The Christmas House (11 page)

     Arianna felt strange at that moment. She felt as if this was Wanda’s house and not her own. She realized it would take some time to adjust to her new surroundings but felt odd nonetheless. As she gazed around the room and caught a glimpse of the dining room and foyer, she thought of Martha. How wonderful that old woman was to sell them this wonderful house for next to nothing as compared to the actual value. She smiled and sipped her tea as she turned and looked out the window overlooking the backyard. David was perched on the small bridge that spanned over a brook and overlooked a tree. He was focused on the nest that sat in the tree and held the baby birds he mentioned earlier. She smiled to herself and thought of the momma bird that surely must be as delighted and happy with her new family as Arianna was with hers.
Nicole, Michael, David, Jack and Wanda.

July 23rd

148 Festive Lane

7:35 a.m.

     Michael kissed Arianna and Nicole good-bye as he was on his way to drop David off at summer camp and then off to the job site.

   
The last few months had been hectic at the Carter residence. Michael spent most of his time working at both, home and the job site, while Arianna was busy caring for Nicole and David.

     Jack and Wanda remained a constant support channel for the Carters. Michael felt very obligated to the both of them. If they only knew how little money Michael actually had left after the major repairs made to the house and substantial monthly mortgage payments, they would be amazed. Even with their financial and moral support, Michael was running out of funds quickly and with the exception of a few minor improvements, the house was still far from being completed.

  
As the sun shined brightly through the kitchen windows, Arianna poured herself a cup of coffee and sat at the table making out a list of what she needed to do this day. Nicole was in her playpen positioned near the fireplace in the family room. A television played in the background. Just shy of being three months old, Nicole couldn’t understand what a television was, but she sure did like the movement of the pretty colors on the screen as she stared at it undaunted for several minutes at a time.

     Arianna finished her list. “Laundry, grocery shopping,
bring
a few more boxes up from the basement, take Nicole for a stroll, etc. Sounds like some really boring stuff for a grown woman to have to do all day long,” she thought to herself. She decided that the most important chore on the list was for her to take Nicole out for a stroll before it got too hot outside. The weather in the Chicago-land area was extremely
hot even for July. The high today was forecasted to be in the high 90’s for the 6th day in a row. Michael refused to use an air conditioner at the house for two reasons. First of all, due to the additional cost air conditioning would generate but more importantly he was concerned that the wiring that was yet to be replaced in the house would not handle the increased power demand from a window air conditioner. The house did not have central air, but Michael planned on installing an air conditioning unit when he replaced the old furnace in the basement.

             
Grabbing her keys and a bottle of juice for Nicole, she was ready to get the stroller out of the garage. She lifted Nicole up out of the playpen and walked out to the garage.

     The heat in the garage was unbearable as the overhead door opened after Arianna pushed the switch on the wall. She reached to turn on the overhead light but nothing happens.

“Project 224: install a new light switch for the garage.”

     As Arianna pushed the stroller down the street, she wished they had enough money for a second car. Michael could really use a pick up truck for work and side jobs, and she needed a car to get around for the kids and hopefully a job in the near future. Taking the bus everywhere or walking was getting to be a pain. She waited for Michael to get home from work so she could use the car to go shopping at least 3 times a week. Lake Forest did not exactly have a convenient store on every corner. It was a good 2-mile walk to just get milk and bread. She sighed and realized that another car was out of the question, especially right now.

     As the sun beat down on Arianna and the stroller, Nicole started to cry. The heat was just too much for her today. There was only a light breeze in the air and the temperature was already in the high 80’s. Arianna decided to make this a short walk and go back to the house where she could at least be out of the sun. She would talk to Michael this evening about another car. “Hopefully he’s in a good mood,” she said to herself.

July 23rd

Later that same day

5:30 p.m.

     As the heat from this summer day continued to fill the house, Arianna tried to remain cool by sitting in front of a fan and sipping ice water. Nicole was finally asleep in her playpen and seemed content. Michael would be home any minute after having picked David up from camp. Arianna was going over in her head all of the reasons why they must have an additional car. “It will help you work more efficiently Michael. It will allow you to do more side jobs so much easier Michael. It will make it easier for you to pick up parts and materials for the house Michael,” she stopped for a moment. “And it will make my life a heck of a lot easier too!” and she laughed out loud.

     She heard the car pull up in the driveway and the time of reckoning was here. She took a drink of her ice water as if it was 120 proof
whiskey
and slammed the glass down on the kitchen counter. Michael and David walked into the kitchen from the doorway off the garage.

     “Honey, we have to get another car!” Michael stated firmly.

     “What?” asked Arianna in
amazement.

     “This running around and getting David, no offense David (as he rubs his head), is getting out of control.  I could have worked overtime today and made some extra money, but instead I had to leave. If you took this car and I was to get a pick up truck, things would be much easier
don’t
you think?” he asked.

     “Well, Michael, I don’t know...” was her coy response.

     “Think about it. You could have the car to run errands that you now have to put off until I come home. You can’t take Nicole to the park now because it’s just too far. You could do that with the car. You could also do the shopping and what if you get a part time job? What then? How are you going to get to and from work? And in the 14-foot snows that hit this area at least twice a month! No way, not my wife. I will not have you walking barefoot 8 miles in 20-foot snowdrifts just to get to work! No way. We are getting a truck,” Michael stated without hesitation.

