TROUBLE IN THE NEW HOME

Melvin now eighteen was beginning to consider his options in life and was interested in astronomy. He had spent countless hours with adopted grandpa Alex Robinson studying the heavens on that sophisticated computer system and viewing the heavens with Alex patiently introducing him to the complexity of the universe. Learning this Paul invited him to use this equipment whenever he felt like it and indicated he was going to upgrade the equipment to make it even more useful as a learning tool.

Listening to this invitation Miriam suddenly felt jealous of her brothers having access to these wonderful tools. Perhaps this young man Paul had a BSc in Computer Science, but it was not an American degree and who knew what standard that would be. She felt that even though at age twenty-one she still had a year and a half to go before graduating the knowledge she presently had was probably just as good as this foreign degree and she wanted to test herself against this new neighbour. She spoke.

“Paul I’d like to have some conversations with you about computing science as I’m heading for graduation after completing another year and a summer school. Could you find time for that? I know you are just settling in.”

Paul looked at Miriam with interest. He was a computer nerd and preferred to talk the talk but was quite personable and able to hold a conversation with anyone who’d travelled extensively too and could be quite interesting to talk with. He’d felt quite at home with this family. His family in Scotland were all academics and as an only son he’d not enjoyed the kind of family interaction he was experiencing this evening. He hoped that interaction would continue and was thrilled to hear the family looked on his uncle as an adopted grandparent. He left that evening feeling happy with an invitation for him to join the family for supper each evening while he was setting up  house and the promise the boys would be over after school each evening to see how they could help him set everything in order as the place had not been cared for in months and needed a lot of upkeep. But for the first time in his life, he had this unforeseen interest in a woman. She talked his technical language, but he rightly perceived she had a giant ego problem and that didn’t appeal to him at all. Nevertheless, it would be interesting to explore their common interests together but that would probably be the limit of his interest.

The next afternoon after school the three young Sinclair men arrived at the Robinson home looking first at the pool which carried many happy memories for them. They called Paul’s name and handed over cookies sent by Cynthia when he appeared looking sweaty and happy to see them. They gave a reminder Paul was expected to eat with them that evening and asked what they could do to help Paul move in. Paul listed the things needing attention. The landscapers were no longer coming after Paul had notified the will executors he was in the country.

Adrian who liked being out in the grounds for recreation took over the mower and battery trimming equipment and started work. He was quite familiar with this equipment. He’d attend to that over the next few days getting it all back to the precision work grandpa Alex demanded and which Adrian often helped him with while Alex was alive.

Melvin asked if Paul had activated the astronomy kit and Paul looked at him with interest inquiring if he was familiar with it. Learning that Melvin had spent hours with Alex using the equipment he invited him to check it all out while he was working setting up the home. Melvin was delighted to see it still worked after so many months being inactive and excitedly called Paul over to show him it was all working. Paul not being familiar with this equipment resolved to spend time with Marvin getting to understand the intricacies of this system when he was settled in. Paul had been thinking about the size of this house compared with the apartment he’d occupied in Scotland which had been small but manageable for someone constantly studying. He may need to employ a housekeeper to clean and cook meals for him. He was well able to do that financially with the money left to him. He’d need to reemploy landscapers too. Brian followed Paul around the house helping with whatever Paul decided needed to be done. Paul felt for the first time what it was like to have siblings even though they were not blood related as they bonded together that afternoon. All too soon they realized it was time to go home and shower before the evening meal. Paul suggested a shower and quick dip in the pool and the siblings looked at each other in surprise. They spoke.

“We don’t have bathers!”

Paul shrugged and discarded his clothes stepped under the pool shower and soaped up quickly washing the soap off and diving into the pool. The brothers looked at each other surprised and then on impulse stripped off and showered jumping one by one into the pool and doing a couple of laps before exiting the pool. Paul drew their attention to a plastic cupboard and indicated they should find towels there. They towelled off and then put on their clothes, but Paul disappeared inside and came out dressed in fresh clothes. They then hurried over to the Sinclair home, and the boys ran to their rooms to change emerging looking fresh for supper.

Their sister Miriam looked at her brother’s wet hair and complained they hadn’t invited her to enjoy the pool too only to be told it wouldn’t have been proper to invite her as they’d forgotten to take bathers with them. Miriam blushed with embarrassment and retreated to the kitchen to help their mom place everything on the table. Her brothers were disgusting!

