Chapter 302: Furniture
*I know you don’t like new furniture, but I have some you might like. – Sticks*
Rye agreed to meet Sticks at the shop on Wednesday morning before her afternoon class. She was starting the required training for the district this week and meeting her teacher for lunch. She parked in the little lot and then went to the office door of the second building.
Inside at the reception desk, was a young blonde woman with down syndrome. The woman smiled brightly behind thick turquoise frame glasses.
“Welcome to the Knots, I’m Tiffany.” She smiled sweetly and spoke slowly with a slight lisp.
“Hi, Tiffany. I’m Rye and have an appointment with Sticks.” She smiled back.
“I will let him know you are here. Please have a seat.” Tiffany pointed to the chairs and couch before going to the door leading out to the shop floor.
Rye was admiring the craftsmanship of the chair she was sitting in when Sticks followed Tiffany back into the office.
“Tiffany, do you remember Chance telling you he was getting married?” Sticks asked as they approached Rye as she stood up.
“They have a baby.” She gushed slowly. “A tiny baby, Michael. He showed me pictures.”
“Rye is his wife.”
“Where’s the baby?”
“He’s with Chance. Maybe he can bring Michael by later.” Rye said to the girl. “I’ll call him and see if he can. How about that?”
“Can I rock him? I like to rock babies. I even have a special rocking chair.”
Unsure of how to answer, Rye looked at Sticks who smiled and nodded.
“I think Michael would like that.” She said and the girl clapped before going back to her desk.
“Tiffany, I need the sales report before ten.” Sticks said ushering Rye towards the show room.
“I’m nearly done.” She said going back to the spreadsheet on her computer.
“I don’t know what I would do without you.” Sticks beamed as the door closed behind them.
Rye looked around the pristine show room at the beautiful wooden furniture. They weren’t as elaborate as what was upstairs, but they were well built.
“This is Knots. Knots in wood are one of the deformities that wood workers don’t want. But they can make some incredibly beautiful furniture. The employees of Knots are cast-offs of society. Special needs, rehab patients, parolees, and criminals. And they make unbelievably beautiful furniture.”
“It’s very beautiful.” Rye said in awe.
“Thank you.” A man said and when Rye turned to face him, she was surprised to find a man in a motorized wheelchair with his left arm limply laying on his lap. He was around forty with deep green eyes beneath bushy black eyebrows and had a pale clean shaved head. He wore jeans and a black t-shirt that had Knots in big bold wooden block letters across the chest. Underneath in much smaller print it said, ‘Changing lives, building futures.’
“Charles, this is Chance’s wife, Rye. Charles is our lead salesman.”
“HI. Nice to meet you.” Rye smiled.
“Likewise.” The man said with a nod. “What can we help you with today?”
“We’re moving into his granddads house, and we have no furniture.” Rye said as a movement to her left caught her attention.
“Sorry.” Alana said wrapping an arm around her son’s waist. “I just dropped by to see Kilo and thought I’d come say hi.”
“You do know that I’m your son, right?” Sticks teased hugging her to his side.
“I do. But Kilo cooks for me.”
“I give you furniture.”
“I’m not a beaver, I can’t eat that.”
“Rye, while they work out their mother son issues, why don’t I show you some furniture.” Charles offered, pointing towards a design desk. Rye nodded and followed him and sat in one of the three wooden chairs.
“We’ll start with the main rooms and go from there.” Charles said pulling up files on a computer screen. “The living room sets that I’m going to show you, we have ready to stain or paint and can be ready by Friday afternoon for Saturday delivery.”
“That quick?” Rye asked surprised.
“Yes, ma’am. If you have time, Sticks would probably love to show you the woodshop.”
They went through and picked a style that she liked. Simple and classic. Alana offered a few opinions on cushions and offered to help with pillows and curtains. The dining room table that she liked would take a little longer but would only be a few more days.
Rye also picked a bedroom set and nursery furniture. Sticks said that he already had talked to Chance about furniture for the sunroom and outside areas. At her confused look, he explained that Chance had thought about moving out there after Celt and Mia got married. He said that it just seemed too big for just one person.
After about an hour, Clay walked in to check on an order for a client. Rye was uncertain about making all the decisions without Chance and Clay sat down smiling at her.
“Let me tell you a little secret about men when they’re in love.” Clay said and Alana and Charles both laughed as Sticks groaned. “Especially these Lowery men. You can say that you want to paint the living room day glow yellow with neon pink trim and lightning bolt blue furniture and lime green accents and he will say if it makes you happy, then he’s happy. Isn’t that right, Sticks?”
“Shut up, queer.” He grumbled to his friend with a grin.
“Did you not get a morning blow job?” he asked unfazed. “My man did. Do I need to have a talk with your men? Or maybe that adorable woman who wants another baby?”
Rye was blushing bright red and looking down at her lap.
“Boys, as much as I love to hear about my kids sex life, that was sarcasm just in case you didn’t catch it, I don’t think this is the time or place.” Alana chastised.
“Sorry, momma.” Both men said and when she pointed to Rye, they apologized to her too.
“It’s okay.” She whispered.
“You finish this up and I’ll meet you at the house later to go over anything else.” Clay offered and Rye began to object. He stood up and kissed the top of her head. “Think of it as a housewarming present because I wasn’t invited to the last party.”
“You and Trevor were off doing whatever you and Trevor do in Boston. I don’t want or need details.” Alana said as he kissed her cheek.
“Later, little girl. Bye mom!” With a quick wave Clay breezed out the door.
Shaking his head, Sticks laughed as he watched the man walk across the parking lot. “And that, my dear sister, is the whirlwind known as Clay.”
“I like Clay.” Rye smiled.
“All you girls like Clay.” Charles laughed.
“All you boys like Clay too.” Alana countered. “Why don’t you go show Rye the shop?”
Glancing at her watch, Rye stood up. “Sorry, I’m meeting my teacher for lunch. She thought it would be a good idea to meet before school started.”
Alana stood up and hugged her. Rye was becoming more accustomed to the easy affection of the Lowery family and the Saints. She returned the hug that Sticks gave her without even thinking about it.
