Suzie’s House 328 : Garbage, Paint, and Shoes

Suzie’s mind wandered as she dumped the kitchen garbage into the trash can by the garage. The utility bills shouldn’t be too bad this time. Not like in winter when they could easily hit three hundred a month. Maybe more insulation in the attic would help, but that would require money she didn’t have.

She shouldn’t have spent so much on the lawyer to get Gene adopted. Especially when it didn’t really seem like Gene wanted to be adopted. Not that he resented living in her house. He’d made himself very much at home. But every time she mentioned the adoption, his jaw would tighten and he would look away, and now and then he would mutter, ‘I already have a mother.’

She wasn’t sure how much good it would do him anyway. He seemed so mature, even for a high school kid.

He was always off with his band members. They had a practice space and used it for all it was worth. It was a relief not to have it going on in her living room anymore, but lonely too. Especially when Vin and Miranda went out to dinner and Ben went to Lisa’s house.

She still couldn’t get used to the fact her son had a girlfriend. It made Suzie shake her head, as if the garbage could commiserate with her.

Suzie turned toward the house, thinking about supper and whether or not anyone would turn up for it when Miranda stepped out of the house.

“There you are. I thought maybe you weren’t home because there’s nothing cooking yet.” Miranda marched across the yard at I-mean-business Miranda speed.

“What’s wrong?”

“I can’t get the window of my bedroom open.”

“Which bedroom?” It was a fair question, wince Miranda rented a room for her clothes, but stayed in Vin’s room.

“That one.” She pointed to her own.

The motion drew Suzie’s attention to a patch on the second story where the sun tended to shine more. The paint was chipped and peeling.

“Oh no.” Suzie looked over the rest of the house with a more critical eye than normal. Shabby at best.

Suzie didn’t consider herself all that fastidious, but if too much rain got in under the paint, she’d be looking at rot. On a house with a building date even further back than her grandmother’s birth date, that could be a serious problem.

If she hired someone, she’d probably have to shell out between four and five thousand. If she did it herself she could keep it to a few hundred for the paint and supplies, but that could be risky. She could well fall and break her neck.

The job wouldn’t be so daunting if not for the steeply pitched roofs. All that trim just out of reach of the ladder. She could set up scaffolding on the back, which would cost an arm and a leg but would be well worth it. She wasn’t so sure about setting up on the porch out front.

“It’s not a big rush, but that room is getting stuffy.” Miranda settled in for a chat session; shifting her weight to one leg and settling her hands on her hips. “The leather of my shoes is stinking it up. I’m thinking about getting rid of half my shoes anyway. I’m going to thin out my clothes, too. If there’s anything you want, let me know. I’m just going to dump most of it on Goodwill anyway.”

“Making room for the new season?” Suzie asked with only half her attention on the conversation.

“Well,” Miranda laughed guiltily. “It’s kind of extravagant of me to rent a room just for my stuff. So, I need to trim down. It’s not like I’m going to wear most of that stuff again anyway. There’s no point to keeping it.”

“Oh.” Suzie was afraid to ask if Miranda intended to stop renting the room entirely. If she did, then Suzie would have to scramble for another renter, because there was no way she’d make the mortgage otherwise. She couldn’t afford to let the situation intensify.

“Anyway, what’s for supper?”

“I thought we’d grill steak and corn on the cob today.”

“Great! Vin will love that. I’ll go tell him now.” Miranda trotted to the kitchen door.

“Let me get the cat’s paw. I’ll be upstairs in a minute.” Suzie stepped into the garage.

Insulation, paint, utility bills, lawyer’s fees, and the chance that Miranda would give up her room… it couldn’t be argued any longer. Time to get a job.

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