A New Start
The airplane flew over the Canadian Rockies. It was summer, but there was still snow on some of the highest peaks. The grey mountains with their sharp contours looked imposing against the green earth below. Jade and pastel-blue lakes made a beautiful sight from above; like a photograph on a thousand-piece puzzle box. The aircraft slowly made a turn as it started its descent toward Calgary International Airport.
The two women—a young girl between them—stared out of the window, each lost in her own thoughts. This would be their new home. They were going to form new friendships, have new experiences and begin a new life here. The women looked at each other and smiled as they held the girl’s hands. They were going to do it together.
Zara had been thinking about moving back to Canada for some time, but had been waiting for the right opportunity to present itself. Zénnie was in a good school and was for all purposes, very happy, but Zara wasn’t too keen on her growing up in the L.A. culture. It was becoming more apparent with each passing year. Soon, she’d be at an age where peer pressure and social influences would forever shape her. She was such a pleasant, geeky child, it would be a shame for her to conform to something she was not.
It was a weighty decision; she and Craig were divorced, but he had as much right to have access to his daughter as she did. From a logical standpoint, he understood, but the idea of not seeing Zénnie often was hard for him to bear. Ultimately, it wasn’t her desire to separate father and daughter, but if they planned it well, they could work around it. The modern world had become a smaller place and there were myriad ways in which people stayed connected.
The opportunity she’d been looking for had arisen when Zénnie was in the last few weeks of third grade. A colleague in Calgary, Alberta contacted her to say there was a position available in the neurosurgery department at the University of Calgary. She immediately responded and started the interviewing process. It was a good fit.
But moving from Los Angeles to Calgary meant a huge change in weather, and as southern Californian girls, it would be an adjustment. At least they would have the beautiful Canadian Rockies.
Zara had spoken with Craig, and they’d decided in the long run, Zénnie would benefit both culturally and environmentally. They knew there was a high likelihood she’d end up going to college in the U.S., but for these formative years, a good solid foundation was crucial. She thanked Craig for his open-mindedness and assured him she would be in full support of them seeing each other as often as was possible.
Zara’s best friend, Tess, who had lived with Zara and Zénnie for the past ten years, had to decide whether she wanted to stay in Los Angeles or move with them, but after careful thought, she resolved there wasn’t really anything holding her in California. She was a Canadian citizen through naturalization and going back would be no problem. The idea of living in the Rockies was very appealing.
So, at the end of Zénnie’s school year, the three of them had said their sad goodbyes to Craig, reminding him this would afford him the perfect excuse for visiting his daughter in one of the most beautiful places on the planet. He couldn’t disagree. Zénnie also said he need not worry, there was always FaceTime. He couldn’t disagree with her either.
They didn’t have a home yet, so would stay in an Airbnb spot until they’d found what they were looking for. Buckled up and full of excitement, the three of them were off to an exciting adventure and a brand-new start.
They saw the house as they were driving around, exploring their surroundings. It was for rent just outside of Calgary’s NW quadrant. Tess asked if they could park and have a look. She walked around in the garden and peeped through the windows. Who lived in such a big house? An idea suddenly sprung up and she looked at Zara, who looked back at her with a frown.
Later, Tess searched for the listing on the internet and saw it had five bedrooms, three bathrooms upstairs; a lovely open-plan kitchen with tons of counter space and cupboards; and a spacious living room with a fireplace and dining room area where a large family could sit down for a meal. Downstairs, the finished walk-out basement had four bedrooms with windows; a separate toilet and a big bathroom with a shower, sink and toilet. The entertainment room had a little nook right by the glass doors; Tess made a mental note for a potential painting space. There was a patio with a built-in fireplace where they’d be able to have barbecues and sit outside under gas heaters when it started getting colder.
She asked Zara. “What if we rented it? Have you ever seen such a beautiful place? Look at all this open space around; the views of the mountains.”
“You’re being silly, it’s much too big and we would never be able to afford it anyway.”
“Not unless we get subtenants. If we carefully interview every candidate and are very selective, it will increase the chance of finding the right fit.”
“I don’t know about living with strangers.”
“Might I remind you we were complete strangers when I went to live with you and Zénnie?”
