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  Before Sam could say any more, Barb asked, “What took you so long? I could see it in your eyes that you were dying to talk about it. So let’s get it all out.” She was pleased with the way Sam took his time so as not to upset her with his proposal. She had long wanted him to change his sense of direction, but would not interfere with his work.

  “What do you mean? How much do you know about it?” Sam was a bit surprised.

  “I don’t know anything. I want you to tell me about it. I only know that you and John are cooking something up; but you will have to tell me about it.”

  “Well, we would like to invest in some large trucks and put them on the road for some large firms as subcontractors. I am aware that it could be tricky at first, but plenty of companies are looking for truckers. What do you think?” He could hardly stand it, waiting for her answer.

  “I have long known that this business was getting to you and I couldn’t blame you. However, can we pull it off financially? Have you looked into it?”

  “No, I haven’t. First of all, I wanted to know what you thought about it; I have to give your brother an answer one way or another. So, are you okay with it?” He gave her a big hug and held her in his arms for quite some time. He could always depend on her.

  “Go for it. By the way, while you are at it, you can tell that big brother of mine that the deal is conditional upon my keeping the books for your joint business.”

  “You got it!” Sam hurried out, assuring her that he wouldn’t let her down.

  Sam nearly bumped into Olivia, who had come home from school, claiming a severe headache.

  “What is this all about?” Barb was surprised to see her daughter in front of her, all distraught. “Well, we’d better see if there is anything I can do for you.” But Olivia wanted to be alone. She excused herself and went straight to her room. Once again, there was no communication when it came to her oldest daughter. Only this time, Barb did not let things go unsolved. Enough is enough. “Olivia, I would like to have a word with you right now.” She was determined to penetrate that girl’s wall of privacy. “Olivia; are you awake?” No answer. So Barb entered the room and found her daughter crying on her bed.

  “Mom, I don’t want to talk about it,” Olivia said as soon as her mother entered her room.

  “Talk about what?” Barb was by now anxious to find out what was going on. “No, my dear, that will not do this time. Once and for all, I have to be sure that you are not hiding something serious or even something dangerous. If you can’t talk to me about it then you have bigger problems than you think.” Barb was angry and worried by now. After all, this was her child in distress and not wanting to talk about it. She was able to deal with problems but to deal with the unknown was another matter.

  “Mom, you know that I love you both; I mean, you and Dad work hard, but some of my friends are making fun about Dad being a mover. I really don’t wish to cause any trouble, but why can’t he do something else?” She was sobbing. Barb was getting more and more upset, not knowing if she was angry with Olivia, or with other people’s interference. Sam was a hard-working man, doing honest work and earning a decent living by moving house for people when they needed to move. Why should she let those schoolgirls affect her emotions in such a tacky way? But she was relieved that her daughter was not in some danger after all.

  “I’m sorry, Mom. I guess I shouldn’t have let them upset me for something like that. Please don’t tell Dad about it — please, Mom!” She hugged her mother, and Barb left the room, leaving the door open. Soon after that, Barb could hear some light music coming from the room.

  Barb never mentioned this to her husband. Olivia was his favourite, and it would have hurt him to know how she felt about his job. She also didn’t tell Olivia that by sheer coincidence, her father no longer wished to do the moving. The difference was that he chose the change because moving had become too physically demanding and not because he was ashamed of doing it. That was never on his mind.

  The next thing on the list was to go to the bank and try to get a loan in order to get those trucks, which the guys would need. Another important step was getting contracts with the known companies locally. It was tricky — and rightfully so, because they had no guarantees that they would get that much-needed loan in order to form their new company. They had to be legitimate.

  With the last part of the day, Barb rearranged her whole office area in her living room for better organization of space as well as comfort. She was already planning on doing their books, even if she needed to do them for nothing at first. After all, this was to be a family business. She was secretly excited for them.

