Disclaimers:
This story depicts two women we know and love. There is definitely graphic sex and foul language in this piece. If you're under age, please go read something else. Everyone else, enjoy. I would appreciate constructive criticism and feedback.
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The blustering wind blew early on this cold Chicago spring morning. The brown bare trees struggled with trying to reign in the new season as their branches shook along the dull gray streets. Old apartment buildings lined the east and west side of the asphalt. The kind of buildings that are called flats in this part of town, convenient structures which allowed two or three families per building the needed space to live and become a part of the community. Entrepreneurs were quickly purchasing these in order to turn them into condos to make a quick buck.
Inside the red brick three flats on the corner of Fletcher Avenue and Nelson Street, a lone figure stood by the window looking out at nothing in particular. She leaned against the window frame hugging herself as she contemplated what would happen if the money to pay the taxes didn't come from somewhere soon.
Behind her, at the kitchen table, Max jumped up and laid himself across the litter of bills. He stretched out to his full length and meowed for some attention from his mamma.
"What are you doing, my little Mo-mo? Are you being silly so I'll pet you?" She reached over to scratch his furry belly.
He began to lightly purr.
She sat down and took him in her arms. Brushing his soft downy gray and white fur, she said, "We need some money Maxi. I hope someone will come calling for that apartment downstairs."
Suddenly the doorbell chimed.
The young blonde kissed her cute companion then let him go, so she could answer the door. She looked out the front living room window to see a tall figure with jet-black hair and a black leather bomber jacket. She quickly walked over to the intercom, and pressing the button, said, "Can I help you?"
The tall woman looked to her left at the small beige plastic box attached to the doorframe. She pressed the button to respond. "Hello. I'm here about the apartment for rent."
The low contralto voice was sexy to the ears of the building's owner. "I'll be down in a sec." With a huge grin on her face, she sprinted down the stairs. Opening the door she said, "Please, come inside."
"Thanks." The taller woman commented as intense ocean blue eyes met with a pair of sea green for the first time.
They walked up the stairs in silence.
"Please have a seat, Ms... um." The young blonde started.
"It's Lerios, but please call me Mike." She sat her long body on the wooden chair.
"Okay, Mike. I'm Samantha Deneb. So, you're interested in renting?"
"Yes, I am. Are your origins Greek?" the dark woman asked.
Samantha smiled, but wasn't sure why. There was something about this stranger that made her comfortable. "My father was Greek and my mother Irish. And thus I came about." She chuckled at her own answer. "And what about you? I presume with the name like Lerios, there must be some Greek in you."
Mike leaned forward with her forearms on the now cleared off tabletop. "Both of my parents are from the Greek islands."
Both women looked at each other a moment to take in what they currently could of the other.
Finally, Mike broke the silence. "May I see the apartment?"
Samantha snapped out of her daydream. "Oh, yes, of course. Sorry about that." She got up to fetch the keys from off a hook inside the broom closet. "It's downstairs. I just finished remodeling it a week ago. Follow me."
They went out the kitchen door and down the enclosed back porch stairs.
"The laundry room is part of the first floor porch. The door on the right leads into the apartment. But this is the laundry area." She opened the door to expose a small insulated and very clean room with two washers and two dryers. In the corner, there was a long folding table and two folding chairs. The opposite corner held a portable clothes rack for hanging garments and there was a brownish beige recliner.
She then directed Mike into the apartment. The kitchen itself was quaintly decorated in mauve with all the frames and crown molding in maroon. There wasn't any room for a table and chairs but the L shaped counter made up for it. Mike knew that a couple of bar stools would be perfect for the area. The large stove was a glossy black that complimented the dark wood cabinets and the black, brown, and maroon speckled marble counter. A black and chrome dishwasher was nestled into the corner where the counter connected from the stove to the sink.
Off to the right was the first bedroom that was all maroon with mauve on the window and doorframe. Down the hallway and to the left was the fair sized bathroom not in the typical white color. Instead it was all gunmetal gray with the walls in a much lighter shade. The end of the hall lead into the dining room area and the second bedroom off to the right. Both the dining area and the living room were in the color of veiled light with a soft spring green for the moldings. The bedroom was a light purple but not lavender. The smells of fresh paint still lingered. There was a bay window in the front of the living room, complete with a window seat.
