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ladymelissaduthe · 5 years ago

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Challenge #1.75

Aka The Greenhouse RP with Jackson (Day Mode)

a/n: this is by far my fav fic so far JKDSNKDJK also I really just want this out because,,, reasons YEETHAW

Thank you Bri @jackson-graham for this RP and Jackson, the sweetest bean around. (I love him, okay????) Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this one as much as I’ve enjoyed writing this one. (3696 words)

I really love plants, most especially flowers.

Plants always brightened up a room whenever you placed them by a windowsill.

All they ask is a little tender love and care, some water, and some sunlight.

Plants also didn’t typically weren’t around secret passageways in full blown dark mode.

It was safe to say that after getting trapped in that one secret hallway in the palace, I was going to avoid the library for a little while to make sure I didn’t end up in another precarious situation, only this time with no one to really help me.

That’s probably why I liked the palace’s greenhouse among all the places here, more than the palace gardens themselves.

It was bright, but not too hot. The surrounding greenery kept the greenhouse cool enough to lounge around in. It reminded me of my own garden back in Orleans, except it was probably twenty times larger. My favorite part about it was that no one else frequented it. I guess people preferred the palace air conditioning.

It was nice to walk around the greenhouse and be one with the greens, maybe soak in the sunlight just for a while and feel it warm my skin. Vegans have to photosynthesize somehow.

As usual the main entrance was open. The light hum of some watering system the palace filling the room. The west side of the greenhouse was full of vegetables and easy to grow fruits: tomatoes, eggplants, raspberries…

Sometimes I was tempted to pick some from their stems and sneak some of the flowering citrus plants here. Angeles was hot enough to grow those kinds of fruits, just like Orleans really.

The east side was mostly flowering plants aside from a bit of extra aesthetic weeds. I had a feeling that the gardeners here grew some of the flowers here before moving them to other spots in the main garden. There were occasionally patches of flowers that would be empty the next day, probably relocated to somewhere else on the grounds.

My eyes scan through the kinds of flowers. They kept a lot of flowers I was familiar with, actually. Floral arrangements were a regular aspect of my job back home, if not something I loved to do.

I got secondhand butterflies every time a bride asked me to help piece together her bouquet, or whenever I would go to my flower supplier and see the fields and varieties of flowers they have got. The options were always lovely, no matter the season.

A lot of flowers grew around these parts. Roses, veronicas, lavender, dahlias, daisies, hydrangeas. I wonder if the palace kept sunflowers.

Oh, a chunk of the gardenias were gone. I wonder where they were moved.

I could barely make it out, but there was some movement close to the dahlias.

Maybe it was a gardener who could help me figure out where the gardenias had moved.

I walk towards the dahlia section to investigate, stopping right in my tracks when I get a better view.

“Oh, well good afternoon.” I say before I feel my foot go behind mine in a quick dip.

The other person pops up from where they were half hidden by a couple of taller plants.

Dark hair, nice eyebrows, and a warm smile.

Jackson Graham…. with a couple of flowers in his gloved hand.

“Good afternoon, Missy.”

“Hello, Jackson.” I smile at him, still eyeing the flowers in his hand.

Dahlias. Lisianthus, and Roses. Boy’s got some good taste.

I gesture to the bunch.

“Pretty bunch of flowers you’ve got over there.” I lift an eyebrow. “Special Occasion? A date?”

A short laugh comes from Jackson.

“No. No, not a date.” He holds up the flowers in his gloved hands, “My mom’s birthday.”

Wow. You don’t typically see a boy making a bouquet from scratch. I feel a smile creeping on my lips.

“Oh, that’s so sweet.” I look over the flowers in his hands, curling my lips in. They were all focal flowers. I hope he wasn’t going to pick another huge flower to add to it, that would be a shame. He needed some greenery, some lines, some verticals to fill in the gaps.

“If that’s the case, mind if I make a suggestion?” I ask, impulsively wanting to help piece a bouquet together. It was one of those little things I missed about my job back at home.

“Um,” he looks down at the flowers for a second before looking up. “Sure. Why not?”

GREAT. I saw some line flowers close to the lavenders. I put my hands behind my back, looking for some nice line flowers.

I couldn’t help it, a part of me was itching to do something I used to do back home; and well, it looked like planning a wedding wasn’t exactly on the list. Floral arrangements, well—that was something close enough.

“I’m not being too intrusive, am I?”

He shakes his head. I really hope he didn’t mind me wanting to help.

“Not at all. I think if anyone knows about bouquets, it’s you.” A smile seems to grow on his face.

I laugh lightly, shaking my own head.

“Actually, most of the time, I don’t pick the bouquets.” I lift a shoulder up. “I just make… friendly suggestions.”

Friendly suggestions. Mama taught me to use that word when brides were two steps away from making some tacky choice. Thankfully, the clients I had usually asked me what I thought looked great or what was in style for the season. Friendly suggestions.

“Right, friendly suggestions.” Jackson chuckles softly before raising a brow, “I’m guessing they always take them.”

I consider it for a bit, bobbling my head still determined to find the perfect line flower.

“They do, but you’ll be surprised by the number of brides that still want their perfect Pinterest board weddings.” I muse before laughing ever so slightly at a few memories of how great a wedding they wanted on a specific budget.

“Happiest day of their lives is almost a paradox.” He says, and I catch him smiling to himself before he looks away.

“It’s my job to make them feel like they’re not stressed out,” I lift a shoulder, looking around the greenhouse before I catch the perfect addition by my feet.

“Aha! Found you.” I crouch down, making sure not to topple over in my platforms, inspecting the patch if they were fully grown. “Astilbe.”

