Chapter 05

The Wedding

Both Pat and Rosa do well in their studies and they get good scores in all of their exams. Rosa has to go home to be involved in the preparations for their wedding so Pat pays for her to fly home a few days after their final exams for the year while business affairs keep Pat in Fayetteville until early June. When he can Pat packs up his Yukon and drives to the ranch to stay in his room until the wedding on the last Saturday of June.

On the day of the wedding Rosa is surprised to see her best friends from college and their housemates are at the wedding. Pat flew them down the night before in a private charter aircraft and they’ll fly back in a few days time. Both the wedding and reception are very well attended. The happy couple are surprised to see the Governor of Texas and their local Member of Congress in attendance, but the Mayor of Eagle Pass being there is no surprise.

Their first night of married life is spent in a local hotel and after they attend church on Sunday, which is very well attended, then they leave from the church in their Yukon. It seems like the entire population of the county is there to see them off, probably because it almost is.

They take their time driving to and exploring the cities Rosa said she wanted to see: Fort Worth - Dallas, Oklahoma City, Kansas City, St Louis, Nashville, and Memphis. Although each leg of the trip is a short drive it’s mid July before they arrive at their booked cabin at the camping grounds by Grogan’s Lake. They spend the rest of their summer holiday break in a resort cabin enjoying the facilities while they learn more about them.

Pat’s Junior Year

In the week before classes commence the couple moves back to their apartment with them both in the master bedroom. Rosa’s old bedroom is turned into a combination guest bedroom and study room. Rosa will do her Master’s in Business Administration while Pat finishes his degree.

The first few weeks are busy for Rosa and Pat while they get back into the swing of the studies as they work for a good understanding of their new subjects. They even spend their first three weekends reading ahead in their text books.

On the first weekend in September Pat and Rosa drive to the Park It Estate on the Saturday morning. On the way down Rosa looks out at the light rain as she says, “The rain looks like it’s going to be falling all day. Why are we going to the lake on a rainy day?”

Pat replies, “Actually, we’re going to the estate to look at our house to decide what colours we want the rooms painted.”

Rosa’s head spins around while she shouts, “Our house!”

The House

“Yes. I had Jack design a house for us on the estate. It’s on the lot in the north-east corner. I’ve not seen it yet, but I approved the plans. It’s a big place with most of the lot as a backyard because the buildings are as close to the front of the lot as is allowed and they run across the lot to form an ’L’ shape. Although it looks like one building it’s really two with a covered walkway joining them. On the left running along the fence to the forest area is an eight car garage with a deep carport in front of it for another four cars out of the sun and rain. The building includes a fifty foot by twenty foot indoor swimming pool with a sauna plus two hot tubs, one for up to six people and one for up to twenty people. The upper level of the building has spacious quarters for eight staff and a large gym. The main house is twenty-five feet from the garage building and is connected to it by the wide enclosed walkway going from the front left corner of the house to the hallway between the garage and the pool area. There’s a large covered patio and barbecue area between the buildings and the walkway with access from the house, the pool, and the walkway. The walkway is also two levels so people can cross between the buildings at both levels to simplify access to the gym area. The main house is on two levels with fifteen bedrooms upstairs plus spacious entertaining and family areas downstairs. There’s also a well set out sunning area on the roof that’s protected from the rain and snow by some lightly tinted glass. All of the bedrooms have their own shower, toilet, and sink area as well as having access to three bathrooms with large bathtubs while the master bedroom includes an attached den as well as a full bathroom with bath, shower, double sink, and toilet. The main entrance is in the corner of the house beside the walkway. Because the residence has to be six feet from the fence on the other house side there’s a high-roofed garden shed between the house and the fence which looks like it’s a part of the house. Access to the ground floor is by ramps because all of the floors are built four feet off the ground to be clear of the snow, except for the garage floors. The deep carport area slopes up from ground level to thirty inches off the ground. Everything is as well insulated as it can be, the house uses low voltage power with highly energy efficient gear, and all the water is recycled as much as possible. It’s your job to choose the colours for the rooms, subject only to an objection if I really hate a colour you pick. You also have to select all of the furniture for the house.”

“What about carpets and curtains?”

“They’re your job too. The house plans are in the tube behind my seat if you want to look at them.” Rosa is so fast in grabbing the tube to get at the plans Pat is surprised they don’t burst into flames from the air friction. She spends the rest of the drive studying the plans while asking questions about the house.

When they reach the house Pat parks in the carport in front of the four car wide eight car garage so they can exit the car without getting wet. There’s an extended roof on the walkway to allow access to the front door without them having to go out into the rain, so Pat takes them in through the front door. The door opens into a reception area which has the stairs to the upper level as well as doors to the walkway, the dining room, and the lounge room. Rosa is very happy wandering through the house while deciding on colours from the paint, carpet, and fabric charts Pat brought. Pat notes the paint and carpet codes for each room on a copy of the plans he’s carrying. Five hours after they arrive they’ve notes on the plans for all of the paint, carpet, and curtain fabric choices, so they drive home.

