lyin’ to yourself, baby. You did this for yourself too. Was it worth it?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. To me personally I would never have done this. I remember growing up in the town of Packwood. I know what it’s like to live out in the woods. Trust me, the city life is better than living the rural life. It’s easier.”
Christina turned her back to Charolette. She looked out into the field onto a beautiful and warm autumn day. The cool breeze caused the blades of grass to dance in unison with the forest just beyond the grass field. For a moment, Christina remembered her youth and what it was like back on her parents’ property in Packwood and she remembered how much she did enjoy it.
“You know what, yeah, maybe a little of this was for me too,” she said.
“Suga’, that’s what a marriage is all about, baby. When you feel comfortable and good makin’ those sacrifices, baby, then you know you doin’ it right.”
“Yeah, I suppose you’re right. So what are you, locked and stuck in my imagination now? Every time I have a moment of bliss you just show up or something, is that how this works?” said Christina, turning around to look at Charolette in the wooden rocking chair. But she was gone. Christina looked around herself, but the short older black woman was nowhere to be seen. All that was left behind was a wooden rocking chair, slowly rocking back and forth in the autumn breeze, creaking while it moved.
“Wow. Maybe I should get to bed early tonight,” Christina said to herself. Christina walked toward the entrance to the cabin as she could hear her husband speaking with the movers.
The cabin had a large living room area that was set up with the couch over in the corner where the TV and TV stand were already set near a window. Matt and Christina moved out of the way while the movers continued to bring more furniture into the home from the moving truck—a nice rocking recliner followed by their bedroom set with a king-sized bed. Matt and Christina remembered moving into their last place in Olympia and were relieved that they weren’t the ones moving all their things again. It really was a great help having the movers helping to move their belongings into the cabin, not that Christina would have been able to do it all on her own. And they worked quickly too in setting things up and helping get Matt and Christina situated in their new cabin. The cabin had a spacious kitchen area that was in the northwest corner of the home. The living room, on the south east corner of the home, was quite large, and behind the living room in the southwest corner was a nice and simple dining room area, where movers were moving an old armoire set against the wall that housed some fine china and depression glass that Christina had collected over the years. On the east side of the home was a bedroom built for two, along with a bathroom and shower sitting between the bedroom and a small utility room with a back door to the cabin. In the utility room was room for a stand-up freezer (or refrigerator depending what you wanted), along with a washer and dryer unit that was already brought in by the moving crew and set up. Christina would just have to hook up the hoses and water and plug them into power, and they’d have their washer and dryer up and running. All in all, including the bedroom, bathroom, utility room, and the wide open living area, the cabin was nearly one thousand seven hundred square feet. In the dining room by the window was where the electrical inverter was located for the solar panels of the house. From here, power was run to all locations of the cabin, inside and out, and to each room.
“So what do you think?” asked Christina.
“It is beautiful. Just like you,” said Matt.
Christina smiled and leaned down to give Matt a hug.
“This is going to be an amazing restart to our lives. I love it already,” said Matt.
“You know what, I do too. I’m glad we did this.” Christina smiled.
“Ma’am, would you like to tell us how you and your husband would like to have the bedroom arranged? I believe you have options there, as well as how you want the living room arranged, especially that it’s an open concept design out here. As far as the dining room here goes, it’s a small space and we went ahead and arranged it how we think it would look best, but if you guys have a better idea, it’s your home, you can arrange it however you want,” said the mover.
“No, we like how you set the dining room table up in that corner. That’s perfect. I’m going to go to the bedroom, honey. Is there a specific way you want the bedroom set up?” asked Christina.
“Well, if I had it my way, I would like for the headrest of the bed to be against the wall that’s between the bedroom and bathroom,” said Matt. “That way we can enjoy looking out the window if we want to.”
“So when you’re in bed you want to be facing toward the window?” asked Christina.
“Yes, that’s right. What do you think, honey?”
“That sounds good to me. Then in the mornings we can lay in bed and open the blinds to the window and watch rain or snow or even a sunrise over the trees. Maybe we might even get some deer to graze by in the grass by the window?”
“You never know.”
“Okay, that sounds good to me too.”
Christina walked into the bedroom with a couple of the movers who went to work in rearranging the bedroom for the couple. Matt stayed behind in the living room in his wheelchair, looking through some of the packed boxes in the kitchen.
“Sir?” said one of the movers.
Matt turned around in his chair to face one of the movers. “Yes?” asked Matt.
“Sir, we’re going to rearrange your living room, but only if you want it to be done. We stuck the TV and stand against the wall over by the fireplace, and we put the couch and recliner chair in the corner with it. Are you okay with how it’s all set up?” asked the mover.
“So long as my wife is okay with it, then I’m good,” replied Matt. “If it’s up to me, this looks great. I love how you guys have the furniture set up and the bookshelves and curio cabinet where they are. You guys did great with this move, thank you.”
The mover thanked Matt and went back to unloading boxes from the moving truck into the living room and kitchen area. Matt couldn’t believe how many boxes were being unloaded from the truck into the cabin. Matt wondered if they really had accumulated this much while living together over the last few years. Finally, the movers had brought the last of the boxes in and shut the back door to their moving truck. Christina had since come back from the bedroom after movers helped reorganize the bedroom for the couple. She had spent some time unpacking bedroom items and clothing boxes and putting things away. Two more movers came in and moved a large dresser into the bedroom. After the dresser was moved into the bedroom, the movers were finished with their work. On the way out, Matt had attempted to give the men an extra hundred-dollar tip, but the men would have nothing of it. The lead mover told Matt that their pay can only come from the company, but he thanked Matt for the generous offer. Matt thanked the men and shook each one of their hands, Christina in turn shook their hands as well. Finally, the men left the cabin and the last man out shut the door behind him, leaving Christina and Matt alone in their newly purchased cabin home.
“Chris,” said Matt.
“Yes?” replied Christina.
“Do you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
“Nothing. I hear nothing.