  Nicole came home with Trevor in tow. He had gotten himself in a fight at school. It was not a big deal, but Trevor insisted that he was right to defend a boy that some guys were picking on. To which Olivia added, “I wish I had a big brother who would defend me sometimes.” They all laughed.

  “Mom, may I go to walk Serge with Dominic? I won’t be long.” Nicole was halfway out the door as she waited for her mother’s reply.

  “Yes, yes, go ahead. And say hallo to Dominic for me.” Then, a second later: “Say hallo to Henry and Serge as well!” Then she laughed to herself.

  “Mom, can I go, too?” Trevor was quick to ask.

  Nicole said jokingly, “No, Trevor. I have had enough of you for today. You just might get in a fight with Serge if there is no one else around!” Then she quickly left the house before her brother could tag along.

  Nicole often joined Dominic on these trips through the park. They both enjoyed being outside. Henry would watch them go and wonder, what is to become of this friendship? He often found himself thinking about this boy who had a heart of gold and deserved a better life than he had been given. Yet, one never heard him complain. He was very devoted to his mother and his sister. Some people are simply unique and brave . . .

  “Hallo, Serge,” Henry greeted his friend as Dominic and Nicole brought him back home. “And hallo to you two as well,” looking at the two young people, whom he liked very much. “Would you like to come in for a cup of tea?” He was pretty sure what the answer would be, but he tried anyway.

  However, the two of them decided they could afford to stay for a few minutes. After all, he was their friend as well as their inspiration for living. After all that he had been through, he still had so much will to live . . . there must be something special about this person. Ever since the accident, the children had been drawn to him in a different way than before. Henry was their hero. They had come to feel very possessive over him. Yes, they once knew him as Santa at the Millers’ store, but now he was very much a part of their lives. Nobody knew how or when that had happened, other than that it was connected with the accident, but there seemed more to it than met the eye. Those were their thoughts as Henry petted his friend, who quite contentedly snuggled by Dominic’s leg. Nicole petted him as well, and he replied with a lick on her arm.

  “Well, Serge, you seem to be quite content with this arrangement,” Henry said.

  “We better be going, or Nicole will not be joining us in the future,” Dominic chuckled.

  “Yes, that is right. My mom will be worried if I am late.” They said their goodbyes and Henry and Serge saw them off until next time.

  “So, did you enjoy the walk?”

  “Yes, Mom, it was refreshing to say the least. That dog makes me feel alive . . . the way he shows gratitude for the little kindnesses we can well afford. He is a good friend. And so is Dominic, if I do say so myself. I always feel so secure when I am with the two of them.”

  “Well, I am glad that you enjoyed the walk and I agree with you about Dominic. By the way, Sasha came looking for him — only I think she was more likely looking for your company . . .”

  “What makes you say that?” Nicole was taken by her mother’s statement.

  “Well, something tells me that she knew about her brother’s whereabouts, but she was lonely because her mother seems to be in her element (‘out of
order’). She seemed distraught, as is often the case. At times I feel compelled to do something drastic about the whole situation.” Nicole agreed with her, but it might make things worse for Dominic and Sasha. No one really knew what would help, and there wasn’t much they could do about it. As the two of them discussed the problems at the Lamberts’ house, Trevor came in and interrupted, without meaning to. So much for that. So Nicole went up to her sister’s room and knocked; no answer . . .

  “Olivia, are you in there?” She heard some shuffling in the room. “Am I interrupting your beauty sleep?” Nicole was being sarcastic, as she often was in order to get her sister away from dreaming about her life. Olivia needed a bit of prodding at times to bring her back to reality, and no one knew better how to do that than Nicole.

  “All right, come on in, if you must,” was the answer that came out from the room. But at that point, their mother was calling everybody to the living room because their father had just come home with very good news. So everybody gathered together to hear what Sam had to say.

