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They started to walk around and he got to see the new windows that had been replaced along with some cracks that had been repaired in the ceiling. “They are going to sand down the plaster on the cracks. That is the second coat. Then they’ll paint everything they fixed.”
He nodded. There were some cracks in different rooms, but that was normal for an older building. The foundation was sound, so no worries there. They’d had an inspector come out to check everything before they’d called the realtors. They wanted to know everything they could before the business was put up for sale.
He’d had enough surprises in his life and didn’t want his mother to have to deal with any when she was trying to move on with her retirement.
“Where are they working now?” he asked since he hadn’t seen anyone around.
“They are painting the restaurant and updating the bathrooms in there.”
“You aren’t doing too much in there, are you?” he asked. “You know that is one thing people will change.”
His mother laughed. “Come over with me. You’ll see. The floors were fine the way they were. Someone else can change them if they want, but they are clean and neutral. I’m having the walls all painted a light gray. It’s almost white. Again, a clean slate. For the bathrooms, just replacing the toilets, sinks, tile floors and painting the same color as the restaurant. It should have been done a long time ago.”
He still thought it was too much but understood that anyone buying the restaurant might not want to have to do that work if they felt the kitchen needed it. That was more important.
He’d walked through that before and noticed it was older but functional. Nothing that had to be done and even the realtor told them to let that go. It was the first thing a new owner would change to the way they wanted and you couldn’t always plan that out. As long as the appliances were sound and running well, they were good.
“I don’t want you spending more than you need to,” he said. “Not if you don’t get a return on it.”
She patted his hand. “Updating the restaurant is only going to make it more attractive to sell. That is the return. I don’t want it holding me back from losing a sale. If I have to break it up so that it’s separate from the marina, I’m prepared to do that. I’m almost positive I’m going to have to anyway,” she said.
“I’m sorry for that,” he said.
He knew that had been the one thing she fought to have for years. His father could have cared less, but the building had been a restaurant years and years ago. His grandfather had let it close, his father had been persuaded to put money into it and let his mother have her way.
He supposed he should be happy his father did that much.
“Don’t be. I can’t get too attached to this anymore. I’ve done it for years. I’ve worked hard for it. I want them both to thrive and if it’s with two different owners, then so be it,” she said.
“That’s a good attitude to have.”
They walked around a few more minutes, then made their way to the restaurant, which was going to be closed for a few days to get the work done.
“It was good timing,” she said. “They should be done by Friday to open for service this weekend.”
He knew that the lunch service now only ran Friday through Sunday. They were closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and Wednesday and Thursday were only open for dinners. “You never thought to have parties here?” he asked. “Weddings or things like that?”
His mother sighed. “I did. Your father wouldn’t. He said he didn’t like the idea of it so close to the marina. But me, I had all these grand ideas to make it work. There is plenty of room to put outdoor seating and a covered patio. There is the large room in the back that we never used. I’m having it painted too.”
“You should have pushed harder,” he said. “You worked your butt off and I could see that being a nice attraction here by the water. You know, you could still do it. Sell the marina but keep the restaurant and make your dreams come true.”
“You’re a good boy, Ren. But I’m too old to do it. No way. My dreams now are of retirement. With any luck, someone will see the vision I had. That would be good enough for me.”
“Let’s just get this place sold for you,” he said. “That’s my dream.”
His mother’s phone rang, she pulled it out of her pocket and then answered it, moving away to where it was quieter.
He walked toward the restrooms to see what was going on in there. “Ren?”
He knew who this was by the resemblance to Zara. Not to mention even though Zane was older than him in school, he remembered the guy who hadn’t changed all that much other than getting bigger. “Zane,” he said, reaching his hand out. “Work looks good so far.”
“Thanks,” Zane said. “We’ll get everything done in the bathrooms in the next day or so.”
He glanced in and saw the wall was painted in the men’s room. The women’s looked to be too. There were toilets in boxes along with cabinets in the hallway. Boxes of tiles too.
“Laying tile today?”
“That’s the plan,” he said. “I can get it done fast and let it set overnight, then install the rest of the stuff tomorrow or have one of the guys do it. “
