The Christmas House (30 page)

    
“It’s been quite a while Jimmy, but that’s
besides
the point. No one could ever fill the shoes of Arianna and I have no intention of replacing her. End of discussion. I suggest you get back to work,” said Michael.

    
“Okay boss,” Jimmy said as he walked away.

    
“Jimmy?” said Michael. “Thanks for your concern. I’m just not ready to go there yet.”

    
“No problem Mike. Just looking out for you
that’s
all.”

    
As Jimmy walked away, he grabbed the rolls of wallpaper sitting on the worktable in the dining room area and made his way up the stairs toward the Master bedroom.

    
Sharon came back into the main area of the house where Michael was standing.

    
“The kitchen seems to be kinda small for a new structure Michael. Is there a reason for that?” she asked.

    
“I just wanted to make this house as close to the design of the original as possible,” replied Michael.

    
“Well, I think the kitchen is one area of planning where you should have consulted with a female. When is the last time you cooked a meal in a kitchen Michael?”

    
“Let’s see. I think it was 20 years ago.... from last week Saturday,” Michael replied and then laughed.

    
“See what I mean! Men! You don’t have the first clue about kitchens and bedrooms. We have established your expertise in the kitchen; what about the bedroom area Michael?” she asked as she looked Michael in the eye and stood closer to him.

    
Her obvious advance flustered Michael.

    
“What do you mean by that?”

    
“I mean, did you already pick out the colors for the bedrooms? What type of furniture did you have in mind? The window treatments in those rooms are very important as related to sun exposures and temperature control? What did you think I meant?”

    
“Oh, well- I thought that you were- I mean- yes, the furnishings for the bedrooms. That’s what I thought you meant,” Michael replied.

   
Sharon smiled.

    
“You didn’t think I was hitting on you did you Michael?”

    
“No. That’s insane,
Why
would you say that?” asked Michael.

    
“I overheard a few things that Jimmy said to you earlier. I thought that maybe you got the wrong impression,” she replied as she walked over to a nearby window.

    
Michael followed behind her and watched as she walked toward the window. He couldn’t help but notice that she was a very attractive woman with beautiful legs that went on forever. She was in her late twenties and had long dark hair. Her eyes were a deep rich brown color. Glaring white teeth complimented her small mouth as she smiled at Michael.

    
“So, you didn’t right?” she asked again.

    
“Didn’t what?” Michael replied, embarrassed for letting his mind wander off.

    
“You didn’t get the wrong impression about me did you? I don’t want you to think that I was coming on to you Michael. I heard about what happened to you family. I would never come on so strong to a man I hardly know. I hope you realize that,” she said.

    
Michael thought to himself,
(“That stupid Jimmy. This is
all his
fault.”)

    
“No, I didn’t get the wrong impression. I know you are just trying to help. I would app
reciate your advice. Thank you.

    
“It’s okay Michael. Maybe we could look around the house together and I will make some notes on each room as to what will be required,” she stated.

    
“I think that would be a great idea Sharon. C’mon, I’ll lead the way,” Michael replied as he took his coffee cup and picked up a tape measure with his other hand.

    
Sharon retrieved a yellow ruled notepad from her brief case and followed behind Michael without hesitation.

    
Michael walked up the stairs to the second level and cautioned Sharon about hugging the inside wall since the stairway railings were not yet in place. As Michael climbed the stairs, he thought to himself just how foolish he felt listening to Jimmy. Sharon followed Michael up the stairs and stared at his body as he climbed each stair precisely.

    
Sharon said to herself silently,
“First a comfortable friend and associate, and then a lover. All in good time Mr. Carter.
All in good time.”

    
As Michael reached the landing at the top of the stairs, he walked down the hall and passed the bedroom that would have been Nicole’s. He thought about how today was her birthday. She would have been six years old had she survived the fire.

    
He continued to walk to the last room at the end of the hall.

    
“This is the Master Bedroom suite. It still needs a lot of work, but it’s getting there. The carpeting will be installed later today if my good buddy Jimmy here, gets the wallpaper hung in time,” Michael said to Sharon as Jimmy, up on a ladder in the bedroom was hanging a sheet of wallpaper.

    
“This is a beautiful room. I love the double exposure of North and East.
Going to be pretty bright in the morning though, just as it is right now.
We should look at designing a window treatment that will block out the sun totally so on those weekends when we want to stay in bed all day, the brightness won’t be a problem,” said Sharon.

    
“When ‘we’ want to stay in bed?” asked Michael.

    
“Excuse me?” replied Sharon.

    
“You said ‘we’. I think you meant to say, when ‘you’ as in me, wants to stay in
bed,” stated Michael.

    
“No, I said ‘you’. You must have misunderstood me Michael. I never said ‘we’, she replied.

    
Jimmy looked over to Michael and mouthed the words without making a sound, “she said ‘we’!”

    
Michael decided he should get out of the situation while he still could.

