Just a House?
Anna's House
The rocky ride beneath a tree canopy tunnel was extended by the winding driveway. Anna Wade caught sight of the glorious two story house first. Her mouth slipped open allowing an airy gasp to escape. A giddy smile spread from cheek to cheek as she tangled her fingers together in her lap. It seemed like a house that she might’ve dreamed of once but knew she’d never live in because of its extravagance.
The two-story Victorian had a wrap-around porch that she’d always dreamed of—she almost heard the boards squeaking under her bare feet as she danced across them under a perfect star filled summer night—and a balcony protruded from the French windows leading to the master bedroom. Anna glimpsed a ghost of her future taking her morning coffee on that balcony while her husband stuck his nose in the morning stock exchange. She could see window seats on both the first and second floors—perfect for bedtime stories on cloudless nights with her daughter, Grace. There were plants of all shapes and sizes, colors and fragrances lingering in the front yard begging to be tended. The massive trees casted most of the yard in shadow, which she considered to be absolutely divine for summer reading weather. Anna couldn’t see the back yard beyond the off white picket fence encircling the property, but she had a feeling that her beautiful two-year old daughter would have plenty of running room there.
James Wade took his wife’s delicate hand and laced his fingers with hers. She didn’t pull away for the first time since his suggested the move, three months ago. His brilliant idea of moving brought a lot of flak since Anna never ventured far from her mother, which must’ve been why Mrs. Jones didn’t understand the principle of boundaries when it came to her little girl. The woman didn’t seem to grasp the concept of her daughter as a married woman. James always thought that his wife was too coddled as a child, and even more overly babied as an adult. Anna needed space and time away from her mother, in his opinion, so she could be the mother and the wife her family needed. The interference on Mrs. Jones’ part often enraged James Wade.
He pushed his heavy thoughts of Anna’s mother far from his mind as he watched her face. Her eyes were wide with splendor as she took in the house. His favorite part about the house was the upstairs study he’d already planned to work from when he wasn’t heading to the city to handle his business affairs, and the vastness of the room would offer more privacy. The large picture window grasped the treetops of the evergreens and the horizon; James imagined himself pulling the curtains open while his coffee steamed the glass.
“Oh, it is perfect,” Anna sighed.
The car jolted to a stop causing Grace to start wiggling. She stretched her little arms and legs as she sat up in the backseat. Anna reached over the front seat and tickled her daughter’s sock covered feet. Grace giggled through a yawn before giving her Mary-Ann styled shoes to her mother so she could unbuckle them, slip them on Grace’s feet, and buckle them again.
“What color should we paint your room, darling?” Anna asked as she fixed the first buckle.
“Purple.” Grace stretched her foot to her mother’s hand.
“Let’s go see it, now,” Anna smiled brightly. She opened her car door to the scent of honeysuckle and damp leaves filled the car. Roses and tulips swirled around Anna’s nose. She held her daughter on one hip as she slammed the car door.
“I’ll bring a few things in now and the rest after the ground tour, alright?” James lifted a box labeled ‘kitchen – fragile’ and a small, faded chocolate bag with a hole in the corner.
Anna nodded her response as she watched the rain soaked grass cover her new black heels. The closer she got to the walkway leading to the porch the more she smelled sage and mint leaves. Another smile fell across her features. “Maw-maw?” Grace whispered lazily into Anna’s coal hair. She patted her daughters chocolate locks.
The porch steps yawned beneath her weight. Her shoe scuffed the left corner of the bottom step. The splintery railing left a pick in her favorite blue blouse. “Place needs a little work, don’t you think?” Anna sighed as she looked over her soon-to-be herb garden box.
“Maybe a little, but ain’t it grand?”
“It’s wonderful, darling.”
James put the small brown bag at the edge of the porch before he pulled open the screen door, fished the keys from his grey slacks, and unlocked the door. He pushed it open and held the screen for Anna and Grace before he grabbed the bag and step over the threshold. The light hardwood floors creaked with each of her steps.
“Our girl is tuckered out from the drive,” Anna laughed while Grace drooled a little.
