Hearts and Houses for Sale: Blue Moon...

Selene woke at precisely 8:20 AM. The sound of her neighbors chatting about freeway conditions as they opened and closed their car doors told her it was Monday. The sun glittered through the windows landing directly on her face. Today, she would not be stuck in the Los Angeles Harbor traffic.

That was one of the big advantages of being a real estate agent. No one at the office clocked her in. With a jolt she sat upright. Monday morning, an impending sale from the open house--she should be at the office. 

Her whole body ached, her head hurt, and her fingers throbbed, The tight wrap around her ribcage  made sitting up especially painful. An 8:30 appointment with her selling coach couldn't be missed. Speed dial on the phone did the trick.

Fifteen minutes of "Oh, how terrible,"and "you have to be very careful," and "you can't afford to waste time on curious neighbors," and "it sounds like you handled things well,  and other professional responses brought the call to an end. Selene leaned back against the headboard, her stomach grumbled. "

Then she remembered. "Henry...Henry. Are you there, Henry?" she called. No response. He had left her on the sofa. How had she gotten into bed? Didn't he say he'd stay? She looked at herself in the mirror, grimaced, and twisted her hair away from her face. Inch by careful inch, she slid from the bed. Leaning on the door frame, the appearance of a disheveled drunk in the glass of the French doors frightened her. Still, she staggered into the living room. 

So much for Henry Powell, Selene surmised. I guess he wasn't that into me, after all. Good thing. Wouldn't want him to see me like this.

The phone rang. After the fifth ring, Selene decided she'd answer. Caller ID announced the name of a real estate agent she'd worked with before, and liked. Louise--and her boys--want to make an offer. 

"I'll be there in an hour," Selene said. "Did she tell you what happened?" The agent was sympathetic to a fault, but it took a five minute conversation to get it all said.  

Selene leaned against the kitchen counter as she made coffee. Plump, the fat cat, curled up beside his food bowl, which was thankfully still half full. 

"My ring finger is broken which means I'll probably never marry, and a rib cracked," she said to Plump. "I did meet a perfect man who left me on the sofa and disappeared. But, I might have sold the property." Selene dropped her head forward. It felt good.

"Why do the good ones leave," she said. "He was so handsome and nice." She paused and stared at the wall. "Hey Plump. Did I really tell him I needed to be alone?"

Plump looked up, then started to clean himself.

"I need to clean up, too, French bath today and lots of perfume," she said. Thanks goodness for wild-haired Louise and little boys who love tree houses. Plump slid his furry body around her feet. Where's my torn suit skirt, crossed her mind. The IPod on her clock/radio came on, "Blue Moon, you saw me standing alone without a dream in my heart..."

And that's the truth. To some extent.

to  be continued...