    
“Listen, I have to go to a very important meeting. Why don’t you look around the house and make your notes and we can talk about them later,” he said to Sharon.

    
“That sounds just fine Michael.
Later as in, maybe dinner?
I mean you have to eat don’t you?” she asked.

    
“I don’t know about that Sharon. Maybe we can talk about your ideas tomorrow. Listen I’m late. I will see you tomorrow okay,” Michael said as he walked out of
    

    
“Okay. I will stop by at around 10 o‘clock. Have a great meeting Michael!” she shouted after him.

    
As Michael walked down the stairs and out the front door to his pick up truck, Sharon stood in the middle of the Master Bedroom and said aloud, “Hard to get huh?”

    
Jimmy was still on the ladder and obviously forgotten by Sharon.

    
“Yes, Michael is a very strong man with even stronger convictions.”

    
Startled by Jimmy’s voice, Sharon responded quickly.

    
“I was referring to the furnishings I have in mind for this room. They will be hard to get.”

     “
Yeah right Sharon. Listen if you like Michael why don’t you just tell him instead of playing this little game of yours.” Jimmy said.

    
“Because Michael is confused and doesn’t know what he
wants.
He is not ready for the advances of a woman yet,” she replied.

    
“Then maybe you should just leave him alone. He still loves his wife,” Jimmy replied.

    
“And his wife is dead and gone. Michael is fair game.”

    
“Game as in wildlife Sharon?
You the seductive huntress now?” he asked.

    
“Maybe so Jimmy.
But this huntress always gets her prey,” she replied confidently.

    
“Just remember Sharon. Great looks and a nice smile aren't the only things Michael is looking for in a woman. She better have a heart of gold as well. I don’t think you can fill that prerequisite. Your heart seems to be more of a coal substance if you ask me,” replied Jimmy.

    
Sharon walked over to the ladder and looked up at Jimmy who was trimming the wallpaper he just hung at the ceiling line.

    
“Coal?
That’s a bit cruel isn’t Jimmy?”

    
Jimmy didn’t respond.

    
“Good looks huh? So you like my appearance Jimmy? Like to see a little more of it? I think I can oblige that request,” she said.

    
She placed her left leg on the second ladder rung from the bottom and started to roll her skirt toward her waist. She revealed that she was wearing nylons attached to a garter belt. Jimmy ignored her as she continued to pull her skirt higher and higher. Suddenly she shook the ladder and Jimmy lost his balance and nearly fell off.

    
“Hey! What are you doing!” he screamed at her.

    
“OOPS! Sorry about that Jimmy. Guess you lost your concentration there for a moment didn’t you?” she replied as she pulled her skirt back down and started to walk out of the room.

    
“You’re nothing but a big tease Sharon. I hope Michael turns your advances down flat. You deserve it!” Jimmy yelled after her.

    
She replied from down the hall, “What a jealous little boy Jimmy. You should grow up and become a man one of these days.
A man like Michael.”

*****************************************************

    
As Michael pulled the pickup truck into the parking lot for his scheduled meeting, he spotted a street vendor selling flowers on the corner. He purchased a small bouquet of pink carnations from the old woman. As he walked down the street for several hundred yards, he arranged the flowers properly.

    
“I hope she likes these.”

    
He crossed an intersecting road and walked onto the bright green, well-manicured lawn making his way toward a large maple tree, covered with dark red leaves. As a red cardinal sat silently on a branch of the giant maple and looked on, Michael knelt to the ground.

    
“Sorry I’m late munchkin.
Happy Birthday.”

    
Before him was a headstone that read, “Nicole Miracle Carter, loving daughter and sister. Her laughter will be missed.”

Chapter Nineteen- A Test of Faith

May 2nd

148 Festive Lane

10:00 a.m.

    
As Sharon drove up to the front of the house and parked across the street, she noticed that Michael’s red pick up truck was parked in the driveway. A smile came to her face, as she pulled down the visor and checked her make-up in the vanity mirror. As she opened the car door and placed her long bare legs onto the street, several male workers at the job site couldn’t help but notice her allure.

    
Sharon exited the car and grabbed her briefcase from the backseat. She strolled toward the house like a peacock that was performing a mating dance. Her sensuality was ever present and turned the head of every man within view.

    
She greeted many of them by name.

    
“Morning Joe.”
“How you doing Kenny?”
“Beautiful day isn’t Bob?” she said as she walked through the front door of the house. The men acknowledged her greetings and a few added “come on” phrases such as, “Looking good today Sharon,” and “Hey if those legs were any longer we wouldn’t need ladders around here.”

    
Sharon just smiled, for she knew she was very attractive. She could lure most any man into her lair, but her sights were set on a challenging man who ignored her advances.
A man like Michael.

    
Michael was leaning over a worktable in the middle of the dining room that was covered with blue prints. As he talked with the electrical contractor, Sharon walked up behind him and purposely rubbed here brief case across Michael’s right leg.