Chapter 12

My feet are tired and my calves ache in protest, but as I climb into my car after my first day at work, I’m feeling giddy to the point of elation. Sure, I’m exhausted mentally and physically. Any first day on a new job is going to be tough until you develop a routine and learn the ropes, and I haven’t spent this much time on my feet in ages.

But, painful feet or not, I’m psyched. At least I have a job to go to, and the anticipation of receiving a glorifying paycheck at the end of the week is just the icing on the cake…no pun intended.

So, the fact that I’ve been standing and walking on my feet all day doesn’t even phase me. I made friends, talked to customers about their days and all while getting paid to make people happy. No wonder Alexa is so filled with joy all the time. She has her bakery to uplift her spirits and now I completely understand because I too, am now an insider of her little niche.

Besides, I am beyond thrilled to go check out my new digs. Tonight, I’m set to meet my new landlord and move into my new home. I know it’s small and needs some renovating, but Grandma’s house wasn’t exactly modern, either. I don’t care if it needs new paint or carpeting. I’m just happy for a place to stay.

Alexa had offered to come with me to help me get settled and to unpack my boxes, but I had kindly rejected her offer, telling her that she was already lending out enough helping hands in my direction. Plus, I don’t really have much to unpack, and that’s a little embarrassing.

I plug the address that Alexa gave me into the GPS navigation system of my phone and take a deep breath. Here I go, I’m off to start my new life. What a difference a week makes, and now my focus is shifting to brighter and bigger dreams, dreams that a week ago I’d never imagine achieving.

Now, I have a job and an apartment all to myself. It appears as if fate is handing me a stepping stone and I don’t to let it go to waste. No, I am prepared to climb it all the way to the top.

I know that the house is further out, past the main parts of town which I pass after a few minutes. As I inch my way closer to my new abode, I take the effort to assess my surroundings and absorb the features of this different side of town. It’s an older region where cute brick homes and huge oak trees stand proudly in the center of the freshly manicured green lawns. The yards are bigger way out here, but it still has that sleepy small town charm like in Grandma’s part of town.

Over on this side, the trees are mature and simply marvelous, stretching to the sky with huge, thick green leaves. My heart begins to race in anticipation of seeing my new home. I make a right per the directions of the navigation map, and venture down a small side street before taking another right down a street named Poplar.

My mouth stretches into an instant grin when I recognize the name of the street I’m on because it’s the same one where my address resides. At the end of the street, I see my house. Tucked away on a dead-end cul-de-sac. From the street, it looks charming and cozy even with little curb appeal.

I park the car in the driveway and stare up at the house. I can’t wait to put my stamp on it. Even in the yard, one afternoon of attention and my green thumb will have the place popping off the page like new.

I climb out of the car and shut the door behind me, staring up at the house as if I’m afraid to go inside, although I don’t understand where this ominous feeling is coming from all of the sudden. The house is small, but I already expected that after Alexa told me it’s a one bedroom, one bath place. It’s perfect for single people like me.

It’s white with faded shutters that at one point were probably a magnificent royal blue color. Some of the paint is chipping off the siding and there’s a wraparound porch which has some potential. I could see myself sitting out here enjoying a lovely summer day. It creaks in protest under my feet as I step up and explore.

Well, it’s not perfect, but Alexa warned me as much. The rent is only $300 a month, so I know there’s no point in complaining. It’s not like I can afford to live in an upscale apartment or anything, so I might as well make the best of the situation and try to put my handy skills to good use.

Besides, I need a hobby, something to shift my focus and give me something to do after work each night. This isn’t exactly where I envisioned my life course to be veering for the moment, but at least I’m not homeless. I still have college on the back burner, and as soon as I get settled I can readdress the timeline for finishing my degree.

Before going inside, curiosity gets the better of me and I decide to peer through the windows off the front porch instead. I cup my hand over my eyes and squint, looking in, but it’s too dark in there to really see much. Just shadows.

I take a step backwards, ready to try out the window on the opposite side of the porch when I hear a twig crack behind me. I spin around, startled to see a man approaching. My breath catches in my throat. He steps under a dim beam of light from the yellow porch light, and I realize I recognize this guy. I kind of know him.

He’s the same guy I played air hockey with at the book club dinner the other night. What is he doing here? And how did that massive truck appear in the driveway without me noticing it? Was I that lost in my own thoughts?

One thing I immediately notice is that now he’s wearing a shirt this time. A white t-shirt to be exact. I have to give myself a mental swift kick in the ass when I realize that not only is he fully clothed but that I’m also actually disappointed by that fact. He’s still cute, hot even, but a bare chest compliments him.

I need to take a moment to compose myself. I clear my throat and take a deep breath to expel my jitters of getting startled. I run a hand through my hair and stare at him as he wearily approaches me. Now that I’m fully recovered from that scare, I’m able to greet him properly.