Rosa spends the next Monday after classes with Jack while they visit suppliers so Rosa can confirm her choices of the fabrics and patterns for the carpets and curtains as well as the paint for each room. Jack arranges to have all of the painting done on Tuesday and Wednesday so the paint will be dry for the carpet and curtain people to have safe access to measure everything on the Friday. On the Thursday and Friday of the following week all of the carpets and curtains are installed.

For the next three weeks Rosa spends her spare time of a morning and afternoon going through the many furniture stores in the area. On the weekends she has Pat with her to show him her choices to make sure he’s happy with them. Rosa does a plan of where the furniture will go in each room and she gives it to Jack so she can supervise the deliveries made while Rosa is at college. Most of the furniture is delivered on the Friday of the week following the carpets being laid, with the last of the furniture being delivered on the Saturday morning under Rosa’s supervision. Naturally, Pat spends Saturday afternoon moving the furniture just a little bit to have it sitting exactly where Rosa wants it to be. When they finish placing the furniture Pat takes photos of every room to help them plan the layout of the paintings and other wall decorations in the main house and common use areas of the staff quarters. The staff bedrooms will be left to the staff to decorate when they hire them.

The following weekend they visit the house to place some of their clothes and personal items in the house. They also go through the house deciding on what electronics goods they’ll buy and where to place them.

Staff

On the Friday afternoon five weeks after Pat shows Rosa the house Pat is at the house while waiting for the people delivering the electronics to arrive. They’re all special order items because the house is wired for low voltage direct current only, to make the best use of the wind turbine and solar panel provided electricity. There was a six day heavy rainstorm for most of the week so Jack is on hand with some staff to check the house to ensure there were no leaks. They’re all happy there aren’t any leaks.

Jack was worried about leaks caused by high wind damage, but all is well. The house stood up to the high winds. She turns to Pat and says, “I wasn’t really worried about damage anywhere except the front of the house. Despite the back fence being way down the yard the back of the house is well protected by the strong high fence and the Interstate. Also, the side fences protect the sides. However, the front faces the open park areas between the main part of the estate and the forest so all the winds coming up there hit the front. Which is why I built it double strength and with double insulation. That’s where you’ll get the most weather from as it also faces one of the prevailing wind directions. That’s why the strong clear windbreak is on the front end of the carport area to keep it dry.”

Pat replies, “I’m glad you checked and confirmed all is well, but I didn’t expect any problems after I studied the plans and saw how well you designed it to survive the weather here. On another issue, I know the Lovett companies employ a lot of part-time people. I’d like you to keep an eye out for some good person interested in full-time work for me as a handyman to look after the grounds and to do any grunt work wanted here. I’m also after someone as a maid and cleaner, plus a good cook who can also take on the job of bossing the other two as the lead staff person.”

A smiling Jack turns to Pat and asks, “Does it matter if the handyman can’t talk?” Pat raises an eyebrow at her and she laughs before adding, “I know of a fellow who’s a great landscaper, gardener, and handyman. He worked for his grandfather’s business until the owner died and his sons sold the business. The new owner didn’t like him. Few of our people know sign language, so that limits who he can work with. He has good hearing and he understands what’s said to him, but he can only write notes or uses sign language to communicate back. That means we can only put him on jobs with one of the two supervisors we have he can reply to. His wife is one of our full-time cleaners, but I can talk Dad into letting her go if you’re employing them both here full-time.”

“OK. Have them visit me one evening next week so Rosa and I can see what they’re like. If we like them I’ll arrange for them to visit to look over the house. If I hire them I’ll have to find a cook who knows sign language as well as cooking.”

Juan, one of Jack’s team standing nearby, asks, “Will it matter if the cook has only half a leg?”

Pat replies, “As long as they cook good and have a way to move about the kitchen by themselves I don’t care how many legs they have. Why?”

“My mother’s youngest sister lost half a leg to a roadside bomb nearly two years back. Mom’s parents run the best restaurant in El Paso and all of their kids are great cooks.”

“From what you say about the bomb I gather she’s ex-military.”

“Aunt Cassidy was a sergeant running a transport group in the Third Brigade Combat Team of the Eighty-second Airborne Division when the truck she was in got blown up by a bomb in the road. She lost her leg just below the knee. They gave her a promotion to Sergeant First Class prior to letting her go for medical reasons.”

Pat hands over one of his business cards while saying, “Tell her I want to try out her cooking so she has to visit me. If she needs transport she’s to call me and I’ll arrange it. Does she know sign language?”

Juan takes the card while saying, “Yes. All of the family does. One of her brothers is deaf and dumb so they all learned it as kids. I’ll see she gets there in time to cook you lunch and then dinner tomorrow.”