     “8 miles in bare feet huh?” asked Arianna.

      Michael smiled back, “Well, what do you think?
Seriously?”

     “Michael I would love nothing more than to have the use of a car during the day,
but can we afford it?” she asked.

     “Honey, we can’t afford to live here but somehow we are doing it,” responded Michael.

     “Then let’s go out tonight and look for a used pick up that will serve your purposes for work,” she replied.

     “I think that’s a good idea. Oh, boy a new air conditioned truck!” Michael exclaimed.

     “New? Air-conditioned? The car doesn't have air conditioning Michael. No way are you going to be riding around all day in the luxury of a new truck with air conditioning, while I am driving that old beat up piece of garbage!” she blasted back.

    
“Piece of garbage?
A minute ago you would have sold our daughter for that old piece of garbage!” he shouted back.

     “Well that was still when you were going to be driving this old beat up truck with no air conditioning and fuzzy dice in the window!” and she started to laugh.

     Michael laughed as well and walked up to her and hugged her tightly. “I love you Arianna. What do you say we get the kids to bed early and ya know...
”
(
as
he raised his eyebrows)

    
“In this heat?
Have you lost your mind!” she replied as she pushed him away.

     “Well, if you would let me get air conditioning in the truck that would solve that problem wouldn’t it!” Michael replied.

    
“Michael in the truck?
Why I never... well there was that once... was that with you?” and she smiled.

    
“Brat!
You wait, you are gonna get it,” he responded as he moved toward her.

     “Promises, promises!” she said as she started to run away from Michael who started to chase her. He tackled her as she made it to the family room. They fell to the floor next to the playpen where Nicole was sleeping.

     “Quiet Michael, you are going to wake the baby,” Arianna said in a hushed voice.

     “Too late, she’s up,” said Michael as they both looked at the playpen and saw Nicole smiling and gurgling.

     “Well, now that she is up, we might as well all eat and then take a drive over to the
dealership to see what’s available in a 'used' truck,” said Arianna.

     Michael jumped up and volunteered to barbecue some hot dogs and burgers on the grill. Arianna was happy to let him, for it was much too hot to be cooking inside of the house.

     After dinner they all hopped in the car and drove over to Evanston, where there were several car dealerships. After hours of looking and negotiating, they returned home empty handed and with the following revelation.

     “We’re broke,” said Michael.

    
“Did you hear what that one guy said about my credit history? “
Buddy, your credit is so bad I couldn’t sell you a car if you paid cash
!
Ha, ha, very funny...wise guy!”

    
“Michael, what are we going to do? We not only need a car, but we still have so much work to do on this house. I see the bills piling up. We are just falling further and further behind. We have to do something. What about a home equity loan? There is a ton of equity in the house,” Arianna asked.

     “Hon, what do you expect me to do; use the equity loan to make the mortgage payment and then have to make the equity loan payment as well? We would only be stealing from Peter to pay Paul,” Michael responded.

     “I know that Michael, but it would at least buy us some time,” she replied.

    
“Time for what?
A slow and painful death?”
Michael stated.

    
He then looked over to David and said, “Why don’t you go up to your room and watch TV for a while before bed David. Your mother and I need to discuss a few things.”

     David agreed and left the room.

     Arianna looked at Michael and said, “I don’t like where this is going Michael.”

    
“I was trying to do everything I possibly could to avoid having to do this, but I see no other choice. We have to sell this house,” Michael replied.

     Arianna sat down at the kitchen table and shook her head.

    
“I know honey. You have tried so hard to make this work. I guess we are just in over our heads.”

     “It
’
s not like I don’t make decent money, but I just can’t seem to make enough!” Michael said in an angry tone.

     “I know Michael. But our promise to Martha will be broken.”

     “Honey, the last time I saw Martha was at the hospital the day Nicole was born. We haven’t heard from her since. I am sure she would understand our circumstances. Believe me I am not doing this to profit from Martha’s generosity. I am doing it to avoid having to file bankruptcy and thus lose the house regardless,” he replied.

     “What are we going to do with the extra money we get from the sale? We already know we can sell the property for 10 times what we paid for it,” she asked.

     “Well, maybe we can find a buyer that will try to restore the house like we wanted to?” Michael said.

     Arianna looked around and saw walls knocked down and flooring ripped up and remembered the 225 things there are to do on the “to do” list. She replied to Michael, “You have got to be joking right?”

     Michael also looked around and realized he was dreaming.

    
“Yeah, I guess you are right. This place is in worse shape now than it was when we bought it.” 

    
“Maybe we should just get our money back and give the rest to Martha. It is really hers, not ours,” Arianna suggested.

     “I thought about that too, but I doubt that she would take it. Besides, I don’t think I could look that sweet old lady straight in the eye without feeling totally humiliated for letting her down like this,” Michael said.

     “Okay, then how about this. We only take back the money we spent on this house for the purchase and the few improvements we have made. We take the balance and give it to charity. Michael, I cannot live in a life of luxury knowing that money is not rightfully ours and neither can you, whether you realize that right now or not,” Arianna stated.