Bound in Love

Chapter 17

A week later...

Chris had been gone for a week and as usual they would speak on the phone every chance they had and for as long as they could. They were staying in cheap hotels this time, which allow them a little bit more of comfort. Ellie was glad with it, because Chris had trouble sleeping in their old van or even on the bus they now had to tour and she worried about it for she knew he needed to rest. Every time he arrived in a new hotel in a new town, he'd call her to give her the number and he'd leave orders to the front desk that her calls should always be passed on to his room. With the crescendo of his fame, Chris would check in with an alias, John Boyle was his. In fact, it was his middle name and his father's surname that he had dropped after his parents' divorce, adopting his mother's instead. If his relationship with his mother was turbulent, the one with his father was nonexistent.

That snowy and cold Friday morning, Ellie did not go to work for she had to show their apartment to the real estate so she could make her offer for the permute. Chris's instructions had been clear. If the permute was good, Ellie should move forward with the deal. He wanted out of the city and they were both in love with the house of the lake. The only thing that worried Ellie is that with Chris travelling a lot, she would be left alone plenty of time in a very isolated place. While waiting for Amanda to arrive, Ellie placed herself in front of their gliding windows adoring the view over the park for it was covered with a thick blanket of white that had fallen during the night. The wooden benches were covered in white and footprints and paw prints delineated the paths of the park while the nude trees brought some brown color to that perfect white canvas together with the green of the lampposts. Seattle's sky was covered in snow clouds, silver and black, so a new round of snow was expected to fall anytime soon even if it was not that usual for the city. It was ice cold outside she could tell for around their windows a thin ice layer covered the glass. At 10 am sharp, Amanda rang the bell. Taking a last look at the perfect white view outside, Ellie walked away from the window and went to open the door.

"Hi!" She greeted while opening the door of the building.

She thinks she had heard Amanda mumbling a hello too, but it had been so fast that Ellie wasn't sure of it. Next, she opened the door of the apartment and waited there for Amanda to show up. It was just a few seconds until she appeared at the stairs in a perfect grey and white long coat and her hair, as usual, tied up in a perfect combed bob and perfect makeup. Amanda smiled immediately as her eyes set on Ellie.

"Hello!" She greeted her, extending her hand at Ellie when she got near.

"How are you?" Ellie asked, shaking her hand with a smile on her lips as well.

"Freezing." Amanda laughed. "It's terribly cold today."

"I can imagine. I haven't been out yet." Ellie said. Then, she strayed from the door to give Amanda space to go inside. "Please, come in." She said.

"It's the type of cold that cuts into your bones." Amanda told her and got inside.

As soon as she crossed the door, her head began to look around immediately. Ellie noticed so as she closed the door to their little but cozy and beautiful nest. Everything was cleaned and tidy, Amanda could see, and the apartment was new and really well taken care of. Ellie took a deep breath to calm her spirits down as a little bit of nervousness was taking care of her.

"So, it's a living room with a kitchenette and a dining space?" Amanda looked back at Ellie who was returning from the door. She stopped by the real estate agent's side and rested her hands around her kidneys.

"Yes." Ellie nodded. Then, she pointed at the two gliding glasses window. "Those large windows lead to a balcony. Usually, in the summer, Chris and I have a table and chairs outside because it's large enough to do so. The condo is quiet..." She was saying but Amanda cut her off.