"Do you two know each other?" Kim asked
"Well, I, ah, um," Kate mumbled as if she lost the power of speech.
Rick was standing there watching Kate trying to fumble through a description of if they knew each other and decided to help her out.
"Kate here was kind enough to give me assistance when I needed it the most. I was lost and she helped me find my way."
All Kate could do was stare at Rick knowing that she did a lot less in her mind and he just made her out to be some sort of angel that day.
"Daddy look it's Kate!" Alexis said happily as she came out into the kitchen from the bathroom.
"Mom, who are they?" Eli wanted to know.
Kate knelt down to be on the same level as her son.
"Sweetie, do you remember last month when I told you I brought two people to the Ryder rental location to return their truck?
"I do mom."
"Well, it turns out that these are those two people."
"That's good mom but they're here in our house."
Rick looked down at Alexis and the second she looked up at him he knew that she heard what Eli just said. Then he saw her chin start to quiver and he knew that tears would soon start to flow.
"Pumpkin, please don't cry. We know that the sellers have many people looking at their home. Just because there are many people looking at this house doesn't mean that we won't be able to buy it."
Kate was quick to reaffirm to her son that this was not their house yet.
"Eli, while we might want this house there are other people looking to buy it. It really is not our home yet and if Rick was here first and made an offer and the buyers accept, then this their home then."
"But mom we need a place to live. I don't like living with grandma and grandpa anymore."
"Eli, that's not nice. Your grandparents opened their home to us after the fire. I don't want to hear you complaining about living there. You have a safe place to stay and they love you."
Rick watched as they talked just above a whisper and decided to do something about it after hearing them talk. He was hesitant at first but he hoped that his idea was acceptable to Kate and her son. So, he told the realtors to leave the kitchen so they could talk.
"Eli is it?" Rick asked and Eli was taken aback as this huge man placed his hand on his shoulder.
"Yes." He squeaked out and Alexis let out a small giggle.
"I am Rick and this is Alexis. We have been searching for a home for quite some time and while we might have found one but it seems that you did too."
"Hi Rick, hi Alexis." Eli greeted them.
"Hi, Eli." Alexis returned.
"Kate, can we talk for a minute?"
"Sure, Rick. What's on your mind?"
"Follow me."
Rick guided Kate out over to the small alcove that sat just off the kitchen. When he did this Eli became a little too protective of his mother and stepped between Rick and Kate.
"E, it's okay. We are just going to talk right over there." Kate said as she pointed to the alcove." Reassuring him.
Eli watched Rick with the eyes of a hawk as they walked away. And then he turned and noticed Alexis and her sad look.
"Kate, I know that we really don't know each other that well but I have a suggestion that might benefit the both of us. That is if you're willing to hear me out."
"Alright, Rick I'm listening."
"I heard you say something about a fire can you tell me what happened?"
"The day I rescued you I went home after my shift and dropping you off and I was stopped just before I turned onto my street. It seems that Reggie the idiot decided to fire up his hibachi in more ways than one. Allegedly his inability to be responsible caused the entire 8 lofts to burn to the ground when a slight wind tipped over his lawn chair onto the hibachi knocking the coals onto the deck. That, in turn, set the whole place up destroying everything."
"I'm sorry to hear that Kate, I really am. But my thought is that we have a couple of more houses to look at today. Since we don't really need this house I would be willing to let you have it. I know how living with parents can be a little strained and Eli doesn't seem to be all that happy. If you want it this house is yours." Rick said.
This man, she thinks he is worth his weight in gold. Who in their right mind would give up a house that they were here first to see? She does love the house but he already put a bid in on it.
"Rick I can't do that to you. You and Alexis have been cooped up in the Crown Plaza hotel for over a month now. Is she even going to school yet? Have you found a job yet? So, no, while that is a very nice and generous offer I'm going to have to say no to your kind suggestion.
Rick knew she was being polite. And he also knew that she loved this house he could see it in her eyes. He was going to do the one thing he promised himself that he'd never do, he would play the child card and he hoped that Alexis would agree with his decision.
"Okay, Kate I can see that your pride is trying to make an appearance here and that's very admirable. But I say what if we ask the children who also love this house their thoughts?"
Kate's face automatically dropped and went pale at his suggestion.
