The Apple Tree - 9. Chapter 9

Sunday morning we slept in till the phone woke us. It was dad telling us where to meet. I kissed Tony as I started to get out of bed, only to feel a pair of arms around me pulling me back to bed. "Tony, if we don't get up we won't have time for breakfast."

"I'll have breakfast in bed."

And we did, I was beginning to like Tony's protein shakes.

At 10:30 we decided to shower and get dressed. This time there was no need for a long shower as we're exhausted from breakfast. Walking down to the grandparents, Tony kept smiling like a Cheshire cat. I didn't know why and didn't care as long as he was happy.

We had a coffee with my grandparents and then headed to Edgemont to meet dad. We pulled into the restaurant's parking lot. I didn't see dad's truck, checking my watch, we were 15 minutes early. Entering the restaurant we were seated at a table for six. My grandparents ordered coffee while I explained to the waitress we were waiting for one more.

"Jim, while we wait for dad, I want to show you something."

Tony showed me a building across the street. It looked like a medical building. I gave Tony a questioning look.

"That's the building where most of the doctors in Edgemont have their offices. But what I want to show you is around the corner."

We walked around the corner and I started to laugh. A sign over the door announced this was a Health Clinic. I looked at Tony and he had a shit-eating grin on his face. Entering the building there was a receptionist and what looked like examination rooms. The receptionist gave us forms to fill out which didn't take long. Once we handed the completed forms to the receptionist, she picked up the phone and called someone. A nurse came and asked us to follow her to one of the examination rooms. There she took a blood sample and we were told they would mail the results. "It'll take 7 to 10 days for you to receive the results."

We paid the fees and made sure they had the correct addresses. Leaving the Clinic we ran back to the restaurant. Just as we arrived, we saw dad's truck pull in. Quickly we ducked into the restaurant giving dad the impression we were waiting there with my grandparents. When my dad sat down he explained that he forgot to get gas for the truck and that was why he was late. "So since I'm late, I'll buy lunch."

We ordered lunch and chit-chatted while we waited for our food. "Dad, grandfather is going to sell me his car."

"I didn't know you had to have a blood test to buy a car, must be something new."

I looked at Tony his face was red and I'm sure mine was just as red. My grandparents were laughing and so was my dad. I couldn't figure out how he knew we had given a blood sample. My grandfather pointed to my arm, and there was a piece of gauze taped to where they took the sample. I thought we were very clever only to be tripped up with a piece of gauze.

Tony and I ate lunch in silence. I didn't know how dad and my grandparents were going to react. As it turned out they thought we did a responsible thing. As we left the restaurant, dad patted me on the back and with a smile, "Good thinking."

As we drove by the house, grandfather noticed there was no for sale sign out front. He borrowed my phone and called his friend. While he did that, Tony and I went and knocked on the door. Tony's uncle opened the door and invited us in. Tony told him we came to get the rest of his things. He just nodded as I followed Tony to his old room. Besides his books, we took a bookcase, a chest of drawers, and a nightstand. We carried these items to the porch where with dad's help I carried them to the truck. Tony went into the kitchen to talk to his uncle. When he came out to help with the last piece of furniture, he was smiling.

"Is everything ok? "

"Yes, actually it's great. Uncle apologized and he agreed to buy the house at the appraised amount. He'll pay me half of the appraised value if I decide not to push for the conditions of the will in regards to the house. I agreed to it."

Grandfather overheard Tony, "I think the provisions of the will have been met. He was to sell the house and give you half. The will didn't mention that your uncle couldn't buy it."

When we got home, I dropped the car at my grandparents at their home, Tony and I rode to the shack in the truck. As soon as we arrived, Tony jumped out of the truck, ran into the shack, and opened all the doors and windows. I started to laugh as I remembered what the shacked smelled like when we left this morning.

By the time we began to unload Tony's belongings, the wind did a good job of refreshing the shack. After placing all of the additional furniture, our bedroom became a bit tight. "I'm glad you didn't have more furniture, I don't know where we would have put it."

We thanked dad for helping, getting, and giving hugs.