Take Me Home
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE TWILIGHT SERIES. ALL THE RIGHTS BELONG TO STEPHANIE MEYER. I ONLY OWN THE PLOT AND OC'S IN THIS STORY.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Addison smiled as she saw his truck pull up the driveway. She sat on the house's front steps, like a kid eagerly awaiting the arrival of their friend. Addison realised that wasn't far from the truth. It had been a long time since she had someone to talk to normally, about something other than work or her messy family life. Paul was simple and easy to be around, he didn't expect anything from her and that was all she wanted. "I thought we agreed on nine?" Addison said as he hopped out of the old truck. She looked down at her phone screen seeing it was after nine twenty now. She knew that of course. She had checked it a hundred times this morning, but she wanted to exaggerate his lateness.
"Sorry, Sky was sick this morning so it took longer than normal to get her ready for Emily's." Paul said pulling on a tool belt from the tray of his truck.
"Is she okay? We could have rescheduled." Addie liked the little girl, with someone so sweet it was hard not to like her. She had missed out on most of her daughters' younger years which she now regrated greatly. She was glad Paul had stepped up for the little girl and didn't make the same mistakes she did as a new parent.
"Yeah, Taylor had the same thing a few days ago, just a stomach bug Emily promised." Paul scratched the back of his head looking up at the house with a mixed expression.
"Don't stress. I am sure she will be fine," Addison smiled jumping to her feet.
"Is that not what parents are meant to do? Stress?" Paul let out a dry nervus laugh.
"I guess it is, but I am sure she will be back to normal in no time." Addisons smile was almost bright enough to make him believe her words. A small part of him still worried about how Sky's was going.
"Thanks. Now let's see what we are working with. I think today we just lock down the floor plans and start ordering materials," Paul said as Addie led him around the side of the house. In the backyard a large camper van was now parked along the tree line. It was shiny and new looking. It definitely wasn't here last week.
"Step into my office," Addie grinned opening the camper door for him and gesturing inside.
"Why do you need a house when you have this thing. Its bigger than mine." Paul let out a whistle as he stepped inside. A large living and dining area took up the centre of the camper. It had all the modern-day features and looked straight out of a magazine.
"I was overstaying in Forks hotel rooms and now I can keep an eye on the house, make sure you don't bulldoze it by mistake." Addison gestured to the table and booth seats. "I've already got the plans out; I assumed you would want to see them first." Paul circled the table looking down at the detailed plans spread across it.
"Wow, she looks bigger on paper." He was taken aback by the intricate lines on the blueprints. They looked like they had been professionally done, with every detail pencilled in. This was the biggest project he had ever worked on. Even the few house extensions he had done didn't have plans even close to this. Everything was sized out to the last millimetre.
"It's not her best angle. 2D is not flattering," Addison laughed taking a seat.
"What is she, like eight bedrooms?" Paul leaned over the table trying to understand the plans.
"Six bedrooms, an office and two separate living areas. The kitchen use to be a little box so I want the back end of the house to extend out and the new kitchen and dining will go there. On the top floor of the extension will be a deck. So, when it's sunning that one day a year there will be somewhere nice to sunbake," Addison pointed to the top floor plans. Paul laughed taking a seat next to her.
"You sure you don't want a roof over it so you can use it," he asked looking closer at the plans.
"Maybe a glass roof of some kind? Would that be possible?" he though she was joking for a second but realised she was very serious about it.
"Expensive but possible," Paul nodded.
"Great, add that to the list as well." Addie pushed a notebook and pen towards Paul. He smiled down at it. Up the top of the note pad was the word Everything, written in large letters.
"No offence but isn't this house a bit too big for you?" Paul asked, mentally building the house in his head.
"Definitely but it's not just for me. I want my whole family to enjoy it." She smiled running her hands over the prints.
"What kind of style did you want the house?" Paul asked as he started taking notes on things he would need.
"I don't know. Just do whatever you think looks good. If you choose to paint the walls hot pink and put green carpet through the whole house, I may object but other than that, go wild."
