Here are the last two chapters before we leave. I'll try to post on a regular basis while we're traveling, but no promises.

Chapter 87. SINK THE PINK

Early Wednesday evening, Cameron, House and Gretchen drove up to the

pink house to meet the real estate agent and the kitchen contractor.

A pretty young Indian woman was just leaving the house next door

and waved in a friendly fashion. She started to get into her car,

then stopped and came over, smiling at them all.

"Didn't I see you here a few weeks ago, looking at the house?" she

asked, indicating the pink house.

"We're gonna buy it." Gretchen smiled back.

"That's great! I never thought anyone would", she said. "You're not

going to leave the kitchen the way it is, are you?" she asked, but

then she added "I mean it's so...so...PINK! I mean I like pink as much

as anyone but every time I was in that kitchen I felt like the paper

cone inside cotton candy."

House watched her, fascinated. Actually, he couldn't have described

it better himself.

"No, we plan on changing it. I'm Allison Cameron and

this is my daughter, Gretchen. And this is..."

"House," the man said.

The young woman looked at him with confusion clear in her eyes.

"He means his name is House," Gretchen explained.

"Oh, I'm Nita Nayar. Guess we'll be neighbors, since I live next

door and all. With my parents and brother." She probably would have

gone on, adding more and more bits of

information, but the realtor and contractor, Rudy Hathaway, drove up.

"Well, I'll be seeing you," Nita said. "Welcome to the neighborhood."

"Bye, Nita," Gretchen said, and Cameron echoed, "Bye."

House, Cameron and Gretchen followed the real estate agent and the

kitchen contractor into the house. Although they'd told him

about the pink kitchen, it hadn't quite prepared Rudy for the reality.

"I've seen all sorts of kitchens in my time." He shook his

head over and over. "But this is unbelievable."

The kitchen was actually large enough for them all to wander around,

looking at what was there.

"I guess we can just change the panels on the refrigerator and the

dishwasher," Cameron suggested. "Maybe with wood or stainless?"

Rudy nodded, continuing to look around. "That's definitely

the easiest part of it."

"Why do we even need a kitchen at all?" House asked. "I'd be happy

with just some vending machines."

"And where are we going to put take-out leftovers?" Cameron asked.

"We need a refrigerator for leftovers, and also a microwave to heat

things up," Gretchen pointed out.

House shrugged the latter off. "OK we need a refrigerator, but most

leftovers are better cold, anyway."

Gretchen laughed. "Yeah, I really like cold pizza."

"Then I guess you're not interested in a high end stove," Rudy

surmised.

"Hmmm, a sink with instant boiling water for tea would be nice,"

Cameron requested.

House considered that before saying, "Sure, why not?"

"Can we have light blue counters?" Gretchen asked.

The realtor was watching House, Cameron and Gretchen with dismay,

but the contractor seemed to take it all in stride. He'd dealt with

many clients over the years and had noticed trends to and from

minimalist kitchens in the many years he'd been designing and

remodeling them.

"Table and chairs or an island with a counter and stools?" Rudy now

asked.

"I'd like a booth, like they have in restaurants," Gretchen said.

Rudy was beginning to understand the democratic dynamics of this

family. The child had a say equal to her parents, who in response

to her latest suggestion simultaneously said, "Why not?"

"When can you meet me at my showroom to pick out counter materials,

cabinets and flooring?" Rudy asked.

"Friday evening or Saturday afternoon?" Cameron suggested a little

tentatively.

"Saturday at two will work," Rudy said, shaking hands with Cameron

and House. When Gretchen held hers out, too, he smiled and shook it.

Chapter 88. WE'LL BE FRIENDS FOREVER

After rounds on Thursday, Cameron called Clair. She hadn't talked to

her friend in a few days and had lots to tell her, especially about

the house. And she wanted to find out what else Emily was doing to

convince her mother to get a Basset.

"Allison, we must be on the same wavelength. I was just about to

call you!"

"How are you and Emily?"

"We're fine. We'll be driving down on Saturday to look for a place

to live, and with the Columbus day holiday, we'll be staying until

Monday," Clair told her.

"That's great!" Cameron would be happy to see them again and she knew

that Gretchen would be just as happy to see Emily. "We got the

mortgage on the house we told you about and we'll be closing on

Friday."

"I wish we could afford a house in your neighborhood, or at least

the same school district. Emily's still upset enough

that she doesn't have a dog like Gretchen and Tommy. She'll be very

disappointed if she doesn't go to the same school."

"Maybe there are houses near us that would be right for you,"

Cameron said thoughtfully. "I'll check with our realtor. I'm sure

she'd be happy to show you houses in your price range."

"Thanks!" Clair said. "What are you doing about the kitchen in

your house?"

"We met with a kitchen contractor yesterday and we're getting some

great ideas. We'll see him again Saturday afternoon to look at

counter tops and cabinets. So, Emily still wants a dog?"

"Well, she's taken down the puppy pictures, but I know she still

wants one," Clair said. "I kinda miss seeing all those cute pictures

all over our place," she added, somewhat wistfully.

"Just wait until you meet the real thing," Cameron said, chuckling and

beginning to get a hint of the second phase of Operation Puppy.

"So, we'll see you this weekend."

"We'll let you know when we get there," Clair said. "Bye!"

"Got a minute?" Wilson asked, poking his head through House's open

doorway. House, as was often the case, was leaning back in his chair,

listening to music with his eyes closed.

The lids lifted, revealing his piercing blue eyes. "Busy here," he

said and promptly closed them again.

But Wilson wasn't going to accept that and go away quietly. Not this

time. He tried again, more insistently. "I've gotta talk to you."

This time House's eyes opened and stayed that way. He studied his

friend intently. "It's not a patient."

"How do you know?" Wilson asked.

"You don't have a file in your hand, and you don't have that hang-dog

look, kinda like Junior and probably Albert. You look more grim than

sad."

"I guess I am," Wilson admitted.

"So?"

"It's Marty," Wilson said with a sigh.

"I thought he was doing OK."

"Well, he is. But the longer he does, the more I'm sure we're in for

a big fall when he messes up." Wilson was very pessimistic.

House narrowed his eyes. "You haven't told him that, have you?

Because that would guarantee that he'd mess up."

"I haven't said anything."

"Good," House said. "He needs to know that you have faith in him."

"But what if I don't?"

House nodded. "You may never have complete faith in him, but you

have to at least act like you do." He thought a bit. "Make him feel

wanted, needed. I think I would have fallen apart when Gretchen and

Allison were in the car accident if I hadn't realized how much they

both needed me. I could have easily just retreated behind my walls.

But I didn't. Give your brother a purpose, something he can focus on

besides himself."

Wilson considered what House said, and realized he was glad he'd come

to his friend to talk this through. Then he abruptly changed the

subject. "So, how'd it go with the kitchen contractor? Did he talk

you into getting a SubZero or a Wolff?"

"A what?"

"Guess not. Come to think of it, you never cook, and Cameron probably

doesn't either," Wilson said.

"Not like you and your happy homemaker." House then whined,

"He kinda vetoed my idea of vending machines. Now, what's wrong with

that?"

"You'd have to keep them stocked," Wilson said.

"You've got a point. Anyway, we're picking out counters on Saturday."

Wilson studied his friend. "Never thought I'd ever hear you say that.

A domesticated House!"

The diagnostician just rolled his eyes.