Chapter3: Part 1

My house used to be an old farmhouse, surrounded by vast fields. However, over time, newer houses sprung up around it, forming a neighborhood of more modern homes, built within the last fifty years, located on the outskirts of Denver.

Upon entering my house through the narrow walls adorned with beautiful stained glass, you'd find yourself in a spacious living room that stretched along the front of the house. On the right side, there were sliding inset glass doors leading to what used to be a dining room or den, but now it remained empty, devoid of any furniture or purpose. On the left side, a swinging doorway revealed a sizable kitchen.

Moving upstairs, you'd find three bedrooms. One of them was somewhat small, and I decided to convert it into my office space. Additionally, there was a massive bathroom upstairs as well.

Before my father allowed me to move in, he insisted on installing a new bathroom with the help of his buddy Rick. According to him, the old bathtub was perilously close to collapsing through the floor. I initially thought he was exaggerating, possibly due to his disapproval of my choice to live in this house. You see, my father has never been one to indulge in dramatics, so his concern surprised me. However, I was soon proven wrong when they started working on the bathroom, and sure enough, the bathtub crashed through the floor, just as my father had predicted.

After my dad had finished rebuilding the bathroom floor, he did a complete makeover of the bathroom itself, making it truly beautiful. It now boasted a stunning claw-footed tub, a pedestal sink, and even heated towel racks, among other additions. He didn't stop there; my bedroom and office received attention too. He redid the wood plank floors in both rooms and smoothed out the walls, giving them a fresh look.

In the meantime, my friend Lily and I took charge of adding personal touches to my bedroom. We painted the walls together, and Lily went above and beyond, creating fantastic roman blinds to adorn the windows. As for my office, it was a joint effort with my friend Miley, and we had a blast painting and sprucing up the space.

The renovation process was exciting, and as Dad moved on to the kitchen, he teamed up with his friend Troy to tackle the project. However, it took them a bit longer to complete than expected, around five months, due to various distractions and issues popping up along the way. Things like attending to their own lives, fixing the faucet in the half-bath downstairs, repairing the leaking roof, troubleshooting the faulty light switch in my bedroom, and dealing with a malfunctioning furnace all demanded their attention.

Nevertheless, the final result was fantastic. The kitchen now had a warm and inviting atmosphere, with cabinets painted in a lovely buttery cream color. The center of attention was a big, weathered farm table, surrounded by six chairs, creating a cozy gathering spot. The countertops boasted beautiful butcher block surfaces, and Dad's construction network came through, finding fabulous yet affordable appliances, which had minor damages in less noticeable areas.

Since the kitchen had the rustic charm of an old farmhouse, I decided to decorate it with a country-inspired theme, adding a whimsical twist to the overall design. While I might not consider myself a "country" person, the character of the kitchen seemed to call for it, and I embraced the opportunity to add some playful touches to the decor.

After MS left, I headed to the kitchen and decided to whip up some chocolate chip cookie batter. With the bowl of cookie goodness, a spoon, and a cup of coffee in hand, I settled down at the table, holding my phone, lost in thought.

I figured I should give Julia a call. She was one of those no-nonsense, straightforward people. Smart, worldly, and had her act together. Julia was living with Jerry, a cop, and they had been a couple for five solid years. Their relationship was both loving and challenging, given their fiery attitudes. In my mind, they were like the modern-day equivalent of Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, and if they ever broke up, it would be a sign that the world might just be ending.

Julia was well aware of MS and his mysterious visits. She thought I was a bit nuts and crazy for letting this Mysterious Stranger come to me in the middle of the night without even knowing his name. Her advice was consistent - during his next visit, I should first give him a good kick where it hurts, and then promptly call the cops.

HMM, decisions, decisions.

I could also give Miley a call. Miley was a romantic at heart, not exactly one to be blunt and straightforward. She preferred enduring torture rather than saying anything that might hurt someone's feelings or make them uncomfortable. Miley had not one, not two, but three boyfriends, all of whom were jerks. Strangely, she kept them around despite knowing they weren't treating her right. Breaking up with them was something she couldn't bring herself to do, so she let them stick around until she got bored and moved on, which happened quite frequently. It was evident that Miley lacked a backbone, especially when dealing with tough situations at work, where she endured a lot of unpleasantness.

But the thing about Miley was that she had a soft spot for MS, the Mysterious Stranger. She firmly believed that one day he would reach out to her, turn on the light, hold her face in his hands, and declare that she was the center of his universe. In her imaginative vision, they'd have a fairytale wedding, and he would treat her like a princess for the rest of her days. Even after all this time, her faith in this scenario remained unshaken. MS's most recent visit would undoubtedly make her dance with delight, as she saw everything through her rose-tinted glasses. She wouldn't recognize it for what it truly was - jerky, intrusive, and utterly annoying.

I couldn't call Troy because, after hearing what MS had said about him, I felt uneasy about reaching out. Troy had always been just Troy, a constant presence in my life even before Julia and Miley entered the picture. He was there before I knew Andrew Brown, when I first met Andrew, when we got married, and even when Andrew Brown broke my heart. Troy had always been a friend, and the idea that he might have other intentions made me feel more freaked out than everything else that had happened that day.