I was stuck in a rut, getting more desperate by the day and could not see a way forward. Every way I looked and tried to take that first step I saw high walls and so many obstacles ahead. My in-laws along with my husband had put me right where they wanted me even though I knew they had planned everything to the most minute detail and executed their plan meticulously. Time was running out and the more I searched for a solution the darker my future became, they had all the aces where I had nine high. Even here in the most beautiful and serene of settings I had nothing, zilch and the headaches were pounding louder and louder. I loved this place, the lake, the forest and the mountains and hoped I could find a gem of inspiration leading me to the solution as I had done a hundred times in the past.
On the Tuesday morning I watched a man with a young boy of about eight take a boat out towards the middle and there they sat with fishing rods doing whatever they do. I saw the youngster jumping around some time later and assumed he had a catch.
"Looks like you had a good day out there." I said when they walked back to the lodges later that day.
"Reasonable, Tim had two and I landed one, Tim made us put them back as he doesn't like to think of them being killed or harmed."
"Good for him, sensible young lad." I added.
That was it, the end of our conversation but I guess it was what I wanted in reality. We were seated at opposite ends of the diner around six thirty when the youngster, who'd looked in my direction a number of times, stood and ran over to my table. "Please Miss, would you like to have dinner with me and Daddy? Daddy says I shouldn't ask but I will, I did, would you please?"
How could I refuse such a polite request, he took my hand and led me over to his father who was so embarrassed.
"So sorry about this, Tim saw us talking and ... well, you know."
"Hey, I'm on my own and haven't shared a table with two good looking men for a while. Thank you for asking me over Tim. I'm Charlotte but most people call me Charley."
"Like me Charley, I'm really Timothy but only Mom calls me that when I do something wrong, he's Daddy but his name is Maxwell or just Max. Mommy couldn't come with us as she's in the hospital."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that and now I'm afraid to ask." I said as I looked swiftly from Max to Tim and back again.
"Don't be afraid, that's what Mommy said but I don't want her to die."
Bloody hell, the youngster could not have hit me any harder with a baseball bat, my mouth was almost on the floor and Max sat there shaking his head and wiping a tear away.
"Max, you don't want me around, I'm so sorry to hear your news." I said only for Tim to reach out and take my hand once again.
"Please don't go, Daddy cries a lot and he might not if you're here."
Yet again I looked at Max and Tim was spot on, Max held his hands over his face but anyone could see how much he was hurting, his shoulders were visibly shaking and I knew words would not be of any help. I moved to sit beside him with Tim joining us as I placed my arms around their shoulders and joined them both with tears of my own.
"Sorry, so sorry Charley, I had no intention of dumping our troubles on you. Tim shouldn't have said all of that."
"Why not? He seems to be a polite and very caring young man who wishes to find some help. You did the right thing there Tim."
"I know but Mommy says I talk too much sometimes, Daddy brought me here but I don't really know why, Nana is staying at the hospital with my Mommy until we get back. I know everybody has to die but I don't want us to be here and Mommy dies without any more hugs and kisses."
"Wow Tim. Never stop talking about your mommy and your daddy, what an amazing young man you are."
"I'm seven Charley but Nana says I'm older than my years whatever that means. How can I be older than my years? Nana doesn't make sense sometimes but she's lovely, Grandpa is grumpy sometimes but he gives me pocket money and he cried when mommy had to go to the hospital. Daddy, are we having pizza or burgers tonight? I like pizza Charley, what are you having?"
"Oh, now then. I'll have pizza too, a vegetarian for me please and let me get them."
We'd almost finished dinner when Max looked at me and pointed at my hand. "I see you're married Charley but you're here alone."
"Correct on both counts Max."
"Care to enlighten us as I'm sure Tim will ask why, okay maybe I'm the one who's interested."
"You have enough going on with hearing my stuff but basically my husband and his family are cheating me out of my home, the home I paid for and have run for seven years. I came here for inspiration, trying to find a way forward."
"And then you get dumped on with our troubles, so sorry."
"Will you quit apologising Max? Look, in essence they have documents with my forged signature on but I can't get them. The court hearing is two weeks away and I'm stuck."
"Maybe you're not stuck ... " Max said only to be interrupted by Tim.
"No Charley, Daddy is one of the chief oompahs in the fraud squad or the money fuckers Mommy calls it when she thinks I'm not listening."
I had to smile as that must be the best job description ever, Max wasn't happy with his son using the F word, but then he and Mommy shouldn't use it in Tim's company.
