"Ok so you wanted me to keep you informed of my life so here it goes. I'm home and I had a good time. I have a slight tan it did rain a bit while I was there, but I did have a good time. My house was burglarized while I was gone, and they took everything." Renee said and waited for Monica to calm down. "Oh yes, everything they just left trash. Oh, and trashed the place.
Then I went to the bank to retrieve my papers to call the insurance and got caught up in a bank robbery and got kicked for not moving fast enough by the robbers. So, there you go, you're caught up," She told Monica while sitting on the stairs waiting for the repairmen to come and give her estimates. She has one hour scheduled for today.
"Yes, my life has gone to hell that is for sure," Renee lamented. Blanca was sweeping the floor with her broom. Renee didn't even have one here anymore. She was telling Monica about all the damage describing the dirty words on the walls when the doorbell rang so she let her go.
A super tall man with a clipboard stood at the door when Renee answered. "Yes, can I help you?"
"Yes, Ma'am I'm here to give you an estimate on the damages,"
"Ok come on in," she said as Blanca looked around the corner from the kitchen to see who was coming in. She had been so upset when she came to the house this morning. She thought she found it like this and didn't know what to do. Thank goodness she found police tape in the sink and knew Renee must be home. She was devastated to see this beautiful home destroyed like this.
She planned on leaving and coming back after she did the other homes, but Renee drove up and the sad look kept her here to help. The sad thing was she hadn't come back to clean while she was gone the house was clean so her note just gave the thieves the opening to come.
Larry came in doing a lot of "Oh man this is so sad," as he followed Renee around the house. He wrote as fast as he could and took pictures with his phone everywhere. Renee was just glad the windows hadn't been broken. The place was secure they came in through the sliding glass door by jimmying the slider. A stick would have solved that problem she was informed. So, her realtor didn't do it she has a key.
Larry left and Samuel came and did the same thing except his saying was, "What a waste," as he went through the house. Jim came next and he used a tape measure on everything as he took pictures and wrote down the information. He didn't have a saying he just sucked air between his teeth at all the work that needed to be done. Each said they would send an estimate to her and the insurance company. Now what does she do? She still thinks the new owner should make the choices. She stood looking around Blanca had cleaned up the mess but the walls and floor needed replacing and of course, the countertops would be expensive. One chipped off the edge forces the replacement to them all.
"Well, now what?" Renee asked the insurance man.
"Wait for the estimates to come in. Did anyone stand out as someone you would like to work with?"
"Me; No, I have to pick?"
"Yes, Ma'am it is your home." The insurance man said sounding like a wake-up call for her.
"Fine let's see what they have to say on the estimate and then I will decide," Renee told him and let him go. She figures they will pay right in the middle of the estimates less her deductible.
The mail came as Blanca was getting ready to leave so she brought it in for Renee. She received a check for five hundred and fifty-six thousand for the house payoff. Tears filled her eyes. She would be Ok but her life sucked big time. With no place else to sit she was back sitting on the stairs she cried over what her life should have been. She wanted two kids a minivan and a happy life, not this shit. Her perfect world was a son who looked like his father and a little girl who looked like her. That was always her dream and now it is shot to hell just like her house.
She slid the check into her purse and stood. She had to go back to the bank, but she was going to go to the drive-up window and then go by the dealership. She hadn't been there in two weeks. Sure, Bradley kept her updated with texts, but she felt they needed to see she was still around.
"Ma'am you sure you don't want to come inside and deal with this check?" the teller asked.
"No last time I was caught up in a robbery so no just put it in my checking account. I'll stop by later and move it around. Isn't there a ten-day hold on big-amount checks?" she shot back at her. No way in hell was she going in there today.
"Yes, ma'am it does," she said and got busy working on the check. Renee dug in her purse for a Chap-Stick when she heard her name called. Looking over to the teller window the bank president waved. "Hey Renee, are you doing Ok? I've been worried about you."
"Yeah, I'm fine just dealing with the repair men is all. As you can see the insurance money is coming in already."
"Well come in soon so we can put this money to use," he told her sounding cheeky.
"Sounds good let's wait until it clears, and I'll be in," Renee told him as the receipt landed in the return slot.
"Ok I'll see you soon," he called out as she put the car in gear and waved.
Renee stepped into the dealership and heard her name called out and smiled she was home. She felt like she was on Cheers, and she was Norm, and everyone knew her name. Kathy rushed from the repair desk to hug her as Bradley and Mike came out of their cubical to greet her. She told Bradley if anyone asked, she was just taking a few days off. She knew no one here had burglarized her house. No one knew she was gone not even Bradley.
