Chapter 20
“All you can handle, Earl.”
Johnnie saw a black woman in the house next to hers peeking out of the window, watching them as they approached the front door. When the woman saw Johnnie looking at her, she closed the curtains for a moment or two, then resumed watching. I wonder who she is. I hope we can be friends when I move in.
Earl handed Johnnie the keys and asked, “Would you like to do the honors?”
“Yeah.”
She walked into the foyer and gasped when she saw the cream-colored walls in the unbelievably spacious living room. To her surprise, the house wasn’t in as bad a shape as she expected. There was a fireplace, a ceiling fan and well-maintained hardwood floors. As far as she was concerned, the house was ready for her to move in that day. Sure, it needed some furniture, some plants, some rugs and a few other trinkets to make it homey, but this was a palace—her palace.
“Earl, ain’t nothin’ wrong with this place. This is just fine. I can move in now.”
“Well, let’s look at the kitchen and bathrooms first.”
“Bathrooms? You mean I got more than one?”
“Of course.” He frowned. “What did you mean when you said you wanted a nice place? A place with a roof that doesn’t leak or what?”
“Is your home this nice, Earl?”
“My house is a mansion compared to this. And I still say this place could use a little work. Come on. Let’s look at the kitchen.” Earl took Johnnie’s hand and escorted her through the house, stopping at the dining room, which was next to the kitchen.
As she admired her new home, Johnnie knew she had made the right decision to move out and leave school. What could schoolin’ get me that my looks can’t? I haven’t even graduated yet and I have a house. Or do I? “Earl, is this my house?”
“Yes. I told you it was. Why do you keep asking me about it?”
“Because I don’t see no papers sayin’ it’s mine. And I know you gotta have papers to say you own anything in this world. Mama got papers on her house. I want papers on mine.”
Earl reached inside his jacket pocket, pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to her. It was a deed with her name on it. “All you need to do is sign it and it’s yours.”
Johnnie took the paper and looked at it. Slowly, a smile began to emerge. It looked legal, but she wasn’t sure. She would have to see her mother’s to be certain.
But what if it is real? What if this is really my house? If it is truly my house, and it was this easy to get, what else can I get if I put my mind to it? Mama was right. Men will do anything to get sex.
They entered the kitchen hand in hand. Johnnie walked around the kitchen, thinking of what she could do with it, occasionally opening and closing cabinet doors. The kitchen needed some work, but all in all, it was in good condition. She particularly liked the countertops and the breakfast nook, which had plenty of windows.
She looked at the stove and refrigerator, wondering if it would be pushing her luck to ask Earl for new ones. They were better than what she was accustomed to, but still she wanted them replaced. “Earl, honey,” she said, looking at the stove, “I know you just spent a bunch of money on this house for me, but dear, I sure would like a new stove and refrigerator. “
“I knew you would. I ordered them for you already.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, really.”
Johnnie kissed his thin pink lips. She could feel Earl’s hardness pressing against her stomach. Johnnie pulled away, knowing that if she continued to let him get more excited, she would have to do it right there on the kitchen floor, and it would be messy without any means of cleaning herself up.
Earl pulled her back and wrapped his arms around her. He squeezed her firm rump, then her thick breasts. He wanted to take her right then and there, and Johnnie knew it.
“I’ll take care of you later, dear,” she promised, squeezing his hardness.
“How about a little right now?”
Johnnie knew he was all worked up. It didn’t take much for Earl. Ever since she’d known him, whenever he was hard, he wanted to enter her immediately, whether she was ready to be entered or not.
“Think of how much better it’s going to be once we get to the hotel, honey. I promise you it will be worth the wait, okay?”
“Okay.” Earl beamed like he was walking on air.
“So, how much did you say this house cost you, Earl?”
“I didn’t say,” he teased as they walked into the first floor bathroom.
“You not gon’ tell me, sweetie?”
“What do I get for the information?”
“All you can handle, Earl.”
“All I can handle, huh?”
“Uh-huh.”
Do I dare tell her how little I spent, especially since she thinks I paid a fortune? Not only that, but for the first time, she’s calling me pet names and I like it. I want her to go on thinking I spent a lot, and I want her to continue the sweet talk.
“How much do you think I paid?” Earl asked, leaning against the counter.
“Gosh, Earl, I have no idea. Cain’t you just tell me?”
“Well, I could, but that wouldn’t be any fun now, would it?”
“Okay, fifty thousand dollars.”
“Come on. It isn’t any fun if you don’t guess for real.”
“Okay, thirty thousand.”
“Close. It was twenty-five thousand.”
The truth was fifteen thousand. The house was worth twenty-five thousand, one of the cheapest in the neighborhood, but he paid fifteen because the house had been repossessed and empty for over a year. The bank wanted to unload it in a hurry. They just wanted the payoff value.
Astonished, she said, “Twenty-five thousand dollars! You musta made a lot more than I made with those stocks you bought.” Hmmm, if you can make that kind of money in the stock market, I definitely have to learn how it’s done.
“I made enough for a few things. Now, let me show you the upstairs, and then we can get you a hotel.”