Page 19 of Sensing Selma
“I want to talk to him.”
I nodded, eager to hear more.
“I’m going to propose that he allow you and your family to remain. Perhaps as guides. Perhaps as managers of this museum of sorts. This property is very large, and I am sure you can live in one wing, while the rest can be opened to the public as a historic site of interest.That is, if it is something that you believe you’d be interested in.”
“It’s a very intriguing idea.”
“The Baker Development Company can only do so much. If we throw too much money into this, it will be a disaster. But if we open it to the public, gain interest, perhaps then slowly, very slowly, we can open a room or two to tourists.”
I smiled. “I think that’s a solution that we can live with.”
“Then leave it to me to convince my greedy brother. I think I might be able to turn him around.”
FIVE
Susan
Iheld back on my optimism, somehow doubtful that Brad would succeed in convincing his brother to allow us to remain in our own home.
That evening, after my long walk with Brad, Mother cried, once again lamenting our situation.
“Going through your father’s office,” she’d said. “It was more difficult than I could have anticipated.”
“I’m sorry, Mother,” I said. “I should have done it on my own.”
She shook her head. “I found things I’d long forgotten about. Happy plans for the future. It was a little bittersweet, I guess.”
“Like what?”Holly said.
“Your father had hired an architect with the hope of extending the breakfast room. He wanted us to be surrounded by the gardens...the birds. He envisioned a solarium of sorts.”
“I never knew about that,” I said.
“He also wanted to turn the smaller drawing room into an entertainment room. You know...movie projector and all that.”
“That would have been fun,” Holly said. “Why didn’t he do it?