  “I am very happy to tell you all that your uncle John and I have just become business partners in a brand-new business called S&J Trucking Company.” He waited for a reply, while his brother-in-law waited outside. “Well, what do you have to say?” He was waiting for a positive response, of course. He was looking at Barb, who was being visibly supportive.

  Then Nicole asked, “What brought that on?”

  Trevor responded with, “Can I come with you for a ride sometimes?” They all laughed, except for Olivia, who was by now hysterical. She felt mighty guilty about what she had said about her father’s previous occupation. She was sure that her mother had told on her and could not bring herself to even look at her. It was pathetic.

  Sam was crushed by his daughter’s reaction and at the same time felt bewildered. Everything sort of stopped and stood still. John, who was watching from outside through the window, panicked, burst into the house, and started asking questions. Now it was really awkward. Finally, Barb had enough and attempted to explain the whole situation, without telling on their daughter; and Olivia saw that her mother had not betrayed her and was trying to do her best to save her from a near-disaster.

  Finally, everyone was relieved, and the real happiness began with cheers that were in order. By the time they were ready to go to bed, everybody had had a good laugh and Olivia felt at ease at last. She was a bit of a drama queen at the best of times, and her family knew this. Usually they ignored it.

  When Henry found out about the partnership, he invited the Prestons over for a celebration and drinks. With the help on hand, he didn’t feel restricted as far as having company was concerned. While Nicole and Trevor took Serge for a walk, Sam and John told him all about their new venture. That left Barb and Olivia to have their private talk about how their real secret had stayed untouched. Olivia was able to tell her how happy she was that she could trust her mother.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Hamilton is a city of many wonders. There are quite a few parks, plenty of industry, beautiful churches, and art. To Henry Dobbs, Hamilton was the ultimate home. He was born there, and his beloved Lily was born in Hamilton’s east end. He met the Millers after he bought his house, but work kept him away at first. In later years, once he retired and settled down with Lily in his favourite area, he became friendly with the Millers. Their store brought them plenty of chances to get to know the local people as they kept coming in to buy food and other items. A general store, in those days, sold more than just food. There were hardware, yard goods, bird food, sewing supplies, and more. Henry and Lily never had children but that did not stop them from liking other people’s children. That is why Henry later got into the Santa-make-believe thing at the Millers’ store. He enjoyed it.

  The Millers were very well-liked people. Anna, who was a large woman, was as friendly as she was large. Her husband, George, was quite the opposite: tall and slight. The boys were big guys. Greg was tall and big; Dan was medium height but large; and Robert was called “the wrestler.” However, their daughter, Marianne, was short and slight. Anna Miller used to say that Sasha reminded her of Marianne when she was Sasha’s age.

  Sometime after Lily passed on, Anna Miller asked Henry if he would be interested in selling his cottage, in case (by chance) it reminded him of some sad times regarding his beloved Lily? “Now, don’t take me wrong, Henry; I am not trying to insult you, and you know it. I just wondered if you would like to do something about your cottage, like selling it, since you seem to have a hard time going there. In fact, I know that you haven’t gone there since Lily passed on.” Anna took a big chance in asking him about it.

  But Henry was not offended, nor was he planning on getting rid of the cottage. “Now, Anna, I am sure that it took a lot out of you to ask me that question. However, I have plans for the cottage. Only I have to think it over good before I talk about it. I am sure you understand?” He leaned his head to one side as a well-meaning gesture in order to make her feel at ease.

  “That is great, Henry — as long as it isn’t a burden to you?”

  “On the contrary, Anna; I have big plans concerning the cottage. I just have to be careful how to go about it. As you know, the cottage is in an excellent location for family recreation, and I want to make sure that it gets used accordingly.” Now, it was Anna’s turn to be bewildered. He was teasing her. “I am not getting married or anything like that; I just want to make sure it gets updated first. There are several issues that need to be addressed regarding safety, as well as comfort.”

  “Henry, I admire you; and good luck in whatsoever you are planning to do with it.”