False goat’s beard. Not the prettiest alternative name, but the flower was perfect to compliment the dahlias in Jackson’s hand. It also helped give some fullness to the bouquet.

I feel Jackson peek over my shoulder, “Looks nice.”

“They’re just filler flowers.” I look to him, holding a hand out for the scissors he was holding in his other hand. “You’ve picked out some real nice focal flowers though, just needs a little…” I wave a hand in the air, “jzhusing up to really make it pop.”

“Jzhushing?” I see the corner of his mouth tilt up as he offers me the scissors.

“Yes. Jzhushing. The difference of something that’s good and something that’s great.” I explain, giving him the explanation my Grammy used on me when I was a kid. That little something you add to make it extra special.

I snip at the stems, making sure not to destroy them, then standing up to hand it to Jackson to add to the bunch. “Jzhushing up.”

Jackson’s smile suddenly widens as I give him the stems. I hope he thought they were a good addition and smiling for the sake of just being nice.

“Any more suggestions on how to give my mom the best for her birthday?”

Well, he sounded genuine….

I place a hand on my chin, tapping it lightly. How else could I make this look even better?

“Dahlia, lisianthus, and roses are the focal, astilbe for the filler,” I blink, trying to figure the kind of flowers I could still help add. “You just need a line flower and some greenery, and you’re good to go.”

Jackson’s head turns slightly, giving me a half squinting side glance.

“Line flower.” He looks a bit amused. “You lost me.”

My smile tilts, right… it sounds kind of crazy without the explanations. “A tall flower, it’s meant to dictate the shape and height of the arrangement… or something like that.” My hand rises up slightly to make a gesture of height.

He seems to understand the term now. “The more extravagant for my mom, the better.” The amused look on his face doesn’t leave as he starts to arrange the Astilbes I gave him into the bunch.

“I’ll make sure that your mom’s bouquet turns out great.” I assure him, looking around the greenhouse for any line flowers and making my way around. I was determined to give him something pretty for his mom. I still thought that this was a sweet gesture. “Jumping off the effort you’re putting into this, I suppose you two are close?”

I hear his footsteps from behind me as he answers, “More or less. I still like to give her what I can regardless of that. What about you?”

“Me and my mother?” I bobble my head, my eyes still scanning the greenhouse. The answer way too easy. “She’s like my best friend.” I laugh. “It’s kind of weird for most people, but,” a giggle escapes me. “That’s what happens when you see her at work almost every single day.”

In all honesty, my mother didn’t feel like my mother. She had me when she was 17, and being pretty young… well… it felt like the two of us grew up around the same ages. At least Grammy was the mother figure we both needed.

“Family business.” There’s a half smile on his face. “Did it start with your mother?”

I shake my head at that. Knowing the humble beginnings of Duthé Debuts and Weddings. “Grandmother, actually. Grammy started it when my mom and dad got married.”

Grammy loved the idea of planning my parent’s wedding, young as they were. “First wedding she ever planned was in her very own backyard.”

My parent’s wedding.

“Quite the origin.” His focus shifts to one of the flower stems, picking at a small dead leaf. “Did you always want to follow in their footsteps?”

The answer to this was easy.

“For as long as I could remember.” I laugh. “I mean it’s all I’ve ever really know, ya know? Baking’s fun and all but it’s more of my dad’s thing, and well—someone needed to take over the business eventually.”

Oh wow, that sounded like I didn’t have a choice into this. In all honesty, Grammy and Mama wouldn’t have minded if I didn’t join the family business. It just so happened that I loved it anyway. Who couldn’t say no to planning weddings without having to actually getting married?

“No complaints though, I love my job.” I glance back to him, clarifying how happy my job actually made me.

He looks back up to me, giving me a curious look. “What’s your favorite part of the job?”

Another easy question.

“When the groom sees the bride for the first time in her wedding dress, hands down, no question.” I raise both of my hands to make a point. There was no arguing about that one single moment. “That part makes me cry inside a little every time.” I laugh at the memories of me holding one of my fellow coordinator’s hands whenever that moment happens, again: secondhand butterflies.

“What about you?” I ask, blinking for a second. Oh gosh, I think I forgot what exactly Jackson did. “Uh, I’m sorry… I… forgot your job.” I think I just wanted to dive into a bunch of plants from the embarrassment, but I settled for covering part of my face instead. I know we talked about this before in the kitchen. I know it was happy… it had something to do with animals.

He chuckles, shaking his head. Okay he didn’t look offended, thank God.

“It’s alright.” He clears his throat. “I work at an animal shelter. I start veterinary school in the fall.”

“Oh right, the just as happy job choice!” I chuckle to myself, “Saving little critters and treating them. I’m sorry, it’s hard remembering everything about everyone I’ve met here so far.” Sometimes I felt overwhelmed by it all, but that was a welcomed problem. To be surrounded by so many interesting people.

I blink once, bringing myself back to my conversation with Jackson. “So are you taking up any specializations in vet school?”

“You know, I’m still undecided actually.” He hums for a bit. “You’re the first person who’s asked me that in a while.” A breathy chuckle escapes him before he looks down at the flowers again.

“Well, it’s something to always keep in mind.” I bobble my head. “You still have a lot of time to decide, no rush amirite?”

“Not at all.” Jackson looks back up at me. “How’s the first couple weeks been?”

My eyes still try to search the greenhouse for the right line flowers, when he asks that.

“I don’t really have the right words to describe it.” I turn to look to him. “Exciting but also nerve-wracking? Informative but also a bit of an overload?” I feel myself curl my lips in. “Comfortable but also not?”