I give him a timid wave as a smile forms on his lips. “Hello,” I mumble sheepishly. It’s not exactly the most appealing thing in the world to be caught staring inside of a vacant home’s windows. “I’m uh, just waiting for the landlord.”

“Cool,” he greets me in return with blatant interest and curiously. “You found him.”

He’s incredibly handsome, and his blue eyes are the same color of the ocean I used to go to as a child. But I should not be thinking that right now.

“You’re my landlord?” I say, feeling both dorky and excited. This means I’ll get to see the handsome guy on occasion.

“Yes, and Alexa’s cousin. She didn’t tell you?”

I shake my head, not trusting myself to say anything right now. If I did, it’d only come out sounding stupid.

His smile is charming. “Let me show you inside.”

“Thank you,” I manage to say.

He takes out a keychain from his pocket and unlocks the door, then hands me the key. I mumble a thanks and grip the key tightly. This is the key to my new place. It’s a big deal. He pops open the door and stops dead in his tracks before I even get a chance to peer inside.

“What is it?” I ask, watching his shoulders tense. “Is there something wrong?”

He turns his head to look at me over his shoulder and has a regretful expression on his face, but he doesn’t say anything. Cautiously, he steps inside and I follow him. Alexa had warned me about the need for repairs, and now my imagination is spinning around with the worst possible scenarios.

All the excitement of a new adventure halts and comes crashing to the ground when I get my first taste of what’s inside. It’s horrendous, squalor type conditions. The first thing I notice are the three broken windows in the back of the house and on the side. They look like a baseball has been thrown directly through their centers.

The floors are hardwood, but filthy. It’s a complete disaster in here, to put it lightly. I’m so stunned that I can’t even formulate words. There are some fast food trash bags and plastic cups with some kind of old syrupy liquid inside of them.

The house reeks of trash, garbage and smoke.

Mason is stark white, as if he’s seen a ghost. I feel sorry for him because I know he would probably never have agreed to let me live here if he knew about the condition of this house in advance.

“What the hell?” he says as he picks up the shards of broken glass from the windows. “From the outside it doesn’t look nearly as bad.”

I stand near the entrance because I’m afraid to step inside any further in case an animal like a raccoon comes barreling at us or something.

“I’m guessing you had no idea the place looked like this?” I ask.

Mason continues to walk around, staring at everything in horror. “I had no idea…” he mumbles and trails off, running a hand through his wavy brown locks.

He kicks at a fast food bag, then picks it up, but quickly throws it back down in disgust. “I can’t believe how bad it looks in here. I mean, I haven’t been by in a while, but I didn’t expect to see filth everywhere. Looks like it was squatters, or teenagers or something.”

He tosses me an apologetic glance and then turns back around, seemingly embarrassed.

I watch as he walks into the kitchen. “Oh shit!” He cries out and jumps nearly a foot backwards.

I have no idea what he’s seen but I gasp just in natural instinctual reaction. I squeeze my eyes shut. “What is it?” I ask, having no idea what to expect.

“There are birds in the sink,” he answers with a slightly calmer tone.

“Are they alive?” I call out but still keep my eyes shut tight.

“It looks like it,” he sighs in exasperation. “I don’t know how the hell I am going get them out of here.”

I wish I had a reasonable answer to give him, but I don’t. I just want to run away forever. I hate to sound prissy because I’m hardly a girly girl, but even just standing here in this run-down shack is making me feel grimy.

The house is truly unlivable, and the bitter harsh reality hits me in the form of warm, salty tears pooling in my eyes. A tight knot forms in my throat and my chest feels like I’m carrying the weight of an elephant on top of it.

Mason is fuming, pacing the floors while he rants about how he’s going to kill whoever has destroyed his first ever home. I just stare at him, quietly standing in the corner to allow him to vent his anger and frustration in unbothered.

He finally calms down a little and walks back over to me. “I’m so sorry. Obviously, I had no idea the house had been trashed. I’d have never brought you here had I known.”

“It’s okay,” I mumble and attempt a smile, but I can’t muster one for now.

“It’s not okay,” Mason grumbles. “The place is in shambles.”

I don’t know how to respond to that, so I just nod and look at the floor which is completely caked with dirt. Mason groans and kicks a soda can. I can understand his pain, it’s one thing to be frustrated about a house that’s a wreck, but it just brings me back to the harsh reality that I have nowhere to live now.

I turn to leave before I start sobbing in front of him. “Well, thanks anyway,” I whisper and walk out to the wrap around porch.

I begin brainstorming in my mind about where I can stay for the night. I have enough in my bank account for a hotel room for a night or two, so I guess it’s at least a start.

That’s only a temporary fix however, like putting a band aid on a busted water pipe. I have no long-term plan on where to live because I’d put all my collected eggs into this disaster of a house basket.

“Wait,” Mason calls out behind me.

I spin around and look at him. “Yeah?”

His face is full of what I feared the most…pity. “Do you have anywhere else to go?”