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Vanessa grinned. "The neighbourhood is a great mix. Young couples with kids or starting families, some seniors and a few single people aswell. All friendly and have a good sense for community." She answered Cassies' questions. "The roof and furnace are new. The furnace was put in early January of this year and the roof was just finished before the place went up for sale." She paused in the kitchen. "As you can see all new updated appliance and kitchen cabinets."
Cassie listened politely to Vanessas' speech. She looked around the kitchen and thinking about how she could make the place her own. She was starting to love this house. She followed the others through the house. It had three bedrooms and a large bathroom upstairs. Kitchen and living room were spacious and still had room for the half bathroom on the main floor and the perfect point to the house was the unfinished basement. Perfect to turn into a ballet studio.
She nodded at them in all the right places and then Vanessa announced she'll leave them alone to discuss things.
"Well?" Kelly asked, grinning.
"I want it." She told him, grinning. "It's perfect! The unfinished basement works in my favour and the neighbourhood sounds like what I am looking for."
"All right I will put a bid on it. I will be in touch." Kelly said, heading to talk to Vanessa then to head back to his office.
Cassie and Victor headed to Victors vehicle. "Well What would you like to do for lunch?" Victor asked, as they pulled away from the curb and slowly drove around her hopefully new nieghbourhood. She loved all the large trees along the street.
"Classy or down to earth?" She asked about his lunch suggestion.
"Middle." Victor replied. "No fast foods or diners but no Hills either."
"So that leaves?" She asked, thinking about where to go. "Mickeys? We haven't been there in awhile." She suggested the mom and pop restaurant they used to go to regularly when she was in university.
Victor laughed. "Yes!" He agreed. "I miss that place."
Cassie nodded in agreement. "It's been a few years. I hope Alvin and Hopps is still there." She said, referring to the couple who owned the place. They were an older couple who spoke very good english with very heavy German accents. They squabbled like the old marry couple that they were. Food was excellent though.
Victor parked on the side street beside the restaurant and they walked to the front entranced and was greeted by a smiling Hopps. "'ell I'll be." She exclaimed. "'Aven't seen you two 'ere in awhile." She told them, showing them to a table. "Would 'ave recognized you two anywhere. 'Aven't changed a bit." Victor held Cassies' chair out for her and then sat down across from her.
"Always a Gent this one." Hopps said, handing her a menu. "I'll give you a few moments and let Alvin know you are 'ere."
Victor leaned over the table. "Do you ever wonder if they think we are in a relationship?" He asked, grinning.
Cassie laughed. "All the time." She scanned the menu to see if they made any changes. "If anything they think I'm the mistress as you are wearing a wedding ring and I am not." Victor chuckled. She knew what she was getting as she placed the menu down on the table. She seen Hopps returning with an older man walking behind her. She grinned and stood up. "Alvin!" She greeted, hugging him.
Alvin smiled back at her. "Good to see you." He told her, as he helped with her chair again. After she was settled he shook Victors' hand in greeting.
"Nice to 'ave you both 'ere again."
"Glad to be here." Victor told him. "Glad nothing has changed either, we love this place." Victor told them and Cassie nodded in agreement.
"What can we get for you two?" Hopps asked, grinning at them both. "Or maybe your choice is still the same?" She asked, looking at Victor. "Burger with everything and a BLT for the lady. If I recall correctly."
"Yes please!" Victor laughed. "We haven't changed at all!" He looked over at Cassie. "Other then she actually now looks like a university student."
Alvin and Hopp left the table laughing. It wasn't long before their food arrived and the place got busy. Alvin and Hopps tried to get back to chat whenever they could but the rest of the customers took their time. They were done with their food and they got up to leave. Alvin was in the kitchen and Hopp was clearing tables. Cas left a hundred dollar bill on the table. "Bye Hopp. Bye Alvin." Cassie called as they left.
"Come back soon you two!" Hopp called back to them, waving.
FLASHPOINT
Victor pulled into the garage at her parents house. As usual he waited for the doors to be closed before unlocking the door. She shook her head at him and rolled her eyes as she headed into the kitchen from the garage. She grabbed a freshly made dinner roll from off the counter and headed to the dance studio. The last classes of the day were halfways done so Studio C will be empty. She walked over to the record player and pulled a record out at random and dropped the needle. She tied up the ribbons on her ballet shoes and laughed when 'Better when I'm dancing' by Megan Trainor started playing. She started to warm up for a few moments before she let go of the barre and danced her heart out. She had know idea what she was doing or even if it looked fluid she was just dancing for the fun of it. She ended the song with five turns in a row and fumbled the last one. She stumbled but steadied herself.
"You wouldn't have missed that last one if you were listening to real ballet music." Her mother said, as she took the needle of the record. She turned around to look at her.
"Or I missed it because I don't do that very often anymore." She pointed out. Her mother was going to mention her lack of focus to ballet. She might as well get it out of the way. She pulled the ribbons lose and slipped of her shoes. She turned to walk out of the studio when her phone chirped and her mom beat her to it.
She watched as her mom frowned at the phone. "I wish you wouldn't talk to him." She muttered.
Cassie took her phone out of her moms hand and looked at who sent her a message. It was Eddie. "Seriously?" She asked, shocked. "You do realized without Eddie I would not be here right now." She pointed out to her mom. Her mom flinched as Cassie brought them both back to that day ten years ago. Cassie met Eddie on a ledge and they had a conversation that changed her life. Cassie headed for the door and didn't care that it slammed shut behind her. She jogged up the stairs to her room. She flounced on to her bed and growled in frustation. She felt like that fourteen year old all over again, just without the suicidal thoughts. She turned the tv on and kept on whatever hallmark movie was playing. She made a face at the screen and leaned back and grabbed the book on her nightstand. She was surprised when someone knocked on her door thirty minutes later. She knew it wasn't her parents. Her mom had never came to check on her when they fought and her dad stayed out of it as much as possible. She got up and opened her door. Victor was there holding a serving tray. "Should have known." She muttered opening the door and allowing him in. Victor laughed. "Overheard your mom on the phone with one of the ladies about how ungrateful her daughter could be." Victor told her, setting the tray down on the night stand. "She couldn't believe you would throw THAT Day in her face." He gave her a funny look. "I am surprised you would have done that. You okay?" He asked. Cassie nodded. "She made a comment about Ed being my friend so I reminded her." She told him, shrugging. "Any news from Kelly?" "Yes your dad told me before dinner. The house is yours. Closing date is yet to be determined but it's yours."
Cassie smiled. "And here I thought today was going to suck."
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