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COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • JANUARY 2017 Henderson no match for female forces in his life
When we left off last time, Kenneth was troubled by Janice’s insistence he work from home and her blunt, personal rebuttal. Deborah, on the other hand, was almost melancholy remembering the rehearsal kiss she shared with Doug McLeod.
Chronicles BOB COLLINS
Kenneth Henderson made a brief appearance at his office the next morning and after a terse conversation with Erica Swift, he was on his way. He was on a ferry an hour later, headed for the city to see his mother. He surprised her early in the afternoon.
“Kenneth? Is everything alright?”
“Yes, Mother. Why wouldn’t everything be fine? I came because you emailed and said there were some things we needed to discuss about the estate.”
“I just didn’t expect you today, that’s all.”
There was a young woman wearing glasses and holding a clipboard standing in the hall. “Gwen, I’d like you to meet my son, Kenneth. Gwen is with the auction. She is doing
an inventory and taking pictures for the catalog.” “You’re auctioning off all the furniture?”
The Woodshed
“Not all of it. Some will be going into storage but I can’t keep it all, and there’s some I wouldn’t keep if I could. There’s coffee in the kitchen. We should be done with this in 45 minutes and we’ll talk then.” Kenneth
retreated to his father’s office
upstairs. There was a sticker that said Lot 117 on the desk. He poured himself a tumbler of Scotch and sat down to say his final farewell to his father. His mother rapped at the door an hour later.
“I’ve made tea. Why don’t you come down and we’ll have that talk?” Downstairs, they
reminisced about the house. Kenneth wondered why the buyer didn’t want any of the furniture.
“Not interested at all. I don’t know what they have planned. The real estate agent said it was entirely possible they plan to tear it down.”
“You can’t be serious? This house is a classic,” said Kenneth. “It’s a landmark. How could someone just buy it and tear it down?”
“It happens all the time now. Isn’t that what you are planning to do with the house you bought?” “That was different,” said Kenneth.
“Isn’t it always, dear?” said his mother. “I’m going to sell the Okanagan property, too.” “Father always said it would come to me.”
“Well, I have no doubt he said it but you know we owned it jointly and it is in my name. One of the few things that ever was.”
“I think he was pretty clear about who he wanted to have it.”
“He never said anything about it to me. Tell me you’re not feeling hard done-by after everything he’s left you?” “I’m just saying I’m sure he expected it to stay in the family,” said Kenneth. “Ahh. And can you
remember the last time you stayed there? No? It has no memories for you and mostly unhappy ones for me so I am going to sell it and I am going to give you half of the money if you agree to this: we use half of money for trust funds for Ashley and Christopher when they are 25. Then, we’ll split the rest. And you’ll take a Deborah on a holiday to the Caribbean this spring.” “I can’t get away for a holiday, and it’s always
packed on spring break, and Deborah would never leave the kids.”
“Don’t worry about the kids. I’ve already spoken to Ashley. I’ll come and stay with them.”
Kenneth scowled unhappily.
“If that doesn’t suit you, Kenneth, how would it be if I sell the property, put three- quarters of the money in trust for the kids and take Deborah and them on a holiday myself while you stay at home and think it over?”
Kenneth threw his hands in the air.
“Fine, Mother! Whatever you say. I’ll talk to Deborah and plan it out, if she even wants to go.”
“Why don’t you leave the planning up to me dear? My treat.”
vvv
Kenneth arrived home unannounced at noon the following day.
“Is everything alright?” asked Deborah.
“Good Lord, you sound just like my mother. This is my home. Why does something have to be wrong if I come to it?”
“Nothing has to be wrong. I just didn’t expect you back this soon.”
“Well, here I am. I’ll be here THE HAY AND TILLAGE TOOL SPECIALISTS
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for the next week or two.” “Is something wrong?” “No, Deborah. Nothing is wrong. Just let it be. Alright?” Deborah made soup and grilled cheese sandwiches and they ate in silence. “I’ve been to see my
mother.”
“That’s nice. How is she?” “She’s hatched up some scheme to come here to look after the kids and send us off on a holiday. Are you interested in going?” “Just you and I on a holiday? Where?”
“Caribbean. I have no Idea where. It’s her treat and she’s planning it all out, if you even want to go.”
“Gee, Kenneth. You sound so enthusiastic, it would be hard for me to say no.” “I don’t want to argue about this, Deborah. It seems important to her and I said I’d ask you.”
“Well, we haven’t been anywhere now for two years so maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea. I wouldn’t be able to go until after the spring musical, though.”
“Oh, by all means. We wouldn’t want you to miss the hillbilly opera.”
They fell silent. Deborah wondered how much fun a holiday would possibly be when they barely seemed able to manage five minutes of civil conversation. Kenneth adjourned to his office and poured himself a drink. There was a pile of feed store invoices on his desk. He appeared back in the kitchen doorway a minute later waving the fistful of paper work.
“What’s all this supposed to be?”
“If you are referring to the papers on your desk, they are feed store invoices.”
“Yes, I can read. I know they are feed store invoices. What do we need all this for?” “I don’t know, Kenneth. You’re the one who is in the veal business. You figure it out.”
“All this is for the calves? I didn’t agree to this.”
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“Well, what did you expect? You don’t know the first thing about raising a calf. You just landed the calves here and expected the kids and me to look after them. Christopher got Newt to give him a list and I bought it. If that doesn’t suit you and you’re going to be home anyway, maybe you should look after them yourself!”
“Well, Deborah, maybe I’ll just do that. How hard could that be?”
... To be continued
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