Amanda sat alone in the real estate office's reception area. Most of the Realtors were off at lunch. Her being the newest in the office and basically still in training was 'volunteered' day in and day out to sit her lunch at the phones.
She had eagerly anticipated this profession. Her only thought was finding the 'perfect' home for a family to be happy in the rest of their lives, like she had been before the tragic fire had taken her parents.
A slight twenty three year old graduate of the nearest college extension program, she was interning until her required 'on job' hours were exhausted.
Unfortunately, her little hometown had but this one realty office, and the local viewpoint was different from her own. Payment by commission, get as much as you can, hide the little faults.
She tossed her dark hair slightly, looking at the quiet phones with an accusatory stare and really wondered where else she could go on her limited income.
She shielded her soft blue eyes as the door opened to the noon day sun. She assumed it was the other gaggle of Realtors returning from lunch, but when the door shut, one woman stood there.
She appeared to be in her late thirties, early forties and was dressed impeccably, far too fashionable for this part of the country. She drew off her sunglasses and blinked a few times as well.
Not truly a slim woman, but definitely couldn't be considered plump. Her hair was a deep chestnut and her rather striking amber eyes seemed to glow.
She strode forward and stood in front of Amanda's desk. "I need to talk to someone about purchasing a house."
Amanda looked around the office and then realized the only one that would possibly take this woman seriously would be her boss, a man who's version of grovel was far in it's advanced stages.
"One moment, Miss...?" Amanda was lifting the receiver to buzz her superior.
"Ms. Kathleen." The woman turned politely away and was surveying the office as Amanda spoke rapidly into the phone.
"Come with me, please," Amanda stood and led the woman back to her boss' office.
As she showed her in, Ms. Kathleen looked at her and said, "Stay here."
Amanda shrugged and sat in the chair by the door, listening.
"I need a house." Ms. Kathleen started. She put so much emphasis on the words, Amanda felt there might be something more behind it, although she was sure that her boss had completely missed the inflection. Sure enough the man launched into a happy bouncy tirade of one that knew a sale would occur.
"Well Miss, you've come to the right place you have. No place else to find a house but from a realtor's office, and we're the best in town." Amanda thought wryly, 'the only one in town'. "We may be a small town, but we have some excellent architectural examples here."
"I am hoping to find what I need already built, rather than having it built, but if it's near enough, I will agree to it and handle the additions later." Ms. Kathleen's voice was still soft, but the mere impact of her words spoke of money to spend.
"Well, let's start with what you're looking for, shall we?" The realtor briskly rubbed his hands together before pulling out several forms in front of him. "What kind of house are you looking for? How many bedrooms?"
Ms. Kathleen stretched slightly then, moving almost catlike before resting her chin on her fingers and staring at him. "Privacy is tantamount."
"Of course," He had dealt with this before, not from a quiet woman like this.
"Not just the house, all details and how I conduct business with you is not to be discussed, by both of you. Is that understood?" Her gaze was unfailing upon him.
He coughed then and broke the stare down, glancing down at his papers. "Of course, Miss."
"Very well then, privacy. Preferably upon an acre of land, secluded. It does not have to be fenced. A two to four bedroom, with the master bath having a large tub. I would need an additional guest bath. I like the idea of a basement, finished with a den and an additional unfinished room. Another bathroom there would be perfect."
"Oh..hmm, well there is a place I know about...but it's far outside of town. Now before you start, I know you said seclusion and privacy, but this is entirely unaccessible when the snow flies." The realtor risked a glance up.
"Show it to me," Ms. Kathleen's fingers had tightened on her purse.
"AMANDA!"
Amanda jumped up from her seat. "Yes, Sir?"
*~*
The drive out to the house was quiet, which soothed this bizarre woman to no end. Amanda felt as if any conversation would be an intrusion upon this woman's thoughts. She did keep watch out of the corner of her eye, taking in the nervous gripping of the expensive purse by the well manicured and bejeweled fingers and the quiet appraisal of the town as they edged outwards towards the house.