“Yes, but you were a lovable stranger. What if we end up with weirdo’s or sickos? Or both!”
“Worst-case scenario is we have to replace a tenant if it doesn’t work out. There are plenty of people who don’t like living in the city and would jump at the opportunity to live like grand hippies in a sort of modern commune. Our angle could be value for money: unobstructed and closer mountain views with big, open space around; versus a tiny high-rise condominium in downtown.”
Zara looked apprehensive. “It is totally insane, but I have to admit the property is gorgeous,” said Zara. “Driving to work would be doable and it isn’t too far from the school Zénnie will be going to in the fall. It might even be on a school bus route.”
They checked, and it was. After doing some calculations, they concluded they’d need to fill all the available rooms with tenants; that meant two upstairs and four in the basement.
Zara walked around, indecisive, but the idea was starting to grow on her; they just had to do it properly.
The plan was to move in, get settled, and from there they could start interviewing people. The approach was an altogether risky one, but they didn’t want to lose out on the opportunity without at least trying. Plus, they hadn’t done anything so impulsive and nutty since they’d known each other.
A stunned Craig couldn’t hide his surprise. “How could you of all people, even consider something like this, Zara?”
“There are a lot of surprising things about me you don’t know.”
Craig knew better not to push the topic, but it still perplexed him why two adult women who were otherwise level-headed would do something so crazy. Maybe they were going through a mid-life crisis, who knew?
When it became clear that they were being dead serious, he changed his approach and presented them with a logical set of questions to consider, with safety being the priority, since this decision involved his daughter.
They agreed his concerns were valid but said he should know they were not going to put Zénnie, or themselves, in an unsafe situation. After listening to their proposals and seeing the online posting of the place, he conceded as dicey as it seemed, it could work if they did it right, but insisted on being involved in the process. It was a fair condition.
He offered to help with a rental deposit and the initial payments until they found their ideal renters. Zara and Tess almost kissed him. He also used the situation to his advantage and suggested he’d be able to stay over, instead of in a hotel, when he came to visit Zénnie. It made sense, although he would have to sleep in Zénnie’s room—Zénnie could sleep with Zara. They accepted his offer and thanked him sweetly for his generosity, which he really could afford. It was a plan.
Tess and Zara met with the owner, who was more than willing to accommodate them and didn’t have any objection to subtenants; no doubt because the economy was slow.
“I built the house during the oil and gas boom and a big family from Texas rented it for a few years and they absolutely loved it. They were great people and a landlord’s dream renters. They took very good care of the property; of course, when hard times fell on the industry, they had to go back to the U.S. Boy, I’ll tell you, it sure is tough to find buyers for such a big place nowadays, but finding reliable renters is even harder than finding an honest politician. You look like good folks …” He looked them over.
Tess and Zara weren’t sure if it was a statement, or a question.
The lease would be for a year, initially, but was negotiable after that. They had to put down the first and last month’s rent and it wasn’t cheap! They reassured him they too, would take great care of his property, and finding the right people was as much to their advantage as his, since they were the ones who’d have to live with them.
They loved the place.
Zénnie couldn’t believe how much space there was outside. “Mom, does this mean I can finally get the puppy I’ve waited for my whole life?”
“I’ll need a lot more time to consider such a big decision. You first have to prove to me you can manage your room.” Zénnie’s room somehow always seemed to have been hit by a category-five hurricane.
Zénnie sighed heavily; she just couldn’t win.
Tess said to Zara, “That’s ironic—you’re always telling me the same thing about Zénnie.”
Six strangers living with them … were they being adventurous or crazy? Either way, they were really going to do it!
The advertisement in the local paper read:
Renter wanted:
If you like the outdoors, without bringing it inside with you; if you have your own bed and blanket; if you clean up after yourself; if you like listening to and sharing interesting worldviews you won’t find on a local news channel; if you are willing to live in a space with a group of strangers, yet treat them like friends; if you like home-cooked meals that will be prepared for you and will be neither bland nor boring, and if you can afford paying for rent, food, and utilities; call Tessa.
