2.
The three friends dined at a nearby café. Declan and Miranda had swung by
Peggy's office to pick her up before succumbing to Declan's complaints of
hunger and stopping into a café. Now the three sat in a comfortable
silence, starting their meals.
Declan gulped down the remainder of his burger and looked up at his friends, grinning.
"So Miranda, how's the apartment going?" he asked curiously.
She shrugged and picked up another chip and took a bite, chewing on it, thinking.
"Not too bad. I'm starting to feel settled. I guess I should after a few weeks."
Peggy nodded thoughtfully from her seat at the table.
"I know you were hesitant to move into this place so quickly, but it does appear that it was a great opportunity for you to take. The apartment's close to Uni, a decent size and not too expensive. It's good to hear you're settling in. Have you managed to meet many of the other tenants yet?" she inquired.
Miranda shook her head.
"I've been too focused on unpacking and Uni work to really bother to introduce myself. my neighbours appear nice enough, though."
"We'll just have to throw a welcome party and invite all of your neighbours!" Declan stated enthusiastically.
"Declan." Miranda warned him, frowning.
He grinned sheepishly.
"Or perhaps you could introduce yourself to them some other way."
She shrugged.
"Perhaps."
The three ate silently until Miranda pushed her empty plate away from her seat at the table. She rose and addressed her friends.
"I have some physics work that needs finishing. I'll see you both later."
The pair nodded and waved goodbye to their friend before starting up their own conversation. Miranda headed down the street, watching her feet as she walked the short distance to her apartment.
She looked up as she came to the large building and headed inside; mind already focused on the work she had to yet complete and how she would go about it. As she neared her room, a pair of raised voices finally seeped their way into her attention and she slowed slightly, trying to ascertain what the disagreement was about.
"I'm telling you - this is my apartment! I've got the papers right here. for the last time - I've been away on business for a few months and am not impressed to come back and find that my room has been leased out. Where's Mr. Armanasco?"
Miranda rounded the corner in time to see a stout woman in her mid-forties or so addressing the young man impatiently.
"I've told you - Mr. Armanasco passed away a month ago. He had a heart attack and I'm now in charge of the apartments and there are no records of a previous leasee in relation to this apartment."
Miranda looked to the young man and noted that the determined look on his face was slowly being overtaken by one of defeat. He sighed and pleaded with the older woman.
"Can I at least check through the apartment - I'm missing a few belongings that I didn't take with me and am certain they were left here."
The landlord shook her head.
"I'm sorry, but I can't allow you access to one of my tenants rooms. I can ask her when she returns if she'll look for you, but until then I must insist you leave. You can leave a contact number if you'd like in case anything turns up."
Miranda watched in interest, as the young man's mind seemed to be racing over his possibilities. How was it that there was a previous tenant in her apartment and yet no furniture had been left behind? She hesitated and then stepped forward, addressing her landlord.
"Ms. Boyle? Seeing as I'm here, he might as well have a quick look - if it's going to help," she offered quietly, slightly anxious about having a stranger in her apartment, but not sure what else to do.
The landlord seemed surprised by Miranda's presence and decision, but nodded and stood in the hallway, looking on as Miranda unlocked her door for the relieved young man. He slowly followed her inside.
"I'm extremely sorry about this. I don't understand how this situation could have arose. I was only away for a few months and a friend was supposed to be watching the apartment and then I come back to find there's a new landlord and no apartment."
Miranda nodded slowly.
"It's ok. what exactly are you missing?"
He shrugged.
"Some memorabilia. Family photos and the like. they should be in the study."
Miranda nodded and led the way; curious as to why someone would kick up such a fuss about getting into their apartment and then appear almost indifferent as to whether or not they got the item they came for.
Declan gulped down the remainder of his burger and looked up at his friends, grinning.
"So Miranda, how's the apartment going?" he asked curiously.
She shrugged and picked up another chip and took a bite, chewing on it, thinking.
"Not too bad. I'm starting to feel settled. I guess I should after a few weeks."
Peggy nodded thoughtfully from her seat at the table.
"I know you were hesitant to move into this place so quickly, but it does appear that it was a great opportunity for you to take. The apartment's close to Uni, a decent size and not too expensive. It's good to hear you're settling in. Have you managed to meet many of the other tenants yet?" she inquired.
Miranda shook her head.
"I've been too focused on unpacking and Uni work to really bother to introduce myself. my neighbours appear nice enough, though."
"We'll just have to throw a welcome party and invite all of your neighbours!" Declan stated enthusiastically.
"Declan." Miranda warned him, frowning.
He grinned sheepishly.
"Or perhaps you could introduce yourself to them some other way."
She shrugged.
"Perhaps."
The three ate silently until Miranda pushed her empty plate away from her seat at the table. She rose and addressed her friends.
"I have some physics work that needs finishing. I'll see you both later."
The pair nodded and waved goodbye to their friend before starting up their own conversation. Miranda headed down the street, watching her feet as she walked the short distance to her apartment.
She looked up as she came to the large building and headed inside; mind already focused on the work she had to yet complete and how she would go about it. As she neared her room, a pair of raised voices finally seeped their way into her attention and she slowed slightly, trying to ascertain what the disagreement was about.
"I'm telling you - this is my apartment! I've got the papers right here. for the last time - I've been away on business for a few months and am not impressed to come back and find that my room has been leased out. Where's Mr. Armanasco?"
Miranda rounded the corner in time to see a stout woman in her mid-forties or so addressing the young man impatiently.
"I've told you - Mr. Armanasco passed away a month ago. He had a heart attack and I'm now in charge of the apartments and there are no records of a previous leasee in relation to this apartment."
Miranda looked to the young man and noted that the determined look on his face was slowly being overtaken by one of defeat. He sighed and pleaded with the older woman.
"Can I at least check through the apartment - I'm missing a few belongings that I didn't take with me and am certain they were left here."
The landlord shook her head.
"I'm sorry, but I can't allow you access to one of my tenants rooms. I can ask her when she returns if she'll look for you, but until then I must insist you leave. You can leave a contact number if you'd like in case anything turns up."
Miranda watched in interest, as the young man's mind seemed to be racing over his possibilities. How was it that there was a previous tenant in her apartment and yet no furniture had been left behind? She hesitated and then stepped forward, addressing her landlord.
"Ms. Boyle? Seeing as I'm here, he might as well have a quick look - if it's going to help," she offered quietly, slightly anxious about having a stranger in her apartment, but not sure what else to do.
The landlord seemed surprised by Miranda's presence and decision, but nodded and stood in the hallway, looking on as Miranda unlocked her door for the relieved young man. He slowly followed her inside.
"I'm extremely sorry about this. I don't understand how this situation could have arose. I was only away for a few months and a friend was supposed to be watching the apartment and then I come back to find there's a new landlord and no apartment."
Miranda nodded slowly.
"It's ok. what exactly are you missing?"
He shrugged.
"Some memorabilia. Family photos and the like. they should be in the study."
Miranda nodded and led the way; curious as to why someone would kick up such a fuss about getting into their apartment and then appear almost indifferent as to whether or not they got the item they came for.