It Was Only Time
Chapter 26 – A Country Manor
At the end of the fiscal year, Ted told Brian that Kinnetik did even better than in the two previous years combined and even with all the revenue lost due to the bombing and the reconstruction time, Babylon managed to turn a decent profit as well. As the year before, Ted suggested that Brian do something constructive with the money he has personally earned and suggested real estate among his other investments. Brian laughed off the idea, saying that he'll never find or need anything more perfect for him than his loft.
A few days later, while walking to his car from a lunch meeting with a client, he passed a real estate office and a featured property posted on the window suddenly caught his eye. It was a beautiful country house, a mansion really, about half an hour away from Pittsburgh. The photographs showed a huge fireplace in the living room, another one in the master bedroom, a gorgeous library/home office and a sun-dappled, enclosed sun room that could be used year-round. The brochure mentioned that the house sat on a five acre wooded lot and included stables and a pool. Reading those words brought Brian out of his stupor; he turned around and quickly left.
Try as he might, however, he couldn't get the house out of his mind and was thinking about it two weeks later. Finally, thoroughly frustrated with himself, he decided that the only way to forget the house was to see it with his own eyes and he knew the perfect person who would be rational enough to talk him out of the ridiculous notion of buying the place – Jennifer Taylor. He called her immediately:
"Hi, Jennifer. Its Brian Kinney, I need a favor…"
"Hello, Brian. Do you realize what time it is? It's past midnight and I'm in bed!"
"Well, you are obviously not asleep, so no harm done. Unless, of course, Tucker is there and I am interrupting. If that's the case, my apologies to you both, but this really can't wait. See, there's this house. I have to see it, in order to get it the fuck out of my mind. I need you to show it to me as soon as possible, tomorrow would be best. Can you do it?"
"Are you high, Brian, drunk maybe?"
"No, Jennifer, I am not high, I am not drunk. I am completely fucking sober and perfectly serious. Listen, are you listening? I saw the ad in the window of the real estate company you work for, I don't know whether it's your office or not. But, I need to see the house. Just do me this one favor….please."
"Oh, all right! What information do you have? I'll see what I can find out and call you back…tomorrow morning!"
Jennifer's curiosity won out, though, so she got up and looked up the information right away. When she realized which house he was talking about, she was rather astonished. But this was Brian Kinney after all, so Jennifer decided it was worth the time to take the trip out there on a Saturday - she just had to know what his reaction to the house would be. The next morning she called to tell Brian that they could in fact see it that day. Brian insisted on driving and with an "I'll pick you up in an hour" hung up.
When they got there, Brian wanted to see the grounds first and the house after. He made a few choice comments about the tennis court and the woods, but as they looked at the stables he grew quiet; when they reached the pool and then the house he stopped talking completely. The entire time Jennifer showed him the interior of the house, Brian was utterly silent. He walked from room to room without saying a word and without any expression on his face.
"So, thoughts?" Jennifer asked at the end of the tour.
"I want to see the studio, I mean the sun room again, please" he asked.
"Sure, this way."
Brian walked in to the sunlit space, made a circle around the room a couple of times, and then stopped in front of the French doors that led to the yard. He stood there, lost in thought for a good five minutes, but before Jennifer could interrupt, he suddenly said:
"I'll take it."
"What?" At Jennifer's shocked gasp, Brian turned around:
"I want to make an offer on the house and I want you to handle the purchase for me. I am sure the commission will be well worth any effort on your part."
Disclaimer: All belongs to Showtime and CowLip, no infringement intended.