To be honest, living in the palace as Selected… was a paradox. I did quite like being called Lady Melissa Duthé, had a nice ring to it.

But oh boy, the whole living in the public eye, just waiting for Prince Arin to take me out on a date… that didn’t feel… nice.

Only adds to the amount of people I needed to keep on impressing.

“I think you’ve perfectly encapsulated what it’s like to be a royal.” I laugh at that. He smiles briefly before taking a seat on a nearby ledge. “Not that I would know completely. Mostly observed.”

“Have you and Arin really been friends since you were kids?” I ask, multitasking as a particular patch of greens catch my eye, making myself crouch down to get a better look.

“Pretty much. Though it’s Safiya who I was always a bit closer to when she could be torn away from my sister.” He seems to speak fondly about them, before he blinks and stands up straighter than he was a while ago.

“Your sister and the princess seem… close too.” I reach up and tuck some of my hair behind my ear. The princess and Felicity seemed close indeed based on our etiquette lesson from day 1 here in the palace.

My eyes catch a patch of Veronicas and I shuffle over to the nearby patch, and look up to Jackson. “Do you think these would do? These are Veronicas if I’m not mistaken.”

He looks over to the patch and nods quickly. “Yes. They look nice.” He reaches up to rub his nape before glancing away.

Why… was he… acting like that? Was it because of Felicity?

“I can imagine it might be odd. What with… Felicity.” Jackson then adds quietly.

I shrug, “Oh please, engagements are broken all the time.”

I take the pair of scissors and start snipping at the Veronicas, my hand then moving over to a nearby patch of silver dollars.

Engagements are broken all the time? Great observation, Melissa.

“Better to break it off earlier than,” I continue with a snip of veronicas and silver dollars, “after you’ve married someone. Now that’s messy.” I snip again at the flowers. Divorce. That indeed was the messier circumstance.

“I suppose that line of thinking is… efficient.”

“Well, being in the wedding industry makes you realize certain things.” I lift a shoulder, thinking about it. “If I had a bride or groom express doubts about marriage, typical action is to make sure that they’re still committed.”

God forbid that I have to see another bride walk down the aisle and watch a groom leave her standing alone at the altar. Never again.

I stand and hand over the new bunch of greens and flowers to Jackson.

Jackson’s eyebrows raise, taking the flowers. “Does that happen often?”

“Not too often,” I meet his eyes, “it just happens and I’d rather help make sure that there isn’t much long term damage.” If I were interested in the long term damage, I would have studied to become a Divorce lawyer. Now that would be ironic.

I click my tongue, the conversation topic digging a pit in my stomach. I didn’t want to talk about this anymore, or think about it.

“Most of the time, people reach the altar on my watch.” I point to the bouquet. “Does this look good enough for your mom?”

It just needed to be arranged a little more. Maybe I could convince him to let me just.. make… some adjustments.

Jackson lifts the bunch up, and higher to his nose to smell them. He flashes me one of those sincere smiles. “They’re beautiful. Thank you, it’s greatly appreciated.”

He glances around for a few moments, and walking over to a nearby bush of flowers, ones I didn’t quick recognize. I watch him as he bends to gently pluck one and walk back and hold it out to me.

“I know you gave me flowers, so here’s one for you. As a thanks.”

For a moment, I just stand there and look at the flower. It was definitely different from the ones he gave me. It was pretty.

I smile, taking the flower. “That’s mighty gentlemanly of you.” I laugh. “I just gave you a bunch of glorified decorative weeds.”

He laughs deeply, his eyes closing for a moment. “What my mother doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”

It was quite the adorable look on his face.

“Well,” I tilt my head and look away, not sure why I did before looking back to him and use the flower in my hand to point at the bouquet in his hand, I’ve outdone myself with this one. “at least it’s pretty. I hope she likes it.”

Jackson smiles before saying, “I’ll send you a thank you note if she does. If not, well, maybe you’ll get a weed.”

I shake my head at that, “No need to send me a thank you note, ooooor,” I lift a brow, “a weed.”

I look at it for a quick second before adding, “This was more your work than mine really. You might wanna wrap the bouquet in some paper and ribbon. Might help with the final presentation.” I give him a bright smile.

He nods his head once before starting to tug off his gloves and setting them on a table filled with other things. He then turns to me with knit brows.

“I think I forgot to ask why you came here.”

“I come here whenever I can.” I explain, my eyes scanning through the greenhouse. “I used to garden a lot back in Orleans and well, this greenhouse definitely is a lot better than what I had before back home. It’s a nice place to breathe and get out of that Women’s Room they usually ask us to stay in.”

“Do you actually garden here? Or is it more of sit and observe activity?” He asks, as I watch him take some string to tie all the stems together.

A part of me wishes I could garden in a place like this.

“Sit and observe, mostly. Can’t quite get my hands dirty over here, or well dresses like this.” I gesture to my dress, a light yellow number for today, before continuing. “Sometimes I’d find flowers that have fallen and press them into some old books. It’s a nice little routine.”

I don’t think I’ve told anyone that before.

“If you haven’t seen it already, I recommended a bench near the east corner.” Jackson gestures to the east side of the greenhouse. “Near the hydrangeas. Pretty secluded view of the gardens, especially near the sunset. I think you’ll enjoy it.” A small smile appears on his face, shifting to hold the bouquet with both of his hands.

“Thank you.” I look over to the east corner of the greenhouse, feeling myself smile while my hands fiddled with the flower Jackson gave me. I think I knew the spot he meant.

