The Tenant

Frank Franklin didn’t know exactly how it happened, but Lily Stanton came and she never left.  Not that she was staying in the house anymore.  Together they had fixed up the outbuilding that served before as a craft studio of some sort and made it into a studio apartment.  It already had a bathroom and a deep sink which needed snaking out.  The door was windowed and there were two side windows but none in the back, so it wasn’t exactly bright and cheery.  But Lily had furnished it with a single bed, an arm chair and a desk.  As her now landlord Frank had added a roll-in counter, where he had placed a microwave.  The refrigerator was a problem because of the wiring.  When the construction people finished with the house itself, he would have them rewire and insulate the outbuilding because, even if Lily left—or should that be when she left—he saw potential in having that separate living space.  Rental property?  Maybe.

And Lily was paying rent.  She insisted, even though he told her she’d probably be more comfortable in an extended-stay motel.  “I like it here. I like the quiet, I like the country, it soothes my soul,” she told him.

He set the rent ridiculously low because Lily was also overseeing the construction, making decisions on tiling and flooring, which he really didn’t care about, as long as it looked decent.  Besides, this gave her something to keep her mind off troubles at home.  She would discuss renovation decisions with him, give him pricing estimates and where she thought they could cut expenses and not lose quality.  He guessed watching HGTV paid off for her—and him.

They both had secrets to keep.  His was from his mother.  While his mother always said she wanted her children to go their own way, she wasn’t subtle about making suggestions when she felt they weren’t hewing to the course she had set out for them.  What would she say if she knew Lily was staying with him?  He’d rather not find out.  He only hoped that she didn’t decide to get into the car and drive over here.

Poor Lily had her family to deal with.  When she informed her mother that she had to leave for her mental health, her mother had replied, “What about my mental health?  You’re deserting me when I need you the most.”

Guilt trip galore, but Lily told her, “It’s up to you how you deal with the situation.  You could also leave.”

“And leave your father?  Whom I married for better or worse?”

“Sell the house and get out of Dodge.  The Feds will find you.  You know how long that case is going to drag on.”

“You stupid girl.  If we sell the house, the money we get will be confiscated to pay creditors.”

Which is basically the whole town, Lily thought grimly.

“At least tell me where you are,” her mother begged.

“No.  I’m safe and trying to regain my sanity.”

When the conversation ended, Lily thought maybe she should get a burner phone in case her mother developed the ability to track her.  One thing she didn’t need was her mother showing up on Frank’s doorstep.

Frank.  She only saw him on weekends.  Sometimes he would drive up Friday night, depending on work, sometimes Saturday morning.  She tried to stay out of his way at first, but he always came to the outbuilding to ask how she was doing.  Then they’d go through the house together, which was really shaping up to be beautiful.  Especially the kitchen and the main bathroom.  He cared about the bathroom more than the kitchen.  He was a big fan of the deli in grocery stores.  But she liked to cook.  Not that it was any of her business to cook in his house.

One Saturday she helped Frank move a cabinet the widow, who had sold Frank the house, decided, on second thought, she couldn’t do without.  Frank warned the widow to make sure she was asking for everything she wanted because he would probably redo the rooms and furnishings as the renovation went along.  So she decided she’d like the full length tilting mirror also.

“You don’t have to give her anything,” Lily said, as they were deciding whether they could fit the items into his car.

“I know.  I’m a lawyer.  But she’s a widow and probably didn’t realize what she needed when she moved into assisted living.  Who knows how much money she has in the bank?”

When they put his back seats down, they found the cabinet fit in the back and the mirror went over it, stuck out of the trunk so they had to tie it down.  But the widow was delighted to see them and her previous possessions.

Of course, they had to unload and with her direction get everything set to her liking. Her place was so small.  But she seemed happy, judging by the way she hurried them out; the mahjong game was about to begin.

They went to lunch in Springfield afterwards, a Greek place Lily had discovered on her wanderings when not working.  “So sad,” Lily said.

“What?”  Frank was oblivious.

“Her apartment.  It was so small and she looks out onto a parking lot.  How she must miss her house and her garden and the space.”

“But it was her choice to move,” Frank pointed out.

“Because maybe she had no choice at all, stuck out there, worried about being cut off in the winter months.  Life.  Sometimes you’ve got to wonder what it’s all about.  You live, you die.”

“You try to make a difference while you’re living,” Frank added sententiously.

“You might be making a difference.  Your father made a difference.  Look at my parents.  Look at me.  Medical billing.  I mean, who is that helping?”

“The insurance companies?”

“Not a joke, Frank.”

“Well, you’re helping me with supervising the construction.  It’ll be an edifice to your good taste.  We’ll call it the Lily Stanton house, and people will come from miles around to admire it.  Then they’ll say, here’s the Frank Franklin garage.  Note the oil stains.”   He was glad to see her smile.  “You’re just in a bad place right now, Lily.  Things will get better.  You’ll meet someone.  You’ll have a family.”

Over the gyro plate, she tentatively replied, “What if I’ve already found someone?”

Frank brightened.  “One of the guys?”

Lily’s head went back in despair.  Men were so dumb!

“Oh,” Frank said, when he cottoned on.  Finally.  “Well.  Gee.”

Their ride back to the house was rather uncomfortable.  When they finally pulled into the garage, Lily said, “I’m sorry if I ruined things.  I should move out.”

“You haven’t ruined anything,” Frank assured her.  “You can’t even know how much I look forward to the weekends, driving up here to see the house—to see you.  But, you’re so young and you’re in such pain.  I don’t want to take advantage.”

“But what if I want you to take advantage?”

“Well—-then I suppose we could try out one of the bedrooms,” he suggested tentatively.

“Let’s be practical and put the leftovers in the fridge first,” she said with a sly smile.

Only fleetingly did Frank think of what Eden would say as he followed Lily’s perfect ass up the stairs to the bedroom he had made his own.  It had a dust mark from where they removed the tilting mirror, but he only had eyes for Lily, as she took off her sweatshirt and then freed her breasts.  Oh, my, he thought.  This is going to be heaven.