James smiled as he sat the bag on the floor and the kitchen box on the table. “Give her here.” He reached for his daughter while Anna awkwardly tried to remove her grip. He laughed as she settled in his arms. “Her room is the third door on the right upstairs. You wanna see?”
The two-story Victorian had a wrap-around porch that she’d always dreamed of—she almost heard the boards squeaking under her bare feet as she danced across them under a perfect star filled summer night—and a balcony protruded from the French windows leading to the master bedroom. Anna glimpsed a ghost of her future taking her morning coffee on that balcony while her husband stuck his nose in the morning stock exchange. She could see window seats on both the first and second floors—perfect for bedtime stories on cloudless nights with her daughter, Grace. There were plants of all shapes and sizes, colors and fragrances lingering in the front yard begging to be tended. The massive trees casted most of the yard in shadow, which she considered to be absolutely divine for summer reading weather. Anna couldn’t see the back yard beyond the off white picket fence encircling the property, but she had a feeling that her beautiful two-year old daughter would have plenty of running room there.
James Wade took his wife’s delicate hand and laced his fingers with hers. She didn’t pull away for the first time since his suggested the move, three months ago. His brilliant idea of moving brought a lot of flak since Anna never ventured far from her mother, which must’ve been why Mrs. Jones didn’t understand the principle of boundaries when it came to her little girl. The woman didn’t seem to grasp the concept of her daughter as a married woman. James always thought that his wife was too coddled as a child, and even more overly babied as an adult. Anna needed space and time away from her mother, in his opinion, so she could be the mother and the wife her family needed. The interference on Mrs. Jones’ part often enraged James Wade.
He pushed his heavy thoughts of Anna’s mother far from his mind as he watched her face. Her eyes were wide with splendor as she took in the house. His favorite part about the house was the upstairs study he’d already planned to work from when he wasn’t heading to the city to handle his business affairs, and the vastness of the room would offer more privacy. The large picture window grasped the treetops of the evergreens and the horizon; James imagined himself pulling the curtains open while his coffee steamed the glass.
“Oh, it is perfect,” Anna sighed.
The car jolted to a stop causing Grace to start wiggling. She stretched her little arms and legs as she sat up in the backseat. Anna reached over the front seat and tickled her daughter’s sock covered feet. Grace giggled through a yawn before giving her Mary-Ann styled shoes to her mother so she could unbuckle them, slip them on Grace’s feet, and buckle them again.
“What color should we paint your room, darling?” Anna asked as she fixed the first buckle.
“Purple.” Grace stretched her foot to her mother’s hand.
“Let’s go see it, now,” Anna smiled brightly. She opened her car door to the scent of honeysuckle and damp leaves filled the car. Roses and tulips swirled around Anna’s nose. She held her daughter on one hip as she slammed the car door.
“I’ll bring a few things in now and the rest after the ground tour, alright?” James lifted a box labeled ‘kitchen – fragile’ and a small, faded chocolate bag with a hole in the corner.
Anna nodded her response as she watched the rain soaked grass cover her new black heels. The closer she got to the walkway leading to the porch the more she smelled sage and mint leaves. Another smile fell across her features. “Maw-maw?” Grace whispered lazily into Anna’s coal hair. She patted her daughters chocolate locks.
The porch steps yawned beneath her weight. Her shoe scuffed the left corner of the bottom step. The splintery railing left a pick in her favorite blue blouse. “Place needs a little work, don’t you think?” Anna sighed as she looked over her soon-to-be herb garden box.
“Maybe a little, but ain’t it grand?”
“It’s wonderful, darling.”
James put the small brown bag at the edge of the porch before he pulled open the screen door, fished the keys from his grey slacks, and unlocked the door. He pushed it open and held the screen for Anna and Grace before he grabbed the bag and step over the threshold. The light hardwood floors creaked with each of her steps.
“Our girl is tuckered out from the drive,” Anna laughed while Grace drooled a little.
James smiled as he sat the bag on the floor and the kitchen box on the table. “Give her here.” He reached for his daughter while Anna awkwardly tried to remove her grip. He laughed as she settled in his arms. “Her room is the third door on the right upstairs. You wanna see?”
♠ ♠ ♠
I forgot to post the extra chapters I've written