Minji's Voice - Bbangsaz

Chapter 2

Hanni's POV

I slung my backpack over my shoulder, grabbed the small dog crate from the passenger seat, and closed the car door behind me. I stood still for a minute, just listening to the morning cricket songs echoing everywhere, drowning out the soft rustle of the trees whispering in the wind. The sky above me was a vivid blue and I could only make out a small strip of sparkling lake water through the cabins in front of me. I squinted at the white one, the one that still had the small sign in the front window saying it was for rent. It was obviously older and a little run down, but it had a charm that drew me in immediately. I could imagine sitting on the small porch at night, watching the surrounding trees sway in the breeze as the moon rose over the lake behind me. the smell of pine and lake water in the air. I smiled to myself. I hoped the interior would also offer a bit of charm, or at least a bit of cleanliness.

"What do you think, Milly?" I asked softly. Milly snorted pleasantly from her carrier.

"Yes, I think so too," I said.

An older sedan pulled up next to my little VW Bug and an older, a bald man got out and walked toward me.

"¿Hanni Pham?"

"That's me". I smiled and took a few steps, shaking his hand. "Thank you for meeting me on short notice, Mr. Connick."

"Please call me, George," he said, returning my smile and moving toward the cabin, both of us kicking up dust and dead pine needles with every step. "No problem. I'm retired now, so I don't really have a schedule to keep. This is great." We climbed the three wooden stairs to the small porch, he took a set of keys out of his pocket and began searching for one.

"Here we go," he said, putting the key in the lock and pushing the front door open. The smell of dust and faint mold greeted me as we entered, and I looked around.

"My wife comes here as often as possible and does a little dusting and basic cleaning, but as you can see, she could use a good refresher. Norma doesn't move as well as she used to because of her hip, arthritis and all. "The place has been empty all summer."

"Alright." I smiled at him, left Milly's dog crate by the door and headed towards what I could see was the kitchen. The interior needed more than a basic cleaning, more like a thorough scrubbing. But I immediately loved it. It was quaint and full of charm. When I lifted a couple of covers, I saw that the furniture was older, but tasteful. The hardwood floors were wide plank and beautifully rustic, and the paint colors were all subtle and calming.

The kitchen appliances were older, but I didn't need much in the way of a kitchen anyway. I wasn't sure I wanted to cook again.

"The bedroom and bathroom are in the back..." Mr. Connick began.

"I'll take it," I interrupted, then laughed and shook my head slightly. "I mean, if it's still available, and it's okay with you, I'll take it."

He laughed. "Well, yeah, that's great. Let me get my car lease out and we can work things out. I listed the security deposit as first and last, but I can work with you if that's a problem."

I shook my head. "No, that's not a problem. That sounds good."

"Okay, I'll be right back," he said, moving toward the door.

While he was outside, I took a minute to walk down the hall and take a look at the bedroom and bathroom. They were both small, but they would do, just as I had imagined they would. What caught my attention was the large window in the bedroom that overlooked the lake. I couldn't help but smile as I took in the view of the small dock leading to the calm, crystal clear water, dazzling blue in the bright morning light.