Chapter 5 #2
I hefted myself out of the low car, and before I could even move, Mr. Magnuson was right there next to me.
He chirped the alarm and looked around. I knew exactly what he was seeing.
It was a rundown neighborhood on the edge of an industrial area.
There were no grass or trees, and more than a few illegally dumped trash bags were tossed near the sidewalk.
“It’s not that pretty, is it?” Mr. Magnuson sounded dubious.
“The price is good, though, so maybe the inside will be better?” I suggested as we went up the cracked sidewalk to the low apartment building in front of us. There wasn’t a parking lot, so I’d have to park on the street and hope for the best.
At the door, there was some graffiti on the building, but the intercom mostly worked.
The buzzer was fine, but the speaker was pure static.
Eventually, the potential landlord figured out who I was and let us in.
The hallway clearly smelled of stale food and mildew.
The landlord was waiting for us at the apartment door.
“I thought it was just one renter?” he said as a greeting.
“Hello, yes, it’s just for me,” I said as I stepped forward with an outstretched hand. He took it but dropped it quickly. It took some work, but he finagled the stuck lock and opened the door for me. He stepped inside and waved for us to follow behind him.
“Okay. Yeah, so the rent doesn’t include any utilities. You’ll need first and last, plus the deposit.” And then he named a number that was more than half of my monthly salary.
“That’s a little higher than was advertised,” I said hesitantly. A quick glance in Mr. Magnuson’s direction showed him studying the view from the front window a little too hard and pretending he couldn’t hear every word we said.
“We’ve had a lot of interest in it and the price went up,” he said with a shrug. Ugh. This was all I had left. “Anyway, look around, and I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
After he left, I slowly turned around to get a good look at it. The kitchen cupboards were worn, and the linoleum counters were scratched. I opened the cabinet beneath the sink and saw faint shadows of a water-damaged baseboard.
“Hey, Anders. Come check this out,” Mr. Magnuson called from the hall bathroom after he left the living room. “Is that black mold?” Sure enough, mold and a light switch that flickered and emitted an ominous sizzle.
Before I could respond, his phone buzzed, and he excused himself back to the living room.
His absence gave me a chance to study the apartment.
Between the mold, questionable wiring, the not-so-great neighborhood, and the outrageous price, I knew this place wouldn’t work.
My dreams of a short, easy commute and an affordable apartment were dying a quick death.
My mom’s place was too tight for storage, but I knew Rory—and the boys, if I asked—would help me move my stuff into storage.
When I returned to the living room, Mr. Magnuson was texting someone, responses coming in as fast as he typed.
He glanced up and then immediately put his phone away.
When the buzzing continued, he pulled it back out to silence it and then slipped it away again. “Anders, this place isn’t acceptable.”
“Yeah, I was hoping it would be my lucky day, but I’m just going to have to move farther out and deal with the commute.
I can get Rory to help me get my stuff and put it in storage until I’m settled.
My mom will let me stay a few more days.
” I tried hard to keep my voice even, but damn, I needed a win.
Just one. Just some piece of luck to go my way.
I’d hoped this apartment would be it, but clearly, that wasn’t happening.
“I’m sorry this apartment didn’t work out.”
I shrugged but didn’t trust myself to talk.
“It’s okay to be disappointed.”
Oh no, please don’t be nice. Please. Please. Please.
“Before you sign on the first place that’s good enough, I wanted to speak with you about a business trip.”
“To where?”
“Well, it’s a close one. It’s my house on Almstead Island. I keep a fully secure office there, and I need someone with an eye for detail to go through a mountain of files. It’ll be easier if there are fewer distractions and interruptions.”
“If that’s where you want me to work, I can.” After I agreed, I remembered that I still didn’t have a place to live and his island office wouldn’t fix that.
“As I said, it’s my house, but the office is fully equipped.
The workspace is in a separate building, and there’s a small sleep suite with a bathroom and kitchenette.
I expect it’ll take a few weeks for you to work through the files, so you will be there for a while.
If you needed time off to come across and look for a new place, then you can absolutely do that. ”
“Will you be there?” The question bubbled out of me before I could stop it. There wasn’t any logic for why it mattered, but it did. Desperately.
“Yes. A friend of mine convinced me to buy a place out there, and I wish I’d done it years ago.” Mr. Magnuson’s offer provided a temporary solution, giving me time to find a place that worked rather than the first one available.
It felt close enough to a win to count.
Is anyone not busy tonight?
Jakob
Just hanging at home.
Casey
Working tonight, but free tomorrow during the day if it can wait.
Nico
Does Real Housewives count?
Owen
Just doing some design work. I was hired to do a proper nursery.
Jakob
I can’t wait to see the new baby.
Casey
Who’s having a baby?
Owen
Reed’s cousin and his husband are adopting a baby.
Rory
That’s the cop, right?
Owen
Yeah, I’m doing murals, and they are going to be so amazing. I’m going to dislocate my shoulder patting myself on the back.
Jakob
Well, now you gotta tell us.
Owen
I’m painting Almstead Island on the walls—fall mist, deer eating behind trees, foxes sleeping, birds in branches, and on the Sound wall, I’m putting a couple of seals in the water.
Nico
That sounds amazing.
Owen
Owen
Back to Anders. What do you need?
I need to haul some stuff, but it has to be tonight.
Nico
Did you buy something on Marketplace?
No, John and I broke up. My stuff needs to be out of there by tonight.
Rory
I’m very sorry that your relationship ended, and THE ANGELS ARE SINGING.
Gee, Rory, tell me how you really feel.
Jakob
That’s some huge news. Are you okay? Where are you staying? What about your job?
My mom’s. Okay, I think? Maybe all right? Not sure. It’s been, I dunno, off.
Nico
Why?
The takeover guy stepped in a few times.
Rory
The guy from lunch?
Yeah.
Rory
Boys, he’s hot. Like call the fire department and hose me off hot.
Owen
Aren’t you engaged?
Rory
I’m not dead.
Back to Anders!
Nico
What time do you want us there?
Can you do six?
Jakob
Done
Owen
Yes
Rory
Finally
Casey
I’ll be there. Daddy agreed this is more important, so I’ll go in a little late.
Thank you all. I really, really appreciate it.