“I’ll take your word on that.” I add before my eyes fall back on Jackson and the bouquet, one of the pieces was sticking out and hanging dangerously. My hand reaches out to help fix it for him.

Jackson doesn’t look down immediately, looking slightly confused before a sheepish look ghosts his features. “I guess I should be more careful.”

“Wouldn’t want that to fall.” I can’t help but laugh before pulling my hand away. “It’d be a shame if it fell off while you were moving.” I put my hands behind my back, still fiddling with the flower Jackson gave me. I look around, the daylight having already started to fade.

It must be close to dinner time. I needed to retouch my make up, I needed to maybe change my dress. I must have gotten a bit of it slightly dirty.

“I guess it’s time for me to take my leave. I have to fix myself up for dinner.” I say before lifting up the flower, “Thank you again for this.”

“Sure.” A crooked smile forms on his face. “I um, I should be leaving for home. I have a delivery, thanks to you.”

“Be safe going home. It was nice talking to you again.” I remark, giving him a small wave with my free hand. I then take my leave towards the exit of the greenhouse, adding while I leave, “Give your mom my regards!”

“I will.” I hear Jackson say, catching him wave, a smile on his face from the corner of my eye.

As I walk back to my room, my eyes look down on the flower Jackson gave me.

I raise it up to my nose and smile.

I loved flowers.

#selection oc #selectionoc #selectionoc6 #~jackson tag #((I love Jackson okay?))#((HE IS THE SWEETEST))#((I PERSONALL SCREAMED WHEN JACKSON GAVE HER THE FLOWER))#missy fics #missy duthe #side rp tag

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pennys-th0ughts · 5 years ago

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Loser... 🥀

Neibolt Street 🏡 (Chapter 2)

After a long time living in the same town, that night became in a peculiar experience I would hardly forget. Liz and I took the first train to Derry at midnight wearing our outfits and carrying only a small bag of clothes. The night was pleasant and the sky was starry and clear. Summer nights were slowly leaving making way to cooler ones and bearable days, hot season was coming to its end and Liz and I would need to find some where to protect ourselves from the future cold.

Liz was sleeping using my legs as a pillow whilst I was resting against a feed bale using my bag of clothes also as a pillow. The train was at its full capacity and there was no room in the passengers wagons so we had to travel in the freight car until we could get to our destination. I woke up in the middle of the night with a start feeling a little disoriented and thirsty. I placed Liz's head in a comfortable position and got up to stretch my legs for a moment and drink some water. After having a couple of sips I began pacing from one corner of the wagon to another trying to remember the awkward dream I just had but most parts of it were blurry. Getting the pieces back together of a dream was usually not difficult for me but this time I couldn’t even remember, the only thing I was aware of was the feeling it left in me that was still making me shiver and those bright lights...

I was adrift in my thoughts when a hand landed on my shoulder and squeezed it gently. Liz was standing behind me with a soft smile and an inquiring look in her face. She was trying so hard to figure me out that sometimes I kept asking myself if I was worthy enough to be with her and her seemingly endless patience and understanding. She had become in my calm when tempestuous thoughts threatened to take away my inner peace. We had shared so much in so little time that thinking of spending the rest of my life with her and the time we still had ahead of us often took my sleep away at night. I grabbed Liz by the waist and hugged her gently whilst we were watching the moving night landscape.

Morning light and the first rays of sun began caressing our skin with its warm fingers and the distant chirping was far but still charming. We arrived to Derry nearly at noon and it seemed it would be another hot day. Liz and I took the chance to change our clothes to more fresh ones while we were still on the train to avoid the blazing air bursts. It was mandatory in order to remain healthy, otherwise fever and dizziness would surely affect us. We got out of the wagon and made our way to the nearest motel; we would wait there and begin looking for a job next day. If we wanted to get our lives back on track we would have to start covering the primary holes in the walls of our existence, but for now we would enjoy the rest of the day and rest. It had been a long night and Liz and I were starving, exhausted and full of dirt so we paid a room at the Holiday Inn motel, left our belongings and went straight to the diner.

Being low-key and not drawing much attention to us was our best choice for now until local people get used to our faces, we didn’t want to be spotted by unwanted eyes. Fortunately, before leaving the circus, we managed to gather some money to endure the hard times lying ahead of us. Liz had many qualities and she wouldn’t reject any opportunity for she was clever, dynamic and gentle and I could bet she would do anything to get us through any situation and so would I. Curiously in the diner we were about to have lunch there was a job notice stuck to the door, the owner was needing a new waitress since the one working there was expecting family and it was a wonderful opportunity for Liz. Once we finished eating she approached to the counter and asked to speak with the owner of the place. A few minutes later an elderly man came out from the kitchen’s door, he seemed to be in his mid-sixties, white hair covered most part of his head and beard and his expression was serene. I watched them talk all the way and the man’s manners were extremely polite, he kept his distance from my wife and that gave me some confidence about her working here. Once they finished they both shook hands and Liz made his way to the table.

– I got the job, my love – she gave me the good news with a wide smile on her face-. I'm taking the night shift for now until the owner figure out the new schedule.

– ¡Congratulations, sweetheart! – I kissed her knuckles and proposed a toast to celebrate.

We got to the motel with our bellies full and feeling less tired but the need of taking a shower was imperative so we headed to the bathroom taking our clothes off on our way. Liz opened the hot water tap; we waited a little and got under the shower. The sensation of the warm water crashing against our bodies was instantly pleasant and, above all, relaxing. I took a piece of cloth Liz used to use in her baths and began rubbing her shoulders slowly and following the vertical lines of her back. A soft moan came out of her mouth that let me know she was enjoying the moment as much I was and that was the encouragement I needed to go further. I pressed her against the wall and made her mine until both got satisfied.

