Abounding In Love

Chapter Nine

Malcom and Lester got me set up nicely in a two bedroom, one and a half bathroom house right on the outskirts of town. It sits towards the end of a very long gravel road that only had one other house, a little farther down than mine.

The middle aged man, that lived in that house doesn't like company of any kind, not even family members come by. Malcom implied that as long as I mind my own business, he would mind his own too.

Malcom picked the perfect spot, far enough to be secluded but not far enough that it's suspicious. Not only was the location ideal, Malcom also ensured the inside suited me as well.

Every piece of furniture in the house is black. He mounted black and white paintings on the walls, knowing I had nothing personal to transfer from home. There isn't an item in the house one would need that's missing.

But I didn't care much about the house's decor.

The finished basement is what pleased me the most.

Malcom and Lester said they weren't going to get a place without one.

It appeared the same way any other home's basement would; furnished and comfortable. Though the three of us knew what this area would be for.

The amount of disturbance we can cause in here is limitless.

I like to think that we're never too old to play.

I enjoy when Anna Maria comes over; which is a lot. She likes it here. It's nice to see her being completely herself, relaxed. She doesn't come over to do anything specific, she comes to do exactly what she would be doing in her own home.

Her bag is always packed with her iPad, notebook, and a novel. The iPad is for coloring and planning. The notebook is for writing whatever it is she's writing and won't let me read. She likes to listen to music while doing those two things. When reading, Anna likes complete silence; finding the basement to be, oddly enough, the perfect spot for it.

Being a witness to her natural form has taught me a lot. It seems as though Anna, if not in conversation with someone, is never truly present.

I knew her escapes were frequent. I didn't realize just how out of touch she is with reality. If you watch long and close enough, you can see the exact moment her mind begins to drift. Her eyes are always telling a story but she is the only one who has the ability to read it.

Whatever is being jotted down in that notebook, I'm sure paints a detailed picture of Anna Maria's thoughts. It seems that thing has never been in the hands of another, guarded tightly and protected at all costs.

The sound of her footsteps ascending the stairs pulls me out of my thoughts. From my spot in the living room chair, I grip my beer that's on the armrest a little tighter, anticipating her arrival.

Anna Maria had been in the basement reading for a quite some time now. The movie I had started is almost over.

"You know what you don't have but really need?" Anna's sweet voice projects throughout the house.

Her footsteps get louder as she gets closer.

"A space heater." She finishes, stopping to stand in the doorway. "Or a heated blanket." She puts her hands on her hips in a parental way. "You do realize it's the middle of November and you still haven't turned your heat on? It's forty degrees outside."

"I get my own house, Anna Maria..." I begin, watching her from my sitting position. "And you quickly decided to move yourself in. Now, you are requiring me to buy things for your comfortability..."