They used Tess’s cell number, since Zara was harder to reach during the day. There were twenty messages within an hour of the ad appearing. Most of them wanted to know if the rent was negotiable. It was not. Others wanted to know if the price could come down if they bought their own food. Sorry, unfortunately, the rent amount did not include food and utilities, it was separate.
It would not be cheap, but they were bargaining on drawing people who would be able to afford it and liked the idea of something homey, yet still independent. It wasn’t fail-safe, but it would filter out someone who might see it as an opportunity to score an easy living with free food. They absolutely didn’t want any loafers.
There was a message from a James, who said he would like to come look at the house at Tessa’s earliest convenience. Tess thought this was a funny coincidence—he a South African like herself. He didn’t mention the rent amount, which was promising.
She called him back. They scheduled a time after 7 p.m., since he had to work until about five-thirty, and Zara wouldn’t be home before six-thirty. Tess and Zara would do it together; that way, it would eliminate the chances of overlooking any character flaws or something untoward.
The doorbell rang and Tess opened it with Zara standing behind her. There, in front of them, stood two very tall and incredibly good-looking men who had similar features and were both smiling.
James introduced himself first. “James Brent, pleased to meet you. This is Samuel.”
“Sam, how do you do?” Sam said.
“You two are definitely genetically connected,” Zara said as she looked them over.
“Yes, we are, Sam is my cousin. He came along for the ride to make sure I wouldn’t be taken for one.” James laughed merrily at his own joke.
“How nice, a sense of humour; too few people have one. Hello, I’m Zara Ellis, and this is my friend Tessa Lombard. South Africans, what a coincidence, Tessie.”
Zara has squeezed past Tessa and taken over the conversation. She could be very A-type, but Tess didn’t take her too seriously.
“Pleased to meet you, ladies,” James said. “Namibians, actually, but easy mistake.”
Samuel was standing there. He was obviously the more introverted one of the two. They looked like they were in their late thirties—a few years younger than Tess and Zara, who were both forty-five.
As Tess stood sizing them up, she suddenly realized they were still standing outside and quickly invited them in. They were very well-mannered and chatty.
Tess asked matter-of-factly, “Are you by any chance also looking for a place to stay, Samuel? We have a couple of rooms available.”
“Yes, I’d be very interested if it would be okay with you. I’m leasing a place in the southwest, but the end of my lease is coming up and I can move in by the end of next month.”
Both women nodded. So far, so good …
James said, “You ladies could probably benefit from having males in the house to help with guy-stuff; you know, like shovelling, garbage, taking your cars to check for oil and gas, tires, car wash … Not to mention the safety aspect of having men around out here in the open.”
Zara said, “Tess and I have lived without guys for quite some time and excluding shovelling, we are well acquainted with doing ‘guy-stuff’ ourselves, but we would certainly give it our most serious consideration, thank you. Would you have any objection to living with a ten-and-a-half-year-old child, and would you be able to conduct yourselves appropriately around her?”
Tess interrupted and asked if they would like anything to drink, a cup of tea or coffee. They all opted for tea. She liked them. They were just the right amount of quirky and respectful.
James answered, “Nope, no objection. There are plenty of sprouts in the family and we would be on our very best behaviour with the youngster, rest assured.”
“Very well, I shall go get her, because it is important that she feels comfortable with you.” Zara went upstairs to get Zénnie.
When she came downstairs, they stood up to greet her.
“Whoah! You are tall. I thought my dad was tall.”
Zara introduced her. “This is my daughter, Zénnie. Zen, this is James and Samuel.” They shook hands.
James smiled and said, “Well you look pretty tall yourself for a ten-year-old.”
Zénnie asked, “How do you know how tall a ten-year-old is? Do you have any children?”
He laughed. “No, I don’t have kids. My father told me to grow up first.”
Samuel added, “We’re all still waiting for that to happen.”
Zénnie grinned. “I bet the kids in your family are giants!”
“Well, yes, come to think of it, they are. I think Sam and I were about as tall as your mom when we were ten.”
“Wow! Are you from South Africa? You sound like Tess.”
“We’re from Namibia, which is right above South Africa. Over there, folks sound the same, even though they’re technically from different countries.”
“I know where Namibia is, although I haven’t been there yet,” Zénnie said.
