Wednesday, 18th October 2022
Roy let himself into the house in Richmond and toed off his shoes. Jamie would be all moved in and he was hoping to see what differences it made to the house. He could hear voices from the kitchen though and started towards them.
"I have taken the model to the architect," a voice with soft Spanish accent said.
"It made sense?" Jamie asked.
"It was a wonderful idea."
Jamie grinned. "Roy did it for this house."
"Have you decided about putting in the basement gym and pool?" the voice asked again.
"Yeah, so long as you think that it won't impact the beauty of the house," Jamie said. "It's a fucking mint idea, Roy should have done it here."
"Done what?" Roy asked, stepping into the room. Nigel and Jamie were sitting at the kitchen table with a laptop in front of them.
Jamie beamed. "This is Nigel's cousin Lester, he's a builder in Spain and is doing up the house I bought there after our trip. The one in the little seaside town we went to when we were on holiday."
Roy remembered the house; Jamie had walked past it at least twenty times before he caved and used google translate to speak to the estate agent.
"What do you think we should have done here?" Roy asked.
Roy's house, Roy's house, Roy's house, Jamie thought. "Lester suggested I dig out a basement to have a pool and gym without losing space in the house or garden."
"We couldn't have done that here," Roy said.
"You could," Nigel offered. "Still could…the old coal cellar is down there so I could even make it happen without you having to move out."
Roy froze.
"Phoebe has been asking how earthmoving for a pool works whenever she comes by," Nigel commented, smirking.
Roy's house, Roy's house, Roy's house, Jamie thought as he chose what to say next…carefully. "Would mean you could use it all year." And, he didn't go on, you could use it to rehab your knee when you finally give in and get it fixed.
"We could," Roy conceded. "And it would mean we could create a little spot for parking at the back of the house, right at the end so no one can see our cars from the front."
"With an outside entry to the pool area from the back yard and we could move the things under the stairs down there to add a set of stairs going down from in here as well."
"Fuck," Roy said, walking over to the sink. "Do up the plans and costings."
Nigel nodded.
"If I'm going to fucking live here," Roy grumbled turning around with a glass of water, "I might as well sink all my fucking money into the place."
Jamie rolled his eyes. "It ain't going to bankrupt you, Grandpa."
Roy flipped him off.
"Well done, cousin," Lester said, voice surprising Roy. "It will add so much value to the house. To both houses!"
"I can't get over until the off season," Jamie told Lester. "Is that too late for selecting all the bits and pieces?"
"You've sent me all the information I need for now, talk in a week."
"Thank you, Lester, let me know when you're over and I'll get you and the boys some tickets."
Lester thanked him and ended the call.
"You want to put a parking spot at the back of the garden?" Jamie asked.
"Behind that big fucking tree and between the fence there's enough space, which will hide it from the house and I already had Nigel check the gap on that side so we only have to dig up a small amount of the front garden to allow for the driveway. It will mean removing a section of the current front fence but I've got a guy who can source matching bricks to create a border down to the corner of the house and keep the garden sort of fenced."
"Phoebe's going to be sad to lose any garden," Jamie said. "But, it sounds like you've got it all planned out."
"She's getting a fucking pool," Roy pointed out.
"That will probably smooth it all over," Nigel laughed.
"And a good fence for the front of the property with a gate and then if you and Phoebe can manage it something climbing that will screen the house."
"I will add those to the plans and budget," Nigel offered.
"I'll chat to her tomorrow night about what we should plant to climb the fence…something that flowers definitely."
"I'm off," Nigel said, standing up.
"You're a good man," Jamie told him, holding out a hand to shake. "I'm going to have to steal you off Roy if I ever find a place to buy."
"Buy?" Roy asked, eyebrows furrowed together into one cro-magnum brow.
Jamie nodded. Roy's house, Roy's house, Roy's house, Jamie thought. "I can't live in your house forever, can I?"
Roy made an aborted growl. "You can't?"
Jamie tried to smile. "You'll want me to move out before I know it. Maybe you'll help me when the real estate agent finds some places for me to look at. You know more about this than I do, you can help me, yeah?"
"Yes, yes, of course," Roy said, arms folding across his chest and stretching out his shirt. "If your guy has any problems, I can put you in touch with mine."
Nigel was watching them both with a frown.
"Thank you for putting me in touch with your cousin," Jamie said, turning to Nigel. "Can't wait to get over there in summer and see what it looks like."
"We have a bye in February," Roy said. "You could head over then and choose what you need to. I'm sure we could work out a day or two off training for you."
"Nah, I've spoken to Ruth about going in summer so Fifi can come and help me as my deputy."
Roy nodded. "She'll love that."
"I've booked a place nearby so we can all go again if you want to come."
"Yeah," Roy said, voice tight, "I'll come."
Nigel stood up. "I'm happy to help you out, Jamie, if you decide to renovate anything."
Jamie frowned…if? He shook off the thought and smiled. "Thanks, Nigel, have a good night."
"You too," Nigel said, saying goodbye and heading for the front door.
"You don't have to leave," Roy told Jamie after the front door closed.
Roy's house, Roy's house, Roy's house, Jamie thought. "I will have to eventually, won't I?"
Roy sighed. "Yeah, eventually."
"I should head off for my run," Jamie said.
"I'll stay and cook dinner," Roy said, turning and heading for the stairs.
Jamie nodded at his back.
Roy's house, Roy's house, Roy's house, Jamie thought.
-)(-)(-
