CHAP 3
Subtitled: The Apartment

The bulletin board was full of handwritten requests for people needing, wanting, and selling items. Kate perused the chaos. 'Typewriter for Sale', 'Books for Sale', and 'Golf Clubs for Sale' her dirty blonde eyebrows arched in amusement. "I'll come back to that one when I have a spare quarter," she thought laughingly. A slender finger tracked her eye movements as she read the different messages. Her finger stopped on top of a typed index card listing 'Apartment for YOU'. The only other information on the card was a price range and a telephone number, which Kate wrote down. Turning and spotting a nearby pay phone, she shoved a stray lock of blond hair behind her ear, and made the call. After two rings the phone was answered. A woman's voice responded with "Hello?"

"Hello, I'm calling about the apartment for me? Is it still available?"

An amused chuckle was the response. "Oh yes. It's not technically an entire apartment. It's a bedroom with a bath. You'd be sharing with a roommate."

Kate stared at the price range she had written down from the card and mentally shrugged.

"That's OK too! Who's the other tenant?" She improvised, insinuating herself into the picture.

Another light chuckle. "The other tenant would be me! My name is Sheri Taylor. I'm a full-time student at the University. I am studying physical therapy." There was a pause. Kate filled in the gap rapidly.

"I'm a student too! Sorry. My name is Kate Shefield. I'll be studying for my PhD. I'm extremely quiet and read a lot!" She smiled, shoving her best 'roommate' qualities to the forefront.

"It's a pleasure, I'm sure, Kate. Let's meet and see if you're still interested. When can you stop by?"

They set up a time to meet.

As Kate drove up she was stopped at a gate where a guard was positioned. She was granted permission to enter and he opened the gate. She followed a short winding road and stopped outside a nice two-story brick condo that overlooked a small man-made tributary flowing behind the house. It was beautiful.

She glanced briefly through some wide split wooden slats covering the downstairs windows then knocked the lion's ring against the door.

A woman answered within minutes. Kate took a brief moment to study the sari wrapped around the woman's body. Blue flowers on a cream background. The dark hair, in contrast, was pony tailed behind her head. Kate connected the phone voice with the person before her and smiled in greeting.

"Kate?" Sheri inquired, taking a moment to glance over the petite woman whose short blonde hair fluttered with the slight breeze. Her jeans and light green button down shirt were without wrinkles. She is very pretty. Sheri acknowledged to herself right away. When her own blue eyes met the smiling green, she found herself drawing in a breath of surprise. Long lashes framed the emerald depths. Sparkles of gold were seen swimming within. Sheri felt a moment of deja vu strike her. Feeling a tension growing between them, she broke herself from the stare.

Kate had felt the weight of blue descend onto her. Those cobalt eyes reflected such depth. She suppressed a shiver of unease. An instant of a memory flickered through her mind and was gone again.

Sheri extended her hand. Kate broke from her trance and reached out to accept. They held each other's hand without movement. Sheri squeezed gently and felt a return greeting. Releasing the smaller woman, she stepped back slightly. Her gaze drawn irresistibly to the wonderful face before her. Waving her hand back toward the depths of the house, she motioned for Kate to enter.

Kate stepped into the entrance foyer. Directly ahead for display was a huge sunken living room area. A large glass window showed the backyard area, sun shining down, the river floating by gently. Looking around, Kate noticed a decided lack of color in the room. The cool blues and grays were standoffish to her senses.

Sheri laughed at Kate's slightly frowning face.

"It's not me, I swear. This place belongs to one of my brothers. He's a lawyer, just in case you haven't figured that one out." She chuckled as Kate's brow smoothed out. She explained the downstairs was his area. All the furniture, everything was here before she moved in.

"He let me have the upstairs for myself.

Kate followed Sheri through a short hallway which led to a comfortably sized kitchen and dining area. A steep metal staircase rose up to the second floor at the far end of the dining area.

The kitchen showed minimal signs of use, but the coffee pot held cold coffee in it. Kate looked around liking the bright area.

Sheri headed up the staircase and urged Kate to follow.