  “Thank you, my dear. Now, how is the family?” He wanted to change the subject from the cottage, and it worked. He was not ready to talk about the details regarding his plans. First, he wanted the Preston and Lambert children to see his cottage, and hopefully they would want to spend some time there by the water. He was worried that Dominic would not be able to persuade his mother to go and spend some time there, even for the sake of her children. On the other hand, he could picture little Sasha absorbing the fresh air up there and having a great time. So he would have to come up with a good plan.

  The next time Dominic came to walk Serge, he had Sasha and Nicole with him. This gave Henry an idea: If he were to suggest to Barb Preston that they take her children, as well as Susanne and her children, up to the cottage, he would likely have a good time showing it to them. Children always made him feel alive. Lily would love this idea. So he decided to ask Nicole about her mother and to send regards to the family.

  “Well, hello to you all on this beautiful Sunday morning!” As soon as he said that, Serge just about burst out the door with happiness. “Nicole, I have been meaning to speak with your mom about something. Is she at home?”

  “Yes, Mr. Dobbs; she is working on her backlog. I mean, she is doing books for somebody.”

  “Mr. Dobbs, can we bring Serge to the Prestons’ house, if you want to go and see her now?” Sasha was all excited, and Henry simply couldn’t resist her request.

  “That would be great, if you don’t think Mrs. Preston would mind.”

  At that moment, the children disappeared with Serge, and everybody was happy. Henry proceeded to lock the door and drove to the Prestons’ place, where he met Sam, who was just leaving.

  “Hallo, Henry; good to see you. Can I help you?”

  “Thanks, Sam, but I came to see your wife — if it is all right with you?”

  “Hi, Henry, come on in.” Barb heard them talking and opened the door. Sam was off to an auction of truck parts and accessories, so he and John were in a bit of a hurry.

  In front of her stood this tall Henry Dobbs, who was always friendly and kind of shy. The truth was that Henry was simply a kind man always trying not to offend anyone but who was at the same time quite content with himself. Barb was happy to see him but wondered what could have brought him to her on a Sunday morning.

  She promptly inv
ited him into the house and offered him a cup of tea. Henry was pleased and graciously accepted. While Barb busied herself in the kitchen, Henry managed to get a glimpse of the living room. He felt welcome there. He had expected something like it. He also saw the family photos on the wall, which made it homey.

  “What brings you here today, Henry? I hope everything is all right?” She scanned him with her questioning eyes as she poured the tea and sat down opposite Henry on a chair, so she could see him well while he told her why he had come and what was on his mind.

  “Mrs. Preston —” and before he could continue, Barb stopped him with: “Please, Henry, call me Barb. I won’t have it any other way.”

  “Yes, well, Barb: I would like to speak with you about the children. That is, yours and the Lambert children. What I mean is: I know that you have quite an influence over the Lambert children, not to mention their mother. Your children and hers seem to have a good relationship. A common bond, so to speak. Am I right?”

  Barb was a bit taken aback by this line of questioning. It was a total surprise to her that she had influence over Susanne’s children; she never thought of it as an influence, but it sounded quite right to her, to hear it put that way. So she waited while Henry continued.

  “I don’t know if this sounds wrong to you and I don’t mean to interfere with anybody’s life; but I adore children, yours as well as the other two. So I have had an idea that might make everyone happy.

  “You see, I have this cottage up north and I would like to make some use of it. Ever since my beloved Lily passed on, I haven’t gone up there. It would be a shame not to use it.”

  “Yes, I know about your cottage,” Barb quickly commented so as to help him out, as she sensed that he felt awkward talking about it. “Lily often talked about the cottage.”

  “Well, would you be interested in taking the two families up to the cottage with me? I would like to show it to you, and maybe you and Sam, as well as the children, would like to spend some time there.” Henry felt uneasy about the whole thing and was almost regretting having started something that might turn awkward if she felt that he was trying to tell her what to do.