The Upward Ripple

Cynthia nodded as she circled the rim of her cup.

“I thought the property was already vacant by the time I got the listing. So, I drove over to nail the For-Sale sign on the lawn and she used a hose on me.”

Nate shook his head.

“What?”

Cynthia nodded.

“That is ridiculous!” He rubbed his temple and exhaled loudly. “Just what I need.”

“I think the important question in this meeting is, is the house still for sale?” she asked, and he nodded.

“Of course, it is still for sale. I just need some time to straighten this whole mess out with my lawyer. I am sure that there must have been a mistake or a misunderstanding somewhere.”

Cynthia nodded.

“Of course. Whatever you need.”

Nate smiled as she took a sip of her coffee. For the first time in a long time, he could not help but feel like he had met someone who was genuinely good.

Chapter 4

Nate did not know what to expect from the meeting with Elise. Perhaps it was a good thing that he had avoided her for so long but as soon as he rode into the Duncan property, he felt the same way he felt when he decided to take off to New York. His father’s presence was weighing heavily around the property and that was not all. There was something about the place that took him back to his time with The Outlaws and also, the reason why he had to leave The Outlaws. He stood in the parking lot for a long time looking at the red Camaro in the driveway wondering how a woman who could not even know how to change a flat was doing with such a car.

He was still standing there when the front door opened and a man in a bathrobe walked out holding a bottle of rum in his hand.

“Can I help you?” the man asked and Nate looked around, surprised.

If anything, he should have been the one to ask that question.

“No, but you can tell me where Elise Warner is.”

The man looked at Nate from head to toe before he gulped down the rum.

“And who might you be and what do you want with Elise?” he asked.

The confidence in the way the man spoke to Nate made him realize that he was more than just a house guest. Perhaps even the reason Elise, a person who had no idea as to what horse power meant was driving a Camaro.

“I’m Nate Duncan. This is my house…well, at least for the next few days.”

The man looked confused.

“What do you mean ‘your house’?” he asked, and Nate shook his head.

Why was he explaining himself to the man he barely knew? The man who until that moment, Nate had not realized was wearing his father’s bathrobe. He pushed past him and walked into the house for the first time in years. As soon as he walked into the foyer, he felt a chill run down his spine. His heart began beating harder and for a minute there, he could hardly move. He closed his eyes and made a fist.

“Slow deep breaths, Nate. You are okay,” he thought. “It is just the house you grew up in. The house that saw your grief when you lost your mother. This is going to be a quick in and out situation.”

He walked into the living room and looked at the wall lined with photographs of happier times. Photos of him as a boy getting hugs from his mother. Family pictures that told a different story other than the one he had been forced to live lately. He was still looking at the pictures when he heard Elise’s voice behind him forcing him to turn around.

“Nate? Is that you?” she asked, and he shrugged. “Oh my God! It is so good to see you!”

She rushed towards him and threw her arms around him, taking him by surprise. He pulled away and looked at her. She had not changed as much as he would have expected her to. She still looked almost the same. Unchanged after all these years. He could not help but think of her undergoing countless Botox shots. She definitely seemed like the type.

“So, you two know each other?” the man from the door asked and Elise nodded.

 “Yes, Buck. This is my stepson, Nate. The splitting image of his father if I must say.”

“I really need to talk to you, Elise. Preferably alone.”

Buck took a sip from his bottle before excusing himself. Nate turned his attention to Elise who even though she was in a satin robe that left little to the imagination, she had a fully made up face. She wore her newly highlighted blond hair short, the locks tucked behind her ear to reveal the diamond studs she had on. He did not need to be an appraiser to tell that those must have cost a few thousand dollars.

“May I offer you a drink?” Elise asked as she led him to the couch. “You must be parched from riding that bike all day long.”

“I did not ride it all day long. I only rode it a few minutes from town,” he said as he sat down.

“So, then tell me, Nate, what do I owe to this honor you have granted me this morning?” she asked, smiling and he shook his head.

“You would not consider it an honor if you knew the reasons behind my visit,” he started, and Elise leaned forward.

“Oh really?”

“Yeah, it is about the meeting you had with Frank Montgomery about dad’s estate,” he said, and he could have sworn he saw the color drain from her face.

“What the hell do you mean?” she asked, and he reached into his pocket to pull out a copy of the deed Frank had given him.

“According to this,” he handed the document to Elise. “The ownership was transferred to me. Ownership of this house along with other properties apart from the cabin at the lake and I am quite sure Frank told you that I wanted this house put on the market a soon as possible.”

She shook her head.

“So, you want to throw me out in the street?” she sounded hysterical.