At the top, Kate entered another living area slightly smaller than the one below. The atmosphere was much more casual. A fireplace hugged the far wall where a couple of Lazyboy's resided. The coffee table sat between them. Thick brown carpet covered the floor. A beanbag chair sat in one corner of the room next to a floor lamp. The mantle and various tables held small knick-knacks and sparkling stones. Burgundy pillows were spread throughout.

"This is great. Who decorated it?" Kate asked wide-eyed with pleasure.

"Its just stuff I picked up here and there. Every time I pass a yard sale I find interesting stuff to buy." Sheri walked over toward a door off to the right.

"This would be your area. Mine is over there." She pointed to another door at the opposite end of the room.

Kate peeked in and found a medium sized bedroom with a double bed in place. A door off to the right showed a small bathroom with a shower and sink. She checked out the open closet and took a peak through a small window near the bedside. It was spacious enough and would fit a small desk unit if she picked one up.

Sheri stood waiting when Kate walked out. Reaching out, she grasped Kate's hand and tugged her to the sliding glass door that was behind a draped area.

"This is the piece de resistance," she exclaimed as she pulled Kate through the opening. They stepped out onto a wooden deck covered in lattice. A bungalow feeling surrounded the pair. Sheri pulled her outside and turned her to a particular view. Kate grinned.

A full sized Jacuzzi sat on the wooden deck bubbling in its merriment. The steam from the heated water was misting upward. Kate turned a full smile toward Sheri and back to the sight of the Jacuzzi.

"Where do I sign?"

Sheri laughed and pulled over a pair of lounge chairs from nearby. The sun was beginning to descend, but the sky was still lit. They could hear the sound of crickets beginning to sing their night song.

"Have a seat. I'll be right back." Sheri disappeared inside and Kate sat down to enjoy the fading evening. The sun was behind some nearby mountains and the array of colors ranged from deep purples to bright oranges. Kate caught her breath at the beauty.

Sheri returned with a service tray holding two cups of coffee and some cookies. A small tablet lay on the tray. Kate tensed slightly.

"Have some coffee. I'm not giving a test here. Give me a minute to tell you some house rules and you can make a decision." Kate nodded OK

Sheri flipped through a few pages and settled into the lounge.

"I can't allow pets. Rent is paid on the 3rd of the month. If you break it, i.e. windows, walls, doors, you pay to get it repaired. We will need to share food expenses so once every two weeks we can go get sustenance together or we give each other a list of necessities if the other goes." She broke off to gauge Kate's reaction. "I spend about 100.00's every two weeks but I eat out a lot. I don't cook much. We can work on this difference if you want. I'm flexible." Kate nodded her understanding. So far nothing out of the ordinary.

"Don't be overloud with the music, unless I tell you to turn it up." Sheri smiled. Kate smiled back.

"I usually study when I'm here so...keep that in mind." Sheri explained, nicely.

"I don't allow Rap either. It gets on my nerves." Kate chuckled. Sheri grinned a lopsided smile.
"Pretty much be clean. We split the utilities and electric, etc. You'll have to pay for your own long distance. No parties here," she paused looking up, "unless I'm invited!" She smiled at Kate. Kate gave a half shrug.

"I'll be to busy this semester actually. 'No parties' is fine."

Sheri nodded.

"Last thing. No boyfriends or girlfriends allowed sleeping over. We both have to live here and I've had issues with a previous roommate." Sheri eyed Kate with a question.

Kate blushed slightly and shrugged.

"None currently!" She managed to find a simple answer. Sheri looked back down at her tablet.

"Any questions or requests from me? I'm reasonable to most." Kate looked back at Sheri nodding slowly. Sheri's dark eyebrow rose.

"Can I use the Jacuzzi?" Kate's nervous voice requested. Sheri laughed so hard she felt tears rising. Nodding her head she grinned widely.

"We're gonna get along just fine, Kate Shefield. When do you want to move in?"

They made arrangements and Kate left to return to the hotel she had been staying in. She hit the bed with pleasant thoughts of things on her to do list. Tomorrow couldn't come fast enough.

Continued...