Chapter Nineteen
A Room With a View
Kaylen sat behind the counter of her little shop while she rang up a sale for one of the customers in the store. They held a little conversation about the particular book being bought and Kaylen remarked how she had once met the author in University when they conducted a guest lecture. The doorbell rang and Ashton rushed inside and up to the desk.
�I just found your doorknobs!� He surprised not only Kaylen with his outburst but also the poor customer, an older lady, who was nearly knocked over by his six-foot plus bulk. Kaylen went about finishing her sale before acknowledging his presence.
�What do you mean, you have found them? I didn�t know I had lost them.� She smiled and threw a piece of paper at Ashton.
�I have just been to see this house and they had these awesome door handles that are simple get stylish, and they don�t cost too much. They are for the apartments and I know they are one of the last things you need.� Ashton pulled out a brochure. �The lady gave me this because I enquired after them, and she gave me the name of the person I can get them from.� Kaylen looked at the picture of these great door handles and had to agree that they would be perfect for the entrance doors into the apartments.
�I think you may be onto something there, Mr Gayle. Are you able to pick them up for me, because I�m staying here a bit later tonight, a shipment of books is arriving.� Kaylen went out the back for a moment, returning with her handbag. She fished around before finding her wallet and getting out a gold credit card. �Put them on this, can you get me five please?� Ashton put the credit card safely in his own wallet. This would be the finishing touch for a great project.
�Is there anything else you need me to do, while I am running around?�
�Well, you could pick up something for dinner, a change of clothes and then come back to my place, you could help me put those doorknobs in, and then you could stay over. I wouldn�t want you to drive under the influence because I will pick up a bottle of wine.� Kaylen smiled. It was time to thank Ashton for his immense help in this project. There is no way she could have achieved this goal by herself. Ashton accepted her offer for the evening and headed back to work.
A few hours later Kaylen had locked the bookstore and headed home via the liquor store and newspaper. She arrived at the house to find Ashton sitting on the steps with bags of groceries. Kaylen looked a bit perplexed but adjusted her parcels and bags to unlock the main door of what was now almost a small apartment block. All that were missing were handles and locks for the front doors. Ashton followed her up the stairs leading up to her apartment, which took up the top two levels of the building. The ground, first and second floors had been converted into three self-contained apartments and the basement retained a larger laundry, with the kitchen facilities removed and in this area there were also storage spaces for each of the apartments. The ground floor retained a walk through to the gardens and park at the back of the house as well as a smaller apartment. A high tech intercom system had been implemented so that people on the outside of the building could get in touch with occupants. The exterior could only be opened with keys or by the pushing of a button in the apartments that linked electronically to the main door. No unwanted visitors would be gracing Kaylen�s house if she had anything to say about the matter.
The last eight weeks had gone by in a flash since that horrid dinner at the Chapman�s house in the country. She had stopped for Christmas Day and New Years but that was all. The first two weeks were spent completing the plan and deciding on the specific details with builders, painters and all the other workmen that were required for such a project. The next five weeks constantly were spent actually putting the plan into practice with all the workmen at the site from dawn till dusk working very hard to turn the house into apartments. The last week had seen the fixtures, such as bathroom and kitchen appliances being put into place. Now was the final installation of the door handles so the apartment dwellers could actually lock their rooms. Kaylen had already fielded calls from prospective tenants. They would be coming around in the next couple of days to inspect the rooms. An open night was planned for the important people that helped Kaylen put the whole project together. It would be the first time Albert and Charlotte would be able to see where their money had gone. Albert had been very impressed by the presentation Kaylen had put forward, with help from Ashton. It had laid out exactly where money would be spent and how much would be needed. Kaylen dressed up in a suit and even put together a slide presentation on her computer. Other people invited to the opening night were Ashton�s sister and her husband (who had both provided a lot of information and ideas to help with the project), other members of the Chapman family who were still around after Christmas, and contractors who had played a big part in getting the project completed and worked hard through the holiday season.
Ashton got to work cooking dinner for Kaylen while she ran downstairs and put the door handles and locks in place. The building process had given her many skills and now she was quite confident that she could put door handles in by herself. It gave Kaylen a sense that this was actually her project. She turned off the light in the final apartment and locked the door. Standing outside the door Kaylen had to smile and pinch herself. Things were really looking up for the twenty-three year old. She had a really nice boyfriend, a great new family, and she was beginning to mend some bridges with Carolyn and Ethan. Everything was finally falling into place. Kaylen made her way up the final set of steps and looked down through the stairwell. This whole wonderful place was hers and no one could take it away or re-mortgage it and give the money to their illegitimate children.
The smell of chicken drifted through the door as Kaylen entered her living room in her own apartment. She was surprised because she didn�t think she had been away that long. Ashton smiled back at her wearing one of the kitchen aprons. �Kiss the Chef�, it read and so she did. As they pulled away, Kaylen looked over her shoulder into the bin and saw a whole pile of takeout boxes and pointed at them. �Hey, I spent all afternoon running errands and you expect me to come home and cook for you as well. I feel so unappreciated, Kaylen!� Ashton pretended to go into a huff and put his hands on his hips and looked away.
�You my dear are far from unappreciated. When is dinner going to be ready, woman? I�m hungry.� Kaylen laughed and walked back up to Ashton and put her hands through the loops his arms made in the huffy stance. Ashton easily picked Kaylen up and carried her fireman style to the couch where he dropped her and began tickling until she cried �uncle�. After another few minutes of mucking around they went and ate their dinner with a glass or two of wine.
