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"my son is inside. I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention the reason you're here." |
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The woman took off her glasses to read Terry's face. Her eyes were marbles of blue ice. "I don't quite follow." |
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"Well, it's just he's not too keen on moving . . . you know, leaving his friends and all. He's quite attached to the place." |
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The truth was, Terry feared another scene. Last week when they broke the news about Calvin's new job, Matty had a full-blown temper tantrum. He locked himself in his room, pounding and swearing that it wasn't fair, that they couldn't make him move. When it was over, Terry discovered that he had punched a fist-sized hole in the wall. |
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The woman glared at her as if to say she wasn't out here in her DKNY suit, Ferragamo pumps and pricey chains to be jerked around by some wishy-washy suburban hausfrau. "I understand, but you are thinking of selling." It was less a question than a statement. |
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"And when exactly are you planning to move?" |
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"Sometime over the summer." |
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"The summer is three months long. Could you be more definite?" |
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She was all business. Well, it could take them months to find a place up there. "The earliest we could be out would be July 15." The same date she quoted to others. |
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The birthmark darkened like litmus. "Mrs. Otis said you wanted to finalize as soon as possible." |
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"That's true, but we're not planning on moving for two months." Matty's Little League went to the first week in July. Even the fifteenth would be pushing it. |
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"There must be a misunderstanding. We expect to be in by June 1." |
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"June 1? That's only three weeks." Either Beverly had misstated things or this woman was confused. "My son doesn't get out of school until the seventeenth." She struggled for a moment. "I mean, the absolute earliest would be July 1." |
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There was an uneasy glint in the woman's eyes, but she tossed her head and it was gone. "Well, I'm sure we can work it out." She glanced at her watch and walked to the front door. |
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Work what out? Terry wondered. There was no way they could |
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