Chapter 92

It was a long way up to the Residences at Two Liberty Place.  Fifty-two stories to be exact.  But the height wasn’t the only thing that was making Allegra high.  The moment she saw Richie’s condo, it was love at first sight. 

The layout was both simple and functional, immediately making her feel at ease in the upscale apartment.  Upon entering the front door, a few steps were all it took to guide her past the open kitchen and two coat closets into the living/dining area. 

She stroked her hand lightly across the glossy black baby grand piano on her way to the sofa grouping nestled in the far corner.  When a corner was mentioned, it often dredged up connotations of shadows and darkness, but such was not the case here.  This particular corner, along with almost the entire far wall of the living room, was made of floor-to-ceiling windows, and allowed the early-evening light to fill the room.

The rich, red sofa was awash in the glow of a Philadelphia twilight and the bright focal point in  a room of chocolaty earth tones.  The low, mahogany coffee table was home to an eccentric piece of artwork that was obviously placed by a decorator.  While in keeping with the tone of the décor, it wasn’t what she would consider Richie’s style after seeing where he really lived.

With a deep sigh of appreciation, Allegra took in the breathtaking view of Philadelphia that lay before her.  She bet that not many people had seen the City of Brotherly Love from this height.  Looking out into the distance, she swore she could almost see the lights of Atlantic City, and the cars below looked like children’s toys, they were so small.

Shaking her head in wonder, she walked slowly around the dark wood dining table in the opposite corner of the room, appreciating the colorful, yet earthy oranges and reds that were splashed across the chairs’ upholstery.  It was subtle, yet enough to bring some light to the assortment of browns in the room.

Between the kitchen and living room was the hallway that led to the rest of the unit.  As she meandered along its length, she poked her head in each of the rooms. 

On the right side of the hall were the utility room – equipped with an ultra-modern looking washer and dryer set – and a small office.  The office was essentially bare.  It held only a moderate-sized desk with accompanying chair and lamp.  There was another door in the back of the room that drew her attention.  Upon peeking through the doorway, she found another small closet that she presumed was a ‘mud room’, since it was tiled with linoleum. 

A laugh escaped at the thought of needing a mud room.  It was the fifty-second floor in the middle of one of American’s largest cities, for Pete’s sake.

Her self-guided tour continued down the other side of the hallway.  The first door revealed a small half-bath, while the remaining two were guest rooms.  Nosing around the bedrooms revealed that they both had large, roomy closets and private baths. 

Everything she’d seen so far was in keeping with the same rich earth tones that graced the living area.

The last door at the end of the hallway was opened to reveal the master suite.  She stepped through the entryway and, adding these two walk-in closets to the tally, marveled at the amount of storage space in one apartment.  There was no way her clothes would fill even one of these walk-ins.

An open doorway caught her attention and she flipped the switch, illuminating the bathroom.  Her footsteps echoed on the tile floor as she stepped in to discover a double-basin sink, whirlpool tub and shower stall.  The earth tones were still present here, but in a much lighter shade.  Everything was trimmed in beige marble and bore brushed nickel fixtures. 

Not opulent, just luxurious.

She grinned wryly, thinking of the minimalist environment in which she’d spent her entire adult life.  She never dreamed there would ever be the opportunity to enjoy something as decadent as a whirlpool bath in her own bathroom.

I should at least finish looking at the place before I pick out new towels.

Leaving the bathroom behind and taking the last few steps into the master bedroom, she was pleasantly surprised to find a different color scheme here than in the rest of the apartment.  The beige from the master bath was carried out here, but the bedding, curtains and artwork all included a soothing shade of ocean blue.  It lent the room a beachy air and made her smile, because it was something she would’ve chosen for herself.

The mattress bounced with her weight as she collapsed for a moment to take it all in.  The same corner bank of windows that the living room boasted was mirrored here, and she idly thought that it would be the perfect place to put the bed.  Waking up to a spectacular view of the city would HAVE to make the mornings a little easier.

It really sounds like I’ve made up my mind.  Guess it’s time to go call Richie.

She was psyching herself into rising from her comfortable spot on the bed and to seek out Gus, when her pocket vibrated.

Speaking of Richie…

With a smile, she flicked the screen and connected the call. 

“Hey you.”

“Hey yourself, beautiful.  Did you see the condo yet?”

“I’m sitting in the master bedroom right now, as a matter of fact.”

“And…?”

She flopped back on the bed with a ‘whumpf’ and a grin.  “I love it.  When can I move in?”

“No shit?”  He was understandably stunned considering the objections she’d raised every time he broached the subject.  “You’re really gonna do it?”

“If the offer’s still open, yes.”