The nap that followed repaired my energies completely making me feel like a new man and optimistic so I took advantage of that and decided it was now my turn to go out and find something to do for living since Liz had already taken the initiative. I had already set myself the goal of getting a job that very same day or the next day at most. Liz got dressed, brushed her long hair and put a discrete makeup whilst I got ready to go out with her and take a different path and acknowledge the new town we decided to live in. I would go and pick her up by the end of her shift so she didn’t have to make her way back to the motel on her own so late at night.

I decided to take the main street and walk until its end and then take another street and so on. Having an afternoon stroll wouldn’t be bad idea and would speed things up in matter of job so I kept walking. After half an hour wandering I stopped in front of an old house for sale, it was a little spoiled but it had its charms. I was feeling confident enough so I decided to have some words with one of the neighbors. I knocked at the door and some minutes later an old lady showed up carrying a small Pomeranian dog in her arms. I introduced myself and told her about the house I just saw.

– ¡Oh yes! – She exclaimed with what seemed to be a mixture of enthusiasm and upset.

– ¿What can you tell me about that house, Mrs. Marsh?

I asked her all I wanted to know about the property whilst we were drinking a refreshing lemonade she just had made and kindly offered me when I sat down on her sofa. The lady was very kind and attentive. Before having a sit I walked around the living room looking at all her family portraits. She apparently came to town when the house in question wasn’t built yet, what was in fact the reason why she would get so upset every time she would have to talk about it. After a fire that burned said house to the ground, the people that kept on building in that place would start suspecting that the ground was cursed since every time a construction ended something bad would happen. Fortunately I wasn’t the kind of man who based his life on superstitions and Liz based her beliefs that as long you put love in everything you would do, then the outcome will surely worth any kind of sacrifice, so it would be easy to do something about that house.

I thanked Mrs. Marsh for the hospitality, and before I could leave her house, she stopped me at the front door holding me softly by my forearm.

– Be careful, Mr. Gray – she warned me and let go of my arm-. The foundations of that place my not be good to build or live there for a reason…

I nodded in silence but with a cordial smile and left. I passed by the property once more and pictured a wonderful house, simple but cozy with a front garden, some sunflowers in it and a not so tall tree to sit under its shadow during the hot days of summer. I started my way back to pick up Liz from the diner since it was surely about to close. I speeded up the pace the last couple of blocks to get there just in time she was getting out. Once she saw me she waved her hand in the air with a big smile and walked towards me. I greeted her with a kiss and gently pinched her cheek as I always did; we hold hands and made our way to the motel. As we headed back I revealed to Liz my thoughts about owning that house at almost the end of the Neibolt street. She showed a great predisposition and excitement to the idea and couldn’t stop talking about it until we got to the motel and went to bed.

A month later…

Hard work, a few bruises and some tears of joy followed before we could finish refurbishing the future place we were about to live in. The house looked splendid and all our efforts worth it. Liz was more than satisfied with the results in the garden and several plants were giving their first flowers despite autumn was getting close. I got a low labor season and getting a job was giving me hard time but despite a few setbacks and being bumping from one job to another, I finally managed to get one at the local fair for a whole season. Liz jumped with joy when she knew I will have a stable work at the fair and congratulated me preparing a rich dinner that night.

Halloween was coming and the preparations were keeping everyone in town hectic as if the town itself was one big anthill. People were coming and going taking with them paper bags full of groceries, ornaments and pumpkins. Every single store was ornamented with orange, yellow and red lights; witches and bats card board figures were hanging everywhere and some carved pumpkins with evil faces were already meddling on the way on the sidewalks.

– This is amazing – Liz couldn’t keep at bay her admiration for such creative season of the year. She was holding my arm and squeezing it from time to time as if she were a little child about to get her new present.

I proposed to take a walk in the park and maybe sit in one of the benches to have some fresh air. She happily accepted, we turned back in the next corner and headed there. While walking our way back to the main park some little kids passed us by, some of them laughing and some others encouraging the current race. Liz put her head on my shoulder whilst watching the children get lost among other pedestrians. In that moment I knew what she was trying to tell me without using words and the thought made me smile.

Once we could find an empty bench and take a sit, Liz grabbed my hand in the way that could only mean one thing. It didn’t take me long to figure her out and how she liked to express the important things she often had in mind. I took a deep breath and listened to her carefully. She revealed me what she was longing and the idea of starting a family was something I hadn’t ruled out since I also wanted to experience that whilst I was still young and strong. Liz made a pause and I took the chance to step in to express what I was also feeling. Her sparkling eyes, despite the sun was already long gone, were the reason my heart would always melt. It was an unknown territory but we would get through it together. The statue of a lumberjack with an ax on his right shoulder and his friendly smile standing in front of us became the only witness of a new phase in our lives.

Back at home I was preparing dinner and Liz was in the backyard sitting on the edge of the old well. She used to like to spend some moments there, surrounded by the sounds of the crickets and the nature. Every time she came inside the house she often brought some new ideas and this time she brought more than ideas. We had dinner, drank some red wine and stayed for some minutes staring at each other in silence, then she grabbed my hand and took me to the bedroom. I was more than sure she would definitely take the best of me that night.

To be continued…

Image: Jeffrey Everett

#pennys thoughts #pennywise #short story

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rebeccahpedersen · 6 years ago

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Development Opportunity In Downtown Jackson

TorontoRealtyBlog

Before I get into today’s blog topic, let me just give you a quick story from this past week…

My wife and I are both huge football fans. NFL football, to be exact, since even though I am as proud a Canadian as you will ever meet, I just don’t understand, and can’t stomach, the CFL.

