Royal Beaumont; The Rogues King

Royal Beaumont

The Rogues King

By A.D. Lyon

Harper was just putting the last of the moving boxes into the back of her SUV. She had worked tirelessly in the past week to get things packed up and moved to her new home in Richmond, Michigan. She didn’t realize her home would sell so fast, but with a little work and a great agent, the house sold within days of putting it on the market. This was great, because the house she found was perfect for her and the kids.

The house in Saint Clair Shores became too small the moment they moved in seven years ago, but her divorce left her in debt and screaming for change. The once beloved home that she grew up in became a hell she never wanted to return too. Her now ex-husband had left her for another woman while their son was just 4 months old, and their daughter 16 months old. Looking back, Harper knew she didn’t want to get married in the first place, but she loved her ex at the time and wanted to spend the rest her life with him and their new family. Unfortunately, he didn’t feel the same. Honestly, he never felt that way.

Knowing this had crushed Harper. It took a few years before she could really date or allow herself to care for another person again, but eventually she did and found constant disappointments. Divorce rates where high and so were drinking and drug addictions. Harper attracted them all. It was like she had a this pulls on anyone who needed healing. Each date was filled with disaster. She heard about all the horrible ex-wives, or ex-girlfriends, and how they left trails of broken-hearted men. If there wasn’t an ex, there was family drama to the tenth degree. Horrible parents, abuse, and everyone was a smoker. If it wasn’t cigarettes it was weed. She couldn’t escape. Instead of feeling excited from the date, she just felt more exhausted from other people’s drama.

Giving the house a once over before locking the doors for the last time, she hopped into the car and began the last trip from the old house to her new house. Putting her latest book on the radio, she listened to the romantic stories of two lost loves finding each other again in an old bookstore in a town she never heard of somewhere else in the world. Harper often passed the time with an audio book. Something to concentrate on while getting a project done. This time was to take her mind off her nerves. A mix of excitement and fearing changing her whole life around, again.

As the audiobook was getting a good spot, the phone rang loudly through the speakers of the SUV. Harper looked at the computer screen in the dashboard to see who was calling. It was her real estate agent Beverly Whinestar, of Whinestar Realty. Harper always smiled at the name when it appeared. Beverly was the last person anyone would think to whine. She was one of the most optimistic people Harper had ever met.

“Hey Bev! How are you?” Harper said with a smile.

“Harper! I’m so glad I caught you. Are you on the way to the house?” Beverly seemed excited.

“Yes, last load! Thank God! I’m exhausted and I can’t wait to take a bath in that claw foot tub!” The house was in great shape and had a huge foot tub in the master bathroom. It looked new and never used. Harper would change that as a foot tub was on her wish list.

“Well, good news! I just got off the phone with my friend down at the city hall, and the shed is on the property which is bigger than you think. You have about 3 acres of land. There was some confusion about someone owner half of it, but there’s no need to worry. The guy was as old as the McCalassters and hasn’t been seen in decades.” The shed on the property was off a trail and almost hidden in the woods behind the house. Rumor had it the McCalassters who use to own the home before passing, had a person living on the property. He would help with the land and fixing things but seem to be close to the age of the McCalassters. There was no forwarding address or phone number. There was a mention of a Christian R. Beaumont, but that was all anyone knew.

Harper sighed in relief, “That’s great news! I can’t wait to start my business! Thanks for everything, Bev!”

“Anytime! Maybe we should celebrate this weekend? I’ll bring some wine; you can make some delicious treat to go with it?”

“You got it!” And with that, everything seemed to be lining up into place. Harper couldn’t wait to start her new life, and this shed was going to be her office, workshop, and gold mine. Her gold mine.

As Harper neared her new driveway, the audio book was close to the ending. She sat in the car and finished the last chapter, wiped an eye, and took in a deep breath. It was close to dinner time. The fridge was fully stocked but she was too tired to cook, so she unhitched quickly unpacked most of the boxes and left for town.

Richmond’s downtown area was only a five-minute drive, but it looked further. Neighbors where a quick drive down the road where she lived. So, it felt like she was driving further than five minutes out. Richmond wasn’t a big town. Everyone knew everyone. Apparently, there had been 3 families that founded Richmond, and their families still lived in the small-town years later. Harper wasn’t a fan of Richmond, but her kids’ school was here and all she really cared about was her kids. They were her life and as she was getting older, she realized she needed a life too.