His response was an instant and resounding, “Absolutely!”

Pending the security setup, they made plans for her to take occupancy that weekend. 

“I won’t insist that you have live-in security if you’ll promise me not to leave the building without Gus.    I think management will be able to provide what we need in the way of security within the residence, especially after I explain the situation.”

Stifling a sigh, she dutifully promised to be good, and the rest of her week began in earnest. 

The Soul Kitchen project – the working name for Allegra’s restaurant idea –demanded her full attention during working hours, and a good portion of her mind after hours.  When she’d called Jon to thank him for the flowers, he’d said that a complete and detailed outline of the project was all the thanks necessary.   In the event that she wasn’t available for whatever reason, he wanted all the information available at his fingertips so that they could keep a continuous momentum on this one. 

Rather than balking at the control he wanted to exert, she eagerly complied with his request, if for no other reason than to prove to herself it was a viable idea.  Seeing it on paper made it real, and gave her an incredible sense of accomplishment.

During that call, she was also able to verify that David – just as she suspected – was the culprit responsible for other flowers.  She sent a thank you text message that set the tone for the rest of their week.  Several times a day, every day, they would message back and forth to say hello, see what was for lunch, or just check in.  For lack of anything better to say, he would frequently send outrageous one-liners in an attempt to make her laugh.  He was, after all, the Joker. 

Just because it was SO David, her favorite so far had been:  ‘Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.’ 

Although she wasn’t nearly as witty, she did spend one entire afternoon trying to come up with something that would keep her on an even playing field with him.  His curls ended up providing the inspiration she needed.    

She quickly tapped out the text with a grin.  He was going to love this.

‘Some people are like Slinkies ... not really good for anything, but you can't help smiling when you see one tumble down the stairs.’

It wasn’t two minutes until her phone rang, and David was cackling in her ear, saying he was going to have shirts made for the entire crew. 

Laughing, her only warning was, “Be careful David, or they may send YOU tumbling down the stairs.”

In between those distractions, life went along as regularly scheduled with daily commutes, phone calls to Richie and her counseling session.

This week’s session with Rachel was fairly uneventful.   Allegra was still having some trouble with the concept that her thoughts and actions didn’t mean what she thought they did.  Sometimes anger was just anger, wasn’t it?   While Rachel’s point of view didn’t always agree with hers, it often provided interesting food for thought.

She enjoyed a pleasant Saturday visiting the park with Dot, Jake and Romeo.  The boys immediately ran for the playground equipment, leaving the women to set out the delicious Sophia-style picnic, with all of their favorite foods. 

Tummy full, excitement still vibrated from Romeo, and he began clamoring for a trip to the zoo – a cry that was quickly echoed by his brother.  It was a beautiful spring day, and Dot was no more anxious to be indoors than her children, so they all trooped over to the zoo for an afternoon with the animals.  The boys were able to run off the remainder of their excess energy, and at home that evening, they almost fell asleep in their dinner plates before Dorothea shooed them off to bed.

Another beautiful day on Sunday found Allegra sliding behind the wheel of her Toyota for the first time since February, as she pulled it out of one of the garages on Jon’s property.  She maneuvered it into the same spot she’d parked on the fateful day that had changed the course of her life.  Shifting into Park, she indulged in a wave of nostalgia and the memory of meeting Richie for the first time.

So little time, so many changes, she reflected with a shake of her head, walking down the path to the guest house, where Jesse and Stephanie awaited her. 

They both helped pack up and move the few boxes and clothes that she’d accumulated, and in no time at all, the car was filled and ready to go.

“Are you ready, Jess?”

Gus had been given the day off, and Jesse had been recruited to ride into Philly with her, where he would help unload the car.  Dorothea wanted to see the infamous condo for herself, and would follow in the SUV, bringing Jess back with her, while Stephanie had agreed to stay home with her younger brothers.

“Yep,” he said opening the passenger side door.  “Can I pick the music though?”

“What, you don’t want to listen to Gregorian chants? All my nun friends seem to love it,” she teased.

“Um.  No, not really.”

Allegra laughed as he valiantly tried to mask his horror and be diplomatic, but he was clearly afraid that she might be serious. 

“I’m kidding, honey.  Pick whatever you want since you’re not getting paid for your services today.”

“Eh, it’s okay.  I don’t mind helping.”

And Allegra knew that he meant it.  Jon had raised his kids to be service-minded and they did it without a second thought or resentment.  He may have started out as a hell-raising rocker, but he and Dorothea had instilled values in their children that even the most fundamental parent would be proud of.

“You’re a good kid, Jess,” she observed, ruffling his hair.  “Now, let’s find your mom and hit the road.”