To be more specific, we are both football fans in general. Football at all levels.

We’ve been to NFL games in New Orleans and Chicago (both Saints games), and a college football game at LSU, which was probably one of the oddest experiences of both our lives – just think of every Amercian-made movie about college – it was like that. Story another time…

One thing we’ve always wanted to do as attend a high school football game, say, in Texas. If you’ve watched the movie or TV show, “Friday Night Lights,” you know what I’m talking about. In certain parts of the country, they take high school football more seriously than college football. These little towns are all about their high school teams. Watch the Netflix show “QB1” and you’ll see what I mean.

We come to Idaho every summer, but we’re usually here in early-August, and we miss the start of the high school football season.

But not this year.

This year, the trip was a late decision as work and life are both very busy, and we found ourselves here until the 28th of August.

Well wouldn’t you know it, the season opener was on August 25th!

The Teton Redskins vs. the Jackson Broncos.

“Teton Valley” comprises both Driggs & Victor, which are towns eight miles apart, as well as Tetonia which is further north of Driggs, and Alta, Wyoming, which is technically in another state, but is just over the border of Idaho, essentially down the road from Driggs.

My wife and I were absolutely, positively, jet-set on attending this game, which was a home game for Teton.

At the golf course on Friday morning, a young man walked into the pro shop behind me, and the head pro said, “David, look at this guy. How old do you think he is?” Standing before me was a hulking man, about 6’4″, 220 pounds if I had to guess, with a full beard. I figured this was a trick question, as he looked about 20’ish, so I said, “17?”

Fifteen, I was told.

This man was a kid. And he was 15.

“Do you play football?” I asked him.

He smiled from ear-to-ear, although I could tell he was trying desperately not to.

“Yeah, I do,” he humbly said.

“Teton or Jackson?” I asked, like asking a townie if they were First Baptist or Southern Baptist.

“Teton” he said, proudly.

“Well alright then,” I told him, “We’ll see you at the game tonight.”

He was absolutely beaming. Imagine a 15-year-old kid being told that somebody was coming to watch him and his team play football?

Phil, my buddy in the pro shop, told him, “David’s from Toronto, Canada. He’s probably an Argonauts fan.” Phil had some extended family in Toronto; we live on a very small globe.

“I don’t watch the Canadian game,” I told the kid. “There’s three downs, the backfield receivers and backs are all allowed to be in motion, the field is 15-yards wider, the end zone is almost three times as large – it’s just not a good game.”

Many Canadians would disagree, but that’s just my opinion.

“I’m looking forward to seeing you guys play tonight,” I told the kid. “What position do you play?”

“Middle linebacker,” he said. “And tight end.”

“Ironman football?” I asked in amazement? “You guys play both ways? That’s awesome.”

Later that night, my wife and I found ourselves at a stadium that would rival many Canadian university stadiums, watching four small towns come together to cheer on their boys……..all twenty-two of them.

Twenty-two.

For those of you that know football, you know this makes zero sense.

There are eleven players on the field at once. The NFL roster is 53-men. NCAA college football teams are allowed to have up to 125 rostered players, and usually bring 70 to games, often duplicating jersey numbers among players.

This little team from Teton Valley had twenty-two players in total, and most of their kids went “Ironman” and played both offence and defence.

Jackson had 43 players on their roster, and they took control of the game early.

With Teton down 20-6 in the 3rd quarter, I told my wife, “Don’t call it a comeback,” channelling my inner LL Cool J.

My wife was more interested in the going’s-on at the stadium. And how could she not be?

It was like a combination of a thousand movies we had seen.

At halftime, a group of about 20-25 kids from Jackson made their way down the stands, and my wife pointed to the girl in the front: “See that girl?” she said. “That’s the leader of the pack. She’s the ‘it’ girl.”

And in front was an attractive blonde girl, big smile, full of confidence, happy-go-lucky, leading the charge. Just like you’d see in every American high school movie.

“And that’s her boyfriend,” my wife said.

Glued to the hip of the ‘it-girl’ was a tall, good-looking kid, with a distinct hair cut, well-dressed for a resident of a farm town, who walked with his chest out, confident but not showy.

The group walked almost in order of seniority.

And these were seniors, after all. The school year had just started, and whether it’s Dazed & Confused, or some other movie you want to make reference to, senior year was upon these kids, and they knew it.

“She’s probably a Britney,” I told my wife. “She looks like a Britney.”

“Definitely a Britney,” my wife said.

Where Britney went, the kids went.

And the boyfriend?

We decided he was a “Tate.”

Could have been a “Chase,” but Tate was more becoming.

Teton narrowed the score to 20-12, for some reason trying a 2-point conversion (I don’t think they had a kicker), and then scored again on a fumble-recovery TD; a “scoop-and-score.” They converted the 2-pointer, and tied the game at 20-20.

Britney, Tate, and their group of loyal followers were a little quiet.

The Teton cheer-team was rubbing it in; running giant flags up and down the pavilion, motioning toward the Jackson supporters with a “teary-cheek” motion, much to Britney & Tate’s dismay.

With 3-minutes remaining, Jackson had the ball and needed only a field goal to take the lead.

But with my wife and I in attendance, all the way from Toronto to see a high school football game in the middle of nowhere, the outcome was preordained.

Teton intercepted the ball, and quickly marched down the field to score, convert the 2-pointer, and make it 28-20.

