The Christmas House Read online

  “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.

  “You’re right. I wouldn’t be happy either. I wanted to make it on my own. It was hard enough accepting her reduced selling price. I can’t take the profits from the sale of this house and live with myself. Okay, profits to charity and our money back to us, so we can get a nice house in a less posh, but still nice suburb. We can surely find a house for around $140,000.00 that will be just perfect and the taxes won’t be $2500.00 a month,” Michael said.

  “Agreed,” said Arianna.

  As they got up from the kitchen table, Arianna started to cry. Michael hugged her tightly and shed a tear himself.

  “I know this house is a real dump, but I still love it to death,” she said.

  “I know honey, so do I,” said Michael.

  They shut off the lights as they went through the house. Arianna picked up Nicole and walked upstairs to the baby’s room. Michael closed and locked the front door. He was tired and despondent. He would be happy to give up the profits of the property just to relief some of his stress created by the financial burden that also came along with it.

  ****************************************

  The Following Morning

  July 24th

  8:00 a.m.

  “Esposito Real Estate Brokers, how can I help you?” said the voice on the other end of the phone.

  Michael replied (from the phone in the kitchen, as he sat at the kitchen table), “I would like to sell my house.”

  The receptionist of the real estate office replied, “One moment please, and I will have someone assist you right away. Please hang on.”

  Michael continued to drink his coffee and waited. After several minutes of “on-hold” music, he was greeted in the following manner.

  “This is Thomas Clark, I understand you would like to sell your property?”

  “Yes, I need to put my home up on the market and sell it as soon as possible,” Michael replied.

  “Well we will do our best Mr.?” Thomas asked.

  “It’s Mr. Carter, but you can call me Michael,” he replied.

  “Okay, Michael. Where exactly is this property located?”

  “The address is 148 Festive Lane in Lake Forest.” He said to Thomas.

  There was a silence on the other end of the phone. “Hello, are you there?”

  “Uh...yes, I’m still here. Did you say 148 Festive Lane?” Thomas asked.

  “Yes, that’s correct.” Michael responded.

  Thomas could not believe his ears. This was the same property that crazy old lady asked him to sell just six months earlier.

  “So, you’re the party that purchased the property from that strange old bird, Martha Kennedy right?” Thomas asked.

  “Yes, that’s right. She is a sweet old lady and gave us the opportunity of a lifetime with the deal she extended to us for this property, but I just can’t afford to maintain it,” Michael replied.

  “Guess you should have torn it down and built some thing new, like most of the interested buyers I brought to the property wanted to do,” Thomas replied smugly

  “You have been here before Mr. Clark?” asked Michael.

  “Yes, I was one of many Realtors that represented Martha when she first put the property up for sale. She had this off the wall idea that someone would purchase the home
, fix it up and live there forever. (He laughed out loud) What kind of idiot would do that?”

  “Well, to be perfectly honest Mr. Clark, I am that kind of idiot,” Michael replied.

  “Oh sorry about that. I thought you bought the property as an investment and you we’re having problems maintaining it because of lack of time,” Thomas replied.

  “Don’t apologize Mr. Clark. The problem ‘is’ a lack of time, but more so a lack of money. I was an idiot thinking I could fix this place up on my income. I must have been dreaming,” Michael responded.

  “Out of curiosity, if you don’t mind me asking, what did you end up paying for the property? $2.1, $2.2?” Thomas asked.

  “$200,000.00,” replied Michael but heard no response from Thomas.

  “Hello? Are you there Mr. Clark?” Michael asked.

  Finally, after taking several deep breaths, Thomas answered.

  “Yes Michael I am here. I am just completely floored by what you just said. $200,000 dollars! I just can’t believe it. You do realize what that property is valued at don’t you?

  “Yes Mr. Clark, I am fully aware of what the value of this property is estimated at,” Michael said.

  “You’re going to make a very handsome profit Mr. Carter,” replied Thomas and continued.