"Really? You don't want to suggest anything," he asked.
"No, I don't mind. I hate making big decisions," Addison said picking up a builder's pencil and sketching some more lines onto the kitchen blueprint. "A bay window in front of the sink as well, sorry I thought of it last night and forgot to add it on."
"You drew this," Paul asked as he watched her fine lines match perfectly to the rest of the print.
"Mostly. My dad started with the original prints, and I just added onto it and updated a few things," Addie said adding some measurements to the bay window. "If you can't get it exactly that size close to is fine, same goes with the rest of it as well."
"He's an arcotect?" Paul asked, surprised.
"No just a builder with very strong opinions," she smiled.
"Why isn't he building this for you then?" Paul asked.
"His health isn't great. He started these plans many years ago. The deed was still partly in my mother's name, so I got her to sign her half over to me when I was out last."
"I never even knew this place existed, must have driven past it a thousand times."
"I don't think Quil even knew about it, she never told him much," she rolls her eyes a displeased look on her face. She clearly had poor feelings towards her mother.
"That bay window may not fit in the budget," Paul tried to joke but Addison just shook her head at him.
"There's more to life than money Paul."
"Like?" he asked, still filling out an endless list.
"Like saving the old, building for the future."
"The future?" He questioned.
"Yeah. Just imagine fifty years from now we will both be old and grey, but this house will still be here. She will be amazing." Addison looked at the papers with more love than she used towards her own mother.
"It doesn't come with a fifty year guarantee you know that right?" Paul mused.
"Paul, you can only make it better then what it is. Don't stress over it," She pulled over the top-level blueprint and added a roof to the extension deck. Paul watched her work for a few moments until his phone buzzed to life with a message.
"Sam is here to have a look at it," Paul said standing up. He rolled up a few of the floor plans and grabbed the note pad and pen.
"Great," Addison said hopping up. Paul held the door for her as the exited the camper. They walked out of the camper and back to the front of the house. Another truck sat by Pauls and Sam stood near the front door looking in at the empty house.
"It's a shell." He said to the pair with raised eyebrows.
"I told you so," Paul said.
"Just think of all the time that will be saved on not having to demo it all." Addison smiled.
"That's the fun part. Where are you starting from?" Sam asked Paul.
"Structure. Checking the existing frame, seeing what parts need fully replacing." Paul let out a breath knowing it would be an all-day job.
"Let me save you time. It's all of them," Sam said taking the blueprints from Paul.
"Check the plans, see what you will need for the plumbing and check the mains make sure it even works." Paul said. Paul went into the house, jumping down into the house he began to check over the exposed joists. Sam examined the floor plans for a few minutes before he went looking for the mains.
"So, how is life Sam?" Addison asked as she followed him around the house.
"Really good, I'm married to an amazing woman. We just had our second son," He smiled widely as he thought of them all.
"Well, if they are anything like you were as a kid your hands are going to be full in no time.
"How about you? Any kids or husband?" Sam asked.
"One daughter, Cannedy. She's seven, already acting like a teen though, very strong willed."
"You get back what you give out."
"Don't I know it. Well, I am going to leave you two too it." She turned to walk away but hesitated. "Hey Sam?" Addie asked quietly.
"Yeah?" Sam said.
"Is it true what Paul said, Sky was just left on his doorstep?" She asked quietly.
"Yeah, her mother left her. Paul didn't even know about her," Sam nodded. "Still has no idea who her mother is."
"That's messed up."
"Yeah, it is."
Author Notes***
Anyone still out there?
It's been over a year since my last update on this story. So, I don't blame you if you have given up on it.
I have been though the whole story this week. Updated a few parts and fixed some mistakes so hopefully early chapters are a little easier to read now.
Not sure when I will update next, I have nothing written for the next chapter, saying that I had only three lines written for this chapter before two days ago so who knows what could happen.
Reviews always help, knowing people are still reading keeps me going back to a story.
Even a bad review is still a good review.