Jackson did get the ball back, only with about two minutes left. It would have taken a touchdown and a successful 2-point conversion to tie the game back up. And with Jackson crossing midfield, and making that low-percentage play look realistic, Teton’s middle-linebacker intercepted a pass to effectively end the game.

Who was that middle linebacker?

The kid I met at the golf course earlier that morning. Luke something-or-other. Hard to miss at that size, and with a vertical over ten-feet high, not exactly the player you want to try to throw over!

The whole experience was just surreal, from beginning to end.

I wanted to rush the field with the rest of the Teton Valley kids, but my wife told me I might look out-of-place.

We left the game, found our Toyota with ease in a sea of Dodge and Ford pick-up trucks, and headed home with the rest of the gang like lemmings following each-other down the highway.

Anyways, I said that would be a “quick” story, and it’s basically taken over the blog…

The next day, we found ourselves back in Jackson, Wyoming, where we’ve been essentially every day on this trip as there’s a lot more to see and do there.

While taking a shortcut through the residential area to avoid the congestion on the main drag, we literally happened upon the Springhill Suites, which was the condominium I profiled in last Friday’s blog.

This is a hotel-condo, much like we see with, say, the Soho Metropolitan at 36 Blue Jays Way, the Pantages at 210 Victoria Street, One King West at, well, 1 King Street West, and a handful of others in Toronto’s downtown core.

On the fourth storey of this quaint 4-storey building, are the condominium units, eight of which are currently for sale, as I wrote in last week’s blog.

They look gorgeous, albeit a little pricey.

The average around $1,000 USD per square foot, and while I know nothing about the Jackson condo market, I do know that this is pricey.

Why?

Because there are only nine condos on that fourth floor.

Nine condos in the building, and eight are available for sale.

The building is new, but still – I’d have expected to see better sales than one out of nine! And again, I say this with absolutely zero knowledge of this market…

Here’s a description of the building I found from the developer:

The building is primarily a wood structure that sits atop a Post Tension slab with underground parking below the hotel. The exterior is finished with wood siding and bonderized metal with the elevator and stair towers being a board formed concrete to give it a Jackson Hole feel. There is also a unique steel framed canopy that wrap the first and third levels. It is the first building in Jackson, to be above 3 stories in height, and is unique in the fact that the 4th level condos are privately owned.

But it wasn’t so much the hotel-condo that caught my eye as we drove through Jackson on Saturday, but rather that which was across the street.

Here’s the video, which I should have led with, as I fear I might have lost a few of the readers right about the time I segued off to Britney & Tate, but nevertheless…

youtube

Great building site!

Perhaps a sad day for the once-proud Western Hotel, but I’m thinking that pride likely peaked around the time Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane were big players in the west.

That’s a 0.34 acre site.

So just as I had asked last Friday, to those of you with zero knowledge of the market, at what price do you think this site is priced?

Guesses?

Anybody?

Do I need to keep writing words, and putting dashes to space out what you’re reading so you might actually make a guess?

–

$6,000,000.

And again, with my zero knowledge of this market, I’d have though the number was around $10,000,000.

Why?

Because this isn’t just a piece of land.

It’s an approved site.

From the Sotheby’s website:

As one of the few, remaining, approved final development plans within the Town of Jackson, this property provides a unique opportunity to quickly break ground. One floor of commercial space can be developed with below grade parking, and two floors plus a loft of residential square footage above. An approved and entitled master plan is in place with a blended 2.0 FAR in conjunction with the Marriott development. Owner is a licensed Wyoming real estate broker.

But what does “approved” actually mean down here?

This isn’t Toronto, that’s for sure.

In Toronto, where developers literally run the downtown core, and politicians stand by like porters at the baggage-claim, you could tear down the church where Mother Teresa was baptized in order to build a condo.

Jackson is different.

The northeast corner of Jackson Square used to have “Moo’s Ice Cream Shop;” a relic for as long as I can remember. This year, we showed up and saw the site was demolished, and in Toronto, that would mean a 62-storey condo was on the way.

But not in Jackson.

Here, that means a 2-storey bank is being constructed.

As the description of the Springhill Suites stated above, it was the “first building in Jackson to be above 3-storeys in height.”

First, as in, ever.

So what do we make of this $6,000,000 development site?

In Toronto, you’d see the 4-storey precedent, ask the city for 9-storeys, and settle at 6. Wham, bam, thank you………developers, for the levies, tax base, and money to pay our overblown expenditures.

Here in Jackson, 3-storeys means 3-storeys.

I’m shy about $6M of the $6M, but if anybody wants to chat, you know where to reach me.

Well folks, that’s it for my trip to Idaho, 2018.

I’ll be back this week, ready to take on the fall market.

Ready if you are, I should say.

I don’t want to sound like a cheerleader here, but I think this fall is going to be a doozie…

The post Development Opportunity In Downtown Jackson appeared first on Toronto Realty Blog.

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rebeccahpedersen · 6 years ago

Text

Development Opportunity In Downtown Jackson

TorontoRealtyBlog

Before I get into today’s blog topic, let me just give you a quick story from this past week…

My wife and I are both huge football fans. NFL football, to be exact, since even though I am as proud a Canadian as you will ever meet, I just don’t understand, and can’t stomach, the CFL.

To be more specific, we are both football fans in general. Football at all levels.

We come to Idaho every summer, but we’re usually here in early-August, and we miss the start of the high school football season.

But not this year.

This year, the trip was a late decision as work and life are both very busy, and we found ourselves here until the 28th of August.

Well wouldn’t you know it, the season opener was on August 25th!

The Teton Redskins vs. the Jackson Broncos.

