Dreams Can Come True

50. A call to the real estate agent

I stood in Bas' apartment kitchen, my thoughts drifting as I continued to cook the minced meat. Bas, standing at the counter, interrupted my stream of thought with a question about the apartments I had visited with Bill yesterday. A sigh escaped my lips, a sign of my inner turmoil. I knew I had to call Julie as soon as possible, but an indefinable feeling held me back. I just didn't feel like hearing her voice.
"Oops," Bas said immediately when he saw my thoughtful look. His brown eyes scrutinized me, waiting for my reaction.
"No, no, I'm fine," I quickly replied, my voice slightly nervous. "It's just that real estate agent."
Bas raised his eyebrows, a look of curiosity on his face. "No connection with Charlotte?" he asked, his voice infused with interest.
"I did call Charlotte," I began, barely concealing my frustration. "But she didn't have time for me. Julie, her colleague, did our tour. And she was eyeing Bill like he was a piece of meat," I complained, my irritation clearly audible.
A laugh escaped Bas, who covered his mouth with his hand to hide his amusement. "Do I hear a jealous Elise?" he teased me, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
I immediately shook my head, my cheeks slightly flushed. "No, no, I'm not jealous," I assured him, but doubt lingered. "But I don't trust that Julie one bit!" I added resolutely, my gaze returning to the pan in front of me.
"I'm dreading calling her," I confessed with a deep sigh, my mind filled with doubt and uncertainty.
But Bas was relentless. He was curious and wanted to know everything. "But you saw a nice apartment?" he asked, his interest piqued by the prospect of a new home.
A smile played on my lips as I described the perfect apartment we had found. I let my mind wander to the spacious rooms, the bright windows, and the cozy atmosphere that surrounded it. I described in detail what the kitchen looked like, with its modern appliances and marble countertops. The living room, filled with warm colors and comfortable furniture, seemed almost like an oasis of calm amidst the hustle and bustle of the city. And the bedrooms offered a cozy place to relax after a long day.
As I spoke, I felt the tension slowly melting away. The prospect of a new home gave me hope and energy.

I took the pan off the heat and set it aside, my thoughts turning to the impending phone call with Julie. "I'll give her a call," Bas said resolutely as he pulled out his phone. He dialed the number, and soon the line was picked up on the other end, and Bas put his device on speaker.
"Good afternoon," Charlotte's voice sounded from the other end of the line. Bas replied with a soft "Hi mom." An uncomfortable silence followed as Bas's gaze rested on me.
The conversation seemed to be a bit awkward. Bas continued with a slight hesitation, "I gave your number to a friend, but you referred her to a colleague."
Charlotte responded with a sudden "Oh," her voice filled with surprise and disbelief, as if she struggled to process Bas' words. Her hesitation was clearly palpable through the phone line, making me wonder what was going through her mind.
"Elise?" she asked, her voice slightly stronger but still infused with doubt.
Bas seemed impatient as he resolutely replied, as if he didn't have time for his mother's hesitation. "Yes, Mom, I would like you to take care of her case again. She's interested in an apartment she saw."
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line before Charlotte reluctantly agreed, as if internally deliberating on how best to respond to this. Her hesitation made me feel like she had more questions but didn't know how to ask them.
"And Elise, as in your girlfriend?" she continued, her voice now colored with a mix of curiosity, hope, and reluctance.
Bas' eyes almost audibly rolled as he responded, his tone lightly irritated but also determined. "No, mom, I'm still gay. Are you going to help her now or not?"
There seemed to be an underlying tension between Bas and his mother, as if there were unspoken concerns hanging between them. It made me curious about their relationship and the history behind it.
Charlotte eventually relented, albeit hesitantly, and agreed to take on my case again. Bas signaled to me that it was my turn to take over the phone, and I took the device, my heart racing as I prepared to talk to Charlotte.

I took a deep breath before speaking, my voice calm and determined. "Hello Charlotte, thank you for taking the time to talk to me. I would like to apply for the apartment at Kurfürstendamm 123 in Berlin."
"Yes, no problem Elise," Charlotte said after a brief silence. "I didn't know you were a friend of my son's. I will take over your case now and check the status of that apartment."
I felt a wave of relief wash over me at her words, and I couldn't help but genuinely thank her. "Thank you, Charlotte. I really appreciate you helping me with this."
As Charlotte began typing the details of the apartment, I heard the sound of her fingers on the keys. I felt a mix of excitement and hope welling up as I waited for her response.

Just when I thought everything was going smoothly, there was an unexpected twist. Charlotte's voice suddenly sounded different, with a hint of surprise and concern. "Hmm, strange," she muttered. "According to my records, that apartment has already been sold."
My heart seemed to skip a beat at this news. "What?" I reacted in surprise, as my thoughts raced. How could this happen?
Charlotte tried to reassure me. "Yes, it could be that the data is not up to date, of course, because it's Julie's file. I'll have to check with her. Then you'll hear back from me."
I nodded, although she couldn't see it on the other end of the line. "Yes, please Charlotte," I replied with a sigh of disappointment. "Let me know as soon as you find out more. Thanks for your help."