The Unknown Journey

Chapter 5 Part 2

Dinner at Laura's went very well.  Laura was very impressed with Cooper now understanding why Lana was acting the way she was.

Lana got the flight information from Cooper and together she and Laura sat down and booked their flight to England for the following weekend with Cooper.

"Did you get your flights booked?" Cooper asked when the girls returned to the living room to where the men were watching tv.

"As a matter of fact we did and on the same flight as you, Cooper,"  Laura stated with a smile.

"That's wonderful.  You will love it there." Cooper said.

"How long are you staying for?" Laura's husband asked. 

"Since the boys are going to summer school and you are kept quite busy with work during the summer, I booked 28 days, the same as Lana.  Apparently, you need a Visitors Visa to stay longer than a month if you want to visit England but to come here to Canada you can stay up to 6 months." Laura explained thinking she didn't need to include that information.

"That's ok dear, I do have a lot of work planned for the summer and yes, since the boys are going to be gone for best part of it, I won't have to worry about leaving work undone." Her husband said with a satisfying grin.

Laura smiled thinking she could say something more to that but decided she better not start a fight but instead said.  "Thanks to Lana the boys can go on this summer camp and I can finally have my long-awaited vacation." 

"What about me, Lana didn't give me anything." Nathan pouted then snickered.

"You get the house to yourself," Cooper pointed out to Nathan.

"That's true. " He laughed.

The rest of the evening went really well, Cooper promised Nathan a ride in the limo after implying he has never been in one before.  Lana has never seen him act the way he has tonight and really didn't quite know what to think of it all.  Shaking it off she smiled and just played along.

"Why don't we all go for a ride in the limo to the park and have a picnic on the beach before we go this weekend,"  Lana suggested. "maybe Wednesday?"

Everyone agreed on it and ended their night satisfied.

"Wow, what a night," Cooper said as the limo drove away.

"You can say that again.  Nathan was very strange tonight." Lana remembered.

"Yes, he was strange.  I have never met him before but his behavior was somewhat immaturish, if that is a word."  He laughed followed by laughter from Lana.

"Would you like to come to the hotel for a drink with me?  The driver can drive you home afterward."  Cooper asked.

"I would love to but I am beat." Lana said with a little yawn.

"Oh come on. I won't bite.  It's just a drink." Cooper begged.

"Do you know what I would rather do?"  Lana asked.

"What would that be?" Cooper curiously asked.

"I would like to go for a walk in the park near my place, it's still early and the night air will wake me up."  Lana said looking his way with puppy dog eyes.

"Ok, you convinced me." Cooper said asking the driver to drive to the park near Lana's house.

Not too much longer the car pulled up in a parking spot near the park.

"This is a beautiful park Lana and a beautiful night.  I am glad you suggested this." Cooper said on their walk.

"Thanks Cooper.  I love to walk here at night when I need to relax and think."   She admitted.

After a few minutes of silence, Cooper broke the silence. "So, I was thinking.  No one is staying in the cottage in the garden at the B&B, " He said turning towards her as they walked. "how would you like to stay there with Laura?"

"I haven't seen it yet but it sounds like a good idea.  After all we have to get it ready to rent out."

"It is ready to rent out and has been renting.  I put it on hold in hopes that you would come back with me when I returned to England.  Your mother lived there and it would be perfect if you lived there whenever you return to England."

"Let us sit down, there is a bench." She said grabbing his hand to lead him to the bench. "Cooper, that would be perfect.  I would hate to stay in the hotel and intimidate the workers everytime I walk in to go to my room."

"Yes, I thought of that but I also thought that it would be nice for you to have more room, your own entrance and a beautiful scenery when you go outside for a smoke.  Which reminds me.  Would you like one?" He asked taking out one for the both of them after she responded with a "Yes please"

"I am liking this idea and getting excited." Lana said smiling "I know we have a lot to take care of when we get there but it won't take up all of our time."

"No, it won't.  I already filled my uncle in via text when I was outside at Laura's and he is going to start the paperwork and will write up a draft proposal for your kids."  Cooper said.

"Thanks.  I was thinking of the kids as well and I think I might tell them I am going back to England for the month.  My Daughter is having problems right now and apparently getting evicted from her place."  She said feeling a little torn.

"Oh my.  That's not good."  He said as they were still sitting.

"She has been fighting this eviction for a while and because she lives out of town and no job, I really didn't want to help her.   I can't make her suffer anymore. "

"What were you thinking?" He asked holding her hand in support while they were still sitting on the bench.

"Well, I was thinking when I go to England that they can move into my house for the month and when I get back I will find them a place.  That I will figure out later." She said just realizing that he was holding her hand.   Face blushed she tossed the finished butt in the smoke can and stood up letting go his hand.

"Let's keep going this way and talk some more about this." He said taking her hand again, then both looked at each other with a smile.

Lana was enjoying this walk and chat and the hand holding, she didn't want to let go.  "Cooper, I love my children but my daughter and I never got along when she was a kid and never listened.  I am afraid I will come back and the house will be a shambles and destroyed." 

"Lana darling, you have enough money to replace everything you have.  What I would suggest is to pack up all your personal items that you take pride in and store them somewhere, or better yet take them to England with you a little bit at a time."

"You are right." She said smiling. " I can write up an agreement, use this as a test run and if they work on what I will propose to them, they will get a wonderful surprise." 

"I take it you will tell them about your inheritance?"  He asked.

"No, not yet.  I need to earn their trust and respect first."

"Ok, what do you propose? What would you write in the agreement?" Cooper asked.

"I am going to ask her over for dinner tomorrow night to tell her I am going to go to England for the month and need her to stay and take care of the house while I am gone."

--------------------- to be continued  ----------------------