The next day Sergeant First Class Cassidy Walker is driven to the Warren house by Juan. At Pat’s request she checks what’s in Ann’s cupboards then she proceeds to cook a delicious lunch for them all. When Rosa requests a few foods for dinner Cassidy checks the cupboards and hands Rosa a list for the foods needed to cook the meal. Pat interviews Cassidy while Rosa is out shopping. Near the end of the interview they move onto general conversation.

At one point Cassidy says, “I prefer to be called Cass. Also, why are you wearing BDUs?”

Pat grimaces before he replies. It’s been over a decade, but it still hurts him to talk about it. He says, “When I was ten years old I was orphaned when my family was killed by a drugged rectum driving a sports car. I was sent to live with my grandfather in Texas. He had a bunch of retired military living with him on his ranch. Most worked together in the Army. They all wore BDUs, so they dressed me the same. Now I’m just too used to wearing them. I’m also a member of a private local militia unit there and I do a lot of the ROTC training too.” The talk moves on.

The dinner meal is a great success so Cass is hired. Pat says, “Cass, I want to hire you as our cook. You’ll also be the head of the house staff. I hope to interview a handyman and a cleaner in the next few days. I’d like you to be here when I do.” He hands over a piece of paper with a rate of pay on it Melanie told him is appropriate for the work as set out, adding, “This is the pay rate I’m told is applicable. I’ll provide housing and you’ll eat with us, except when we have a formal meal of some sort. I’ll buy an electric car for you to use to get around for shopping etcetera. Do you want the job?”

She looks at the slip of paper and her eyes go wide before she says, “I want the job! Thank you for hiring me.”

“One last thing. If your prosthetic gives you any trouble say so and you can have the time you need to get it fixed. Also, I hear there’s a good guy who makes prosthetics in Fort Smith. I want you to go organise a spare at my expense so I can know you’ve a good one at all times.”

Cass is so surprised she can’t speak for almost a minute, then she asks, “Why are you doing that?”

“My grandfather taught me you always look after family and it’s extended to include those you work with and their family. When he left the service he was Master Sergeant Daniel Riley of the Five Oh Fourth. So you’re family too.” Cass is moved by his response and she simply smiles while she holds back the tears.

The next night the interview of Ned and Louise Winslow goes well and all are happy with the house staff hired. During the week all three move to the house’s staff quarters and then they finish furnishing their personal rooms to suit themselves.

During the following months additional equipment is added to the gym on the advice of a rehabilitation therapist. The extra equipment is to enable Cass to keep as fit as possible despite her injuries making it hard for her to use a lot of the commonly used equipment already in the gym.

All of the staff provide lists of equipment to help them perform their duties better and Pat purchases it all for them.

Having staff in the house makes life easier for Pat and Rosa because they know the house is ready for them to stay there any time they wish to. Life soon settles into an easy routine with them spending many weekends at the house while still living in the rented apartment during the week so they can attend college.

Both their studies go well during the year and nothing significant happens to them, other than establishing their new home. One thing Pat does during the year is to move the rest of his guns to Arkansas to keep some in the gun-safes at each of his residences. He has all of the proper licences for the guns but the laws stop him from carrying a gun on the campus so he doesn’t take any guns with him when he goes to the university or his journey may end up on the university campus.

The rest of the year passes without anything of note happening. Both Rosa and Pat pass their exams well. They spend their summer living in the house, except for the few weeks Pat spends at an ROTC camp.

Pat’s Senior Year

Pat’s ROTC studies ramp up a bit with two camps of two weeks long spent on Army posts, one during Spring Break and one in June, as well as being away to several weekend long activities. The rest of his classes go well with the only other difficulty in his studies being the time it takes him to travel to the school where he does the practical class part of his teacher training. This is due to him being assigned to a high school about half an hour’s drive away from the college. Rosa is also kept busy with her MBA studies, so she doesn’t miss Pat as much as she thought she would. They both pass all of their exams well and Pat has a good report from his student teaching supervisor.

The only problem in their life concerns the construction of one of the last houses in the Park It Estate. The weather is improving after winter and their class schedules give both Pat and Rosa Mondays free, so they have three day weekends every weekend. Which turns out to be a good thing because the problem starts on a Monday morning in February.

Now Pat has a permanent residence in Arkansas he transfers his VFW membership to the post in the nearby town when it’s due for renewal. This is so he can better interact with the town and the local veterans.

Service Issues

Pat is on his morning exercise run on a nice sunny but cold February Monday morning when he reaches the river and turns to run beside the river down to the main road. After making the turn he can see down to the road and he’s surprised to see some trucks with heavy equipment at the guardhouse. The trucks aren’t from one of the approved construction companies so he wonders why they’re here. The company name on the trucks and machinery isn’t familiar, so it’s not a local one either.