Cherry Chapstick

Chapter Twenty

Sitting in the car we were both silent, lost in our own thoughts. I watched the scenery change from city into suburban quite quickly. She pulled into a little street that had a loop at the end and most of the houses looked the same. The one she stopped at was magnificent. It boasted two stories and was painted a lovely shade of white with dark shutters. Hedges lined the front of the house, adding to the quaintness of it.

“Well, are you gonna sit here and stare all day?” Asked Leslie smiling at me as she unbuckled her seatbelt.

Drawn back into the present, I unbuckled mine while still admiring the home. Living in an apartment was a pale comparison to what I was viewing before me.

Stepping out of the car, I followed her up the walkway and to the front door. I watched as she looked around and surveyed the area.

“Even though he’s gone, I still like to keep tabs on my neighbors. A few are very nosy and would love nothing more than to find out some juicy gossip to use against me or to thrill the entire neighborhood with.”

I hadn’t thought about her neighbors. I had none in my building that bothered me. In fact, we all seemed to mind our own business and be lost in our own every day thoughts and didn’t have time for such drama.

I watched as she entered the key into the knob and pushed in on the door as she turned it. She turned around as she held it open for me and waved me in.

“After you.”

I entered into a large spacious kitchen. Once again I thought of my small apartment. I heard the door close behind me and I turned around to look at her.

She was watching me with a twinkle in her eyes.

“Go ahead and look around if you want to; I don’t mind.”

She must have noticed how absorbed with her home I was. I made note of how clean everything seemed to be. Not a bit of clutter anywhere.

“Do you clean every single day?” I asked her in amazement.

She laughed before replying.

“No we have a maid that comes out and takes care of everything for me three times a week. I never was much of a housekeeper or cook for that matter so it was best that someone be hired that could be counted on to keep things tidy and in order.”

I nodded. I guess it made sense. If I had the money to do it, I would hire a maid without a moments notice.

Leaving the kitchen I walked into a living area. There was an oversized couch and two chairs on each side of it. A huge tv hung on the wall and a coffee table sat on a rug right in the middle of the room. I inhaled sharply. Everything looked so expensive.

“Your home is beautiful” I breathed out.

“Thank you” came her voice so close behind me that I jumped as soon as she said it.

“Sorry I didn’t mean to scare you; I just wanted to get closer to you. You seemed like maybe you needed a tour guide.” She told me playfully,

She wasn’t exactly wrong; there was no way I would be able to navigate this enormous house without her help. Everywhere I looked seemed to be priceless things and huge expensive furniture. It was one of the most amazing houses I had ever been in.

Turning me around she looked me straight in the eyes.

“Ready to see the bedroom?”