"Ok, are you ready?"
"For?"
"Just wait. Here goes."
"Look at that cooker!"
"Hold on."
"That floor!"
"More to come."
"No, don't like that. Too modern."
"Thought you might say that. It's an eco house that was built as part of a sustainability movement that we tried a few years ago. The house is ugly, but I included it anyway. Ready for the next one?"
"Yes."
"No."
"No?"
"No."
"Alright."
"Too modern. I don't want a kitchen with a wooden floor, if possible."
"Noted."
"I know that it has a wooden floor, but it has more of a farmhouse kind of feel, so maybe you'd be willing to consider it."
"I think I want one with an island in the middle."
"For what purpose?"
"For cooking purposes."
"You're so picky. I wonder if the next one will be more your thing."
"That's the one to beat, so far, I think."
"Really? I don't like it."
"Will you be cooking in the kitchen often?"
"Probably not."
"In that case, you have very little say in the matter."
"I don't have a say in it?"
"You do, but it'll be very little. I'm the cook in this family, not you."
"Thanks. Here's the next."
"Wait! How many are there?"
"Um, ten or eleven in total."
"What do you think?"
"Again, it's the floor. Don't like it."
"But the beams? You like them, right?"
"Mhm."
"Good to know."
"This one?"
"Nice."
"But?"
"But, what?"
"There was a but in your tone of voice. What's the but?"
"No family area in the kitchen."
"There's one right there!"
"But it's in a different room. I want a kitchen big enough to have a family dining area in the kitchen."
"Last but one's here."
"Too fussy."
"Fussy? What's fussy about it?"
"The tiles."
"Floor or wall?"
"Both."
"I think you're the one that's fussy. Ok, last photo."
"What's the floor made out of?"
"Stone."
"Is there a family dining area in there?"
"Yes."
"Where's the stove?"
"To the left of the sink."
"And that's a wood burning fire?"
"It's a multi-burner. It'll burn wood and coal."
"Do you have the photos of the second and last houses?"
"I do."
"Let me see."
"Ok, I'll send the second and then the last, ok?"
"Ok."
"Which do you prefer?"
"Honestly?"
"No, lie to me."
"I prefer the first house. There's a pool and we'll have loads of garden and green space for the kids to run around in."
"Then, that's the one."
"Really?"
"Yep. I love it."
"You do?"
"Mhm."
"Ok, I'll put in a few calls in the morning, see what we can do."
"Really?"
"Of course. Want to know the best part of the house you picked?"
"The house you picked, you mean."
"No, the house you... we, picked."
"What's the best part?"
"There's eight bedrooms."
"Ok, and?"
"Well, I'm not planning on having seven kids, so at least one of the spare rooms can be an extra closet for you."
"But I wanted seven kids!"
"Shut up."
"Haha, ok, you got me on that. But, while we're talking about having kids... how many would you want?"
"Two, four... I don't want one or three."
"Five?"
"A bit extreme, but ok."
"I'm not having five."
"How many do you want?"
"Four."
"Four?"
"If I can, yeah. I'm one of four children and the dynamics work well, so four."
"Four."
"Four."
"Deal. We should get practising."
"Right now?"
"As soon as."
"Deal."
"Right, I need to go and have a look at some contracts over the properties on the estate. I don't suppose you know of a good Estate manager, do you? I'm getting sick and tired of trying to figure it all out."
"Nope, Estate managers are not my forte."
"Damn it. I'll call you tomorrow, Soph."
"Ok. I love you, Daniel."
"I love you, too, Sophie."
"Bye, babe."
"Night, sweetheart."