The house was normal enough, consisting of; 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen and living-room. To everyone's greatest relief there was nothing really wrong with it except for a few miner cosmetic details, which could be fixed with a touch of paint and furniture.
It was a quaint street too, if you could call it a street. The house; framed by trees and somewhat secluded was set in a more scenic part of Santa Carla, our backyard was mostly forest with no real fence to define where our yard ended and our neighbor's yard began. Strangely enough we only had one neighbor,… and I was going to meet him very soon.
I had decided to take the smallest of the 4 rooms since I had the least amount of stuff, a few posters, my vanity, a couple knickknacks and my clothes.
I took a shower, having decided I was somewhat grody from having slept outside the night before. Brushing out my wet tresses before my vanity-mirror I began to plan out what would go where in my head, knowing that in the end mom would just end up rearranging my things anyway.
(Fame) I'm gonna live forever
I'm gonna learn how to fly (High)
I feel it coming together
People will see me and cry
(Fame) I'm gonna make it to heaven
Light up the sky like a flame
(Fame) I'm gonna live forever
Baby, remember my name
Through the rumble of music travelling through my speakers I could make out the ring of the doorbell and the unmistakable voice of my mom calling. "Mia could you get that?"
"Yeah! Just a sec!" I answered turning the nob on my stereo just low enough so it wasn't blaring, yet still loud enough I could still hear it faintly downstairs.
Taking the steps two at a time I continued to towel-dry my hair, even as I opened the door. "Hello?"
"Well hello there."
He was a man in his late 40s, early 50s. He had a kindness to his round face with laugh-lines gathered at the corners of his lips and crows-feet crinkled at the corners of his olive-shaped, brown eyes from under his glasses. Russet hair slicked back neatly, a crocked yet welcoming smile playing on his thin lips.
I smiled back with politeness. "May I help you?" I inquired.
He looked down at the cookie-sheet covered with foil in his hands then looked back up at me with that slightly off putting smile. "I hope I'm not intruding." He stated nervously "I'm your next door neighbor Max…. I would have come tomorrow but I'm afraid I'm out most of the day, most days of the week."
I opened the front door all the way to invite him in. "Oh no not at all." I assured. "Please come in." all at once he seemed slightly taken aback. "Such impeccable manors, thank you,…miss?" he raised his eyebrows to indicate that he was searching for my name.
"Mia, Mia Hathorn." I held out my hand. Max shifted the cookie-sheet to balance on his left hand and shook my hand with his free hand.
"Mia." He mused rolling my name around in his head. "What an unusual name." he glanced down at the sheet again. "I hope you don't mind." He began. "I took the liberty of making you guys' dinner as a house warming gift,…" he paused. "I mean I don't imagine you have had a chance to get anything, with all the unpacking."
I took the tray from him with gratitude and headed towards the kitchen, on instinct Max followed me making polite small talk on the house.
Upon entering my mom turned her head from the light-fixtures she had been putting up on the hanging light over the table.
"Mom this is Max." I announced sliding the food onto the counter. "He made us some food."
Max stepped to the table and reached a hand up towards mom, with a grin she took it with a firm shake. "Mary Hathorn."
"Charmed." He nodded. "I hope you guys like ribs."
Mom wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand and jumped from table to chair and finally to the floor. Mom was a very attractive woman with a European face and short dirty-blonde hair. Her lips were small and naturally pink and her chin was pointed perfectly, her hazel eyes sparkled under her flawless eyebrows. Many people commented and said she looked like an older, more high in version of Farrah Fawcett, which was of course impossible to live up to.
My mom and Max began a in general conversation and soon Max was sat at our table joining in eating the ribs he had brought.