"My you look rested and got some sun so good for you," Kathy said as the men approached.
"Thanks that was the plan. So, is everything here good?" Renee asked if it all looked good. They moved in some new cars and changed the showroom around. She knew that was Bradley's doing. He was always wanting a change, the same as with his life.
She turned and ran into him and smiled she was happy to see him. At least this place hadn't changed. Patting his chest, she reached out and took Bradley's hand lightly and they walked to her office so he could fill her in about the last two weeks.
*
The people who bought the house came when the vulgar writing was painted over with primer and the other damage was either removed or dealt with two weeks before closing, they were ready to get busy. Long and lanky got the job. The bids on the repairs were eighty-seven thousand to one hundred and twenty-five so Renee picked the middle guy. The insurance man guaranteed her they were all wonderful contractors, or they wouldn't suggest them. He promised he would have the work done by closing if they would pick the countertop material.
Renee sat with the couple who were buying the house who were delightful. They had three kids and the house was perfect for them. And yes, they were from California and a house like this one they told her would be six to seven million there; so, they are thrilled to have this one. They picked wall colors, countertops, and flooring choosing right to the top of the budget, and were thrilled to have the house to their specifications.
Renee just sat and smiled as they worked out the color scheme. To her it was tacky, but she didn't have to live there. They were a couple of democratic dips who had too much money now that they were living in cheap Texas. Their ilk are changing the city to their standards and trying to turn this place liberal like they did California. Where are they going to run to when they ruin this town too?
She was ready to move to Belize by the end of that visit. Maybe she should sell and just run as far away as she can go. Forget about finding a house and just travel until she finds someplace that fits her lifestyle and mindset because it is not in this town. Her phone chirped telling her, she had a text and she wondered what Bradley needs now.
Renee, I'm giving this one last try. I thought we made a connection. At least text and let me know you're alive I expected to see you already. Caleb.
Renee saw the message and felt bad he had called every few days leaving a message each time. She just has been so overwhelmed with everything she had to do to become involved with this man right now. But he was right they did make a connection and she still surges when she thinks of him. With the handshake of the buyers and the contractor, she was done with this house. It is nice to know children will live here, but it also felt like a knife in her back. That was all she ever wanted. She looked at the message and knew he would gladly give that to her. They could have a good life and Bradley could run the dealership like he wants to.
So, she wrote back.
I'm sorry as you know my life went to hell once I got back if it was not bad enough. If you want to call me later tonight, I would love to talk, and yes, we made a connection. I just needed my life to calm down so I could think. Renee
She thought that was a good comeback and left it at that. She wasn't trying to be rude or cruel to him she just didn't have the mindset to deal with what he had in mind. She knew that was how he was she heard it in every message. Now all she has is the signing and she is finished with this place. So, she will talk to him tonight and see how his life is going and maybe a hook up again is what she needs. She was willing to drive five hours for some good sex.
She sat in her hotel room with shrimp dirty rice and steamed vegetables from her faithful restaurant and waited for her phone to ring. She didn't know why she hated this town so much. Everything she ever wanted was within driving distance. She had shopped until she dropped sending the receipts to the insurance company. Wait until they see the furniture bills. They must remember they lived in a million-dollar home she thought smugly. She rented a cold storage room at the local storage place to hang all her new clothes. Nothing that Martin would like in the bunch.
Her phone rang and her night was on.
"Caleb, it is so nice to hear your voice."
She told him about the house and all the repairs they had to organize the house. She told him in general about her ridiculous life and the bank robbery.
He was so sweet asking if she was Ok sounding like he was ready to come to see for himself that she was Ok. She begged off being stuck in a hotel room he asked her to come to Dallas and visit him. It would be easy for her to go if nothing else she could check out Dallas. She knew they voted Republican mostly so maybe they weren't hell bent on ruining their city. She took down his address and would borrow one of the demo cars and drive this weekend up there. He was thrilled she could hear it in his voice.
She was sure he was thinking he was going to get some this weekend and she smiled because she knew she was too. She took the last dozen things she bought to the storage so she could check out of the room for however long she would be in Dallas. Selecting five or six outfits for the trip she filled her old suitcase the one she took on the trip the only thing she had left from her old life except her car. And that she planned to leave and drive away in a new car for this trip. She talked to him each night and had phone sex without anybody masturbating. Well, she knew she didn't. He was good at telling her what he wanted to do to her, and the thing was he knew how.