Then she asked them a couple of important questions: “Do you floss and brush your teeth for two minutes, twice a day?”
“Yes.”
“Do you make your beds?”
“Yes.”
“Do you remember to flush the toilet and wash your hands while whistling a song for approximately fifteen to twenty seconds?”
“Yes.”
“Do you put your laundry away neatly?”
“Yes.”
“Do you put your dirty dishes in the dishwasher?” She whispered in a conspiratorial voice, “My mom and Tess are very strict.”
They winked and gave her a thumbs up in acknowledgment.
They had passed the test. Zénnie had made her decision and told the women she approved; saying that James and Sam were super. She bid them goodbye with a cheery, “See you laters, alligators!” and went upstairs again.
Sam chuckled. “Cute kid.”
Zara said, “Thank you. Don’t be deceived; I may have given birth to her, but her true mother is Tessa.”
Tess asked, “Have you lived in Calgary long?”
James answered, “The two of us have been here for almost two years, but some of our other cousins, longer. They’re all professionals: lawyers, engineers, doctors. Most of them are married with children.
“Samuel is an engineer and works at a firm owned by three of our older cousins and I’m a corporate tax lawyer, specializing in international tax law. We’re both thirty-eight, and sadly, neither of us has a life outside of work, except for going to family for home-cooked meals every now and then.”
“What drew you to the advertisement?” Tess asked.
They both laughed, but James spoke. “Well, I was looking for a place to rent and like the idea of living a little outside of the city. We grew up on farms, in large families, so wide spaces and cheerful company appeal to us. When I saw your ad, I showed it to Sam, and we were intrigued by all the requirements, but especially the ‘sharing of interesting world views’. You sounded like people we wanted to meet.”
Tess laughed. “Home should be a place where people connect, no matter if they are family or not. We like having real conversations with people who are real.”
Zara added, “Tess is a marvellous cook. She tends to talk a lot, but you would absolutely love her cooking!” She gave her a wink.
Samuel asked, “What is it you two do for a living?”
“I’m a physician,” Zara said. “I work at the University of Calgary, in neurosurgery. Tess is a very talented artist and she, the lucky devil, works from home, or wherever she wishes to.”
“Wow, that’s quite diverse. Have you known each other long?”
Tess said, “Yes, we met in Los Angeles, where we had both lived. My long-time boyfriend had left me, and Zara wanted someone to rent a house with her, since she was a single mom with a new baby—”
Zara interrupted quickly, “No need to overwhelm them with our personal sagas right off the bat, Tessie. There will be lots of time for that later.” Tess agreed.
They discussed the technicalities around payment, what would be covered and what not. It would be on a month-by-month basis, so either party could opt out. It wasn’t a secure way of ensuring renters stayed, but on the other hand, if a situation didn’t work out, it would give them an open door and it eliminated the need for a sublet agreement. Maybe in time, they would do it, but for now, they were taking a less complicated route.
Zara wrapped things up. “Well, you seem like capable guys, but we would need to do due diligence. Sam, would you mind giving us your cousins’ contact details and James, your employer? Also, Zénnie’s father, Craig, asked if he could be included in the interviewing process and we’ll pass your contact numbers on to him, and he will set up a FaceTimeinterview with you both. As soon as we’ve done that and all is clear, we will call you to discuss when you can move in and some other logistics.”
They did not have any objections. James said he would be ready to move in immediately, so was hoping for the green light.
Tess looked at Zara and said, “I have a good feeling.”
Zara agreed.
The men’s references checked out. Their cousin, Chris, one of the senior partners in the engineering firm where Sam worked, said they were good old boys and other than the personality flaws—he apologized in advance—there wouldn’t be any need for concern about the women’s safety or the men’s reliability. James’ boss also confirmed his credibility and said James was a valuable contributor at the office and very much liked by everyone.
Craig called Zara and said he approved, and thought the boys were great.
James moved in and by the end of the week, came home with a man who looked a lot like him. It was his older brother Colin, who was a cardiologist and had just relocated from Toronto and needed a place to stay. He was an absolute sweetheart and very easy-going.
Zara said, “Hm, you can clearly see the resemblance, but your personalities are very different.”
