ONE NORMAL LIFE / TWO EXTRAORDINARY LIVES

CHAPTER 139 – THE APARTMENT OVER THE GARAGE

AUGUST 10, 2009
SUNDAY
10:00AM

Buffy sat at the kitchen table writing comments on her the children's report cards that she would be giving the parents tomorrow. There had been 10 new students from ages 10 - 12 in her summer class. All had come from public schools that their parents wanted them out of. The summer class had been to try to integrate them into the learning styles of the Montessori system, so come fall, they'd be ready.

Almost all of them had done beautifully, but there had been two students, whom she honestly didn't think would make a good fit. Neither for them, or for the small school trying to accommodate them. She wasn't looking forward to telling this to their parents.

She smiled to herself, hearing William coming in the back door.

Despite the weirdness of Friday, yesterday had been back to normal, as her and William had run around getting stuff for the trip, and did last minute things around the house. He'd been his normal, sweet, solicitous self towards her, his presence assuring her that all was right in their little world, that talk of 'borrowed time,' had just been a fluke, an aberration in their 'normal life.'

Every time a nagging feeling would threaten to rear its ugly head, she would push it down and busy herself with the time consuming task of going on vacation. Vacation. The word was taking on a meaning of its own. Especially, where they were heading and what it meant to them. It was where they had first made love again after she'd found him. Found him and freed him from the hospital. Its where she realized how strong her love for him still was after 5 years and where he'd fallen in love with her.

Even though she didn't like to think about it, their vacation was beginning to feel like some sort of escape. She didn't understand why she was feeling like this, since she loved their house, but she was.

In fact, going home had been the goal she'd been most concerned with, while at Fuller's last year. Get William home, had been her mantra, even to the extent of having had Xander and his family drive cross country to help her accomplish it.

She shook her head, wishing she could just call all the kids and their parents, and do the conferences today, even if she had to personally go to all their homes! It was just nagging at her to have to wait until Tuesday morning to leave for Michigan, when she was ready, willing, and more than able to leave today.

"Shit!" she said, coming back to reality. If she did that, they'd all lose a ton of money from changing their tickets at the last minute. Not to mention, it would be at a higher weekend rate, too.

"What's wrong?" William asked.

"Oh, nothing. Just wishing we were able to leave for Michigan today, instead of Tuesday."

He came up behind her and put his arms around her, "Nothing you can do about it, luv,” he said, kissing the top of her head.

"Darn kids," she said, taking the papers in front of her and slapping the table with them.

He chuckled, "Go ahead and blame the kids, if it makes you feel any better."

"I think I will," she said, turning her head up so she could look at him.

William bent over and gave her a kiss; "Besides, I couldn't leave today, anyway."

"Why not?" She asked.

"I told Professor Wittman I'd help him clear out this apartment over his garage. His use used to live there, and he wants to rent it out. I think he needs the money, because of his medical bills," he added.

"Oh," Buffy said, disappointed. "When are you going?"

"I told him I'd be over there by 11, so pretty soon. Can you give me a lift over there? My car is acting a bit strange. I called Clem and he thought it might be that I only need some new spark plugs, but I don't want to take a chance."

"Sure, jlet let me know when you want to go."

"About 20 minutes? I'm just going to go take a quick shower and wash this grease off me first, okay?"

"Okay," she answered, going back to the papers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Do you want me to help you?" she'd asked him on the drive over.

"No," he'd replied, almost too quickly, "You've got things you need to do, right? Your papers for one, and you said you wanted to get a few more things at the store?"

She nodded, "I guess so. How long are you going to be?"

"Only a few hours, I should think. I'll call you when I'm almost finished, okay?"

"Okay," she said, reluctantly. She didn't know why, but she had just wanted him and her to be at the home today. Their last full day at the house, before vacation. She knew it was silly to feel resentful about a sick professor needing his help, but none-the-less, she did.

"What's the address?" Buffy asked, as she pulled onto Mockingbird Terrace Drive, about 4 blocks from the university.

"1605," he answered, "look for a black mailbox with a horse on it. Oh, there it is," he said, pointing to the mailbox in front of an older looking, pinkish, adobe style house. The outside, although 'high desert landscaped,' looked as though it hadn't been tended in a while. Plants looked as if they were on their last legs, and there was junk littering the yard. It just looked overall, unkempt.

She made a face, "I hope the inside isn't as bad as this," she said.

"What?" he asked, not seeing what she was.

"Oh, nevermind. Call, okay?"

"I will," William said, reaching across the seat to kiss her. "I won't be long. If it looks as though it's going to take longer than a few hours, I'll just tell him that I'll have to help him when I come back from holiday," he said.