"Rick I don't think that's a good idea. You know what they will both want and it will definitely start a fight. I think that we should just part as friends and I can find something else."
Before Kate even finished her sentence Rick head turned and was heading towards Eli and his daughter. She reached out to try and grab his arm but was unsuccessful. Then she rushed ahead to try to beat him to the children, but she failed because his massive frame was blocking the doorway to the kitchen. She instead tried to stick her head near his left shoulder to see what was going on.
Rick stood there looking at both children who were looking up at him. Neither had moved from the spot since he and Kate talked in the alcove.
"Eli, Alexis, I have a question I need to ask both of you and need an honest answer from each of you."
"Pumpkin, do you like this house if we were to buy it?"
Alexis looks her father and then sees Kate head pop up over his left shoulder with a shocked look on her face. So instead of answering vocally she simply nods her head.
Rick sights in on Eli and asks the same question.
"Eli, could you see yourself and your mom living here in this house?"
Eli first looks to Alexis and then to his mother who is still behind Rick trying to see him around the massive man blocking the doorway. He does the same as Alexis and nods his head. Not too trusting of his own voice.
The children both looked at each other and then to each of their parents wondering what's going on.
Rick opened up with what he hoped would be a compromise between the two families.
"It must be fate or universe giving us a sign that we both came to the same house, on the same day and at the same time and it also seems that we both like it a lot. It's everything I wanted in a house. It has 4 bedrooms a three-car garage, and a kitchen that I can be very comfortable in."
"Rick why would you be comfortable in the kitchen? Wouldn't you like the living room or one of the bedrooms so much better?" Kate suggested from behind him not knowing if he was out of his mind by what he just said.
Rick held off a hearty laugh because he never told Kate what he did for a living.
"Kate the reason I would feel comfortable in this kitchen is that I'm a chef. I create just about everything with food that you would want to eat."
"Oh, now it makes sense. I get it."
"So what I'm suggesting is that together we buy this house and share it. Or I could buy it and you could live here rent-free."
"Rick I appreciate the offer but I would have to pay something to live here I'm not going to freeload off anybody even if I agree to this that is."
"Ahh yes, Kate but you failed to notice who was here first. If the owner accepts our offer which we already asked our realtor to put in, by the way, then it would be my house. So, while the house could be mine I am willing to share it with you."
Kate knew he had her. She knew that he was here first but if she upped her offer she might be able to knock him out of the running and get it all on her own. But then again, she noticed the look and tears that were about to start on his daughter's face earlier and couldn't do that to him.
"I'll tell you what Rick. Let's see if this bid you offered is accepted. If it is then I will give your offer some thought. But I will not live here rent free. I'm sure that the only reason Eli agreed is that this place has a huge yard to play ball in. Maybe there is a way we can find a compromise. But I have to speak with Eli about it."
"That's okay Kate. I know that this must seem highly unorthodox to you but we can work out the particulars later. As long you and your son are okay with it. By the way how old is your son?" Rick asked.
"Eli will turn 10 in October. How old is Alexis?" Kate mimicked his question.
"She's nine and will turn 10 in November."
"Are we done in here yet?" The realtor's voices rang out.
Both Kate and Rick turned to see both realtors standing in the living room waiting patiently. Becoming a bit bashful Kate said,
"For now I think we're going to let Mr. Rodger's offer stand. We'll talk more about this later but maybe we might be able to come to some sort of an agreement together."
"Well, I never! This is unheard of how do you expect me to make a living if you go off and give away the listing I have found for you?" Kim ranted.
Rick who needs to calm things down decided to talk to Kate's realtor.
"I'm sorry I didn't get your name," Rick asked the upset woman.
"My name is Kim from the Dallas Remax office."
"Kim sometimes in life things don't always go the way you plan. What I'm suggesting here is that if my offer is accepted I will give you your 1.5% for showing this house to Kate. This way everybody comes out a winner. Is that acceptable to you?" Rick hoped that it was.
After about a minute of thought, Kim said,
"Mr. Rodgers yes I think that your offer would be acceptable."
"John, can you let me know if the sellers accept his offer?" Kim asked.
"I will Kim. So, are we done here?" John wanted to know.
All he could see when he looked over at the two families were nodding heads.
"Okay, then it looks like I have some work to do so lets all head back to my office. John suggested.