My wife and I were absolutely, positively, jet-set on attending this game, which was a home game for Teton.

Fifteen, I was told.

This man was a kid. And he was 15.

“Do you play football?” I asked him.

He smiled from ear-to-ear, although I could tell he was trying desperately not to.

“Yeah, I do,” he humbly said.

“Teton or Jackson?” I asked, like asking a townie if they were First Baptist or Southern Baptist.

“Teton” he said, proudly.

“Well alright then,” I told him, “We’ll see you at the game tonight.”

He was absolutely beaming. Imagine a 15-year-old kid being told that somebody was coming to watch him and his team play football?

Phil, my buddy in the pro shop, told him, “David’s from Toronto, Canada. He’s probably an Argonauts fan.” Phil had some extended family in Toronto; we live on a very small globe.

Many Canadians would disagree, but that’s just my opinion.

“I’m looking forward to seeing you guys play tonight,” I told the kid. “What position do you play?”

“Middle linebacker,” he said. “And tight end.”

“Ironman football?” I asked in amazement? “You guys play both ways? That’s awesome.”

Twenty-two.

For those of you that know football, you know this makes zero sense.

This little team from Teton Valley had twenty-two players in total, and most of their kids went “Ironman” and played both offence and defence.

Jackson had 43 players on their roster, and they took control of the game early.

With Teton down 20-6 in the 3rd quarter, I told my wife, “Don’t call it a comeback,” channelling my inner LL Cool J.

My wife was more interested in the going’s-on at the stadium. And how could she not be?

It was like a combination of a thousand movies we had seen.

And in front was an attractive blonde girl, big smile, full of confidence, happy-go-lucky, leading the charge. Just like you’d see in every American high school movie.

“And that’s her boyfriend,” my wife said.

Glued to the hip of the ‘it-girl’ was a tall, good-looking kid, with a distinct hair cut, well-dressed for a resident of a farm town, who walked with his chest out, confident but not showy.

The group walked almost in order of seniority.

“She’s probably a Britney,” I told my wife. “She looks like a Britney.”

“Definitely a Britney,” my wife said.

Where Britney went, the kids went.

And the boyfriend?

We decided he was a “Tate.”

Could have been a “Chase,” but Tate was more becoming.

Britney, Tate, and their group of loyal followers were a little quiet.

The Teton cheer-team was rubbing it in; running giant flags up and down the pavilion, motioning toward the Jackson supporters with a “teary-cheek” motion, much to Britney & Tate’s dismay.

With 3-minutes remaining, Jackson had the ball and needed only a field goal to take the lead.

But with my wife and I in attendance, all the way from Toronto to see a high school football game in the middle of nowhere, the outcome was preordained.

Teton intercepted the ball, and quickly marched down the field to score, convert the 2-pointer, and make it 28-20.

Who was that middle linebacker?

The whole experience was just surreal, from beginning to end.

I wanted to rush the field with the rest of the Teton Valley kids, but my wife told me I might look out-of-place.

We left the game, found our Toyota with ease in a sea of Dodge and Ford pick-up trucks, and headed home with the rest of the gang like lemmings following each-other down the highway.

Anyways, I said that would be a “quick” story, and it’s basically taken over the blog…

The next day, we found ourselves back in Jackson, Wyoming, where we’ve been essentially every day on this trip as there’s a lot more to see and do there.

On the fourth storey of this quaint 4-storey building, are the condominium units, eight of which are currently for sale, as I wrote in last week’s blog.

They look gorgeous, albeit a little pricey.

The average around $1,000 USD per square foot, and while I know nothing about the Jackson condo market, I do know that this is pricey.

Why?

Because there are only nine condos on that fourth floor.

Nine condos in the building, and eight are available for sale.

The building is new, but still – I’d have expected to see better sales than one out of nine! And again, I say this with absolutely zero knowledge of this market…

Here’s a description of the building I found from the developer:

But it wasn’t so much the hotel-condo that caught my eye as we drove through Jackson on Saturday, but rather that which was across the street.

Here’s the video, which I should have led with, as I fear I might have lost a few of the readers right about the time I segued off to Britney & Tate, but nevertheless…

youtube

Great building site!

Perhaps a sad day for the once-proud Western Hotel, but I’m thinking that pride likely peaked around the time Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane were big players in the west.

That’s a 0.34 acre site.

So just as I had asked last Friday, to those of you with zero knowledge of the market, at what price do you think this site is priced?

Guesses?

Anybody?

Do I need to keep writing words, and putting dashes to space out what you’re reading so you might actually make a guess?

–

$6,000,000.

And again, with my zero knowledge of this market, I’d have though the number was around $10,000,000.

Why?

Because this isn’t just a piece of land.

It’s an approved site.

From the Sotheby’s website:

But what does “approved” actually mean down here?

This isn’t Toronto, that’s for sure.

Jackson is different.

But not in Jackson.

Here, that means a 2-storey bank is being constructed.

As the description of the Springhill Suites stated above, it was the “first building in Jackson to be above 3-storeys in height.”

First, as in, ever.

So what do we make of this $6,000,000 development site?

Here in Jackson, 3-storeys means 3-storeys.

I’m shy about $6M of the $6M, but if anybody wants to chat, you know where to reach me.

Well folks, that’s it for my trip to Idaho, 2018.

I’ll be back this week, ready to take on the fall market.

Ready if you are, I should say.

I don’t want to sound like a cheerleader here, but I think this fall is going to be a doozie…

The post Development Opportunity In Downtown Jackson appeared first on Toronto Realty Blog.

Originated from https://ift.tt/2MSxAIB

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