Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 84982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 425(@200wpm)___ 340(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 425(@200wpm)___ 340(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Better yet, what I should really be questioning was … had that been a joke? The killing someone thing? Yeah, it must have been. He was probably making fun of the fact that everyone in town thought he’d murdered a guy or that his family was in the Mafia.
The little house was perfect. I stood outside in the front yard, smiling like an idiot. This could actually be where I lived? I shook my head in disbelief.
Please, God, don’t let me wake up and this be a dream. I was going to be really upset if it was.
And it was three times the size of the studio apartment I was going to pay three hundred dollars more a month for. That seemed very unreal.
“Just need you to sign here,” the older lady who had shown me the house said, holding out an iPad toward me.
The lease. She wanted me to sign the lease. I had to get my money back from my mother first. I couldn’t pay for this without my money. I couldn’t lose this house.
“Um, Ms. Ma—”
“Maeme. It’s just Maeme,” she replied with a kind smile.
I liked this woman. I had no idea how she’d found out I was searching for somewhere to live or how she had gotten my number, but I was thankful. But that oddity also made me fear this was a dream. How had a deal like this just fallen in my lap?
“Maeme,” I corrected myself. “This house is amazing. I would love to lease it, and I can afford it. But I need to go get my money back first. My, uh … well, I have it, but my mom is holding on to it. As soon as I get it from her, I can pay this month and of course the deposit or last month’s rent—whatever is required. Just … could I get it to you later?”
Maeme held out a set of keys to me. “Take the keys,” she said. “When you are ready to move in, give me a call. I’ll stop by with the lease for you to sign. No rush.”
If I wasn’t asleep, I was hallucinating. I held out my hand, and she dropped the house keys into it.
“Those two keys are to the front and back doors. The smaller one is for the bolt on each door. Now, there is a locked metal door you’ll find behind the house on the other side of the porch if you go looking. But it’s covered by a rose bush for the most part. It’s got some paints for touch-up in the house, maintenance equipment, and the like. There ain’t a key to unlock it. It’s not available for use. Inside, there is a similar door that will be locked up. Just more maintenance equipment. But everything else will be yours.”
I nodded as my fingers wrapped tightly around the freedom in my hand.
“I … thank you. I am just … you don’t know,” I gushed, not finding the right words to say. “Thank you,” I finally blurted. It didn’t feel adequate enough, but I didn’t think there were words that would be.
Her gaze softened. “I’m happy to help. This house needs a tenant, and you need a house. It helps us both out.”
I thought about pointing out that there were tons of people who would pay double what she had quoted me for the monthly rent. But then maybe she didn’t know that. A sick knot formed in my stomach. What if she thought this was the best she could get for the house? She wasn’t old as in elderly, but she might not be savvy with money or finances. Could her husband have passed away, and now, she was left dealing with things and didn’t know the money she was losing by leasing me this house?
My buoyant mood fell. That made more sense. This house wasn’t a stroke of luck for me. This sweet lady just wasn’t aware how much homes rented for these days. She was dressed well, her hair was in a stylish bob, and there were diamonds on her fingers and her ears. She’d been taken care of by her husband. Now, she was trying to navigate this new life.
“I’m sorry, Maeme,” I said, trying not to show the disappointment on my face. I didn’t want her to feel bad about this. “I should tell you that you can rent this house for three times what you are asking. I can’t pay that, but there are many people who can and will. You’d have it leased today in fact. I could pay you three hundred more a month, but I can’t in good conscience lease this house from you. Not when you could make at least seven hundred more dollars a month on it.”
The older lady chuckled and patted my arm. “Oh, honey. It ain’t about the money. You’re right. It would lease out for much more than I’m quoting you. But I don’t want just anyone living here. This house needs a good tenant who deserves it. That’s why I called you.”