“How did you get the buyers of our last three homes to give up ownership after six months?” asked Ed.
“Oh, that was simple. Anyone would freely give up their home if it meant they had to make zero payments,” replied Daisy.
“Then who pays the property taxes?”
“In essence, you do.”
“How do I do that?” asked Ed.”
“Well, hm, let’s see. Every buck you earn goes to me, so I pay it with that.”
“You’re evil, Daisy. Plain and simple. Just pure evil.”
“Never forget, baby, I own you.”
Ed turned off the car, and they went inside their current house. He sauntered into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of milk. He stood at the kitchen sink and stared out the window into the back yard. How was it that Daisy came to be the way she is? She wasn’t like that when he married her. He scratched the back of his head, chugged the rest of his milk, and belched out an air bubble. Unless that was all an act and this was her clear intent all along.
“Ed! Come quick! Look at this house,” called Daisy from the living room.
Ed walked in to the room to find Daisy drooling over a house displayed on the TV. It was a three story Victorian style with spires on each corner. This had to be the one that Daisy would be happy with for years and years. “Where is it?”
“Ten miles from hear going north of town. There’s an open house going on right now.”
“Well, what are we waiting for. Let’s go look at it,” said Ed.
They jumped in the car, backed out of the driveway, and headed north of town.
Daisy sat in the passenger seat with her hands pushed together between her legs. She rubbed them together as an exciting leer pressed itself on her face. “Oh, this house is going to be mine. All mine. This is the one. I can just feel it. Once I have it, you won’t be able to pry me out of there.”
Ed didn’t know what to think. Why couldn’t she be happy with what she had? It made no sense to him. He drummed his fingers on his leg as he drove. Maybe he could stay in this house, while she stayed in the Victorian house. He smiled at the thought, but he knew better than to think she’d actually let him have something of his own. Damn, how was he going to rid himself of this problem?
Twenty minutes later he pulled the car into the long driveway leading to the Victorian home. He gave his wife a side look, as he parked the car. Her eyes pealed themselves to the front of the house.
With absent minded ease, Daisy opened her car door and stepped out. Her jaw dropped open as she shuffled her way to the front steps and walked up.
Ed stood next to his open car door and watched as his wife melded herself, in a way, with the beauty of the house. Then another beauty captured his own eyes, and it wasn’t the house. A woman, with blond hair spilling over her right shoulder stepped out of the house.
“Hi, I’m Lily.” She held out her hand to Daisy, and Daisy shook it.
By this time Ed had walked up the front steps and now held his hand out and shook Lily’s.
Lily handed them both her business card. Moving Room Real Estate was printed across the top.
Hm, thought Ed. He’d never heard of that brokerage. “Are you a knew brokerage?”
“You could say that,” replied Lily. Her dark brown eyes gave him a few flirtatious blinks.
Ed smiled back, glanced at his wife who continued to be enthralled with the house and now headed inside. He let her go and didn’t follow. He looked back at Lily who’s creased brows told him she wasn’t impressed with Daisy. “Something wrong?” asked Ed.
“Well…..it’s your wife. Is she ok? She shook my hand but never really acknowledged me.”
“It’s the house. She’s taken by it and wants it bad,” said Ed as he and Lily now entered the house.
A sly smile then graced Lily’s lips. “Then let’s allow her to roam the house on her own. “I’m sure she’ll find something that will keep her here indefinitely.”
It was Ed’s turn to crease his brows. It was an odd statement, but this felt like an odd situation, although he couldn’t explain why.
A circular staircase sat off to the right of the front entryway. Ed watched as Daisy, in a dream like state, walked up the stairs to the second floor.
Daisy, her eyes on the landing above, made her way up the steps. The house, it called to her psyche. It pulled her, and up up she went.
Lily watched with an I gottcha now smile as Daisy made her way up.
(To Be Continued)
WRITE TIME AND AGAIN 