Colin said, “I would have liked to offer an explanation, but there is none; James is the runt of the litter, but he’s okay.” He gave his brother a hug around the shoulders.
Zénnie told Zara and Tess it made perfect sense that Colin was a heart specialist, because he seemed very kind-hearted. They agreed with a smile.
Colin and the women became instant friends. Craig also thought he was a great guy, and was starting to feel a lot more relaxed about the whole business.
Sam moved in a couple of weeks later, and the house was becoming livelier and homier by the day.
Zénnie was enjoying the men’s presence. James and Sam never missed an opportunity to tease and play tricks on her, and she spent countless hours trying to come up with ways to get back at them. In her mind, they were like the older brothers she had missed out on—just like the puppy.
Zara and Tess felt pleased, but even though they had three renters now, they would need at least three more to make it worth their while and not to run into too much overhead. The search would continue, and they crossed their fingers in the hope they would find people as amazing as the three Brent men.
They had no reason for concern at all. The very next day, there was a voicemail on Tess’s phone, left by a woman, with a posh English accent, called Pax Reed-Burton.
The long-winded message said:
“Hello darling, this is Pax Reed-Burton. I’ve just moved to Calgary and need a place to stay, but I don’t know a living soul and someone I know from Los Angeles—long story—who knows Dr. Zara Ellis, had conveyed to me they’d overheard someone at the hospital saying Dr. Ellis was renting out a room in a house, in the centre of bloody nowhere.
“I’m enquiring whether you could perhaps do with a middle-aged divorcee who has no real-life ambitions, but likes writing stories and occasionally makes a few quid out of them?
“You needn’t worry if I would be able to pay my way; I’m basically sorted for life. You see, my ex has somewhat of a business sense and a lesser personality, but he has tons of money, of which I’d received about half in the divorce settlement. The best part mind you, is he willingly gave it to me as sort of guilt payment for being such an arse during our marriage. Of course, we’re super good friends now!
“I’m absolutely useless in the kitchen, but I’m not too shabby at helping out with house chores; Lord knows, mooches are the pits! Could you please call me back at your earliest convenience? Thank you so much darling!”
Tess played the message back to everyone at the dinner table and it was a unanimous, Yes! They couldn’t wait to meet her.
Zara said, “She sounds like Elizabeth Hurley,” and the guys hoped she looked like her too.
Zénnie asked, “Who’s Elizabeth Hurley?”
“She’s a very beautiful English actress who sounds just like Pax.”
They scheduled a meeting for Pax to come by the house on Saturday morning around ten, when everyone would be home and they could have coffee and something to eat. When Pax pulled into the driveway in a Range Rover Sport, Tess thought her self-description as a middle-aged divorcee did not do the tall, gorgeous woman with the bright, open face any justice. She wasn’t over-dressed but looked cool and confident and very lovely.
“The car, darling, is not for show, but because I enjoy feeling comfortable when I have to sit still,” Pax said.
Tess adored her already and first showed her the property. Pax loved it and when the rest of the house met her, it was love at first sight all round.
Pax could choose between two rooms upstairs, since the rooms in the basement were the guys’ quarters.
She was extremely amiable and made only one demand: “I need to have a glass of wine when the sun goes down.”
Zara said, “You and Tess are going to get along very well in that department.”
Craig came to visit Zénnie a month later and was impressed with the setup, which put all his fears to rest. He thought Pax was delightfully kooky and instantly hit it off with the guys, commending them for being brave enough to live with such buoyant female personalities, of which his daughter was a large contributor. They assured him she was a pleasure to live with and was keeping them on their toes. In fact, there was never a dull moment with any of the women.
He nodded and said, “That I believe!”
Zénnie went through great pains to show her father everything in the house and showed how everything worked, especially saying what he was and wasn’t allowed to do.
He said, “My brain hurts from all the information it has to process. Would you mind making me a cup of tea, please my sweetheart?”
“Not at all,” she said, and without missing a beat, she continued with her instructions.
Tess and Zara thought it was too funny, since she was telling him the very things that they had to constantly remind her about.
Craig enjoyed seeing her so happy and he praised Zara and Tess for their efforts.
Things were looking very cheery. Now they only needed two more tenants.
