Page 132 of Left Behind

“I asked you to bring names from each of the families who you think might want to take possession. And I understand the consensus is no one wants to live that far away from town, or they don’t want to live where she died.”

“That’s true for the Cauley bunch,” John said. “They’re all already satisfied with where they are, and there aren’t any young’uns in our bunch anywhere near needing their own place.”

“All of the Glass families are settled. The young ones who have married either have put up houses on their parents’ property or are afraid they’ll be living with Ella’s ghost. They choose to live in town to be near their jobs.”

“The Pope family had dwindled to Rachel and me, then cousins from Mom and her sisters. But that was before Shirley came home and brought her sons with her. They’ve put new blood into the family, for which we are grateful. Aaron and Dani are committed to staying in Jubilee for the time being because of their jobs. Sean and Amalie are fully committed to staying with Shirley. None of the boys want her living alone. That leaves Wiley and B.J. B.J.’s work is at the hotel and often fourteen-hour days.”

“What about Wiley?” John asked. “Annie says he’s engaged to that pretty nurse from the hospital. And he’s got his little sister to raise. Would they want to live up here and drive into town every day?”

“Have you talked to him?” Marcus asked.

“No. I chose not to mention anything to B.J. or Wiley until I talked to you two to see who else might suit. Ella loved all of you.”

“But she was a Pope,” Marcus said. “In my mind, by rights, it should go to a Pope. Shirley’s daddy was a Pope. Her boys took her name, and well done for doing so. She inherited her homeplace when Helen died. That leaves Ella with no Pope to claim her land unless one of Shirley’s boys wants it.”

“Since Sean and Amalie are settled with Shirley, and Aaron and Dani don’t want the long drive, I say you talk to Wiley and B.J. Feel them out about where they live, and if they’d even want to be that far away. And warn them that the house is in need of updates,” John said. “It suited Ella, but it falls short of serving the needs of a family.”

“Okay, if that’s what you want, then I’ll do that and let you know the end results,” Cameron said. “Now help yourself to more cookies, because if they’re still here when Rusty and Mikey come home, it’s going to be a fight to keep him out of them.”

“That one is you all over,” John said.

Cameron grinned. “So says my wife.”

“You need to give him a little brother or sister to play with,” Marcus said.

“He is a solid handful right now. Besides, he has plenty of cousins,” Cameron said, and thought of the current fascination his son had with Wiley’s little sister.

A short while later, they left, and Cameron sent a text to Rusty to let her know the meeting had ended and that he was headed to Jubilee.

Chapter 20

As soon as Cameron started down the mountain, he called B.J. to see when, or if, he had time to talk.

B.J. answered on the second ring. “Hello.”

“Hey, B.J., this is Cameron. I’m on my way into town and I need to run something by you. Do you have time to talk?”

“Yes, I’m at home. I’m off today.”

“So, I can be there in about fifteen minutes. Is that okay?” Cameron asked.

“Sure thing. See you soon,” he said.

Cameron disconnected and kept driving, wondering what he was going to do if both brothers said yes, or if both brothers said no. He needed one of them to be on board to settle the last of Ella’s wishes.

B.J. was watching for him, and wondering what was going on, when Cameron pulled up into his driveway and got out. B.J. met him at the door.

“Good to see you. I don’t have a lot of company,” B.J. said. “Come sit. Would you like a cup of coffee?”

“I’m good,” Cameron said as he sat down. “I’m going to cut to the chase. We have a dilemma regarding Aunt Ella’s property. She had no immediate heirs, but she wanted her place to go to someone in the Pope family, and you and Wiley are the only ones I haven’t talked to yet. Aaron and Dani don’t want the drive because of their jobs. Sean is already committed to staying with your mom. I inherited my family’s home and don’t want to move, and my sister, Rachel, loves the place she and Louis have on some of the Glass land. So, I need to know if you have any interest in living that far up the mountain in the old two-story house.”

B.J. was shocked and, at the same time, honored. But he knew it wasn’t meant for him.

“I’m single. I work fourteen, sometimes fifteen hours a day, and my days begin early. I would never be there. As it is, all I need now is a place to sleep. I pretty much live at the hotel. If this was ten years down the road and I had a wife and family, I might feel different, but I have to say, as much as I love this family and how much we loved Aunt Ella, the property isn’t meant for me.”

Cameron nodded. “I guessed you would feel that way, but I had to ask. What do you think Wiley is going to say?”

B.J. shrugged. “It’s hard to say. He and Linette are getting married soon. He’s raising our little sister. I don’t know how they’d be about that drive into town every day. What I do know is that when the sun goes down in Jubilee, they have to pull all the curtains and shades for Ava because she’s terrified of drive-by shootings. Wiley has reassured her many times those things don’t happen here, but she’s not convinced. Who knows? Maybe they’d move for her.”

---