As the dinner progressed Ashton became quiet. As the dishes were cleared away, into the dishwasher and bin, Kaylen was beginning to get worried. As they went back to the couch to watch television she was worried she had done something wrong, or more importantly that he did not want to stay over with her that night. Before she had the chance to query the mood Ashton jumped into conversation. �I don�t know if you think I�m being silly, and if you do not want to that is completely up to you, Kaylen.� Now she was interested, she hoped it wasn�t something bad. �My parents are flying into the country tomorrow and are staying with my sister and her family. I have told them all about you and they really want to meet the wonderful girl in my life. My sister is putting a dinner thing on tomorrow night and I was hoping you would come. I know you have your thing the day after but I�m hoping you will have time to come and meet my parents.� Ashton was being really sweet and holding Kaylen�s hand, hoping that she would say yes. It was funny seeing someone of Ashton�s size being coy.
�I would love to meet your family. I really would like to thank your sister and her husband for their advice, they�ve never met me yet have been so helpful.� It was set, Kaylen and Ashton would tomorrow night dine with the family. Soon after that Kaylen decided she wanted to go to bed. Even though Ashton had a couple of glasses of wine it really wasn�t enough to impair his driving but he accepted Kaylen�s offer of a nice warm place to sleep. He once again picked her up and put her over his shoulder but this time he climbed the stairs toward Kaylen�s loft bedroom.
The next morning as the two lovers ate breakfast at Kaylen�s table they made plans for that evening. Ashton would pick Kaylen up after he had been home for a shower and a change. �Dress will be tidy casual, can you please wear a dress?� Ashton asked as he dropped her outside the bookstore and gave her a kiss goodbye.
�I�m not exactly going to turn up in my Levi�s, Ashton. I want to make a good impression, not look like some slapper from the wrong side of town. I�m sure I will be able to find something nice to wear.� They bid each other farewell and Kaylen went to her favourite little bookstore in town, her own.
At seven o�clock that evening Ashton, with his arm around Kaylen, pushed the buzzer of his sister�s house. Jennifer Campbell opened the door and welcomed her brother inside. The introductions were made and they moved inside where the rest of the family sat in the living room. �Ashton�s here.� She said as she came into the room.
�Hi everyone, this is Kaylen. Kaylen this is Jennifer, her husband Will and their children Michael, Dee Dee, and the little one is Ashley. These are my parents, Shawn and Hillary.�
�Hi, if you were wondering, Dee Dee is short for Candida but I think it is a stupid name.� Dee Dee smiled. Kaylen was very surprised that someone else shared her awful name, even if some of the awfulness had been removed by knowing who gave it to her. The girl had come up to shake Kaylen�s hand and they exchanged words.
�That is funny. My first name is also Candida. Our parents must have read the same book. It is the name of an author from back in the day.� Kaylen smiled at the girl who would be about thirteen or fourteen at the most. �I also thought it was an awful name until a little while ago. I use my second name which is marginally better.�
�Kaylen is a nice name. My second name is Jennifer so I am bit out of luck. I do feel better now that someone else has the name as well. I thought I was about the only person on this planet.� Dee Dee moved away and Ashley came forward to see her favourite uncle�s girlfriend.
�I�m not really little. Uncle Ashton is just a meany. I�m seven.� Kaylen shook the little girl�s hand and smiled at Ashton who was busy beaming at the warm reception Kaylen was being given. He was also surprised that Dee Dee and Kaylen shared the same name. Ashton decided that the world was awfully small and this author person must have been quite famous a few years ago.
Kaylen and Ashton caught up with the other adults and sat down with a drink before beginning to talk easily in the comfortable setting of the Campbell residence.
The Gayles were very interested in hearing about the renovation project that Kaylen was completing. They were also glad that Ashton had finally found a nice girl who seemed to have her head screwed on the right way. In the past Ashton had gone for girls that did not extend him. They were always just with him to be with some nice good looking and successful black man. Mostly they were little white girls who just wanted to show off to their friends that they could dabble with the other side. Kaylen was quite obviously of mixed blood and this sat very well with Hillary. Black girls also had their issues. It was nice to meet a mixed blood because they could see both sides and usually only had the good qualities of each race. This girl in particular was educated in literature and also dabbled in writing her own books. Kaylen was also developing a business sense, which greatly improved her allurements to Shawn and Hillary. She would not be a devilish woman who took their son�s heart and trampled all over before running off with Ashton�s money.
The talk centred on the new apartments and the help this family had given to Kaylen when they didn�t even know her. Kaylen kept looking at Will because his face seemed oddly familiar, but she put it down to being familiar with him and his friendliness. Dinner was very successful and Kaylen extended an invitation to Mr and Dr Gayle for the celebratory evening the next night. The rest of the conversation just increased Kaylen�s admiration for Ashton and his family. They all seemed so nice, even if Will had started to give her odd look every now and again. She also put it down to nothing.
Will had been watching Kaylen all night. There was something familiar about her face. Maybe he had known one of her family members in the past, but he put it down to London being a big place and probably just seeing her before somewhere. The feeling was put aside and they wished Kaylen and Ashton a safe trip home and would see them again the next night.