Page 64 of Wish You Faith

Algernon unlocked the glass doors, and the ocean and sky greeted Mom.

Rosie started recording Mom on her iPhone. Mom lifted her face toward the sun and closed her eyes. The breeze played about with her wavy gray hair. The beach was Mom’s happy place.

Whoever rented this condo to Mom deserved a double blessing from God.

“Shall we tour the condo before lunch?” Algernon asked.

“Young man, give me a minute to enjoy God’s sunshine and hear the ocean.” Mom didn’t move. “I think I need to turn my hearing aid down. It’s getting loud.” She laughed.

Rosie watched Mom enjoying her little bit of happiness. She couldn’t think about the future, even though Mom had bought the funeral plot next to Dad’s a long time ago. Right now, this very moment, Rosie only wanted to remember the good times with Mom.

A few minutes passed by. Then Mom was ready to go inside.

“Turn that off.” Mom pointed to her face. “This is not my good side.”

Rosie chuckled. Who cared? This was a private video she wasn’t going to show anyone—except Evan. She turned off the recording, and followed Mom and Algernon inside.

“When can we move in?” Mom asked as she stepped into the living room.

“Any day, ma’am. This condo is ready for you.” Algernon stepped back a bit and turned around, as though he was making a presentation. “I’ve already called our white-glove movers, and they will call your daughter to set up an appointment to see what you’d like moved.”

“How big is this condo?” Rosie asked.

“About thirty-five hundred square feet.”

“Oh. Bigger than our house, sweetie,” Mom said. “Our entire house could fit in here.”

“We’ll discuss what we should move now—such as our beds and clothes—so that you can be here to enjoy the view right away,” Rosie said. “The rest, we may or may not move.”

“If you and I both stay here, then what are we going to do with our old house?”

“We can rent it out, maybe after we replace the carpet and repaint the walls.” Rosie thought that perhaps Evan could rent their old house when he returned to Savannah, if he hadn’t made other plans already.

Regardless, Rosie was sure they’d need to update the forty-year-old kitchen. Maybe she’d make a trip to Home Depot or Lowe’s to see what sort of budget she’d need to renovate a small kitchen. Rental properties could bring in some income that might offset some of Mom’s future medical expenses.

Oh, she did it again.

Rosie didn’t want to think about unhappy things, but she couldn’t help herself.

“This condo is just too good to be true,” Mom said. “Everything I ever wanted, sweetie. I thought we’d have to wait three years for a place at SSLR. Surprised that we got it in less than a year.”

“I’m surprised too.” Rosie thanked God over and over.

Mom turned to Algernon. “I feel bad that I can move in now while other scholarship recipients have to remain on the waiting list.”

“They don’t mind because they know about another surprise that we haven’t announced yet.” Algernon checked his phone as it pinged while he spoke. “Around the same time last week, one of our donors bought the apartment complex across the street and gifted it to SSLR. We close in a month and begin the renovations the week after. Forty new apartments will be available for occupation in late spring instead of a year or longer.”

“Oh I see.” Mom’s palm went to her chest. “Whew. I don’t feel too bad then.”

“You shouldn’t. Founders Row has nothing to do with Tybee Apartments.” Algernon smiled. “Roger talked to the scholarship winners, and they all wanted first dibs on the new apartments.”

Algernon then went on to talk about the history of SSLR. “In the seventies, before SSLR, a group of people bought this land as an investment property. At first they wanted to build a resort like what you find on Jekyll Island, but then there was a fallout among the business partners. They dissolved the project, with seven of them buying up the land from the rest of them. They built condos for themselves, and as their own parents aged, they decided to start a retirement community for them. Thus SSLR was created.”

Algernon waved his arms. “This was one of the original condos. That’s why this entire section is called Founders Row.”

“It doesn’t have lead pipes, does it?” Mom joked.

“It’s not that old. It’s been updated a few times by the owner.”

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