As the pulled into the long drive to the house, it appeared as though the property had been neglected for some time. There was trash all over the place, and the landscaping had been overrun with weeds. Amanda looked around shaking her head, wondering once more why the boss had suggested this place. But as they pulled in front of the rancher, Ms. Kathleen became quite animated, yanking the door open before Amanda had completely stopped, and hopping out, gazing at the place.
Amanda struggled to keep up, fumbling with the keys momentarily before finding the right one. She opened the door and was practically pushed aside as Ms. Kathleen walked in, instantly searching around the interior. Finally she spoke.
"Lights! Do you have a floor plan?" The excitement was contagious and Amanda flicked the nearest light switch.
The dark mahogany detailed floor tiles leading to the sunken living room gleamed as though never forgotten and Ms. Kathleen practically laughed in delight. "Floor plan..now now NOW!"
Amanda yanked the paperwork from her tote and shoved it quickly at this unusual woman. "This is an older house, but has some nice sized rooms. This door to your right is to a larger than normal den, but it could be changed to a bedroom."
With a yelp, the woman grabbed the floor plan and went from room to room checking each detail. Amanda followed quietly after her, and was genuinely surprised to see her pull out a tape measure at one point.
Ms. Kathleen stopped at the basement stairs and took a deep breathe before giggling nervously and heading down them.
"Laundry area and family room. There was some nice storage places as well there, but they are unfinished and locked off. There is an old fruit cellar door on the outside of the house, leading down to there if you need the area." Amanda called down as she made her way after Ms. Kathleen. She heard a large crack and scurried down the stairs quickly.
Ms. Kathleen had somehow managed to get the lock off the door blocking the storage section and was peering through the dark.
She looked back at Amanda with the face of a small child discovering a playground. "No lights in here right? Do you have the key to the other door?"
Amanda didn't even bother to ask how she had managed to get the one lock off, but rifled through the keys she did have to locate the other key. She held it up in triumph and heard a quick "Well go open it, dear!" from the woman who had ventured into the darkness.
Amanda shook her head with confusion, but a small smile played across her lips.
She exited the front door and made her way around the side of the house where the aged door was placed. After carefully unlocking the bolt there, the doors were a tad heavy but creaked open. Sunlight flooded into the basement and there was Ms. Kathleen already in the middle of the storage area, covered from head to toe with cobwebs. As the light filtered through the flying dust, she glanced up at Amanda with a huge smile. "I'll take it." Ms. Kathleen cried out, and swung her arms around stirring up more dust.
"Are you sure, Ma'am? I'm sure there are more suitable houses for you that are nearer to town. This is such an old fixer upper..I can't imagine why he said to show this to you." Amanda was sure that this couldn't be what Ms. Kathleen was looking for.
"Nope, this is the one, dear. Go fetch the paperwork. Oh, and," Ms. Kathleen chuckled, "make sure you bring back the bank information for a wire transfer."
*~*
Amanda had been back to the house several times with different forms of paperwork. Each time there seemed to be some improvement made, although there never seemed to be anyone about.
Today though was a different story. She had called Ms. Kathleen in advance, notifying her as usual of her impending visit. She had the final deeds prepared. Ms. Kathleen had managed to shock her and her boss at the same time when she insisted on purchasing the house out right.
As she drove her car along the country road, she recalled the many rumors that had been flying in town about the activity out here. The many different orders that had come rapidly through the local lumber yard and hardware stores, as well the late night delivery vans from as far away as Los Angeles. Some local carpenters had ventured out this way, hoping to find work, but were politely denied.
Her breath caught as she pulled into the drive, noticing a huge earth mover to one side and the pile of debris from the weeds and junk that had gathered there over the years of neglect. There were several men working the yard with trowels and what appeared to be grass seed. Another truck was parked nearby with some large mature trees in buckets. Ms. Kathleen had definitely a no limit budget as for cleaning this place up.
She pulled up to the front of the house and smiled. There were even men painting the exterior of the house. As she got out, she noticed that the basement doors were open on the side of the house. But as her car door shut, the doors came down with a bang. She looked oddly at the side of the house, but then made her way to the front door.
Ms. Kathleen was out of breath and laughing as she answered the bell's summons. "Hello Amanda. C'mon in. It's almost done."
Amanda made her way into the house, astounded at the transformations within the last month.
