Before You Go [N.H]

6.3 - Celebration - Homeowner

Niall's POV

'Deo! Haven't seen you in a while! Where've you been bud?' I ask him as he just came home while I'm having breakfast alone.

'You've been too busy with your girlfriend.'

'You're the one coming home at 10 AM.'

'Don't get thick about it! I'm only codding ya! I've just been busy with work and crashing at Conor's cause it's closer to where the new project is.'

'Oh okay. Speaking of projects! I just got a message that the new house is done.'

'Done? Already?'

'Yeah I mean all the walls are repainted, the doors and glasses were changed. The fence and the security system updated. It still needs furnishing and I do plan on taking my time with that.'

'Oh okay, good! What are you planning on doing with it? The renovations are done. You're not planning on moving in any time soon. Why not invest? Rent it.'

'I bought this house because I feel like I'm getting old enough that the idea of settling down with someone is becoming more and more credible. And I don't know when that will happen. It could be any time now. Or it could take a few years... I don't know... I don't have any control over that. But what I do have control over is the property. I bought the house because it was at a good price and in a good suburban neighbourhood. But even if I might not have any use for it in the immediate future, I don't really see anyone else living in it while it's mine. I don't know. Maybe finish it and use it as a weekend house? I mean I love living in the city. But It gets busy and loud. And a flat tends to get a bit suffocating. At least there I have a backyard. We could invite everyone, do a barbecue! I don't know...'

'Yeah, I guess you could do that too. At least I'll have the place for myself for a while!'

'Hey! I spent an entire week at Lucy's! It's not my fault if you weren't here to enjoy having the place for yourself!'

'Fair enough!' He laughs.

'I'm ready! When are you coming to pick me up?' I silently read the text I just received from Lucy.

'Leaving now!' I reply.

'I gotta go!' I say in a mouthful emptying the last of my cereal.

'Where to? I thought we could watch the game together.' Deo asks.

'The game isn't until tonight! I'll be back before then. I'm showing Luce the house.'

'Why?' He asks suspiciously.

'Because I want to. Not because I'm asking her to move in with me. Not now anyway. Maybe somewhere down the line.'

'Yeah, we'll see about that. I have the feeling it's not as far away as you like to pretend it is.'

'Whatever. See ya later!'

I grab my stuff and then pick up Lucy from her flat. We drive for another hour before we get to the house. I haven't exactly told her what we're doing today. I just told her to get ready and that I'll be picking her up as soon as I'm done with breakfast.

'Niall? Whose house is this?' She asks as we walk through what I think will be one of the two living room.

'Mine.'

'Huh?'

'Yeah. I bought it around a year ago. I was going through some stuff. Everyone called me crazy for doing it. But at the time it felt like everything I built was crumbling apart. It felt like I wasn't going anywhere. And that I don't have any future. So this was a way to keep me grounded. Something substantial, that will make me feel like I have something to look forward to... that someday I'll settle down with someone and that we'll live here.'