"The ad says the rent is $750," Mike stated.
"Yes, that's right. The rent includes heat, water and the use of the laundry room because it's not coin operated. If you've noticed, the windows have bars attached just as a precaution, though in all of my years living here, there's never been a problem in the neighborhood."
Mike turned around to face the shorter woman. "I'll take it." She pulled out her checkbook and began writing.
"Really? You want the apartment?"
A dark eyebrow rose. "Yeah. Is that alright?"
"Of course, I'm just... I'm so happy. I've had that ad running for some time and I wasn't having any luck."
"I see. Well, I'd like to discuss the lease for the place," Mike countered softly.
"Sure, let's go back upstairs. We can talk over tea or coffee," Samantha offered.
They sat down once again at the table. Mike read over the lease just to be sure it was standard, and then signed it. "I appreciate this being a yearly lease."
"Oh? What do you want to do in the future?" the blonde asked.
"I just don't know that I want to stay in Chicago. I really don't have any reason to be here," Mike shrugged, ducking her head, slightly.
Samantha handed her a cup of Earl Grey tea. "What kind of work do you do? If you don't mind me asking."
"I work part-time as a chef. But don't worry. I have the money to pay rent on time every month. I'm just using the chef job as a sort of break from the hum drum of my previous career." Mike finished writing the check, tore it off and handed it to Samantha.
She looked at the amount and her jaw dropped.
"Is there something wrong? Did I write the wrong amount? First and last month's rent plus the security deposit which is one and a half the rent amount equals $2,625, right?" She stared at the woman and noticed how cute she looked with her mouth hanging open. Resisting the urge to gently reach out and close her mouth, she called Samantha's name once again.
"I'm sorry, it's just been a long time since someone has just so willingly paid it all right up front. In the past years I've dealt with people who beg me to accept the first month or just the security deposit because it's all they can afford, and then sometime throughout the year they pay me the rest a little at a time or... sometimes never." Samantha looked into sapphire eyes and shivered for a split second. "Thank you, and welcome to the neighborhood." She offered her small hand for a shake.
Grasping the warm hand, Mike smiled. "Well, I better get going. I have a lot of moving to do. Oh, feel free to call the bank to make sure the check is good. I don't mind."
"It's okay. I have a feeling... I can trust you," the blonde returned the smile.
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A week had gone by and the weather was finally showing signs of the visiting Spring season upon the city.
Mike settled into the place quite smoothly and she was very pleased. She began stuffing her wet clothes into the dryer when she heard someone grunting and swearing out on the porch. Peeking out from the doorway, she saw Samantha struggling with two large boxes she was trying to pull up the stairs on a two-wheeled dolly.
"Hey there, let me help you with that." Mike offered as she grabbed onto the bottom end of the dolly.
"No, it's okay. I've got it," Samantha huffed.
"Please, it's no bother," the brunette urged further.
Samantha finally conceded, and up they went.
At the second floor, the small blonde said, "Um... this needs to go to the third floor apartment."
"By the gods on Olympus, what the hell is in these boxes?" Mike asked, panting a bit from her exertions.
"Floor tiles, wall tiles, and grout," the smaller woman confessed, blushing slightly.
They finally reached the back door and Samantha pushed it open with her rear end.
"We can just leave it here in the kitchen," she offered.
Mike looked around as she dusted off her hands. "Are you going to be running an ad for this apartment also?" The place was only half finished. The floors definitely needed to be worked on, and she wondered what else was she not seeing that needed work.
"Yeah, I do plan on renting this out. It's just going to take me some time to finish it. It's not easy to do the work myself but I can't afford to hire someone so it takes me longer," Samantha explained.
"Did you do the first floor by yourself?" Mike inquired, her low, contralto voice filled with admiration.
"Yep, but I got sort of lucky because all of the material was already inside that apartment. Now with all these things to drag up here, I didn't anticipate it being a pain in the ass," the small blonde admitted, her face coloring, again, slightly with embarrassment.
Mike looked into emerald green eyes and felt her heart flip. "You did a great job downstairs. Very professional." She broke the gaze then said, "I think I may have someone interested in the apartment. A very good friend of mine is looking to move."
