Masters of Lavender Hill Mansion Ch. 06

"It was a different time, Olivia. Back then, girls weren't supposed to be doing things like that with each other."

"Joe, it seems women have been doing it for as long as time exists. Men were gone all the time, what else are women supposed to do for weeks and months at a time when men hunted, or went off to war, or any other time they go away for long periods at a time? We're only human and have emotional needs

and other needs and women understand that and well, help each other get through it until the men came back."

Joe didn't know how to respond to that and just thought on his little girl loving another girl. It dawned on him why Livy talked so much about her and her feelings for her the way they were. It made sense and he came to quick terms about it.

"Doesn't change a thing, I still love her just the same."

"Good, I'm sure she'll be happy knowing that. Let's talk about this later some more. I want to know what you know and I'll talk to Livy about sharing more herself with you some how. Maybe we can set up some kind of visitation with her to be with her and Josie and spend some real time with them."

"Oh Olivia, the things you say to me. Makes an old man's heart set to bustin' I'm so happy."

Lavender clung heavy to them, then Joe had the word love wrap around him from head to toe. He looked at Olivia and knew she had witnessed it herself. His face crumbled hard into one of tears streaming down, all his doubts gone and a reality of his love for a ghost becoming a believable thing. It touched him so deeply and Olivia knew Livy's powers to affect someone like that. It was obvious Livy had deep feelings for Joe, somehow taking the place of the father figure she had lost so long ago and still needed over a hundred years later. Livy was still just a young girl in so many ways and Joe knew it, so for over a quarter of a century, he had watched over her and loved her as much as he could, accepting the interaction Livy was willing to have with him.

Olivia hugged him with great loving affection, like she would her own father, knowing how he had given such a love to someone, far beyond the realms of the norm and did it willingly and selflessly, in the name of love.

Vic came back out and saw them together like that and stopped to wonder what had happened to make Joe react that way. It was so unlike the man he knew to show such emotion like that, seeing the tears run from squeezed eyes. Before he was seen, he went back in and shouted to the girls upstairs.

"Should have hot water coming any time, just run the water and it'll get up the pipes soon."

He wasn't even sure if they heard, but he hesitated a few more seconds and walked out again. Joe was wiping his face a bit more and Olivia had stood away a few feet.

"Okay, everything checks out okay down there and you shouldn't have any problems with the pilot or heater at all. I'll talk to Mar about the tank-less heaters and such and get back to you on that shortly. Let me know about the pump and I can order that and schedule a day to do it in when it comes. Best getting any upgrades now, if you're planning on doing things to the place. Save a whole lot down the road to do it after."

"Makes perfect sense, Vic. No worries on the cheque, it's good. You let me know the cost on the heaters and the pump and I'll go get the cash for them."

"Done, I'll let you know soon on the price of it all. Thanks Ms. Masters, been a real pleasure helping you out."

"Trust me, the pleasure is all mine. I have nothing to worry about now but making the place pretty and turning it into my B and B, if it all works out that is. I still have to get zoning approval to do that and apply to the township for that."

"No worries, it'll pass. You just draw up the proposal for it all and I'll take it in to the town meeting next week."

"Really? You'll do that for me? I guess you know someone on the council who might swing it my way?"

"Might say that. I'm the president and Joe is vice president. Mar is the secretary treasurer. That's half the council right there, so chances are I can talk my brother Herb into it, which he'll go for, he loves this place."

"Wait. Not the same Herb that Joe has coming out to see about my railing on the porch?"

"Yeah, that would be him. Joe got him that job did he? Thanks Joe. I know Eliot Harding is looking to do work like that too. Herb is a bit needy for some work, I'll admit, so thanks for helping him out."

"Oh, it seems to be how things work around here, so I'm glad to help and be a part of the town."

"Well, you got as much history here as any of us, maybe more, so you're already more or less one of us already. Sort of like one of our own coming home again."

"Yeah, that's exactly how it feels. I feel like I belong here, in this house and with all you great people in town. I do feel home here."

"Well, welcome home, Ms. Masters."

"Awww, thank you Vic and please, call me Olivia and my friends are Lisa and Chelsea."

"A pleasure then, Olivia. Please, have your proposal drawn up as soon as you can, doesn't have to be all professional or anything, just enough that we can show the others and the townsfolk what you want to do. I'll give it my vote and so will Joe and Mar. People see the support we have for it, no one is really going to complain about the place being something again, instead of becoming an eyesore."

"Wow, just wow. I'm like, sorry Vic, this is just so overwhelming right now to think about. I mean, I had an idea and everything, but I was still in the planning stages of it all. I don't even know if I have enough money to renovate it into that."

"No worries. Not hard to make things happen in these parts. All pull together like I said, things get done and no bickering about what's what. Idea sounds good to me and Joe is just nodding away there like one of those bobble heads, so I know he's all for it. Mar would just love to see the place all dolled up again and pretty looking. Townsfolk sure would too."

"Then, in that case, I'll try and put something together on paper you can take to the meeting. How soon is it again?"

"Next week on Thursday. Last Thursday of every month is when we hold them. Seven till nine, or abouts. Nothing to talk about, we close up early and head on over for a pint or two and Reggie's. Anyone needs to say something, can find us there."

"I do love the informality of it all. Sure beats the red tape you go through in the city to do anything."

"We know. Usually why we get more done and stop wasting everyone's time and money. It makes sense to do it, do it. Ain't no sense going back and forth over this and that. Get the money end of it figured and we get the townsfolk to do it themselves most times and cut labour costs hiring it out. Those that work, they get paid, or a tax cut. Works out good for everyone that way. We don't really much like politics, so we try to avoid it as much as possible. We hold elections, but no one really runs against anyone. We all picked who we wanted and if they're doing a good job, why vote them out because someone thinks they can do better? Don't fix what ain't broke, plain and simple."

"Yeah, now that I can go for. I like the way things are done around here. It makes so much sense and everyone benefits. I'll put my name in for those willing to do work for the town. Not sure what I can do, but if I can do it, I'll pitch in. I'll have Lisa too, so you'll have two more bodies to count on."

"That's the spirit. I'll be getting out of your hair now and let you girls get back to making it pretty again. I'll tell Bert to go a little easy on the price."

Olivia saw the wink and smile and knew she would be well taken care of. Joe stood with her and waved goodbye, as Vic pulled out of the drive way and headed away down the road. She hugged Joe with one arm and turned them towards the door.

"It's going to be an interesting time around here, Joe."

"Looks that way, doesn't it?"

"Just know that no matter how weird things get around here, I really think the world of you."

"I have a feeling it's best I don't know all the details and just the good things it brings from it."

Joe gave her a couple of quick hugs and ushered her in the door first. Lisa and Chelsea were busy washing down the staircase, one doing the railings, the other going over the wood panelling and bringing back the shine.

"Wow, look at you guys go. Okay, let me say goodbye to Joe and I'll get busy helping."

Olivia held Joe's hands and looked at him, their eyes holding everything they knew between them. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and squeezed his hands tightly before letting him go out the door. Joe waved and said bye to Lisa and Chelsea, before walking with a vigour in his stride and his chest full of pride and happiness. Olivia knew Livy said goodbye herself, when Joe stopped before his truck and smelled the scent around him, then the hugging around him. Olivia couldn't hear or see what he said to the air, but she was sure the word love was said.

Olivia closed the door and and leaned back against it smiling in thought to herself.

"Hey, you going to stand there daydreaming, or you going to do some of this work?"

"Yeah, let's. Girls, who's for naked cleaning?"

Lisa and Chelsea sat on the stairs with surprise written on their faces, as Olivia began stripping her top off and undoing her bra.