During the table discussion as they ate together Paul disclosed his plan to get help in the home and employ landscapers for his grounds. Adrian asked if Paul would allow him to care for the grounds. He was the one to take responsibility for the Sinclair estate outside sometimes helped by his brothers. Adrian was pursuing his bachelor’s degree in literature but liked to work on the grounds to compensate for all the study he did. He liked to work out to keep his body in shape. It would be his way for thanking Paul for the use of the pool which was now a standing invitation to all the Sinclair family.

Paul Robinson and the Sinclair’s bonded as they set up Paul’s new home together and for the first time in his life, he felt like he had siblings. Marvin and Cynthia Sinclair warmed to this young man as a worthy replacement for Alex and Elizabeth Robinson who they’d come to love as one of their own family over the years and the young man treated them as he imagined it would be like to have relatives.

He’d no knowledge he had an uncle in the US. Apparently when his parents were questioned as he learned Uncle Alex had left Paul his fortune his parents admitted there was bad blood between Paul’s father and his brother Alex. No amount of questioning would convince them to disclose what that rift was about and this puzzled and irritated their son. When he took over the home, he’d searched diligently through personal files to see if that puzzle could be solved and the executors of the will claimed to have no idea of any rift in the family. All they knew was the will gave everything Alex owned to Paul.

Grandparents on Paul’s mother’s side of the family had died in a car accident when Paul was in his early teens and he was only vaguely aware of cousins on that side. He knew grandfather on his father’s side was located somewhere in Australia with his second wife. His original grandmother having died of cancer in middle age. There was no contact between them so finding a family that adopted him was a very happy experience for Paul.

Cynthia took the young man under her wing as he sought an appropriate housekeeper. Paul wanted a suitable single older woman as a live in housekeeper without family as he didn’t want to have a young woman with all the compromising situations this could create. Cynthia vetted each person answering the advertisement and there were many applicants. After several weeks of interviews Cynthia settled on a woman who’d lost her husband from a work accident whose children had now left home to pursue their careers. She was finding it difficult to pay the rent now as family savings work compensation had been used up in educating her children who’d now taken off to find their careers elsewhere. The Landlord was now pressuring her to vacate.

So middle aged Maria Gomes moved to the Robinson home and immediately showed the wisdom of Cynthia’s choice. She’d been a teacher in her younger years but had lost her job as her husband needed her constant attention at the hospital for several weeks before finally succumbing to his injuries. She’d desperately tried to get her job back but during an economic downturn many were unemployed, and Maria had to survive on welfare and charity of church members who contributed money toward her home rent. But with the children now reaching maturity the church expected them to now contribute toward their mother’s house rent and that had not happened.

About a month later two of Maria’s children showed up at the Robinson house demanding they be taken in as part of Maria’s family. Maria’s contract specifically stated no family members would be permitted to stay there, and she fled to Cynthia next door to find a resolution as Paul was not at home at the time. Cynthia phoned the police, and they arrived to investigate the situation. The contract was explained to the children trying to occupy but they indicated they had no other place to go and demanded entry. They were immediately taken into custody and spent time at the police station where they were threatened if they went anywhere near that home again the police would find some way to see they understood clearly, they were not wanted there.

Of course, they did had accommodation elsewhere but when they heard their mother had scored such a wonderful home to manage, they could see how they’d be much more comfortable there than their present accommodation. Maria was ashamed of the way her children had left her to fend for herself and their attempt to push their way into this stranger’s home. Paul became anxious when the event was disclosed to him at the end of the day, but Cynthia assured him, she’d be on the alert during the day in support of Maria and to give the woman a chance. Maria pulled out all stops to please her new benefactor and cooked the most delicious food as well as keeping the home in immaculate order. But she kept well distanced from the rooms housing Paul’s equipment during the day and would only clean those rooms when Paul was there to see she didn’t disturb any of the equipment in her cleaning. After two weeks Paul was convinced, Cynthia had made an excellent choice for him, and Maria was a silent busy bee in the background carefully avoiding Paul’s space as she knew her continued employment meant keeping Paul happy.

TO BE CONTINUED

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