And love
Chap 46 Old MacDonald
Cassie, 10 y/o, 5th grade.
Because of her prior chaotic and verbally abusive home life, Cassie had barely been ready for 5th grade. Jamie & Eddie had a conference with the St. Angelus elementary principal and 5th grade teacher. They wanted their daughter to stay on track, and be ready for 6th grade and middle-school the next year. They felt that Cassie's emotional well-being would be damaged otherwise.
They worked out a plan of home study, where with help from Jamie & Eddie, she would get up to speed over the summer. Cassie applied herself, her parents did their part, and it worked! The young girl had accumulated another lesson in loving, supportive family dynamics. Her emotional I/Q was dramatically rising!
Malina, 7 y/o, 2nd grade.
In reading Mal was testing at a high 3rd grade level. All other subjects, except verbal & social skills, were mid 2ND grade level. Verbal & social were off the charts! Her teachers and parents weren't sure what to do about that.
At a pre school year conference they decided to encourage her in one of her special interests to challenge her i.e. cooking. GG Henry volunteered to systematically teach her, starting with baking. The hope was that this would stimulate her.
Mary Rose, 4 y/o, pre-school, mornings.
Mary Rose is an enigma! Her highly intelligent and supportive parents had pulled her upwards in all learning categories. Her two older sisters had only added to that pull. But Eddie & Jamie really didn't want to close the gap between Mal and her. They wanted their delightful little girl to stay a little girl. Not unfairly, and certainly not forever! That wasn't the case; they decided to stick with the grade placement by age, and seek out extracurricular activities to stimulate and keep her growing and learning. Her growing love of Joseph and riding suggested a future including animals in some form.
A fun and challenging family!
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A BARN?
Mid-January
MANHATTAN DA'S OFFICE
It was a slow Wednesday for ADA Erin Reagan. She had had a mid-morning conference with her 2 key investigators – Anthony and Alex. She had given them interview assignments and sent them on their way. Now she had just arrived back in her office with her usual lunch, a turkey club. God, was she ever in a rut!
Rob Barnett, the DA and her boss ambled into her office. "Erin, why don't you bring your sandwich to my office? I've got some news to share." He motioned for her to follow him and strode down the hall.
Sighing, she rewrapped her meal and followed. She entered Rob's office, placed her sandwich on the round conferenced table and sat down. She unwrapped her lunch and took a bite. "So, what do you have to share with me?" She wonders out loud.
"You shared with me that Jamie was looking for a new, larger house. Is that search still ongoing?"
"Yup, they haven't found anything close to satisfactory. Why do you ask?"
"Do you remember Alberto Gonzales?"
"The drug lord who was operating on Long Island? Right here under our noses?"
"The one and only."
"So?"
"His estate will go up for auction mid-February." Rob raises an eyebrow.
"And?" Erin is getting frustrated.
"I know someone – and it can be acquired pre-auction for $2 mil."
"It's worth?"
"At auction it will probably fetch $3-$5 mil."
Erin's mouth forms an O!
Rob passes her a manila envelope. He watches her carefully.
Erin slides a group of pictures out, and looks them over. When she reaches the last pix, she gasps and stands. She starts to pace; a hand to her forehead. "A barn?"
She looks to her boss.
"A barn. I was at the live nativity one evening. I noticed Jamie's youngest; she was unusually attentive to Mary's donkey. Anything there?"
"Absolutely!" Erin shares the riding lessons, and Mary Rose's affection for Joseph.
Rob continues, "The estate is only 6 stops out on the LIRR. Shall we take a ride?"
"This afternoon?"
"Sure, you busy?" He knows she's not.
"Ah, not really." She finishes her sandwich.
"Let's go . . . I've got keys."
They grab their coats and head for the LIRR terminal.
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They chat casually on the train. When they get off, Rob directs them to a tree lined lane.
"It's about 4 blocks ahead," he assures her.
Just past the 4-block mark they turn left onto a crushed white limestone driveway. The drive is beautifully maintained; bordered on both sides by mature elms. They walk about 100 yards and a house appears.
Erin stops to look, speechless. The house has one expansive lower floor, and a large circular upper floor. Peeking out from the left side is a small barn. Her imagination goes wild!
Rob leads her on a tour They find:
1st floor of the house,
Large master BR with ensuite bath & Jacuzzi tub,
3 other good-sized bedrooms,
1 full and 1 half barh,
Formal dining room,
Family room with fireplace & 60" plasma TV,
Huge kitchen with the latest in stainless steel appliances,
Cozy living room (Obviously the FR is where the living will occur),
In-home intercom; audio-video security and sound systems, and RING video door bells front & back.
UPPER FLOOR
1 large circular room,
1 full bath,
3 skylights with remote control shades, and open/close.
BARN
A stall barn,
8 stalls for animals,
Atack room,
A large hay loft.
Everything is clean and in good condition. It obviously has been well kept and/or refurbished. Erin is astonished.
"How much time do we have to talk this over as a family?"
"I should know your intent within 1 week."
"Any chance some of the family can have a tour? Maybe Sunday?"
"Yes, I can trust you with pictures and keys. Let me know Friday, please." He smirks.
"Will do, thanks." She smiles.
They return to Manhattan.
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SUNDAY AFTER DINNER
Paula and Joe have offered to take the girls after dinner. Jamie & Eddie drop them off on their way to the LIRR terminal; where they meet Erin, Danny, Frank & Henry. They ride the train together; all review the pictures as they travel. They walk the 4 blocks then turn down the driveway. As the house comes into view they pause, speechless like Erin was her 1st time.
"Damn, I can see why you don't want the kids to see this until a decision has been made!" Danny snorts.
"Yes," GG whispers. "Mary Rose will go nuts!"
"Amen to that," Frank, Eddie & Jamie agree.
After they tour, they end up in the circular upstairs room. They sit on the floor and talk.
"This will be so perfect for the girls," Eddie declares. "They can each have their own space, or corner. So, to speak. "With trundle beds, so there could be 6 people up here, with visitors."
"Yesh. And I'm thinking that if we beef up the door . . . this could be a safe room," Jamie adds.
Frank looks at him and nods.
"I can't get over that stall barn," Pops gushes. "My Mary Fose will be in love instantly!" He grins.
"Can I tell Rob anything?" Erin asks.
"Well, Eddie and I are in." Jamie looks to his wife, she nods vigorously. "I guess it's up to you folks."
"May we have a few minutes?" Frank suggests.
Jamie and Eddie slip down to the kitchen.
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UPSTAIRS
"Can we swing this?" Pops wonders.
"Will the creditors accept a mortgage," Danny thinks out loud.
"Jamie & Eddie would need to work with a bank on that," Frank opines.
Pops steps in, "I can help them get that done."
"So, are we all on the same page?" So, I can tell Rob that it's a go?" Erin tries to finalize.
Everybody nods. They clasp hands in the center, committing themselves to the deal.
They call Jamie and Eddie.
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KITCHEN
"What are you thinking, Ed?" She answers:
Camelot!
Shangri La!
Bonanza!
Heaven!
"Need I say more, love?"
"Nope! Let's go upstairs.
UPSTAIRS
The family smile and tell them the news. There are smiles and hugs all around. There is an extremely happy group on the train back to NYC!
Now to share the news and show the girls.
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TBC