Page 20 of Better Together

“That and the rest of the ground rules are what Susan and James will share with us this morning.” Alexis checked her phone for the time. “The only thing I know is that the house will need to be accessible, so as we walk through, I’ll point out the walls that need to come down. We’ll reconvene after the contest rules are laid out and then get started on demo.”

Alexis used her phone to film the rooms as they walked through the three-bedroom, two-bath rambler. She’d send the short video to Maggie so she could get started on choosing paint colors and furniture. Alexis opened the back patio door and stepped out onto the small deck. Her foot almost went through a rotted board. She turned and pointed. “Careful where you step.” She glanced up at the gutters and made a mental note to have them cleaned out. She’d add seamless gutters to her wish list, a list she kept in case they had any leftover money.

They’d need to demo the small deck and build a new one before the first snowfall which, for their region, could be any day now. Luckily, snow wasn’t forecasted for the next couple weeks, but they’d been surprised before and had a record snowfall last year. A mid-October blizzard had dumped ten inches on their small town. Hopefully the white stuff would hold off until the end of November.

Excited chatter came from the other house as they convened in the backyard at the appointed time. The Hennings, along with Ryan, Raven, and their crew, made their way to the fence line.

Susan smiled and waved to Alexis while James shook hands with her and Zeke.

“Good morning!” Susan announced to the crowd. “My name is Susan Henning, and this is my husband, James.” James balanced an expensive motion-picture type of camera on one shoulder and waved to everyone.

“He’s filming?” Alexis said under her breath to Zeke, who stood next to her.

The corner of Zeke’s mouth lifted into a grin. “Fun.”

Susan stood before the two groups. “You may be wondering why James is filming. My husband’s a retired documentary filmmaker. Filming is in his blood. James will be documenting the renovations.” Susan held up some papers. “I have releases for you all to sign. If you don’t want to be on camera, please let us know. Having your every move documented is not for some, and is not a requirement of the contest.”

Alexis glanced at her crew, who had gathered closer to hear. She didn’t see anyone protesting. Being filmed wasn’t her idea of fun, and she wondered if she could opt out.

“Okay, I’m sure you’re all itching to get started,” Susan said. “Here are the contest rules: Since these homes will be used for recovering veterans, they must be accessible and fully furnished. That’s it. The rest is up to the individual crews to create a welcoming home for the people who will be staying here. I suspect it will be vets with families using these homes more often than individuals, so keep that in mind. Both places must be completed the week before Thanksgiving, giving you six weeks to finish the transformations.”

The reality of the short six-week timeline hit Alexis like a hammer to a thumb. How would she get everything done in time and to the quality standards she needed to win the Whitmore bid?

Susan continued. “We have set up accounts for each of the contractors at the local lumberyard and hardware store, and I’ve set up an account at the furniture warehouse outside of town, so buy what you need. Each contractor will receive a prepaid credit card for purchases elsewhere. Let me stress, though, that we would like as many purchases as possible to come from local businesses. The reason we bought these homes is to give back to the community and support the veterans who served our country with their heroic sacrifices.”

After a few questions were asked and answered, Susan rang a bell. “Let the games begin!” She chuckled. “I’ve always wanted to say that.”

Both crews cheered and grunted like sports teams did when they broke apart after a time-out. They headed back to their respective houses, excited to demolish walls. Alexis rubbed her arms. The cool arctic breeze coming in from Canada chilled her to the bone.

The Hennings had arranged for the roll-off dumpsters, and they’d been delivered last night. Alexis grabbed the can of bright-orange spray paint from the kitchen counter. “Okay, guys, now that the rules are confirmed I’m going to put an X on the walls I want torn down. Save as much trim work as you can and set it aside. The cabinets aren’t staying, but they’re still in great shape. Be careful with them because they’ll be donated. The small island comes out and isn’t worth saving. Gut both bathrooms. You know the drill. I’ll let you at it.”

Her demo crew had worked for her on and off over the years, so she knew they didn’t need supervision. She trusted them to work quickly and carefully and get the job done, including cleaning up before the end of the day.

* * *

The next morning, Zeke stood in the doorway and watched Alexis, wielding a crowbar, remove layers of linoleum from the kitchen floor. When James walked in holding his expensive-looking camera contraption, she kept her head down and tried to ignore him.

“Good morning!” James said. “Do you mind if I get started on filming?”

“Sure,” Alexis said and went back to pulling up the linoleum.

James asked, “Can you explain what you are doing right now?”

Alexis opened her mouth then slowly closed it; she looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

Zeke cleared his throat, and James focused the shot on him instead. He smiled into the camera. “Zeke. Zeke Reynolds. Electrician and overall helper. Welcome to the Elmhurst house.”

“The Elmhurst house?” James asked.

“Alexis always names the houses she renovates. Since this house is on Elmhurst Street, It’s the Elmhurst house.” He glanced back at Alexis, hoping she’d gotten over her sudden stage fright, but no, she had half the floor torn apart. “I’ve been working with Alexis for a long time. Renovation is really an art form, and Alexis Welby is a master carpenter.” He smiled. “I have watched her turn run-down homes into amazing showpieces over the years.” He turned to Alexis. “Remember that house that was infested with snakes?”

When Alexis only nodded, James lowered the camera and addressed Zeke. “Maybe this isn’t a good time. I don’t want to be in the way.”

Zeke half-whispered, “Give us a second.”

James nodded and pointed his camera elsewhere.

“Alexis? Do you have a minute?” Zeke motioned for her to follow him into the dining room adjacent to the kitchen.