Page 12 of Give Me Forever

"This smell is getting worse the longer we stay here. Where is it coming from?" There was nothing rotten that I could see, though it wasn't even a scent of rot. It just seemed old.

He shook his head. "It's the damn carpet."

"Right," I said, my stomach sinking. The entire apartment was carpeted.

"It's been cleaned a couple times, but it's just damn old, and the owner refuses to change it."

If this was a permanent smell, no way would anyone live here. Could it really be the carpet?

I lowered myself to my haunches, and yep, he was right. I stood back up and walked around, thinking hard. I could bring my cleaning supplies, but from my experience, old, stinky carpets had to be replaced. They soaked up smoke and all other manner of odors over the years, and no matter how vigorously you scrubbed them, they still stank. I'd learned that when Mom, Jamie, and I moved into a dingy house, the first one we had in Chicago, and it smelled horrendously. We ended up changing the carpet at our own cost.

That gave me an idea.

"What if I buy a new one?" I suggested.

"That's a significant cost."

"I would lay it myself," I replied. "I know how to."

He shook his head. "The owner will never agree unless a professional does it."

I bit my lip, looking around. The place really would be great for me. Very small but welcoming. I could already imagine the setup. I'd have twinkle lights over the window. I could make it a home.

"Can you let me know by tonight?" he asked.

"Sure," I replied. After I left, I headed straight home. Alana had a work event in the evening and would be coming home later. I was going to surprise her by making dinner. My skills in the kitchen were limited, but I could make a very good quiche. It was all about the ingredients.

After setting everything I needed on the counter, I began cutting the leek and onions, then mixed them with a can of tuna along with a lot of cream before popping the dish in the oven. Dinner would be ready when she arrived home. I preferred using the oven for most of my cooking unless I was short on time, and then I’d use the microwave. Some people frowned upon using that for cooking, but it could be a trusty helper in the kitchen.

Alana came home just as I was pulling the dish from the oven.

"Honey, I'm home," she said, making me laugh. She kicked off her shoes by the entrance before joining me in the kitchen.

"Wow, you weren't kidding when you said you were making a quiche. I thought you were going to order it." She gave me a sheepish smile. "I've always wanted to come home to someone."

“That day will come,” I said as I put huge slices on separate plates for us.

We sat down at the dinner table, and Alana ate it all quickly. I was glad she liked it.

"How was the apartment?" she asked.

"Honestly, not good," I said. "The carpet stinks."

Alana scrunched up her nose. "That's a huge no-no. You can't get that smell out of things no matter what you try."

"I know."

"So that was the only option, huh?"

"I saw another apartment on Craigslist on my way home. I'm going to check it out after dinner."

While we ate, she told me a bit about the event. Her job sounded glamorous, and it fit her perfectly. I was so happy that my friend had found her calling.

After we finished eating, I pulled out my laptop and looked at my other lead. "Oh, dammit. The listing says occupied already."

“Well, that's too bad. Do you have any others?"

"No."

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