Timothy - 104. Chapter 104

I sent a letter to Charles Struthers concerning the sale of the lodge. I told him that I had received several offers to buy the lodge, but I thought he might want to keep it in the family. I asked him to contact me as soon as possible as my buyers are anxious to obtain the property.

“Tim, what do you think he’s going to do?”

“I think he will want to buy it. If we lived closer and were into hunting and fishing, I would want to keep it. I think I’ll get a letter with an offer.”

Two weeks later, I received a letter from Charles Struthers stating that he had discussed the lodge with the family and would like to keep it in the family. They will match any offer that I have. I phoned him, and I agreed to meet him at the lodge.

I told Alex and Ann Marie, and they decided to go with Stephen and me when we met Charles Struthers at the lodge. We arrived one day before the Struthers arrived, and I gave Alex the grand tour, and he was impressed.

The Struthers children arrived in the morning, and Ann Marie met with her college friend. Charles, the oldest, introduced his brothers and sister, and I introduced Stephen and Alex. Then we got down to business, sitting around the dining room table, and I showed Charles the offerings from two hotel chains.

“Mr. Walkins, we can’t compete with these offers unless you allow us to make payments. We can make a substantial down payment, and the remaining money we can pay monthly, or I’ll need some time to arrange a loan from the bank.”

I thought about that proposal. A substantial payment I could put into an interest-bearing account, and that account would be restricted to Ann Marie by requiring my signature and hers for any withdrawal. Future payments would be Alex and Ann Marie’s.

I agreed to Charles’s proposal after talking it over with Alex, Ann Marie, and Stephen. I told Charles I’d draw up the papers, and the down payment would be required at the signing. Charles asked when the documents would be ready, and I told him by the end of the week. I had a draft with me, and now I can complete the agreement.

Arriving home, we had dinner at our favorite diner.

That night in bed, “You have finished all of your projects.”

“Well, not all. We need to think about our future.”

“Is Donnie going to help us?”

“I don’t know. He hasn’t said anything, but when he visits, he just smiles.”

I sent the papers to Charles via special delivery. The following Monday, I received the signed documents and a check for the down payment. I called Alex to have him and Ann Marie meet me at the National Bank which was close to the hospital.

We met with the branch manager, and I told him how I wanted the investment account set up. I gave him Charles Struthers’s check for deposit. Withdrawals will require Ann Marie’s and my signature. I then asked the manager to set up an account for Alex and Ann Marie. I explained to Ann Marie that future payments by Charles would be deposited into this account. I explained to Alex that the account requiring my signature and Ann Marie’s was for future emergencies. Alex knew about Ann Marie’s initial extravaganza with the 10,000 dollars.

This concluded my responsibility for Ann Marie. Now we had their wedding to occupy our time. Stephen and I decided to give them a cruise on the Danube River as a wedding gift.

Laying in bed next to Stephen, “Tim, is there anything else that is going to occupy your time? Tom is doing fine, and Ann Marie is doing fine. We need to think about our future.”

I knew what he meant. It was time to think about adopting children, and I will let Donnie handle that.