Letting Loose & Letting Love (Quick Read)

For Sarai and Josiah it was "grudging respect and easy annoyance" at first sight.

But what could you expect when two individuals that live by checklists and the phrase, "Get It Done" are thrown together?

Josiah's been the father figure in his family for a long time. Childhood was barely a blip on his screen. So when it comes to taking care of business, he knows his business.

Now, if only someone could inform Sarai of that. Because with every determination Josiah makes about the construction of her tiny home, Miss Organized sweetly offers another (good) suggestion.

When Sarai suggests they could each use a little help loosening up, he's as aggravated as ever to find how easily he offered to partner with her in that quest.

But maybe they're just what the other needs to discover a life that's bigger than their to-do lists.

Chapter 1

Sarai placed her phone, screen-side down, on the table and took a moment to catch the eye of each of the three women who encircled it. Finally, she broke the silence.

“So we’re doing this, ladies?” she challenged, her hand moving to hover alone above the table, palm down.  Moments later, a second hand landed atop it. “I’m in!” said Rachael.

“Aright, let’s do this!” Aleeyah added her hand to the two others stacked in the air in front of her, grabbing and shaking them for emphasis. Three pairs of eyes, including her own, turned to the last woman in attendance with them at the restaurant’s standing table. Finally, one final hand slid into view, completing the stack and prompting a squeal of delight from one of the others.

Those three other hands belonged to one Miss Rachael Jackson, Aleeyah Tennison and Ashe DuBois, women Sarai had met in the  “Black, Female and Tiny Housing” forum that she’d joined when she’d learned about it a couple years ago. 

Being among the most regular users on the site, the ladies eventually branched off into their own conversations, off-forum, to swap pictures, articles and videos that inspired their fantasies about taking the plunge into that simplified lifestyle. Including as many examples as possible of other ladies of the chocolate variety who had taken the plunge.

And today, they’d all met for the first time.

The result? Magic. And the decision to make their tiny house dreams a reality, together.

And not only that…they were going to see this thing realized in just a few months.

“Now, you’re sure this guy you found can handle all our projects at once?” Sarai asked, ever the pragmatist. 

“Yeah, girl,” Rachael assured. “I mean, he’s got his own business and everything. His references are great. And his work is outstanding.”

Aleeyah nodded, her butterfly earrings dangling as she did so. Leaning over to look at Rachael’s phone screen she expressed, “I can’t believe how detailed he is. And he’s the designer, too?”

“Well, it says here on his website that they offer design services. So that probably means someone on his staff, I’m guessing. As long as it’s a one stop shop, I don’t care about the details. I’m really trying to put as little thought into this as possible.”

“But we want the best results, of course,” Sarai made sure to specify. She lived under the motto, “Better to say it and not need to than the other way around.”

“Of course! I guess what I mean is that there’s enough on my plate, right now. If someone else can show me a comfortable design that fits my needs, I’ll be happy. Especially given the level of quality this company displays. I feel totally confident putting my plans in their hands.”

“Or your lack of plans?” Sarai questioned, amused.

“Well, we don’t all have to have every inch laid out in our heads before a pen is laid to paper.” Rachael shrugged. “I’m more concerned with changing my lifestyle than the means that gets me there. Man, I can’t wait.”

Sarai picked up her phone and began tap-tap-tapping with both hands on its screen.

“What are you doing?” Aleeyah asked.

“Googled them.” Sarai responded flatly. Then, raising the phone to her ear, she added, “Calling them.”

Aleeyah, Ashe and Rachael exchanged glances, mouths agape. 

“Before we chicken out,” Sarai explained, with a smile.

“Hi, yes,” Sarai said into the phone. “Mr. Bradley? I and a few friends of mine would like to inquire about your services.” And so began the conversation.

Twenty-minutes later, Sarai and Josiah Bradley were still on the phone. “I understand that that’s a very short timeline, and a ten-foot wide trailer is a special order; but Mr. Bradley, perhaps unlike some of your customers, we need room for hips, butt, thighs and the like. So while I realize that that custom request would impact design requirements, if the price is reasonable, we’re willing to pay for the inconvenience.”

“Mmmhmm. I agree that money doesn’t solve every problem. But it can resolve a great many of them. And no, we’re not willing to push this back to that late a date. It’s important to us to complete this as soon as possible. 

“If you’re unable to help us, please let us know so that we can contact Wilson construction, Jabel & Sons or the like. Yes, I know they don’t specialize in tiny homes. Yes, their designs are very different; we all understand and appreciate the product you offer, which is why you’re the first on our list. But we also value our own timelines.

“Would we be willing to at least add another couple weeks to the timeline, to ensure a sound design and procurement of materials?” Sarai looked up at the other women who looked upon her in awe. They each numbly nodded.

“Yes. We can do that. Okay, I see, you’ll talk with your designer to ensure that’s possible.  Alright, I’ll look out for your call within the next hour.”

Once she was off the phone she faced the women who, still, gaped at her.

“What?”

“I’m impressed!” Rachael finally blurted.

“How were you able to rattle off all those other construction companies off the top of your head?” Aleeyah asked.

“Looked them up real quick when we first started talking about doing this. None of them are as good of a find as Rachael’s, but it’s always good to have a plan B – and C.”

“So while we were still talking pie in the sky dreams you were researching them?”

Sarai shrugged. 

“Girl, you are on a whole other level,” Rachael said, smiling and taking a sip of her pink lemonade.

Aleeyah chuckled. “Well, I guess this is definitely not a pie in the sky thing anymore!”