"Welcome home Miss Granger." Bill Glick handed her the keys and she smiled while Crawford took some pictures, and then she unlocked her front door, it was just as she had remembered it, but even better now that there was no furniture, a blank slate. "So I left a copy of the rental agreement and internet contract on the counter, rent is due to the rental company on or before the first of every month, for you it'll be May, any questions?" Bill gripped his tablet and smiled politely. She shook her head "Well then, have a good day." He shook hands with Crawford and left. She walked through the empty home and sucked in giant gulps of the salty air.
"Looks like they had a cleaning crew come in." His tall frame filled the doorway.
"I'm so glad to be here." She said, she felt filled with hope and happiness, the light inside was shining, it might just be an ember, but it was there. She closed her eyes and imagined where everything would go.
"I'm so glad to be off the road!" He said with gusto, he didn't blame him one bit.
It took a little longer to unload without Andrew helping, but once they got the truck unloaded Crawford went to the bedroom to put the dreaded bed frame together and she worked on the kitchen stuff. Her mason jars full of rice, lentils, beans and pasta fit nicely in the pantry above the peninsula and then she added her cans of tomatoes, olives and sauces. There was no fresh produce or milk, so the fridge stayed empty for now. She'd left all her dishes and only brought her one favorite skillet and slow cooker. They would have to go shopping. Next she went into the living room and pushed the bookshelf against one of the walls and anchored it. She put her few books and movies carefully on it, dusting each one with a rag before sliding it into place. She hung her big Ireland picture in the dining nook corner and her picture of the gym right inside of the front door and put her little basket of toiletries on the long tiled bathroom counter, her shampoo on the edge of the tub.
"Liv, wanna give me a hand?"
She skipped into the bedroom, the frame and box spring were on, "Where do you want it?" She circled the room a few times. "Under the window." She pointed to the large window facing her new neighbors.
"Curtains yeah?" He laughed. They pushed the bed under the window and made it, then they flopped down on top of the covers. "Is everything unpacked?" He asked, letting out a long yawn.
"There's just my clothes and stuff, nothing important." His yawn caused her to yawn. She watched the sunlight dance through the bedroom lighting fixture. "Are you up for a little more driving?"
He played dead till she poked him in the stomach, " I need coffee, and food and booze."
Olivia leaned over and kissed his cheek, "I can do that, but first a list."
He held the paper and she paced back and forth, "Living room, bedroom and bathroom curtains, silverware, cooking utensils, I left my can opener, cooking set, dishes, a couch, a T.V., a DVD player and....food." His hand was flying over the paper. "And to do it as cheaply as possible."
After measuring windows, once again they loaded up in the U-Haul and got Chipotle to go. Walmart was the first stop for curtains and whatever else she could find.
"Do you think black for the bedroom?" She asked while squinting to try and read the fine print measurements.
"I have no idea, something to block the sun I suppose." He was leaned over the cart on his phone. She ended up with a dark teal for the bedroom, a sheer aqua for the high bathroom window and for the living room she got the same teal as the bedroom but with rings instead of a hem for easier sliding, Crawford grabbed curtain rods before they left the aisle. "Their silverware is four for .88!" Olivia nerdily whooped at the cheap price and threw in two of everything. They stood in front of the wall of kitchen gadgets and tools, finally after three long minutes, Crawford coughed "Can opener." She grabbed that and a set of stainless steel utensils, a colander and a steamer. He threw in a garbage can and DVD player for her "On me. Did you want to get dishes?"
YOU ARE READING
I choose me.
Fiksi Umum"I choose me" follows the story of Olivia Granger , her life from an orphan, to an athlete and business owner, to a woman whose life turns in a direction she never ever thought it would go, a direction she never even knew could exist. It is a hear...