  “What do you say I drop by in about 20 minutes to sign the listing papers and go over the marketing criteria for the property?”

  “I guess that would be fine Mr. Clark. I’ve got the day off due to waiting for some materials to show up at a job site, so I am available until I hear that they have arrived.”

  “Great,” replied Thomas. “See you in about 20 minutes then.”

  Michael said good-bye and hung up the phone. He started to question his decision to sell the house for a profit regardless of the fact that he would give the proceeds to charity. He thought about the comment Thomas made in reference to Martha being a “strange old bird”. In Michael and Arianna’s opinion, Martha wasn’t strange or crazy the way that Thomas implied. She was good hearted and kind.

  Michael didn’t want to break his promise to Martha if he could help it. He would have to talk to Thomas about the conditions of the sale.

  **********************************************

  Meanwhile after hanging up with Michael, Thomas made another quick phone call.

  “Cesario Developers, this is Tony,” answered the person on the other end.

  “Mr. Cesario, this is Thomas Clark over at Esposito Real Estate Brokers. You had shown interest in a property I was showing about 6 months ago. I was calling to see if there may still be an interest at this time?”

  “That would depend on which property you are talking about now wouldn’t Mr. Clark?” Mr. Cesario responded.

  “148 Festive Lane in Lake Forest. That beat up old house on four-acres of prime real estate. Do you remember it?” Thomas asked.

  “Remember it? Ha, I offered that nutty old lady four times the asking price for the land and she turned me down flat. What happened, couldn’t she find a buyer and now she’s ready to deal?” Tony asked.

  “No, actually she did sell the property, however the current owner is in way over his head and has to sell due to financial problems,” Thomas replied.

  “Hmm. Sounds like a desperate seller. What do you think I can purchase the property for?” he asked.

  “Well, that depends pretty much on what I tell the seller he should ask for,” Thomas replied. “I could tell him to ask for the full asking price of $2.3 million again, or...”

  “Or, you could tell him to ask for, let’s say $1.8 million and then I would give you $200,000 dollars for your efforts and thus you would have saved me $300,000 on the total deal. Something to that effect Mr. Clark?” Tony asked.

  “Yes, something to that effect Mr. Cesario,” replied Thomas.

  “Okay, let’s say I meet you over at the property in around thirty minutes. We can work out the terms after the seller accepts my offer. I won’t screw you out of your share Mr. Clark. I can be trusted when it comes to a swindle.”

  “See you in about thirty minutes Mr. Cesario. Nice doing business with you,” Thomas said as he hung up the phone.

  148 Festive Lane

  8:30 a.m.

  About twenty-five minutes passed since Thomas talked with Michael as he pulled into the driveway at 148 Festive Lane. He got out of his car and walked up the front walkway and knocked on the storm door.

  “Hello? Anybody home?”

  With Nicole in her arms, Arianna came to the door.

  “Can I help you?”

  “Hi, I’m Thomas Clark from Esposito Real Estate Brokers. I believe your husband called and asked that I stop over. Are you Mrs. Carter?” he asked.

  “Yes I am. My husband called you?” she asked.

  “Yes, Mrs. Carter. It was about 30 minutes ago,” Thomas replied.

  Michael, covered in paint chips, suddenly appeared at the door behind Arianna.

  “Mr. Clark? Sorry about that, I was upstairs scraping some walls. Please, come in.”

  Arianna looked at Michael in a strange manner. It was obvious she had no knowledge that Michael already called a Realtor. She realized that they talked about selling the house the night before, but she didn’t expect that Michael would list it the very next day.

  “Michael, are you sure about this?” Arianna asked.

  “It’s the only choice we have Arianna, but I am going to see if Mr. Clark can sell the house and still allow us to satisfy our commitment to Martha,” Michael whispered to her so Thomas would not hear.

