Windigo Soul Read Online Free PDF Page A

“Do you have anything else?”
    Peg glanced around the kitchen and shrugged. “Nope.” She drained the rest of her glass with one swallow.
    Sara’s giggle turned into an all-out belly laugh, only pausing long enough to empty her own glass before slamming it in on the counter. Peg joined in the contagious laughter, each woman feeling guilty for doing so, each woman aware that the fragile lightheartedness could turn into uncontrollable sobbing any second.
    A sharp rap on the door broke the moment and Peg held her breath as she stared at the door. “Now who could that be?” She looked though the peephole and saw the fish-eyed view of Sam Dobertson, the building super. A young couple stood behind him. Peg opened the door a crack and couldn’t help notice Dobertson had his keys at the ready, willing to enter had she not been home.
    “Afternoon, Sister Reed,” he grinned. “Wasn’t sure if you’d be home or not. You never returned my call.”
    “Oh.” Peg looked over her shoulder at the wall phone. “No, I guess I haven’t checked my messages for a couple of days.”
    Dobertson glanced down at his tablet. “Well, I’d offer to come back later, but my phone has been ringing off the hook about your place. If you wouldn’t mind? Shouldn’t take more than twenty minutes or so.”
    “I’m afraid I don’t understand.” Peg looked at the young couple behind Dobertson. “Twenty minutes for what?”
    “To show the apartment. These folks were the first to call.”
    “We’ve been living with my parents ever since we got married,” the girl said. “If our marriage is going to survive we need to get the heck out of there.”
    The three people in the hallway laughed but Peg didn’t join in. “Oh. My apartment won’t…won’t be available until September. I didn’t realize you would be showing it so soon, Brother.”
    Sara stepped up behind Peg. “What’s going on, Mom?”
    “Uh,” Dobertson looked down at his tablet again as if it had all the answers. “Brother Reed did retire today, didn’t he?”
    Peg nodded.
    “And you live here alone?” He glanced at Sara.
    “Until September. When I retire.”
    Dobertson turned to the couple. “Would you folks mind giving us a second, please?” He turned back to Peg as they walked down the hall, and lowered his voice. “This apartment building is zoned class C. That’s a family of two, minimum. Legally, you’re not allowed to live here anymore now that your husband has retired.”
    “What?” Sara snapped. “That’s ridiculous. My parents have lived here for over twenty years and you expect her to move out with only a few months left?”
    “Why am I hearing about this now, Brother?” Peg asked. “My husband would’ve said something if he’d known about this.”
    “It’s clearly stated on your housing contract, Sister Reed. I just assumed you’d be prepared.”
    “A contract that’s so old it’s on paper. I’m not even sure where it is. I haven’t looked at that in years. ”
    Dobertson glanced down the hall at his prospective new tenants. “Look, you know how bogged down the system can get. I could probably hold off on filing the residency changes, but I’m trying to run a business, here. The housing market has changed a lot since you and your husband moved in.”
    “Changed as in how much rent you can get.”
    “Well, it’s ah…considerably more. And I simply can’t afford a loss over the next four months when I literally have dozens of calls about this place.”
    “When is she required to move out?” Sara asked.
    “Technically, it would be seven days after the minimum number of tenants hasn’t been met.”
    Sara put her arm around her mother. “Then you’ll get it in seven days along with your precious rent increase. In the meantime, Brother, this is still a private home for the next week. You can show it to people then.” Sara slammed the door in Dobertson’s face.
    “Sara, I…” Peg started.
    “That settles it, Mom.