Her ex-husband had tricked her in letting the kids go to Richmond. She didn’t have a choice at the time. She didn’t have daycare or family nearby to help her while she worked. Her ex-husband family wouldn’t even help her out, even though they knew about the other woman. During her divorce Harper found out a lot of things about her ex-husband she didn’t know before. How he would talk trash about her behind her back or call her mom and sister in Chicago and complain to them. What he didn’t do was talk to Harper about his feelings. But no problem talking to another woman at his job. Harper never felt so lonely as she did in her marriage. Worse, her divorce proved that hell did exist on earth. Never again.

Harper did a lot for her ex-husband. She gave in to his plans on the house they lived in, and used her tax return money to help pay for things they needed in their home instead of her debt. They had a wedding theme of Star Wars because that was what he wanted. Even helping pay off his dads gambling debts came out of their savings, but she did it all for love. Now she looked back and couldn’t even remember why she loved the guy.

Doug Jones was an average guy who didn’t always make good decisions. She thought at one time he was handsome, in his own way. When they were together, he was fit. He had lost almost two-hundred pounds before they met. Doug reminded Harper that she needed to work out more often to get those last few pounds off. Harper had gotten sick from some black mold and the doctors had her on a lot of meds including steroids. She had gained a lot of weight. But when they married, she was a good-looking size 12 and happy with herself.

Doug was never satisfied and shortly after their divorce, he was the one battling the weight. He had put on almost 80 pounds, if not more, on and it didn’t look good on him. Then again, when your miserable it shows on some people more than others. Doug was never happy unless he was in control or someone else was in control doing the things he wanted. Harper realized his emotional and mental abuse was just that, abuse.

Over the years, she would bite her tongue and use this ego to help her get what she wanted. Most of the time it worked. There were even times when they would get along and talk like two grown adults. Until Amanda, the other woman, had a problem with it. Then Doug would have to be his dick self and ruin the progress. Amanda was the same age as Doug and same height, but for some reason she looked a lot older. Harper was older than both, but everyone swore she was ten years younger. Amanda on the other hand looked like she had a rough life. Harper didn’t know how they really met or who started what, but honestly, she didn’t care. She realized they were better off together and that would be the best revenge. All she cared about was how her kids were taken care of and that was it.

As Harper pulled into town, she decided to go to Hamlin Pub. It was a restaurant slash bar and from what she heard from the kids, they had good pizza. She parked the car and went inside. It wasn’t to crowd for a Wednesday night, but it was still a little early too. She went up to the bar and placed her order to go.

Just then she heard a familiar voice in the background. It was heaven to hear ears.

“Mom! Mom! You’re here!” A small but very happy nine-year-old boy ran up to her with his arms ready for a hug.

“Hey Bubba! What are you doing here?” Harper hugged her son in her arms and gave him a mother’s kiss on top of his head.

“We just finished eating dinner. Dad! Look! It’s mom!” Bubba waved his dad over to where they were standing. Harpers daughter caught up to them first and wrapped her arms around her mom.

“Hi mom.” Said a soft, sleepy voice.

“Hello. Why do you look so sad? Are you in food coma-land?” Harper looking questioningly at her now 10-year-old. Her eyes were large and blue, a beautiful almond shape with long lashes fluttered upward.

“Yes. I had white pasta.” That was Willow talk for chicken alfredo. Harper just chuckled and smiled brightly at her daughter who looked like she was about to pass out.

“Grabbing some dinner?” Doug walked over with his hands in his pockets.

“Yes. I finished moving us in today, and I just don’t feel like cooking. I’m sure there will be left over pizza for tomorrow if you two get hungry.” Harper replied, glancing at her sleepy children. Bubba was such a charmer. He was named after his dad, but Harper never liked the name Doug, so she called him Bubba. His dimples and dirty blonde hair complemented his vibrant green eyes and button nose. While Willow had a long hair, same color as her brother and a nose that had the cutest little dip to it on the end. Both kids were destined to grow up gorgeous. Compliments of both parents.

“I bet! I’m sure the house is going to look great when you are all done with it.” Lately, Doug had been nicer to Harper. Even drawing out the conversations with her which was awkward. Harper hated small talk. But when he was nice, it usually meant he was fighting with Amanda or at least annoyed with her. Either way, Harper didn’t care, but she took the opportunity to her advantage when needed.

“Did you two have a nice day at school?” Harper said while one arm was around each child. But before they could answer, Amanda and her son Jason stood staring about three tables away.

“Hey Doug, we gotta go.” Amanda said plainly.

“Yea, coming! Sorry, Harper. We have to run, but we will see you at pick up, same time as always.”

“Yes, no worries. Bye my loves.” Harper said kissing each of her kids on the top of their heads and waving goodbye at them. She watched them head out the door and sighed. With a smile and shake of her head returned to the bar and started watching the trivia playing on one of the screens. Thinking to herself, I really did dodge a bullet.