  Thomas entered the foyer and looked toward the dining room area where the walls were stripped of the ugly flocked wallpaper. Unfortunately, several massive holes and rotted wooden lathes used to support plaster walls in older homes were now in plain full.

  Michael saw Thomas looking at the walls.

  “When I ripped down the old paper some of the wall came with it. A little plaster here and there, and it will be as good as new.”

  Thomas looked at Michael and raised his eyebrows.

  “Well, it really doesn’t matter what kind of shape the house is in. The new owner will tear it down and build a brand new home here regardless. It’s the property that is worth a decent amount of money, not this decrepit old house.”

  Arianna was taking Thomas’s comments personally and could not hold back her anger.

  “Listen, Mr. Clark, we love this decrepit old house. And we still live here, so mind your manners.”

  “Sorry Miss Kennedy, er... I mean Mrs. Carter. I didn’t mean to offend you personally. I am just being realistic,” Thomas said with a snide grin.

  Michael could see the tension in Arianna’s face and intervened.

  “Why don’t we sit down and calmly discuss what you have in mind Mr. Clark.”

  As Thomas walked over to the Carter’s glass and marble dining room set, he pulled out one of the upholstered chairs and sat down.

  “First of all, I need you to sign this listing contract Mr. and Mrs. Carter,” and he slid it under Michael’s face.

  Michael stopped for a moment.

  “Let’s discuss the conditions of the sale first Mr. Clark. I may only be a simple carpenter, but I don’t sign anything without reading it over and consulting my attorney first.”

  “What’s there to discuss Michael? You list your house with me. I sell your house for the acceptable amount that you have agreed to, you pay me 7% commission and we all walk away with a little more money in our pockets. What could be better? Here’s a pen,” Thomas said as he handed Michael a pen and urged him to sign.

  “Wait a minute Mr. Clark. You don’t seem to understand. It’s not that simple. You see, my wife and I promised Martha that if for any reason we were forced to sell this house we would try our very best to resell it to someone, who like us, wanted to fix it up and live here,” Michael stated.

  “You have got to be pulling my leg?” said Thomas.

  “Are you people as crazy as she is?
You can sell this house for ten times what you paid for it. I have a buyer on his way over here right now that will make you a very generous offer. I suggest you accept it and get your life back, before it’s too late.”

  “A buyer? On the way here already?” asked Arianna.

  “No wonder you are in such a hurry to have us sign this listing contract. A couple of signatures and 10 minutes later, you pocket a nice little commission. Isn’t that right Mr. Clark?”

  “Hey lady, your husband said he needed to sell this property as soon as possible. I didn’t waste anytime getting a buyer set up. You can’t blame me for that. I am just doing my job.” Thomas stated.

  Michael stood up and leaned over Thomas. He calmly said, “Mr. Clark, if you ever talk to my wife like that again I will shove this pen down your throat and then use your body as a sledge hammer to take down that wall over there. Do you understand me?”

  “I apologize Michael. I was only explaining how I was just doing as you requested,” Thomas responded.

  “Shall we continue with our conversation in a civil and orderly fashion?” Michael asked.

  “Yes, Mr. Carter. That would be fine sir,” Thomas replied.

  As Michael and Arianna explained to Thomas how they really must at least attempt to sell the house according to the wishes Martha requested, Thomas was trying to act as if he was truly interested and concerned. They talked for many minutes and Thomas was getting nervous that Mr. Cesario would show up before the listing contract was signed.

  After a few more minutes of pleading their case to Thomas, Arianna said.

  “Now, you can either accept our terms for the sale of this house or we will find another Realtor. Or maybe we will just offer the house to your buyer ourselves. Buyers don’t sign agreements, only the seller. Your buyer can purchase from us on a direct basis and we could save him from paying your commission. Would that be better for you Mr. Clark, or can we at least try it our way for a few weeks first?”

  “I guess, a few weeks wouldn’t hurt. I still think you are both being unrealistic, but if that’s what you want to do, then so be it,” Thomas replied.