Chapter 14 - Restoring the House
The afternoon sun streamed through the restored leaded-glass windows of 4200 Beverly Drive.
A team of interior designers and contractors had spent the last two months gutting the house from top to bottom. Every piece of furniture Grant had ever touched was sold off at charity auction. The marble console table by the entryway was replaced by a magnificent hand-carved oak credenza.
The front lawn, once torn up by the storm, was blooming with fresh white hydrangeas and southern magnolias.
I stood in the grand foyer, feeling the absolute peace of a space that was finally, truly my own.
My phone rang in my pocket. It was an email alert from Vance Globalâs acquisition desk:
Subject: Integration Complete â Whitmore Patents Re-branded as Vance Automated Logistics. Q3 Projections up 14%.
I smiled, closing the phone screen.
A soft knock sounded at the open front door.
Arthur Vance walked in, holding a small velvet jewelry box in his hand.
"The contractors did exceptional work, Claire," my father said, looking around the bright, open entryway.
"It finally feels like home, Dad," I replied, walking over to embrace him.
May you like
Arthur opened the velvet box. Inside lay my mother's South Sea pearl earrings, cleaned and restored to a brilliant, iridescent luster.
"These belong to you," my father said softly, placing the box in my hands. "Just as they always did."
