Page 68 of Paradise West
Charli shooed the last chick away from the extravagant chicken coop as she closed the last few doors and ramps to the contraption. Jack—foreseeing that they would have to move the coop yet again—had added wheels and handles, making the structure conveniently mobile. All she had to do now was wheel it down to the other side of the compound, open it back up, and voila! Chickens would be happy and snuggled safely inside the compound walls.
The landscaping work on the garden had been completed and it was breathtakingly beautiful as it wrapped throughout the compound and up to the front of the main house. The paths were all walkable now and it was quickly becoming a favorite feature for Charli. The team was switching their focus to the area around the antiquated swimming pool, necessitatingthe relocation of the coop. And she had gotten lucky—George wasn’t around to cause any mischief.
Charli stood and stared up at the sky, hands on her hips.
Huh...when exactly did I become so invested in chickens?
After that wonderful weekend on Sunset Key with Jack, Charli spent the following weeks focused on the renovation. At times, it was hard work, but she had honestly never felt better.
Her life right now was a world away from the hectic pace she had maintained in Boston for years...and she loved that change. Now just the thought of going back to the insanity, the chaos of the firm, back home made her stomach sour. Was that even home anymore given everything that had happened? She didn’t quite know where she fit in anymore, just that something had shifted within her.
Charli took a deep breath and cleared her mind. Those types of worries didn’t help anyone. She glanced around the inner courtyard and focused on the changes they had made, how much better everything looked from the overgrown jungle it had been just a month ago. At the rate their team was working, they would have the entire compound completed within six to nine months—well ahead of the generous two-year timeline imposed by Aunt Dottie’s will.
Her mind wandered to what this area must have looked like when Amelia lived here. She pursed her lips and slowly turned in a full circle...the additional buildings and pool wouldn’t have been there. Even the wild chickens would probably have been absent from Amelia’s world.
According to Amelia’s diary, the carriage house would have been located about where she currently stood, and she stared up at the main house, imagining that Amelia had stood in that exact spot well over one hundred and fifty years ago.
She and Jack were quickly working their way through the diaries and were amazed at the detailed life Amelia described in her writings. The books were literally a treasure trove of Key West history.
A soft ‘bwak’ behind her snapped Charli’s focus back to the present, and she glanced over her shoulder to find Henrietta, feathers fluffed out and relaxed, watching her closely from her perch on the front porch. Charli grinned and walked over to sprinkle pieces of dried blueberries on the boards, a nice treat that the hen appreciated with a few clucks.
“You’re a good momma, Henrietta. Do me a favor and keep your babies away for a bit while I relocate your house down to the garden. I promise, you’ll like it much better over there.”
She stopped and looked around. “If you don’t mind, keep George on a leash if possible. The last thing I need is that crazy cock prancing around and throwing another temper tantrum while I’m working.” Henrietta clucked a response in between her pecks on the scattered fruit.
“And don’t worry. I’ll make sure your house is in the shade,” Charli reassured the focused hen as she walked back to the coop and began to maneuver it slowly across the newly bricked pathway.
The relocation was remarkably quick and easy. Charli situated the coop carefully amongst a large cluster of young royal palms, providing the structure with plenty of shade and grassy areas to find bugs.
There...that should make their little fowl hearts happy...
Charli chuckled when the chicks began to run around her feet as she lowered the ramps to their portable home. They seemed as pleased as she had hoped.
She began scattering seed and dried fruit along the ground and was brought upright by a sarcastic voice that came out of nowhere.
“I have to tell you that I’m not sad I don’t have to deal with those little bastards anymore.”
Charli grinned when she spotted Miriam peering over the compound wall, her arms folded on the top.
“Miriam!” Charli exclaimed. “It’s been a while since we’ve seen you.”
Miriam gave Charli a slight smile. “I’ve been up the Keys working on a couple of projects, but I’m back now.” She paused, giving Charli a piercing look, a small smile on her face. “You seem very at ease here. I think this place has really grown on you. I just wanted to stop by and see how things were progressing.” She scanned the garden. “It looks really good. Really good.”
Charli released a rough breath, feeling strangely as if she were being judged for worthiness. She ran a hand through her hair and then gestured toward the main house. “Come around and let me show you the house. It’s really coming along much faster than we anticipated.”
Miriam gave her a sharp nod. “I thought you’d never ask,” she answered in her no-nonsense fashion and made her way toward the back gate, marching like a general.
Charli met her at the front porch and pointed toward the far right corner. “Jack had me testing out different shades of exterior paint over there. They each match the type of paint that was used on the house in 1925. We just haven’t decided which one to go with yet.”
Miriam leaned down to inspect the area. “Hmmm,” she grunted as she stood. “Was he able to find matching tile for the foyer? It nearly broke Dottie’s heart when that section began deteriorating.”
Charli ushered the woman inside. “He did. There was a place in Boca Raton that had similar pieces. They finished this just a few days ago.”
Humming her approval, Miriam knelt down, holding her long dress to the side. She ran her hand lovingly across the intricate design. “Very nice.” She glanced up at Charli. “Gus did all this, right?”
Charli smiled. “He did. Wouldn’t let anyone else anywhere near it while he was working. He was like a territorial bear and made us all go in and out from the back door.”
Miriam snorted. “Gotta love that man. He’s a true artist.” She rose from her squatted position and smoothed her dress. “How far have they gotten upstairs?”
