Chapter 4 - Twenty Minutes
Getting four people out of a house twice in one week was harder than selling the house itself.
Luckily, Diane made it easy.
She wanted to shop for baby shower decorations.
Eric was working.
Madison wanted lunch.
At noon Saturday, they all left.
Naomi called immediately.
“Buyer’s five minutes away.”
The buyer was a cardiologist named Dr. Hannah Bennett.
She arrived with her husband, Marcus.
They had two young children and another baby due in winter.
The moment Hannah walked into the kitchen, she smiled.
“This is exactly what we wanted.”
I should have felt sad.
I had chosen every cabinet handle.
Painted the dining room with my father.
Planted the maple tree outside myself.
Instead, I felt something unexpected.
Relief.
Hannah walked upstairs.
When she entered the room Diane had converted into a nursery, her face lit up.
“Oh my God.”
Marcus laughed.
“We wouldn’t even need to change it.”
I almost said, Please change everything.
They stayed eighteen minutes.
Outside, Hannah spoke privately with Naomi.
Then Naomi returned.
“They’re submitting an offer.”
“How soon?”
“Today.”
At 4:16, I received it.
Cash.
Seven thousand under asking.
Inspection limited to major structural issues.
Closing in twenty-one days.
I read the number twice.
It was more money than I had expected when I bought the house.
Rachel called.
“It’s strong.”
“Accept it.”
“Claire.”
“Yes?”
“Once you sign, this becomes real.”
“It became real when Eric told me to watch my mouth in my own dining room.”
Silence.
Then Rachel said, “I’ll prepare the documents.”
That evening, Eric surprised me with flowers.
Not expensive flowers.
Grocery-store roses wrapped in plastic.
He placed them on the counter.
“For you.”
I stared at them.
“What happened?”
He frowned.
“Nothing has to happen.”
“You haven’t bought me flowers in eight months.”
He leaned against the island.
“Look, dinner got heated.”
I waited.
“I shouldn’t have raised my voice.”
Not I shouldn’t have spoken to you that way.
Not I’m sorry.
Just his volume.
I nodded.
“Okay.”
He exhaled like the problem had been fixed.
Then came the real reason.
“Mom wants eighty people at the shower.”
I laughed.
He blinked.
“Eighty?”
“She has a big family.”
“Not in this house.”
“Claire.”
“No.”
“You have plenty of space.”
“I said no.”
His face hardened.
“We all live here.”
“No. You live here.”
He stared at me.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Before I could answer, Diane walked in carrying shopping bags.
“Eric, don’t waste your energy. I already ordered the tables.”
I looked at her.
“What tables?”
“For the backyard.”
“How many?”
“Ten.”
I slowly turned toward Eric.
“Cancel them.”
Diane laughed.
“No.”
That single word changed everything.
I pulled out my phone.
A new email had arrived.
PURCHASE AGREEMENT - FINAL SIGNATURE REQUIRED
I looked from Eric to Diane.
Then I tapped the screen.
Eric noticed.
“What are you doing?”
I smiled.
May you like
“Handling something.”
I signed the sale agreement while he stood three feet away.
