The Gold of Home

As Lucas stood on the footpath facing the derelict house the plans starting winding their way through his mind, trying to sort themselves into some sort of order. Smiling at those plans he was now very comfortable with this being the last house he would ever work on, this bowed and holey structure was going to be home.

He spent a few more minutes staring at the sight before him, his eyes noting jobs that would need doing, areas of high concern that should be prioritised. And then he started where he always started. Moving to the ute parked behind him he pulled out a hoe and shovel. Starting at the front gate, which was currently unhinged, he started uprooting the weeds along the front path for about a metre on each side. The sun grew hot as he toiled at pulling the extra roots and reviving the soil with new nutrients. Next, he placed the wooden garden edging along the back of both new beds. Then set out the pots he had bought and starting to plant out the golden blooms of the Mexican and French marigolds he loved so much. Taking care to alternate the yellows and oranges that his mum had loved so much.

As the sun started to set he pulled himself up off the path and moved his tools back into the tray of the ute. Turning he took in the colourful, orderly scene that stood in stark contrast to the rest of the property and then made his way to the motel that would be home until the 1st room of weatherproof.

The beautiful sight of the flower-lined path lifted his heart as he arrived the next morning to start work on the front room. The front door fell off its last hinge as he carried in a box containing a kettle and tea making supplies to set on the rickety bench and made sure that the power and water really were on. Satisfied, with the kettle now boiling away he went to grab his toolbox and fix the door. As he sanded the edges back and created new screw holes he allowed himself the time to let his mind remember the times that had lead him here.

Lucas had only been 3 when cancer had finally taken his mum and all he really remembered of her now was the fact of marigolds being very present wherever she had been. His dad was devastated by her loss but looked at the small boy sleeping at his feet and realised that he had to make a good job of raising Lucas as the only way he could see at that time of honouring her.

As Lucas finished painting the front door he leaned it against the outside wall to dry and then moved into the front room, off the right side of the hallway as he entered.

A flood of memories rushed through his mind as he looked at the alcoved section at the end of the room. And he took a knee as an image of his mum's face came to him. He ran a hand over the strange carpet that was turning mouldy after years of weather seeping through the walls and realized that removing this was going to be an important 1st step. As he tugged and manoeuvred the carpet off the floor and into the skip bin in the driveway he wondered if this was in fact a good place to call home but the thoughts were fleeting as he returned his gaze to the hardwood floor broads that had been hidden away and he remembered his father carefully moving their hands over the floors surface, teaching Lucas how to care for the boards.

By the end of the day most of the holes had been filled, the window reseated and Lucas realised that tomorrow would be the painting day for this room.

His smile was strong and full of the love his family had left him as he reattached the front door and walked back to the ute.

He arrived early the next day keen to get the painting out of the way. As he finished putting the tape around the window he heard a strange noise behind him and turned to find a brindle Staffy pup had curled itself upon his discarded jacket.

“Hello, you. What're you doing here” he asked the pup as he scooped it up into his arms. The poor thing looked very thin so he walked into the kitchen to feed part of his ham sandwich to the pup before taking it to the vet. The local vet was a kind older gentleman who was happy to check the pup over and hold him in the surgery while they looked for the owners so Lucas ruffled the pup's head “Hope it goes well for you”.

Back at the house, the painting went well and he was able to finalise having a secure room to live in while he worked.

The second room was the kitchen. As his hands measured and replaced wooden boards and cardboard doors he thought back to the cooking lessons he'd shared with his father. Setting the laptop at the end of the counter they would look up a recipe, preferably with video, and work out each of the steps together. Every evening of a meal of celebration because they had conquered another set of skills. Lucas was halfway through the kitchen when he heard a knock on the door. Lucas opened the door to see the vet beaming at him with the pup on a lead next to him trying to smell all the corners of the balcony at the same time.

“Hi Doc, what're you're doing here?” Lucas could barely bring his gaze to the vet's face as he watched the pup bounce around the vet's feet.

“Well it turns out this little fella doesn't yet belong to anyone, and I was hoping that you'd consider taking him in. I can tell that you really get on with dogs and since you were able to trust each other so quickly the other day I thought it'd be a good match.” He bent over then and scooped the pup up into the face of the surprised looking young man in the doorway. “I've brought some food over as well to make it easier for you.” Lucas raised a hand to scratch the dog's chin and the pup started licking his hand and arm with a loving, ferocity that could only come from a dog.

“Okay then. What're you going to call him?” The vet asked as he passed the dog over to Lucas.

“Oliver” Lucas managed to say from between the licks that were now attacking his face. That night he lay in his bed with Olly curled in under his arm with the biggest smile he'd had on his face for many years. Home and family all his again and for always.