Julie
pulled into the driveway of the summer rental, a day early. It wasn’t difficult
to see that the cottage wasn’t exactly “classic and charming” as advertised,
but more like worn and in need of repair. The “…welcoming and winding driveway”
was really just a long dirt road with over grown shrubbery. Julie reached for
her door handle, keenly aware that her kids were sound asleep. Not wanting to
wake them, she slowly and carefully pushed the door open. Not a sound was made
as she opened the car door and she was thankful for her new vehicle.
“What
have I gotten us into,” she thought, taking in the house and the land
surrounding it. “Well, at least it is only for a few months.”
She
hoped.
“Mama,
door?” Jeremy said, jolting Julie from her thoughts.
“How
did you get out of your car seat?” Julie knew the answer to that question
without asking. Jeremy had been escaping from his car seat for at least a year
now. Julie had tried all of the usual tricks to keep him in, but nothing
worked. She just accepted the fact that Jeremy was an escape artist, the next
Houdini.
Jeremy
stood at the front door on the “…covered porch with a welcoming rocking chair” or
more like, at Julie’s quick surmise, a landing with a rickety chair that was
probably as old as the house itself. Her boy’s gaze was fixed upon the door,
his body, ever in motion, twitched and trembled with anticipation and
excitement.
“Mama,
door!” he demanded. His patience was wearing thin with Julie and this whole
adventure.
“Ok,
let me get the keys.” Julie returned to the car and deliberated on waking up
the baby. Would she be safe in the car while she opened the porch door for
Jeremy? The neighborhood did seem quiet as the ad had stated. She knew that if
she woke Lily that there would be no peace for her for the rest of the day. Lily
was not a napper (even at 13 months) and the 2 hour nap she took while in the
car would give the already very energetic child an extra dose, or two, of vigor
and bounce.
With
a resigning sigh Julie unfastened the car seat and carefully freed the little
girl. Lily woke with a smile, as she usually did, opened her eyes and
immediately took in her surroundings.
“Jmee”
she pointed to her brother, whose feet were shuffling while he scrutinized the
door like a scientist searching for life in a petri dish.
Julie
was afraid to open the door. Somehow she didn’t think she would find a “…welcoming
and spacious foyer.” Slowly she put the key in the lock; slowly she began to
push the door; slowly she poked her head in. “Mama, door! Mama, door!” The
foyer was, surprisingly, an actual foyer. Although not exactly spacious, it was
large enough to hang coats and bags and store shoes. There was even a small
built-in- bench that opened for extra storage and a couple of shelves with
hooks on the wall above it.
“Hmmm,
not too bad, huh guys?” Beyond the foyer was the living room, which opened into
the kitchen, where, Julie immediately noticed a large window looking out to the
yard. The house was in a desperate need of cleaning and at least one coat of
fresh paint; but besides that it was “comfortable and a great family home” just
as the ad stated. Julie was pleased.
The
“charismatic…” kitchen was a hodge-podge of cabinets, appliances and fixtures. Some
of the cabinets looked to be the original, while others were from mid-century
and yet others from a more recent time. All were painted white with black
knobs, which somehow allowed for a unified and pleasant look. There was a
yellow refrigerator, a black stove, and a white dishwasher that was so small
that Julie thought she might have to run it at least twice a day. Oh, boy, she
thought. The counters were surfaced with blue and white subway tiles and the
floors looked to be the original hardwood. The main focus in the kitchen was
the large picture window that rested above the sink and framed the back yard of
the home.
“Mama
up! Mama up!” said Jeremy as he began to ascend the wooden stairs to the second
floor. But before Julie could take the first step, there was a rap on the door
followed immediately by a booming
“H’lo!.”
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