Warmth filled Bette's chest as she beamed up at the taller woman. "I think that's beautiful."
The redness deepened, and Kerrie flashed a shy smile. Bette was amused by the large woman turning into a blushing softy with just a few words. Kerrie took a deep breath and nodded towards their cars. "Are you doing anything after this?"
Bette's breath hitched in her chest. Was she going to ask her out? "Uh, no, not really."
"I know this may be a little sudden, but I have an apartment in my basement that I rent out. I can work with you on the deposit. It's not fancy, but it would get you out of yourmom's, and I can have a tenant, I know. If you want, you can follow me home and take a look at it."
The wind in Bette's sails halted.Had I really wanted to go on a date?But then Kerrie's words registered, and her disappointment dulled. "Actually, yes, yes, I would love to take a look at it."
Chapter 15
The older neighborhood was quaint and had a welcoming feel to it, like if she were to walk down the sidewalk, people would wave to her from their porches. Bette tried to take in all the details and keep her eyes mostly on the road at the same time. Neatly maintained sidewalks lined both sides of the road. Most of the houses were red and brown brick with round-topped windows and concrete driveways. Black oak trees towered overhead, creating a canopy with power lines going through. It was an old, charming area that Bette couldn't remember driving through before. She already loved it.
Kerrie's little pickup truck turned down a driveway that led to the back of a house with a detached two-car metal carport. Bette parked and grabbed her phone. The house was made from the same red and brown brick as several others in the neighborhood. The small front yard had been neatly maintained, and the back appeared larger, with a small shed not far from the carport.
"This is cute," praised Bette as she stepped out, staring up at the three-story house, including the basement. "Why are there so many houses with the same brick?"
"There was a brick factory in town in the 50s when this neighborhood was built. All the brick is from there. I guess it was the trendy material at the time."
The curtain on the back door window moved, catching Bette's attention. "Looks like we have company."
Kerrie followed Bette's eyes and then laughed. "That's Kenny. He waits at the door for me."
The door opened, and a petite older woman stepped out, purse on her shoulder and keys in hand. "Hello there," she flashed a polite smile at Bette, then turned to Kerrie. "I've got to run, Kerrie. I'm going to bingo at the church tonight."
"Have a good evening, Mabel. Hope you win big," wished Kerrie, then she turned to the back door. "Kenny, do you want to come meet my new co-worker?"
A timid, hulking figure stepped out of the house onto the small porch. He swayed a little, prompting Kerrie to quickly take the three steps to his aid. They were built similarly, both tall and heavyset, and reminded Bette of those oversized teddy bears at fairs where you throw a baseball to knock all the pins down to win a prize. Same little pointed nose, though Kenny was wearing glasses and Kerrie wasn't. Kenny was balding on top, and both were going gray. He was dressed in a matching navy blue cotton tee shirt and shorts set, his legs tiny in comparison to the rest of him. Like two pale, knobby-kneed sticks.
Smiling, Bette held her hand out to the man when he came to the bottom step. "Hi, Kenny. I'm Bette."
"Hi, Bette," greeted Kenny; his voice was a little higher pitched than Bette expected. He laughed lightly, looking back at Kerrie as if to make sure she was still there. His hand was cold.
"Bette wants to look at the apartment and see if she likes it. Do you mind if I show her?"
Kenny looked between them a couple of times and nodded, answering with drawn-out words. Bette liked him already. "Yeah, you can."
"You want to help? Be a gentleman and show her to the door."
He nodded with the same infectious smile and began walking to the door, which went down a few steps to a landing where Bette could already imagine putting a small table and chair to enjoy morning coffee.
Kerrie quickly dashed into the main part of the house and returned with a little silver key in hand. She motioned for Bette to move beside her. She leaned down, speaking softly to Bette. "He thinks the apartment is his, but he lives with me to keep me company, so just go along with it. He doesn't bother anyone renting. Our aunt and uncle had it converted into a separate, functional space in hopes that he would be able to be independent one day. Unfortunately, that never happened, so we rented it out for extra cash."
Bette nodded in understanding. "Got it. He seems really sweet."
"He's a freaking angel unless he gets hangry," chuckled Kerrie. "But that could be said about me."
Cool air with the scent of fresh paint hit her the moment Bette followed Kenny inside, followed by Kerrie. Kerrie flipped on the lights, and she realized she was in an open floor plan with a living room and kitchen. The floor was laminate hardwood, and the walls were plain, bright white. The kitchen area was immediately to her left, with yellow oak cabinets and a small matching island. The space wasn't large at all, but it was enough for her and, despite its plainness, felt warm and inviting.
"Obviously, this is the kitchen and living room area. The appliances all work." Kerrie's voice echoed in the open, empty space.
Bette watched Kenny go down a small hall with two doors across from each other and one at the end. She followed.
"This is the bathroom," he explained, turning on the light. The bathroom was a good size with a shower/bathtub combo and the same golden oak wooden vanity as the kitchen cabinet. "That's the toilet, and the shower, and the sink."
Bette nodded to him, opening a drawer of the vanity. It slid smoothly out. She detected a small scent of bleach, making her nod approvingly. Someone had made sure the apartment was clean. "It's a nice bathroom, Kenny."
"Yep."
