I don’t know what I was expecting when we set out to see the house left to me by my father, but I had to check and recheck the address twice when Me-Me and I arrived. The house is huge…and the land around it opens up to a vast estate. It’s the type of place that should be named, not just inhabited. Me-Me seems to be in just as much shock as I am.
She follows me over to the side of the house, where there’s a pond and a treehouse.
Melisa: This is not what I was expecting.
Kai: Me either. It’s not just a home; it’s an entire estate.
Melisa: This pond reminds me of the one at the community garden that I volunteered at in high school. It was also an animal sanctuary for stray dogs, cats, and even wild rabbits. I loved it there.
So, she’d be into this type of living. That’s good to hear.
Kai: Let’s check out the rest.
Melisa: Kai, there’s an entire orchard and a greenhouse. There’s even a coop for chickens, and an animal shed.
Kai: Crazy, right?
Melisa: And your father never lived here?
Kai: Not that I’m aware. When I met him, he lived in a shipping container on some run-down lot. This was supposedly his parent’s retirement home.
Melisa: And now it’s yours.
I think about that for a moment, finding it a bit hard to believe.
Kai: Who would have thought?
We enter the house. It seems to be a bit much for a couple of retired old people. Me-Me appears to be thinking the same thing.
Melisa: They purchased this house for a family, Kai. Maybe they were hoping for grandchildren. Do you think they knew about you?
Kai: I doubt it. Why would my father tell them? What would he say? ‘Oh, by the way – I have a son that I don’t wanna have anything to do with.’ As far as I knew, they disowned him.
Melisa: Yeah, but you don’t buy something like this without the future in mind.
Kai: Maybe they just needed a place to dump their money – you know, like a tax write-off.
Melisa: Maybe – who knows what they were thinking.
Kai: Well, now we’ll never know.
Me-Me gives up on her game of speculation and goes back outside. Her words have me curious about what’s upstairs. I find four bedrooms, and three of them are obviously for kids. I stop in the nursery.
Maybe Me-Me is right. It seems they did have grandchildren in mind when they purchased this place. Perhaps I would have had a chance to spend time here as I was growing up if I‘d had the opportunity to know them. I could have spent my summers running around in the orchard or learning to milk cows. It’s sickening to think about all the possibilities robbed from me because of my father’s absence.
The thoughts drain my energy. I head back outside and join Me-Me in the picnic area by the tree. She picks up on my pensive mood.
Melisa: You okay?
Kai: Yes…no. I almost don’t want to do this.
Melisa: What? Move here? You don’t have to make a decision today. You still have another term at school. You can decide after you graduate.
But it’s not that simple. This place carries the weight of a family that I never knew.
Kai: I know. But it sucks when I think about having grandparents that I never met. How did they look? Maybe I have my grandmother’s eyes. What type of things did they like to do? Would they have accepted me as their grandson? This place is full of memories that I’ll never be privy to.
Melisa: I’m sure there are pictures of them somewhere in the house. They obviously had money, so there has to be articles about them. Some of the history that you’re longing for has to still be here, right? And if not – you can always make new memories.
Once again, Me-Me is the voice of reason that I need.
Kai: You make things so much better. The floor can disappear from under my feet, but you come around and I find myself floating on air.
Melisa: Aw, Kaby. That’s so sweet.
I stand up and take her hand, gently pulling her up with me. I’ve overthought everything for as long as I can remember. But now, standing, facing a possible future, I go off my gut. My heart is pounding, and my knees are shaking, but I say what I’ve longed to say since I met her.
Kai: I can see myself here, but not without you, Me-Me. If I keep this place, I want you here with me. I want to build those new memories with you.
I pull her closer into my arms. But I can feel her pulling back from me.
Melisa: Are you asking – Kai, was that a proposal?
I release her and help her regain her balance. It definitely sounded like a proposal, which means I’ve gotten ahead of myself.
Kai: No, not yet. But I want to talk about it. You know – us getting married and raising a family here. Is that okay with you?
Melisa: This is a long way from my family. And you’ve never even had the chance to meet them.
Kai: I know, and I want to get to all of that. We still have time. But if marrying me is something that you’re not inter-
Melisa: I do – I mean, I am – interested.
My heart fills with even more love for her – or maybe the word for it is relief. Either way, I’m a very happy man right now.
We return to Britechester. Instead of going back to her dorm room, Me-Me comes to my place. We spend some time studying until it begins to get late. Finally, she gets up to leave.
Kai: I know my room is small, but you can stay – if you want.
(Generation 3 Chapter Summaries)
Thanks for reading! Please hit the “like” button below to let me know you were here! Keep scrolling if you’d like to leave a comment. 🥰