"Charley, I may be able to help but I can't promise anything, I have no idea where you live or anything about you but I can take a look. Gather any papers, books, maybe emails and anything connected with the house, utility bills, receipts, the works. I'm an hour from here and on compassionate leave right now."
"And Daddy thinks you're very pretty Charley, can I help too?"
"You have already helped me Tim, more than you will ever know. You have cheered me up and given me hope."
"Bed time for you young man." Max said and got the usual grumbles in return.
"Okay Daddy but I want Charley to read me a story, please Charley?"
I'd just finished my reading duties as Tim sat up in bed and gave me the best hug. "Mommy's not going to die Charley, I know she won't because Daddy and I love her and Nana does, I think Grandpa really does when he's not grumpy and then Daddy can help you more. I know about cancer and it's horrible but Mommy will be okay."
"Your son is so amazing Max, I guess you heard what he just said. I should go now but thank you both for a very special evening, challenging and very different but special." I gave him a hug and we shared kisses to our cheeks but that was all. I changed quickly, locked up the lodge and drove for two hours back to my home and I was more determined to keep it than ever. Thankfully I'm a bit of a hoarder and pulled together a mountain of paper files and receipts plus copies of the title documents and what I hoped would prove my legal ownership. I placed them in a carrier along with my lap top and drove the return journey to arrive before sunrise. I grabbed a coffee and maybe an hours sleep before knocking on Max's door.
"Hey, good morning Tim and Max. I have one lap top and a mountain of papers but I'm not expecting you to do anything here. This is your time to be with Tim and I fully respect that. My home address, email and cell phone numbers are all there but your family come first." I said with Tim's arms around my leg.
"Daddy, I can show Charley how to fish if you do that work."
"No but why don't you take her for a walk to our secret place." Max said as the look on my face at the mention of fishing must have been quite horrific.
"Okay, there are goats and a donkey, sometimes we see a deer."
"Oh my, that sounds lovely but I'll need to change my shoes."
I was yawning away by the time we returned around noon.
"Charley, give me a dozen or so of your signatures, the way you usually sign please."
"Why do you want these?" I queried as he took the paper from me.
"Just want to compare yours with these, some people can copy signatures but there will be a difference. Who do you think signed the documents? The ones you don't have I'm talking about."
"My sister-in-law, she's almost my age and a witch, before you ask I don't have anything with her signature on."
Max used my laptop to make notes; create spread sheets and send off 34 emails most of which meant nothing to me other than asking his boss for permission to take "my case" and request research on my so called family.
"Right then Charley," he said on Friday evening, "I need you to meet me at Jackson, Boyd and Ramirez at 9.00 precisely on Monday. If you had plans or appointments then cancel them and be there."
Manny Ramirez had copies of all the documents I wasn't allowed to see and along with a forensic document examiner they compared another set of my signatures to those I'd given Max and to those on the documents plus more on letters I'd signed over a number of years.
"They have no case Max, my expert opinion in court will be to state that none of these documents were signed by Charlotte. However court cases costs can be heavy, you may be better advised ... no, no, their case needs to be taken apart for what it is, fraudulent."
It was my turn to burst into tears and didn't I just do that? I almost crushed Max's ribs as I realised I now had a future, at least I hoped that was the way the court case would go.
Rather nervously I agreed to meet Max and Tim at the lodges some six weeks later and after the court case found in my favour. I will always put that down to the moment young Tim ran to my table to invite me to share pizza with them.
"Charley, Charley, Mommy's here, she didn't die and Daddy stopped crying, are you having pizza again?" Tim had seen me walking toward the diner, left his meal and came running along to me. I picked him up and walked for a few minutes with his arms around my neck and he was not letting go. "Mommy, this is Charley, the lady Daddy helped save her house and I know she helped me to make you better."
"I don't think I did any of that, Max and Mommy, sorry I have no idea what your name is but I am so happy to meet you."
"I'm Karen and thank you for giving Max something to work and focus on, he's quite hopeless on his own, Tim is the brains on the male side of the family. I'm not in the clear yet and have to go back for more treatment but they are hopeful and losing hair is a small price to pay."
"Max was so embarrassed when Tim invited me for the pizza and has been on most occasions we've met since."
"That sounds like Max, take a seat and join us, we insist."
"Yes we do Charley and I'll be eight in another week."
"You will? Then I need to find a gift suitable for a wonderful young man, am I allowed to deliver it in person?"
"Please do Charley and you're welcome to stay over, I don't want you driving that distance twice in one day." Karen suggested as Max smiled and nodded while Tim took another opportunity to squeeze my hand.
"I'd love to as long as I won't be in the way but this has to be your call Karen, thank you."
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