The Why Behind What We Feel

Chapter 25- Red Handed

Tyler and I have been taking grandma around town to look at a few places before she officially decides to put the house on the market. I'm still kind of hoping she'll change her mind about selling, but I'm trying to push those selfish feelings aside. She needs this, and I want her to have it.

I just wish the timing of it all could've been a little better. I'm leaving for Baltimore in a few days. Who will help her move? Who will make sure she's not scammed when she sells the house? People are always trying to take advantage of the elderly.

"This last place is not on the list," Tyler says as he drives us along. "It just became available as of today."

"Oh, where is it?" Grandma asks.

"In the French Quarter," he winks at her.

"The French Quarter? You know we can't afford a place in the French Quarter," I speak up from the back seat.

"Relax, this one is affordable. I know the guy who owns it," Tyler smirks at me through the rear view mirror.

"And won't it have stairs? Almost every place around there is an upstairs apartment."

"Yes, but it also has an elevator. It was just installed, so it's brand new and working like a charm," he replies.

I let it go for now, but I don't want Tyler getting grandma's hopes up for nothing. She was raised just outside of the French Quarter in the lower seventh ward by a Creole mother and a black father, who are now buried in the Saint Louis Cemetery. The French Quarter and all it stands for is part of my Grandma and her family heritage. All she's ever wanted is to live right in the middle of it all and enjoy the life she grew up loving.

This would mean so much to her...

After a while, we pull up to my old apartment, the one I shared with Lizzy. Tyler is moving out of his place, so is he wanting to move my grandma in? And if so, how in the hell does he think we can afford it? And how does he know the owner? I don't even know him and I lived here for three years.

"This is Sessy's old place," grandma says, looking at Tyler in confusion.

"It's under new ownership now and a lot of upgrades have been made since you were last here. Want to check them out?" Tyler asks her.

She smiles excitedly. "Of course!"

We get out and go through the entrance of the restaurant that takes up the first floor of this building. In the very back, as Tyler said, an elevator has been installed.

We get inside and Tyler presses the button to go up.

I look around in confusion. Judging by the placement of the elevator, it's going to take us right between the duplex apartments on the second floor.

When the doors open, my mouth drops open in surprise. There's a small lobby area with a single door labeled with the house number 203.

"This is it," Tyler says, punching a key code into the smart lock.

When we walk in, grandma and I gasp. This place is completely different. The dividing wall has been knocked down, leaving a spacious living area. The kitchen has new countertops and bright, white cabinets. The original hardwood floors have been restored to look almost brand new.

"When did this happen?! We were just here a few weeks ago!" I say in shock, looking around and trying to take it all in.

"Then I guess it happened within the past few weeks," Tyler shrugs.

"How are we going to afford this?! It's so much nicer than it was before, and it was way out of our price range then, for just half the apartment," I remind him.