Sprucing up Chicago

2. Meetings

This story isn't mine ALL credits to Katieverse on ArchiveOfOurOwn.org

The following week passed in a blink, and before Sylvie knew it, it was Thursday, and she was driving to Christie Casey's office. Even after several days, her parent's surprise still seemed surreal to her.

Sprucing up Chicago had been her favorite HGTV show even before Sylvie had moved to the city, and maybe it had also influenced her decision on the choice of her new home. Not that she had moved to Chicago because the show took place here. No, the show had only influenced her decision by showing her how diverse and beautiful the windy city was.

It was actually her aunt Anne, her mother's sister, who had infected her with her love for Chicago. Her aunt had studied at the University of Chicago, something that Sylvie had also wanted to do when she was younger, but once her dream changed into becoming a paramedic, she had lost sight of the city. Of course, there had also been several other factors that had been incorporated into her decision to choose a college closer to home, and she didn't regret a single one.

It had all led her to be the person she was now, and she wouldn't want to change it for the world. If she had gone to Chicago, she would have never gotten Lexi, and a life without Lexi by her side seemed unimaginable. It wasn't something Sylvie ever wanted to think about. Her little girl was a beautiful ray of sunshine in her life, and the paramedic loved every minute.

A smile spread over Sylvie's face as she parked her car on the street right in front of Christie's house. Peter had offered to watch Lexi for her appointment, arguing that it would be easier for Sylvie to concentrate when her little whirlwind wasn't talking up a storm or getting herself into trouble. The two of them had gone to the park, and Sylvie had promised to join them for ice cream later.

Shaking her head, Sylvie unbuckled herself and stepped out of the car. Her focus immediately shifted back to her appointment as she took in the house in front of her. Christie Casey lived in Lincoln Park, and logically, Sylvie knew it was one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Chicago. The houses were just a bit more pretentious, but the neighborhood was also supposedly one of the safest and family friendliest.

The house was just down N Lincoln Avenue and a couple of blocks down from Lincoln Park. The entire street had been lined with newly renovated red brick houses, and Christie's house had the same look. The two-story house looked modern with large, black windows and a small porch in front of the entranceway. The stairs that led up to the front door had a black iron railing that matched the fence around the small front yard.

Swallowing nervously, Sylvie grabbed her purse and locked her car before she made her way towards the house. As she walked up the stairs, she brushed her hands down her jeans to get rid of the excessive moisture. There was no reason to be nervous. Today was just a friendly exchange about what to expect in the next couple of weeks, but somehow it still freaked her out.

Seconds after the paramedic had rung the doorbell, Christie appeared on the other side of the glass door, opening it with a wide smile on her face.

"Sylvie, hey. Thank you for coming over," Christie greeted her, gesturing for Sylvie to step inside. "Please come in. You can leave your shoes on if you want."

"Hey, thank you for having me," Sylvie answered as she stepped inside. The inside was just as beautiful as the outside of the house, and she had to stop her mouth from falling open.

"Why don't we go into the kitchen? Matt's running a bit late. He's picking up my daughter from her ballet class, but he should be here soon," Christie told her as she closed the door behind Sylvie, pointing down the hallway.

"No worries. I know life with kids can be unpredictable sometimes," Sylvie waved her off with a knowing smile, walking down the hallway. "Lexi has the unique ability to dawdle whenever it's time to go. And I hate being late. Usually, I'm always at least five minutes early."