Chasing Mr. Carlton ( The story of a Shrew's Son)

Part 7

"Wow- it's only 7pm, don't tell me your drunk already?" Bobby said, picking up a call from Matt on a Sunday.

"Of course not but... You may hear from me later. I was hoping you could meet me." He said with a chuckle in his voice.

"Meet you???" She asked.

"Yes- on the Upper East side- In half an hour." He said.

"I doubt I could make it there in half an hour." She mumbled.

"I'll text you the address." He said, hanging up in his usual fashion.

"Damn it." She muttered- why did he always assume she had nothing better to do? Still she was smiling as she grabbed her keys.

The address was actually quite easy to find and she recognized Matt's car immediately as she pulled up to the drive way. This house... She knew this house.

"Hey." Matt said with a knock on her window, startling her.

"Damn it, you know I hate that." She said and he grinned, opening her door so she could get out.

"Come on." He said, moving towards the front. "You know this house, right?"

"I've seen it before- it's your parent's house." She said, looking up. "But I've never been inside."

"It's been pretty much locked up for years. It's practically empty." He said as they walked up the stairs.

"It's dark." She muttered as she held the door open behind her while Matt fumbled around for the light switch.

"Got it." He said, the lights of the large room coming on brightly.

Bobby looked around amazed- this house was incredible. Just incredible. Without really thinking she began to move around the room.

"This is the house you grew up in?" She asked, unbelieving. It was so big, so... Grand.

"Yeah- until we were 12... More or less." Matt said, looking around. "Then we got the big house."

Bobby tried not to laugh. She'd seen their home in Palisades... It was a giant mansion but there was something about this house that just blew her away. The palisades home was impressive, it took up 12,000 square ft, not including the gardens or pool. It was styled like a country home and had been the venue for many parties and events so far. This house was much smaller, although it had more floors, but it was pure elegance... Like an art museum, a lavish oasis in the big city.

"To me, this is a big house." She said with a shake of the head. "I thought you said it was empty."

She looked at the furniture scattered about.

"Well, all of this is going to an estate sale." He replied, watching Bobby. She looked like a little girl at Disney world, so impressed and delighted by everything.

"Don't tell me they're selling the house?" She asked, turning to look at him in horror.

"No. Dad is always talking about it but Mom can't stand the idea. It is our first home, after all, and it was the first house she bought." Matt said.

"I wouldn't want to part with it either." She said. "I can understand that it must be hard letting go of a home."

Matt frowned.

"Was it hard leaving Texas?" He asked, realizing he'd never heard the story. Bobby sighed.

"Nope." She said simply as she continued to glance around the room.

"Nope?" He asked.

"No." She said, turning to him. "It wasn't."

Matt rolled his eyes.