She drove out of the dealership at 10 am. The traffic had died down and she knew she could beat the evening traffic in Dallas if they didn't get delayed. She loved the car she picked and its fancy rearview camera, the GPS, and the radio telling her who sang each song as she drove along. She wondered why she hung on to her old car for so long. Martin tried to buy her a new one for years, but she wouldn't hear of it. Her car ran well and looked like new the maintenance shop made sure of it. But now after spending time driving this beauty, she was rethinking a new one. She must be getting close the GPS was telling her to exit the highway. She didn't like the looks of the area and was now second-guessing coming. She wondered how he could live in such a ghetto area.
She knew nothing about this man except he was good in bed. Two more turns and the houses were nicer and the whole area looked newer, so she began to breathe again. She turned into a driveway and the house looked to be worth about two hundred thousand in Austin. Here about one-fifty but he was a single man, so he didn't need much she reasoned. Again, that elitist attitude was biting her in the ass. She opened her door and stepped out as Caleb came out his front door smiling with his arms out to greet her. He held her for a long moment as if soaking in the feel of her and kissed the top of her head as his hands slid up her sides. "My God it is so good to see you," he told her hanging on tightly.
"I know it seems surreal. You look good," Renee told him backing off the hug so she could look at him. He was just as handsome as ever. She also saw a lot of concern on his face. He pulled her back into his arms and said, "You have had a rough time, haven't you?"
"I have but this is helping. So, show me your place and tell me your plans for the weekend," she told him not wanting to delve into her plight right now.
"Well," he said as he led her towards the house. "I bought junk food, easy stuff to eat, some wine, and planned to spend the weekend in bed."
"Ah a man after my heart and body," she joked holding him tightly against her side. She stepped into the house right before he took the place. It was nicely done, and she could smell he just finished cleaning. He uses Windex and Pledge just like Blanca did on her house. It was masculine with leather furniture brown not black with a cowboy flair. This was Texas why not. Yep, it suited him as a masculine Texan.
"I like it, it's very nice," she told him, and he seemed to be guiding her towards the hallway to his bedroom. Taking a turn, she made a beeline to the kitchen. She could tell a lot about a man by what he had in his kitchen, and she needed to slow this man down. Yes, in paradise the bed had been the goal. But he needed to give me a chance to acclimate to the new surroundings and the man she thought as the doorbell rang.
"Hang on and let me see who that is," Caleb said and went begrudgingly for the door. That gave her a chance to breathe. He was after her body. What did she expect after the way she spoke to him on the phone the last few days? She had him cranked up and he was ready to go it wasn't fair she was backing off.
A woman's voice came fluttering through the house she seemed very friendly as if she knew him well. Barging in the house she took one look at Renee and went ballistic.
"Who the hell is she? You can't wait a few lousy months before you go out and find someone new. I thought you wanted me back. All that begging you did was bullshit," the woman screamed.
Renee picked up her purse and walked out. She didn't need this drama. He was right she was pretty and a drama queen, but he also didn't come running after her she noticed. At least the bitch didn't block her in with her car.
She pulled up to the intersection of this enclave of newer homes and wondered if he bought this from that guy he was with on the island. It was kind of a crazy place to build new homes being surrounded by ghetto. Maybe they will slowly knock the whole place down and rebuild.
"Now what?" she asked the God above. She was not going to drive back to Austin tonight and she sure was not staying in this part of town. Her phone pinged as she waited at a stop light.
I'm sorry she is gone. I had no idea she was in town.
Caleb.
"No way," Renee said and wrote.
No, you should stay with her she seems to want you. I will not be coming back. Goodbye. Renee
She wrote and she meant it. No way in hell was she going back to that mess. They had issues to resolve, and she was not going to be the third wheel waiting to see who won. The big question was when did he beg her to come back was it recently? Yesterday last month when? She got up on the highway and drove north until the traffic became so slow. A nice suite hotel came into view, so she exited, parked pulled her suitcase, and entered the hotel. She has had a day of it and no, her life was not getting any better. All her hopes were dashed. That old saying saved by the bell rang true for her today.
As she waited for her card to pass the mustard and the clerk to give her a room key, she decided to contact a local realtor and have her waste her day showing her around Dallas. She had only been here once, and it was for some dealership conference, and she swore to never go again. It was the most boring thing ever. It was worse than her sweet Jesus weekend. Taking some of the pamphlets they offered she scanned them as she made her way to the fifth floor. She hoped she had a decent view. No dolphins jumping in a deep blue ocean that was for sure.
*
"Yes, Ma'am I know this is a last-minute notice but I'm in town and was looking to get an idea of the housing market in the Dallas area. I'm willing to spend as much as a million. I just sold my house in Austin and want out of that town." Renee told the woman who answered the phone at the realtor's number she found in one of those pamphlets.
