Inside.
Marta gave Michael a warm smile and handed him a steaming cup of tea before retreating to the kitchen.
Michael and Jens sat in the back room, which doubled as Jens's workshop. Tools hung neatly on pegboards. Half-assembled shelves stood by the wall.
"So," Jens said, taking a sip from his mug, "what made you decide to move here? I mean, did something happen with your family or back in America?"
Michael didn't hesitate. "No, nothing like that. I had a long break from university, so I thought I'd spend some time here since I don't have any memories of this place. Besides, I was looking for somewhere peaceful to clear my mind."
"Ah, that's nice. Our dorf may be small, but the people here are very friendly. I hope you'll have a wonderful time here. We can even show you around the whole place. Also, did you call the numbers I gave you?"
"No, not yet. My phone's out of charge. Besides, I was thinking I should probably start fixing up the house first," Michael said, holding up his phone and charger.
Jens noticed it and said, "Oh, give me your phone — I'll take care of charging it."
He took the phone, stood up, plugged the charger into the wall socket nearby, connected Michael's phone, and then came back to sit down again.
"So, when you say fixing the house," Jens asked, "do you mean a full renovation?"
"Yes. Full structural renovation. Plumbing, electrical, insulation, roofing. Modern amenities. Maybe solar if it's feasible."
Jens nodded slowly. "Hm, but that would cost quite a lot of money. Since you're only here on vacation, I don't think it's wise to spend that much. My suggestion is—if you really want to fix things up, then just make one room livable—fix the kitchen, electricity, water, and a bathroom. That should be enough."
"You don't need to worry about the money," Michael said calmly. "I've got plenty saved up. Besides, I can't just leave my family's property to rot like this. If the house isn't repaired, it might collapse one day, and that's something I don't want. I've also talked to my father about it, and he agrees."
Although Michael's last statement was a lie — ever since he arrived here, he hadn't had any contact with his family.
"Hm, alright then," Jens said finally. "In that case, I've got nothing more to say. But if you want, I can reach out to a few people who do this kind of work."
"That's actually why I came to you," Michael replied. "I don't know anyone here. Also—roughly how much do you think the whole thing would cost?"
Jens let out a low whistle. "For a house that size? Full renovation, pest control, foundation check, electrical, plumbing, insulation, roof repair, new windows, HVAC—plus aesthetic stuff like floors, walls, appliances?"
Michael waited.
"One hundred and fifty, almost. And that's assuming we don't find major foundation damage, mold, or structural rot."
"How long would it take?"
"Depends on what we find, but if it's not a disaster inside? Two, maybe three weeks for phase one."
"Huh? Then finishing everything would take months! I don't have that much time."
"Yeah, I know. Restoring an old house isn't easy—it takes time. And don't forget, we're far from the big cities. That slows things down too. But if you'd like, you can stay with us in the meantime."
"Thanks for that," Michael said. "But is there any way to speed it up?"
"Well," Jens said, thinking, "if you use more workers and advanced machinery, the work could be finished much faster. But that would significantly increase the cost, and you'd probably have to contact a major company in the city, since local workers alone wouldn't be able to do it that quickly. Also, finding extra laborers can be quite difficult at times."
[Host: That's actually a good suggestion. You could also use some prefabricated materials — that would save a lot of time as well. If you'd like, I can recommend a few companies for you.]
Then Jens added, "Also, if you plan to hire a company from the city for this job, you'll need to make sure your driveway can handle heavy machinery — things like cement trucks, loaders, and cranes. The village roads around here aren't really suitable for that kind of equipment either, and they could get damaged. So you might even need to build a new access road for them."
Damn, that's going to make things even more complicated — and expensive.
[Host: You could use temporary road mats for that. They'll help vehicles move through the area. Though, of course, the overall cost will go up quite a bit.]
Hmm, that could work too. But building a new road might not be such a bad idea — it could actually give me more long-term benefits.
"Hm, alright, I think I'll need to think this through more carefully."
"Of course. These aren't the kind of decisions you make in a hurry."
Then Marta came carrying a tray — dark breads, cheese, smoked sausages, and sliced apples sprinkled with cinnamon.
As she set everything on the table, she said, "You've really made the right decision about restoring your grandfather's house. We have so many memories tied to that place too. When your grandmother was alive, we used to visit often. Your grandfather was such a cheerful man back then — he did so much for our dorf as well."
"Yes," Jens said. "He even helped build a school here for the village children. But after your grandmother passed away, he spent most of his time alone and hardly spoke to anyone. It was as if he'd become a completely different person."
"Hm, well, I think it was only natural — he really loved Auntie very much," Marta said, carrying the tray after serving all the food. "Still, I'm really glad you came, even after all these years. He loved you all deeply too. Back when your grandmother was alive, we used to hear so many stories about your family from them. He was always so proud of your father," she added with a warm smile.
Michael didn't say anything — he just stayed quiet. He had never seen his grandparents in person. Everything he knew about them came from what others had told him, so naturally, he didn't share a deep bond with them. Still, he felt grateful that his grandfather had left behind so much for him — things far beyond what he could ever have imagined.
"Well, since it's your first time visiting our home, please eat as much as you'd like," Marta said to Michael with a smile. "The dishes might not be that fancy, but I do hope you'll enjoy them."
"Thank you for that," Michael replied, taking a bite of the smoked sausage. "The food smells wonderful — and honestly, I was starving. Mmm, this is amazing."
"My mother may be old now," Jens said, "but her cooking is still just as good as it used to be. Even at her age, she still cooks for us every day."
"Haha, don't be shy," Marta called out with a laugh. "If you need anything else, just let me know. Eat well." And with that, she headed back toward the kitchen.