Contract With the Devil

Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

          David drove to Naperville then around the neighborhood before pulling up to the house. He got out, put the code in the lock then opened the door. Angel burst through the door going to look for a room for DJ. David took his time starting with the first floor. Everything was white. Floors, walls, cabinets, drapes. He could imagine the furniture had been white too. He stood against one wall and tried to imagine color everywhere. He walked to a rear door, opened and walked onto a spacious deck. Looking up he saw a deck outside double glass doors. A door in the kitchen led to a partial finished basement.

          David started up the spiral stair case and heard his son cooing. He found him in the hall in his pumpkin seat with his mother and sister nowhere in sight. Picking up DJ he followed the sounds of Angel’s laughter. He found her in a room painted pink with a window seat that doubled as a toy chest. A valance over the window was stenciled with dolls of all nations as was a matching boarder in the middle of one wall. It had a built in desk and book case. The carpet was burgundy as was the door to the closet. He looked in the closet and found a walk-in with double racks on each side.

          “Angel, I thought you were looking for a bedroom for DJ.”

          “I was daddy but I came in here and found my room first. Maybe mommy has found a room for DJ. “

          I passed a two tone blue room with cars and trucks on the boarder around the top of the walls. The carpet was navy blue and looked like a little boy had had happy times in here. There was another walk-in closet and three match box cars. I smiled as I went to find DJ. His mother was holding and rocking him in a master suite that made me pause. The online pictures did not do this room justice. Double doors led to the deck I saw from below. The previous owner had left two wicker rocking chairs and a large round table. He walked onto the deck and looked out at a   field of small trees. He could imagine the flowers that grew there in the summer. He went back inside, checked the master bath and was impressed. Finally he sat next to Quiana on the floor. DJ looked across his mother’s shoulder and gave him a sleepy smile. He rubbed his son’s head and said, “DJ your daddy found you a bedroom since the women in your life will leave you sleeping in the hall.” Quiana smiled and laid her head over on the baby. “I wasn’t worried. I know DJ’s daddy will always look out for him.” David stroked Quiana’s face. “For DJ’s mother too.” Quiana  shifted to the floor and handed the baby to his father. Not sure what to say David took the baby then went to check two other bedrooms. Going back down stairs he checked the den again and finally the family room. It was a big house and would more than meet his family’s needs. If Quiana left him in two months this house would be extra lonely.      

                                                              

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          I continued to stare at the ceiling and listen to the sounds of my children. It was an echo sound that would be absorbed once the house was filled with furniture. I had never visited a house this magnificent. David was the only black man I had known to be able to buy a house like this. Looking around the house and the neighborhood as we drove up, I knew DJ and Angel would be safe here. I did wish however I had not elected to come here. It was time to leave and the memories were going to be hard enough. Now I would wonder how he had decorated each room. If the children were happy here? Had a clever woman managed to come into his life and replace all memories of me? Just the thought made me angry. I stood up and walked out the master bedroom, turning to give it one final look. I had sat on the floor and placed furniture in my mind. Closing my eyes, I could imagine the love we could have made in this room. Sitting on the deck talking and sharing in the evening would have been wonderful. I could imagine just opening the double doors after serving David breakfast in bed. 

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          David saw something he had missed before. Walking to the other end of the deck he realized it was a cottage.  Holding DJ closer, he walked to the cottage and found the identical coded lock as the front door. Entering the same code, the lock opened and he opened the door. It was like a life size doll house. There were four rooms including two bedrooms. He imagined fixing it up for Grans or a live-in sitter. He had thought it was part of the next door property but now realized it belonged to this property. There was enough room on the other side for a regular pool. He straightened his back. This was war. His family would live in this house. His son would live here full time. His wife would love him with her whole heart. She would have a successful business. Oh, yea, and he wanted another baby too. This was war and he would show her Devil. He looked at his baby who gave him a big smile and pulled his ear. “Daddy loves you DJ. I will love your mother until the day I die.” He said softly in his son’s ear making him laugh.