I looked over the marvelous home with my stager and was surprised that it came this far. I was in the real-estate industry, but I wasn’t into flipping until one of my partners presented me with an opportunity. Now here we are three months and two hundred thousand dollars later and I have flipped my first home and people would be piling in for an open house in just a few minutes.
“We did it girl,” my partner Shantel gave me a shoulder squeeze.
“Yes!” I said, with a sigh. “Now all we have to do is sell this baby.”
If this house sold, Shantel, our other partner Brian and me would be getting a thirteen thousand dollar commission.
I went to the kitchen to get some finger foods before the guests arrived and within fifteen minutes a few families had rolled in. Shantel took the liberty of showing them around while I sat down for a moment. Since, I had found out that I was pregnant, my work load hadn’t slowed down, but more now than ever I was starting to feel the effects of my pregnancy. My feet were protruding out of my shoes, my hips were spreading, and my clothing fit just a little tighter than they did before.
As soon as I sat down, I heard the doorbell ring and got up to answer it. When I opened the door, I was met with a bouquet of white roses, my favorite. Kiyan moved the roses showcasing his handsome face, stepping inside.
“KB, aww thank you,” I took the roses and sat them on a nearby table. They were so beautiful and if I wasn’t already having a good day ,this just made it ten time more special. Kiyan was never this person in our relationship, in fact this person rarely showed up. It seemed like when we first met things went downhill fast and then he straightened up only to fuck up again.
Now, since we had decided to really give our marriage an honest try, Kiyan was proving to be the man that I always wished he could be. It was scary though because now I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. I always wondered if he was just playing nice because I was pregnant and then once the baby Came, he would switch up on me. That was something that came across my mind every now and then, but I just prayed that he had really changed this time.
Kiyan placed a delicate peck on my cheek before taking a look at the Foyer of the house.
“This looks like a whole new house. Y’all really did the damn thing,” he said, as if he was wowed.
“Yep, I’m glad to know that those late nights and early mornings counted for something. I didn’t know you would show your face here though and thank you for the Roses.”
“This was big for you. You know I had to support,” he grabbed me into his arm and kissed my lips.
“Well, come on. Let me show you the house,” I grabbed his hand and led him up the stairs. We first reached a Master bedroom, It was equipped high ceilings, a fire place and brand spanking nee shiny hardwood floors.
“You like it?” I asked.
“Yeah, where would you put our bed?” he asked standing in the middle of the room.
“Our bed? You mean a bed. I think I would leave it just the way it is,” the Stager had decorated the home to a T.
“No, I meant our bed, because I bought the house,” he reached into his pockets and pulled out a key before giggling it in the air.
“What!” I asked, trying to make sure I heard him correctly the first time.
“This is our home babe. We are now proud homeowners.”
I know the people who were in the home probably thought that someone was dying because I screamed, like literally screamed before jumping into Kiyan’s arms. He had really surprised me in a huge way.
“Kiyan, you better not be joking.”
He put his hand in the air, “I promise it’s ours.”
I couldn’t believe that this was my house. This house that I had basically built from the ground up. Everything in the home was because of me from the paint used to coat the walls to the Subway tiles.
“When did you do this?” I asked, still reeling over the news that he had just given me.
“Today, as soon as it hit the market. I was on it so that means that you and the rest will get your commission, on me.”
“Babe, thank you so much, you don’t know how much this means to me.”
“Prove it,” he said, and looked in the direction of the bathroom.
Just then the door opened and a couple with a stroller walked in.
“Saved by the bell,” I sighed. Lately Kiyan wanted it morning, noon, and night so I guess what they said about pregnant vagina was true.
I smiled at the couple and felt kind of bad that they were now wasting their time at this open house when the house was already sold.
Kiyan and I walked down the steps, me still smiling because of the generous gift that he had bought for us. Even though he and I both made more than enough money, we had still been renting and since the breakup we still had our own separate apartments. Now, we would officially be moving up like George and Weezy.
I poured him a glass of bubbly and me apple cider and just as we were about to toast, the door was opened, and I knew that I would have to greet our guests being that Shantel was busy with other guest. I met the person as they were coming in and I was surprised, it was Candis. Now I couldn’t be sure, but I was surprised that she would be at this open house when I had showed her several house weeks ago on the other side of town. This home was in the Western Branch area of Virginia Beach and before she was looking in Portsmouth.
“Mis Candis, nice seeing you.. again,” I said, kind of thrown off guard.
Kiyan walked from the kitchen and when his eyes landed on her, I could tell that he was confused as well. It was written all over his butterscotch colored skin. I found myself lost in his boyishly good looks even in this awkward moment. He was beautiful, in the past some would have called him a pretty boy, but now with his scruffy hair and beard, he resembled more of a businessman with a little southside street him.
“Candis, I’m surprised to see you here,” I could tell in Kiyan’s tone that it was more of a question than a statement.
“Oh, I’m just here to see this nice house,” she said, with a smile that I knew was disingenuous.
“Really? You told me before that you wanted to stay in the Portsmouth area,” Kiyan took a sip from his champs.
“Well, this is for my niece, she told me to come and check it out for her.” Now she was just getting caught up in her own lies.
Kiyan looked at me, trying to read what I was thinking and I’m sure he knew that it was just what he was thinking.
“Okay, so show yourself around,” I said, remembering that I still had to remain professional no matter how crazy I thought this lady was.
She walked away leaving Kiyan and me.
“This lady is borderline obsessed with you,” I whispered to him.
“Be nice, hopefully she will be out of here soon.”
A few more people started to come in and while I showed them the house, Kiyan kept himself occupied in the kitchen. Before I knew it to hours had gone by and the house had been shown to at least five families and though they seemed interested they would not get this house unless they generously outbid us.
I started to tidy the place up a bit while Kiyan only stared on like he had something to say.
“A penny for your thoughts?” I asked.
“I’m just thinking about Candis.”
She lingered around when you were busy like she had something she wanted to say to me. She had this glossed overlook in her eyes that kind bothered me but was familiar to me at the same time.”
“She’s clearly developed an unhealth relationship with you. It is weird, she thinks that she’s your mother or something.”
There was a brief moment of silence and Kiyan looked like he was again in deep thought.
“She’s not your mother Kiyan,” I said, again so that he could stop feeling sorry for this lady that he didn’t even know a month ago.
“I’m not his mother!” I heard from behind me and when turned around Cadis was just standing there like she had been listening to our whole conversation.
“You’re right, I’m not his mother, I lost my daughter a long time ago,” she repeated herself.
My mouth dropped and when I looked at my husband his stare was blank. Was this lady really walking up in here and saying what I thought she was saying?
“Candis what are you saying?” I asked.
She ignored me and looked at Kiyan. “Kiyan I am your grandmother,” she sounded so sincere and a loan tear fell down her face.
We were all speechless and Kiyan just stood there never taking his eyes form Candis. He’d yet to say anything and I know if I was going crazy on the inside, he was one hundred times worse.
“Son, I know this is a lot so I will give you some space, but I have this for you.”
She pulled a larch manila envelope from her purse and sat it on the kitchen Island before giving him another look of pity before walking out.
Time stood still for both Kiyan and me for a minute and I walked over to him to console him. My husband had just learned the biggest news of his life and before I knew it, he broke down and just cried.