrett before he went home that afternoon. During the conversation, he said, "I don't see a problem with rental housing, Garrett, but I think you should form a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) to protect you from lawsuits. I can set one up for you for about $250. It will only take a day or two for me, and then we have to wait for the state to do its thing. What would you want to name it?"

"That's an easy one. We'll call it GKM Properties, LLC."

When he got home that evening Kathy was waiting on him. Before he even sat down she said, "Well, what did he say?"

"He doesn't think it's a bad idea. He did say we should form a LLC to protect us from lawsuits. He's taking care of that. We can go ahead and buy those houses. Do the paperwork as GKM Properties, LLC. Oh, and I really don't want anyone to know I'm involved in the ownership if we can help it. They'll see me working on the buildings and will think I'm just a maintenance man or something. I don't want mom sniffing around if I can help it. If she or Bea smell money they'll be there."