Just A Small Town Girl Read Free Page A

from mine, indicating that the baby in her arms belonged to the family living there.
    Rose pushed the door to my new apartment open and stood aside, allowing me to pass in front of her. I’d expected the apartment to follow my landlord’s sense of style; with walls painted in deep earth tones featuring mythical beings, but was pleasantly surprised. As I stepped inside, my feet sank into plush white carpet. The carpet complimented the pale yellow walls, which worked with the three large windows across the room from the front door to create an airy, bright space. As if compelled by their own desires, my feet took several steps across the room to an archway cut out of the wall immediately to my right. When I peeked through, I was surprised by the sight of a modern kitchen featuring black appliances that somehow worked with the honey colored cabinets. Next to the sink a dishwasher was tucked below the countertop. A microwave was built in above the oven, glowing the time in neon green. The room was a good size; there was even space for a breakfast table in the far corner.
    “And the bedrooms are this way,” Rose walked down the hallway beside the archway leading into the kitchen.
    I peeked into the first open door, a bathroom. The walls were painted with vertical stripes alternating between a bright yellow and an equally bright pink. The combination, which reminded me of lemonade for some reason, made the room seem larger than it already was. A standalone shower stood in the corner with a garden style bathtub seated next to it. A simple pedestal sink sat below three panels of mirrors I was impressed to learn housed a medicine cabinet discreetly tucked into the wall.
    Rose stood outside an open door halfway down the hall when I emerged from the bathroom.
    “This is the guest bedroom or the office or whatever it might be used for,” It was a midsized perfectly square room with pale blue walls and a large window letting afternoon sunlight stream in. “And this is the master bedroom,” she opened a closed door at the end of the hall.
    I followed her inside. The walls were painted pale salmon and featured four large windows, two cut into each of the walls diagonal from the door. It was large enough to accommodate a queen or king sized bed and a desk or sitting area as well as the other typical bedroom furniture. Rose threw open a door tucked into the wall to reveal a walk-in closet I could live in. The more I saw of the surprisingly tasteful apartment, the more certain I became of one simple fact; I couldn’t afford it.
    “Um, Rose,” I looked at the light comforter, embarrassed, “How much did you say the rent was again?”
    “Oh, don’t worry yourself with that just yet, I know you’re starting a new job and you won’t be able to pay rent for a little while, not until you get furniture and a few paychecks for savings and all of that,” she waved her hand in the air as if my concerns were gnats.
    “But, I’d like to know how much it will be exactly,” I was very uncomfortable with the idea of living there for free, taking advantage of her kindness.
    She threw out a number that was far too low for the apartment and I fixed her with a pointed look, “Plus utilities dear and you can pay your way by helping me with this little guy from time to time.”
    Trading my pride for the reality of my financial and housing situation, I just nodded and smiled as she placed the keys in my palm.
     
    The next morning I arrived at Dr. Schultz’s office at 8:00 AM exactly. He hadn’t told me what time to come in and I’d forgotten to ask, so I guessed at the time and hoped I wasn’t late.
    “Ah, Piper, just on time,” Dr. Schultz was dragging his signs from inside the office when I came to a stop in front of his door.
    “Good morning Dr. Schultz,” I smiled and began helping him pull the signs outside. He’d acquired a new sign that read ‘GET A CHECKUP BEFORE YOU CHECK OUT’ with a casket below the words.
    “Would you