Chapter 2

Between Lovers

Chapter 2

© Lizzie 2003-present

 

            Thirty minutes after Alexandria left her father’s house, she was on her way to meet her realtor and friend, Catherine Jones, and about a couple apartments she had seen earlier in the week. She stopped at Starbucks for a coffee and was on her way again. She pulled into the realtor’s parking lot, parked her car and got out. She reached in grabbing a few listings and made her way into the building and walked towards the elevator. The doors opened and she walked in.

“Hold that elevator!” she heard a voice call out. Alexandria stuck her arm out and the doors opened again.

A man quickly rushed in and smiled at her, “Thank you.”

Alexandria nodded her head and pressed the button for the third floor, “What floor?” she asked as she glanced at the man.

“Same as you.” he said with a nod of his head. He glanced at the papers she was looking at, “Are you thinking about moving there?”

Alexandria nodded her head, “Maybe.”

“It’s a nice place. I’ve lived there for about a year.”

“What’s the pet policy?” she asked as she leaned against the wall.

“Really lax. The owner and manager both have pets.”

“The owner lives there?” Alexandria asked

“Yeah, he moved in about a week ago.” the man said, “I noticed it on the mailbox. Real fancy letters. Erik Bradshaw. Like he wanted everyone to know that he was living there now.” Alexandria gasped softly and the man looked at her, “You okay?”

Alexandria nodded her head; “I’m fine. I know that man…”

“You do?” he asked

“I do.” Alexandria said as the elevator doors opened and she walked out.

The man’s brow creased and he went to ask her what she meant but when he looked up she was already gone. He quickly walked out of the elevator before the doors closed. He made his way down the hall to speak to his realtor about buying a new house so that he could move out of his current apartment and into some place larger to accommodate his growing number of pets.

Alexandria walked down the hall, looking at the different names on the doors and windows. She finally arrived at the door that she was looking for: Catherine Jones, Realtor. She smiled remembering the last time she saw Catherine. It was at her father’s annual Christmas party. Catherine was new to the country and staying with Alexandria and in upstate New York. They made the three-hour drive to the city for the party. Alexandria walked into the office and greeted Greta, Catherine’s secretary.

“She’s waiting for you in her office.” Greta said with in a thick Swedish accent.

“Thanks Greta.” Alexandria said smiling, “And thank you for the candies that you bought me from Sweden. I absolutely loved them.” She walked into Catherine’s office and sat in a chair waiting for her to get off the phone.

Catherine was a woman in her mid thirties and had long flowing strawberry brown hair that she usually wore in a ponytail. Her eyes sparkled as she laughed at something the person she was talking to. She looked up and smiled at Alexandria, her Scottish accent was ever so present as she spoke, “Peter, dear, I’ll have to call you later, Alex’s just arrived and after her I’m meeting with Jacob.” she smiled again, “Okay, I’ll see you for dinner then. Yes, seven is fine.” she hung up her phone, stood up and walked over to Alexandria, “Alex, darling, I’m glad you could meet me on such short notice.”

Alex smiled and hugged Catherine, “You know that I’m anxious to move back to the city. I’d be closer to you and my sister.”

They walked to back to the desk, Catherine sitting back in her chair and Alex sitting across from her in the plush leather chair, “So tell me about this place you had in mind…”

“It’s the place my father owns, The Commodore.” Alex began, “On the way up, I ran into someone who said he lives there, but I didn’t catch his name.”

Catherine nodded her head, “They have a great pet policy and I know that’s what you’ve been looking for.”

“Yeah, and I was thinking possibly a three or four bedroom place for when Shia wants to stay the night. I’ll still have my other guest rooms for any other guests.”

“The Commodore may very well be the perfect place for you.” Catherine said, “How would you feel about living in relatively the same place as your father?”

Alex shrugged her shoulders, “As long as I don’t see him, that’s fine with me.”

“We can look at the place…” Catherine grabbed her day planner turning to the next day, “tomorrow at three p.m.”

Alex pulled out her organizer and turned to the right page, “That’s fine with me. I might be a little late since I want to have Shia with me and she gets out of school at two thirty.”

“That’s fine.” Catherine said.

Greta buzzed in reminding her about her next appointment, “Catty, Jacob Cartwright is here to see you.”

“Thank you Greta.” Catherine stood up; “I’ll call you if we need to reschedule.”

Alexandria stood as well and walked with Catherine to the door, “My cell is always on.”

Once at the door, Catherine saw Jacob, “Jake, dear, back so soon?”

Jacob Cartwright was a man in his early twenties who inherited his grandfather’s car detailing business. In the year that Jacob took control of things, he had doubled business and they were making three times what his grandfather made in the fifty years since he started things.

Jacob looked up and smiled, “Of course. I wanted to know if we’ve made any progress on that property that we looked at last month.” he looked at Alex, “I see we meet again.”

Alexandria nodded her head; “It seems we have.”

“Where are my manners.” Catherine said, “Alexandria Bradshaw, meet Jacob Cartwright.”

“Bradshaw?” Jacob asked, “Any relation to the Erik Bradshaw I was telling you about.”

Alex nodded her head again; “Unfortunately he’s my father.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” Jacob said with a slight smirk

Alex laughed softly, “Catty, I’ll see you tomorrow.” She faced Jacob and extended her hand; “It was nice meeting you Jacob.”

Jacob took her hand and shook it, “It was nice meeting you too, Alexandria.”

Alex smiled again before heading out of the office and out of the building to continue with everything else that she had to do.

Reviews

[Jamie Fantasy]

I love the detail with which you write. It brings the story to life.

There are a couple of things that are confusing to me. First, when Alex and the man are in the elevator and talking about her moving "there," where is there? On the third floor? Second, "She smiled remembering the last time she saw Catherine. It was at her father's annual Christmas party. Catherine was new to the country and staying with Alexandria and in upstate New York. They made the three-hour drive to the city for the party." At first it seems like Alex hasn't seen Catherine in a while and then it seems like they live together. That part confused me.

"Her eyes sparkled as she laughed at something the person she was talking to (had said)." Or reword it altogether.

Your character development skills and abitity to create vision in your story are impeccable. Keep it up! :)