"Not a problem what time in the morning are you thinking you will be ready to go?'
Looking out her window she saw Denney's and figured she would eat there for breakfast. "Let's say 10 am and I'll meet her in the lobby of the Highland Suites Hotel," Renee told her figuring why not. Dallas right now was having perfect weather being a nice late fall day and the sun was shining.
Houston was out of the running for Renee it was too humid for her. That short time she spent this past summer was enough for her. She'll see what they have to offer here but going to Belize still loomed large in her mind. She needed to wait for summer to see how humid it was there. She needed to sit down and see what she could find on the internet on houses and prices. Right now, she is excited to see what the realtor finds for her tomorrow. She didn't need a mansion, but she didn't want a hovel. She felt comfortable spending a million on a house. Right, who was she trying to impress? But she also knew you must have something to find someone who has something. She knew she was good when it came to sex, so she needed to get on with it and find a man. She could feel her eggs rotting as she looked out the window. This was a beautiful area, older homes and large trees are what she could see from this view. She also saw several places to eat, and she was getting hungry.
The big Olive Garden sign drew her in. A big salad and some pasta sounds so good. She eats well from her favorite restaurant, but she would like a salad. Martin was not a fan of the Garden, so they never went. Checking the time, she had time to take a quick shower and wash away this bad day before she went out. With her massive amount of hair clipped on her head, she stepped in and enjoyed the heat. Taking her time, she felt like looking so she left about 7:00.
Making her way to the restaurant looked so easy from her room but with the highway system, she was stuck in a convoluted trek to make her way there. Or her GPS was playing with her. By the time she got there, the line was at the door waiting for a table. After the fight to get there, she wasn't going to go somewhere else.
Finally making it into the restaurant a small boy with the most beautiful blue eyes caught her attention he seemed frustrated with the wait. He looked to be about four. She looked at the man who was trying to contain him, he had equally beautiful eyes. Hers were blue, but theirs were brilliant blue that caught your attention first then the fact he was gorgeous, soaked in.
That was when she realized the man was looking at her also. He smiled with acknowledgment and moments later the hostess escorted him his son and his wife to a table. Renee thought he was bold to be looking at her like that with his wife right there. He was another one of those arrogant pigs using his looks to lure women. She felt sorry for his wife as he looked back at her with his perfect smile.
Ten minutes later she was led to a table. The place was hopping and filled with families. She could hear babies cry in every direction and smiled. The idea of having a baby by In Vitro came to her. She was done with men she knew being a single mother was difficult but she wasn't an alcoholic so she could do it. Plus, she had money which is one less worry. She studied the menu but was thinking about her idea more than the food when the smell of a man engulfed her. Someone smells good she thought and looked up. Mister I think I'm so handsome was standing by her table. She looked around to try to understand why he was there and all the women around her were looking at them.
"Can I help you," Renee asked as he crouched down so he could see her face.
"Sure, I was hoping to get your name and number," the man asked and pulled out the chair across from her and sat down.
"I don't think your wife would appreciate you being over here."
"Wife?" he asked and looked around as if he was trying to find her. "I'm not married the woman I'm with is my nanny and she is gay. So, no she is not my wife. My chef's daughter had a baby, so she was out tonight. I brought my son and the nanny here to eat. I love their salads," he said with a smile that melted her panties big time. So, he is not married just interested.
"Ok you have a son there is no denying him," Renee said.
"Oh no, I would never deny him that is my life. So, do you live around here?" He asked and Renee thought boy he is bold he was not backing off.
"No, actually I'm from Austin just here for the weekend doing a little shopping."
"No shops in Austin?" he asked with a smart-ass grin, and she knew he was looking for a smile.
Granting him a nice one he smiled again. He liked what he saw already.
"Yes, we have many, but I wanted to make a change, so I came here."
"Dad your food is here," was called out so he stood and patted the tabletop. "Well, it was nice meeting you, I'm Toby," he said and waved to his son acknowledging he heard him.
"It was nice to meet you too I'm Renee," he smiled down at her and walked away. She watched him disappear and wanted to kick herself she should have told him she was moving here, but she doesn't know for sure. In Vitro, it was still her best bet. He didn't look like he was looking for a wife. She wasn't going to play that game again. But he did make pretty babies.
Her salad came and bread sticks as she ordered a shrimp pasta something. She knew that the shrimp would be a disappointment after the island shrimp. She finished her meal and watched that handsome man leave with his son walking beside him just talking away. He is a big strapping boy just like his dad. He would make a good donor she thought, and he was gone.