“I thought that was what it had been.”Joesph looked at Jamie and back at the stairs.“Do you like it?”
“I think so.”Jamie moved to one side.“It’s a little startling at first.It’s definitely bold.”
“That’s typical mid-century modern, for sure.It wasveryfashionable.”
“And the rest will be white?”Jamie stepped forward, looking closer.
“Yes, but I’ll do the typical grey for the treads.I don’t think you’d want them white, and it won’t be all that noticeable.Maybe add some sand for slip resistance?”
Jamie nodded.“What do you think?”he asked Salzy.
“It’s bright, but I like it.I can see how the diner used to look.”He smiled brightly.“I think Ms.Mattie would be thrilled.”
“Okay, do it then.”Jamie smiled back at the two men.
“For now, I think we can just do the front of the diner in ultra-white.You can worry about doing the rest of the building later,” Joesph said as he scribbled in his notebook.
Jamie looked at Joesph.“No.Let’s just get it done.Hire professionals and do the whole building and the garage.Fix whatever needs fixing and just get it done.”
“Andthere’sthe Jamie Throneaux I know.”Joesph smiled.
“I’m going upstairs to pull up some information on kitchen equipment.I’ll pick out what I want and what we need and get that ordered.”He took a breath.“Also, I want to get that old tile out of the kitchen.Plan on doing terracotta.”
Joesph was writing it all down in the small notebook that he kept with him.
“Also, I want to build a deck between my upstairs apartment and the garage apartment.I would like part of it covered and a concrete pad underneath to park our cars.”
“Hot tub,” Salzy sang out.
Jamie frowned at him.“Okay, price out a hot tub.And a decent multipurpose barbecue.One that also has a smoker.No, scratch that.I’ll pick out a decent smoker and a grill myself.”
Joesph was standing there, his pencil hovering over the small pad.“Mind telling me what brought all this on?”
“I do mind.”Jamie snorted, almost laughing.“Now, the two of you get to work.Salzy, can you go and get that dumpster bag ordered?Might as well get two.”
“I want you to arrange for the new tile in the kitchen.I want the kitchen painted white, too.Make sure it’s enamel so it can be scrubbed.Find someone to come and get all the old kitchen equipment.That crap is old and not at all efficient.Going to start from scratch.If I’m going to do this, I’m going to do it right the first time.”
Salzy closed up the nearly empty can of paint and wrapped the paintbrush in a rag.“I’m on it.You tell me what you need, Joe.”
Joesph whipped his head around.“Mynameis Joesph.Not Joe.NotJoey.”He lowered his gaze at Salzy.“Comprenez-vous?”
Salzy’s eyebrows shot up.“Yep.Got it...Joesph.”
“He will answer to Joesphine, however,” Jamie said and jumped back from Joesph just in time to miss being slugged.
“I’m going to skin you alive...you...youmongrel!”Joesph started towards Jamie, but he bounded up the stairs, taking two at a time.
“Gotta catch me first,” Jamie yelled over his shoulder.
Jamie made sure to lock the screen door to the apartment behind himself.He could hear Joesph huffing at the bottom of the steps.He got his laptop and a notebook from his backpack.
“Now then, new kitchen equipment.”If you going to do it, do it right the first time.Jamie could hear his grandmother’s voice in his head.“Yep.Do it and do it right.”Do you really need to spend that much?Jamie heard his Papaw.Yes, I do, Solan.His grandmother would reply, hands on hips.
With a few clicks, he reached for a thumb drive.He copied everything over to it so he could have it printed out.Jamie put everything into his courier bag and closed his eyes for a moment.
“Right,” he said to the empty apartment.“A shower and then shopping.”
* * * * *
