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“What! Benny is at Rose Manor? What on earth is he doing there?” Dad sounds surprised but pleased. I think he liked having a son for a little bit. He tried to stay in touch with Ben after Nanette and he split, but I’m not sure it worked out.
“He’s working on some album,” I say in exasperation. “And he’s built an entire recording studio in the basement.”
“A recording studio? At the house? Where?” Dad says incredulously.
“Yes! In the basement.”
“Hm, well, I guess that space was empty, anyway.” Dad seems oddly undisturbed by this news.
“Dad! That’s not all. He’s been camped out here like a squatter for six months.”
“Now, now, I don’t know if you can call him a squatter. I guess he still has his old key? I never took those back, you know. You still have yours, too.”
“Yes,” I say in annoyance. “But dad, you should see the place. It’s falling apart! He’s been camped out here, building a fancy studio but letting the rest of the house crumble.”
“Well, I’m not sure it’s all his fault. I’m sure Rose Manor has been in a state of disrepair for far more than the past six months.”
“It’s pretty bad, dad. I’m having a contractor come out now to assess the damages.”
“Okay then,” he says heavily. “Well, I can’t say I’m surprised, sweetie. I thought your two-week plan to get the place cleaned up and buyer-ready was a little ambitious. But why don’t we wait and see what the contractor says?”
“Okay, dad.” I’m surprised he isn’t even pissed at Benjamin.
“How is Benny doing, anyway?”
I roll my eyes in annoyance. Clearly, dad isn’t getting the severity of the situation.
“I don’t know. Fine. Working on some album. Hiding from the public.”
“Rose Manor is a good spot to hide,” dad chuckles. “Clover Springs is pretty far off the beaten path.”
“Well, I already told him you want to sell and that he’ll have to get out,” I say evenly.
“Let’s see, it sounds like there’s a lot of work to do before we can sell it. What needs to be done?”
Without hesitation, I start listing off the many issues I wrote down in my notebook after yesterday’s tour of terrors. There’s a long silence on the phone after I finish.
“I’m not even sure we got all of it,” I add nervously. “That’s why I’ve got a contractor coming to do a full home inspection.”
“Okay, let’s see what the expert says,” dad finally replies. “You havecarte blanchewith the renovations, Lacy. Fix whatever needs fixing. Rose Manor should be able to get us a good price, but not if it’s falling apart.”
“I’m also having a real estate agent come by,” I say. “They could give us some idea of what you might be able to sell for once the house is fixed up. I mean, it won’t be an exact estimate, but if we have a rough number, we can better gauge how much money it’s worth investing in repairs.”
“Sounds like a smart move. I trust you to handle all of this.”
“I’m on it, dad.”
“I’ve got to get to a meeting. Let me know how it goes with the contractor and the realtor.”
“I will.”
“And say hello to the squatter,” he adds with a wry chuckle.
“Sure. Bye dad,” I say lightly but I grit my teeth.
My dad definitely doesn’t get the severity of the situation. But I don’t want him to worry. After all, he’s paying me to take care of this, generously offering me a cut of whatever we sell the house for. I really need that money, which is also adding some pressure to this situation. I want to get Rose Manor fixed up and sold, fast. With the commission I’ll get, I can push back my book’s launch date and the scary publicity tour that goes with it.
I look at myself in the mirror as pull my hair up into a slick ponytail. My long, dark, thick hair is my one vanity. I’m a curvy girl and usually hide that under loose-fitting clothing. My older sister Lyra would say they’re ‘frumpy.’ On top of being blunt with her opinions, Lyra is slim and petite. She can wear cute, slim-cut skirts and dresses. I just don’t love the attention I get from guys when I’m wearing something snugger. I survey myself in the mirror, wearing a pair of cut-off jean shorts, an oversized t-shirt, and my glasses. If I’m honest, my style hasn’t changed much since I was a teen. Mr. Rock Star on the other hand…
