The Upward Ripple

“Let me guess, you don’t know who you are meeting, and the anticipation alone is killing you?” she asked and he nodded.

“You are spot on.” He let out an uncomfortable laugh as he looked at her. “I really want to make sure that you are fine before I go in… I mean, I have seen one too many ‘bumps’ that turned out to be more serious than people thought.”

She smiled.

“Well, aren’t you the kind stranger. I’m alright though. Thank you.”

“Well, if it’s any consolation, we don’t have to be strangers anymore. My name is Nate Duncan.”

The woman shook her head, smiling.

“Well, isn’t this just some coincidence. I’m Cynthia Washington.”

Nate raised an eyebrow over the other.

“What do you mean coincidence?” he asked.

“I am the realtor you are supposed to meet unless there is another Nate Duncan around here who is looking to sell his property.”

Nate grinned. He suddenly felt a lot better about his meeting.

“Well, consider the ice broken,” he said as he shook her hand.

“Yeah, I usually prefer not to fall in front of my clients,” Cynthia said, an embarrassed smile on her face.

“Oh please, this is how I meet most of my friends. Flat on their backs after an unfortunate accident.”

Cynthia frowned.

“Really?”

Nate shook his head when he realized that she had just taken everything he had said to heart.

“No, no. I just do that… make inappropriate jokes when I am nervous.” He rubbed his temple and sighed. “Sorry about that. I think I should just open the door for you now and just shut up.”

Cynthia forced out a laugh. It was the most beautiful laugh. Her eyes seemed brighter when she laughed. They were these perfect large brown eyes that reminded him of Bambi. Her face was almost impossible not to stare at with the cute dimpled cheek and the slightly parted lips that seemed to be begging for him to just lean in and kiss her. It took everything not to take her into his arms. They were polar opposites, she and he, with her short stature and him almost six feet tall. Something inside him was screaming that perhaps they were perfect for each other.

“I should probably begin by apologizing for cancelling our meeting earlier… I had to go to New York,” Nate began when they sat down.

“Pressing business concerns. I totally understand,” she said, and he shook his head.

“In all honesty, the trip had nothing to do with business. I was just dreading this meeting…I mean, doing this really does make everything hit home, you know.”

Cynthia nodded and frowned.

“I am very sorry about your father’s passing… I lost my grandmother some years ago and I know that this is not exactly the easiest thing. She was the only parent I ever knew.”

Nate sighed loudly as the waitress brought their coffee and pie. He smiled in gratitude as the waitress walked away leaving the two of them at the table. He turned his attention back to Cynthia.

“Tell me something. Does it get easier?” he asked, and she shook her head.

“Honestly, it doesn’t really. You only get stronger.” She held her cup in her hands. “There are days when the memory alone is just crippling and then much later, you get to understand that the feeling doesn’t go away. You just get stronger.”

Nate sipped his coffee.

“You know, in a strange way, that makes me feel so much better. Thank you.”

Cynthia shrugged.

“Don’t mention it.”

“We should probably talk about the property now,” he said, and she nodded.

“Of course, but if you don’t mind my asking, why are you selling the place? I mean, not so many people would sell a family home,” Cynthia started.

Nate took a long, deep breath.

“Family homes have a lot of memories…. Sometimes maybe too many of them. And quite honestly, I have great memories of this place but after my mother got sick, things changed. I just don’t know if I have it in me to disregard some of the things I saw in that house. some of the memories are just too terrible to ignore. Honestly, I don’t care if they have to tear down the property. All I care about is getting the property off my hands.” He took a sip of his coffee before he put the cup down. “The best thing about it is that someone else gets to make new memories here. Maybe a young family.”

Cynthia nodded.

“You took the words right out of my mouth,” she said. “And that makes this next step easier.”

“Why? Does the buyer want to change the complete décor of the property?” he asked, and she shrugged.

“Well, perhaps not the complete décor. Just a few of the wall colors and the entertainment den furniture. Just get something a little more…. Modern.”

He nodded.

“That’s fine with me.”

“Great. The only other thing I wanted to know is when the house would be vacant because the open house is imminent…. The last thing I would want is to have the buyers lose interest….”

“Whoa…. hold up,” Nate said, cutting her short. “The house is not yet vacant?”

“No, an Elise Warner-Duncan is still living there. Matter of fact she is the woman who sped off in that red Camaro.”

Nate exhaled loudly. He knew for a fact that Frank Montgomery had already told her that he intended to sell the house. She had no reason to still be in the house. Unless she planned on contesting the will. A woman of her stature was definitely more focused in the bigger picture which had nothing to do with love.

“Elise in a Camaro? Why?” he shook his head. “I doubt she can even spell Camaro.”

Cynthia stifled a giggle.

“I guess you two don’t have the best relationship.”

He nodded.

“Actually, we don’t have a relationship at all. Even back then, when she was still married to my dad.”

Cynthia raised an eyebrow over the other.

“Oh,” she mumbled under her breath.

“So, the two of you have met before? You and Elise?”