Okay, first things first. I don’t want Mikey involved in this. He’s only seven years old, and he doesn’t need to be in any danger. And, just for the record, Chris really doesn’t like it when you call him Junior.”
“Oh, I know, but old habits are hard to break. As far as Mikey, there’s not really any danger. I know there’s no ghost in the house, but I wanted to make the story more exciting. I’m sorry he didn’t wait for me though. I probably should have just taken him inside the house with me. At least I’d have known he was safe.”
“ No! He doesn’t need to be traipsing around some broken down old house. He could get hurt. You never should have stopped at the house in the first place. You should have just gone to the Ice Cream Hut and brought him back here after you were done. You could have gone back by yourself, if you wanted to. If you want to spend time with Mikey, then you have to listen to me. What did you think when you got
back to the car and he was gone? Oh, right, you probably just figured he came back here. Uh huh.”
“But – ”
“No buts,” I interrupted. “You already raised your son, and now I’m raising mine. I’m not taking any chances with my boy. I just about lost it when he was in danger in our last case, even if it was an accident that he became involved.” I knew I sounded harsh, but my son’s safety came above all else.
Judith sat back and folded her hands in her lap, looking deeply into my eyes. “You love Junior very much, don’t you?”
“Of course I do.” Why would she ask me a question like that?
“Well, he turned out the way he did because of me.” She stopped and contemplated her words for a moment. “Or maybe it was in spite of me. Hmm. At any rate, I won’t put Mikey in any danger. I promise. I just want him to have some fun while he’s on summer vacation.”
“Okay, but why don’t you two find some other form of recreation rather than the old house? Now Mikey is excited about it, and I know he’s going to nag me to go back there.”
Judith had a look on her face that I couldn’t read. “Well, why don’t you come back with me and you bring Mikey along. Wouldn’t it be okay if you were there with him? I could call the Realtor in the morning so everything is on the up and up.”
Rolling my eyes and smiling, I said, “You’re incorrigible, Judith.” I knew I’d give in and take Mikey along, as long as the Realtor said the house was safe. “Now tell me more about this place.” I knew in my heart that Judith and I were going to get along well, but I also knew it would be a struggle.
“Call me Mom.”
“Sorry, I’m trying to remember.”
As soon as Judith described the house I knew which
one she meant. It was a mish-mash of styles, but more Victorian than anything else. Someone had apparently chosen things they liked about various styles and mixed them together. The old grayish house was an eyesore, but I had to admit I’d been curious about it. It looked so forlorn, sitting between two more modern homes, although one of them was much smaller. The rickety old porch cried out to be repaired and used, and yet the windows made me feel like eyes were watching me when I drove by. I wanted to see what was behind those eyes. The house would thrive under the touch of a paint brush, too.
Suddenly I realized I wasn’t listening to Judith. I’d been rambling around the old house, in my mind.
“…and the furniture might be in good condition because it’s been covered for so long. I won’t know until we pull the covers off.” Judith had been telling me what she saw inside, and I decided I’d better listen. “I have to admit the portrait of the old man gave me the willies though. Of course, I was looking at it in the dark with just a little light from the street. So what do you think?”
I sat back and crossed my arms. “I think we’d better call the Realtor and find out what we can before we go back to that place. I know
“Oh, I know, but old habits are hard to break. As far as Mikey, there’s not really any danger. I know there’s no ghost in the house, but I wanted to make the story more exciting. I’m sorry he didn’t wait for me though. I probably should have just taken him inside the house with me. At least I’d have known he was safe.”
“ No! He doesn’t need to be traipsing around some broken down old house. He could get hurt. You never should have stopped at the house in the first place. You should have just gone to the Ice Cream Hut and brought him back here after you were done. You could have gone back by yourself, if you wanted to. If you want to spend time with Mikey, then you have to listen to me. What did you think when you got
back to the car and he was gone? Oh, right, you probably just figured he came back here. Uh huh.”
“But – ”
“No buts,” I interrupted. “You already raised your son, and now I’m raising mine. I’m not taking any chances with my boy. I just about lost it when he was in danger in our last case, even if it was an accident that he became involved.” I knew I sounded harsh, but my son’s safety came above all else.
Judith sat back and folded her hands in her lap, looking deeply into my eyes. “You love Junior very much, don’t you?”
“Of course I do.” Why would she ask me a question like that?
“Well, he turned out the way he did because of me.” She stopped and contemplated her words for a moment. “Or maybe it was in spite of me. Hmm. At any rate, I won’t put Mikey in any danger. I promise. I just want him to have some fun while he’s on summer vacation.”
“Okay, but why don’t you two find some other form of recreation rather than the old house? Now Mikey is excited about it, and I know he’s going to nag me to go back there.”
Judith had a look on her face that I couldn’t read. “Well, why don’t you come back with me and you bring Mikey along. Wouldn’t it be okay if you were there with him? I could call the Realtor in the morning so everything is on the up and up.”
Rolling my eyes and smiling, I said, “You’re incorrigible, Judith.” I knew I’d give in and take Mikey along, as long as the Realtor said the house was safe. “Now tell me more about this place.” I knew in my heart that Judith and I were going to get along well, but I also knew it would be a struggle.
“Call me Mom.”
“Sorry, I’m trying to remember.”
As soon as Judith described the house I knew which
one she meant. It was a mish-mash of styles, but more Victorian than anything else. Someone had apparently chosen things they liked about various styles and mixed them together. The old grayish house was an eyesore, but I had to admit I’d been curious about it. It looked so forlorn, sitting between two more modern homes, although one of them was much smaller. The rickety old porch cried out to be repaired and used, and yet the windows made me feel like eyes were watching me when I drove by. I wanted to see what was behind those eyes. The house would thrive under the touch of a paint brush, too.
Suddenly I realized I wasn’t listening to Judith. I’d been rambling around the old house, in my mind.
“…and the furniture might be in good condition because it’s been covered for so long. I won’t know until we pull the covers off.” Judith had been telling me what she saw inside, and I decided I’d better listen. “I have to admit the portrait of the old man gave me the willies though. Of course, I was looking at it in the dark with just a little light from the street. So what do you think?”
I sat back and crossed my arms. “I think we’d better call the Realtor and find out what we can before we go back to that place. I know
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