"You do that," she said, smiling as he got out and walked to the door. Before he got to the stoop, the door opened and the professor beckoned him in, first giving Buffy a wave, as she put the car into gear and drove off.

"Thanks for coming on such short notice, William," Professor Wittman said, "especially, since I know you're going out of town in a couple of days."

"That's alright. We're pretty much finished with all that. At least I think I am."

Professor Wittman laughed, "If your Elizabeth is anything like my Ingrid, she'll fret until the moment you leave, then fret some more that you may have left something behind, left the stove on, forgot to leave the lights on the timer...oh, my boy, the list is endless. By the time we get going I need a vacation just from the preparations. Preferably alone!"

William laughed. Elizabeth had been fretting about this ever since she'd sprung it on him a couple of weeks ago. Maybe that was why he was feeling so anxious lately, too. In fact, one of the reasons he didn't mind doing this for a couple hours was just to have something else to think about. He knew Elizabeth had wanted to spend the day with him, but he just needed some time to himself, which although it made him feel guilty, was why he'd refused her offer of help.

"Have you had lunch?" Professor Wittman interrupted his thoughts.

"No, but I we just had breakfast not yet two hours ago," he said.

"Well then, why don't I show you to the mess I need cleaned?" he said.

William followed Professor William back outside and up a set of stairs to the apartment over the garage.
The professor unlocked the door and stepped inside. William made a face at the stale air, which smelled slightly of mold and mildew.

"Not pretty," Wittman said, as he turned on the light. \aid aid my son was somewhat of a slob."

That was an understatement, William thought looking around. There were old pizza cartons and beer cans on the floor. Magazines, newspapers, and old clothes were strewn over practically every other surface - tables, chairs, couch, etc.

William shook his head; he couldn't understand how someone could live like this, especially the son of a respected professor.

Professor Wittman motioned to William, and he gave him the tour of the apartment, opening the windows, as they went through the other rooms; bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen, "That's better, wouldn't you say?"

William nodded, grateful for the fresr.
r.

"Well, as I told you, I don't believe there's anything here of any value to my son. You can see that most of it's garbage. He told me he took all that he wanted when he moved, so there's nothing here for you to worry about. However, if you think there's something, just set it aside and I'll come take a look. Otherwise, if there's anything here that wou would like; any books he left behind, or any of the furniture, feel free to keep it. Other than that, just toss it all out by the street. You'll find a big box of large yard bags in the kitchen, which I brought up the other day. I think most the garbage should fit in there. Oh, and don't worry about washing anything, I'm hiring a couple of maids to come in next week and clean this place up, so let 'em earn their money, William."

"Okay," William agreed. "What about the furniture? Do you want me to take it down to the street, too?"

"No, just leave it. I think my nephew is going to come by for some of it, otherwise, I'll just get someone else to dismantle the bed and cart if off. As for the dresser, I think a couple of drawers are broken; just get everything else out. Oh, leave the kitchen items, unless you need anything. I think my nephew might take a few of those, or I'll just leave them for the renter."

Professor Wittman left and William began to the kitchen to get a garbage bag from the box, which was on the table. He opened the refrigerator door, hoping for a bottle of water or soda. He slammed the door shut, coughing. It had been left unplugged.

Quickly, he grabbed the garbage bags and too them back into the living room. He put his head near the window for a few minutes, until he was sure he had cleared the stench from his nostrils, then got to work.

He filled 3 bags worth of trash from the living room, before taking them down to the street. He returned, filled another bag half-full, before starting in on the bedroom. There were clothes in the closets, but Wittman had told him to trash them as well. He looked through them first, finding a T-shirt that said School Sucks, which he thought was ironic, coming from a professor's son. Maybe he'd save it and give it to Elizabeth as a joke, for when she was in a bad mood over work. Then again, maybe not. He tossed it into the garbage bag.

He had just taken the filled bag out to the living room when his phone rang. He fished it out of his pocket and flipped it open, "Hi luv, I'm still working, but I should be done by 2:00 or so."

"Hello?" a male voice said on the other end.

"Oh, hello, I'm sorry," William said, surprised.

"William?"

"Yes, who's this?"

"It's Giles. Rupert Giles."

"Hello Giles, how are you?" he asked, wondering why he was calling him.

"I'm fine William, and how are you?"

"Very well, thank you."

"Good, good. I trust you and Buffy are having a good summer?"

"Yes, very, although we've been quite busy with work and school, but we're looking forward to going on holiday in a couple of days with Dawn and John. And I believe you know Xander? Him and his family are joining us, as well."

"Ah, that's wonderful. I believe Willow mentioned something about that," Giles said. "Might I please speak with Buffy, if she's available?" Giles asked.

William looked confused, then looked at his cell phone; only it wasn't his, he had picked up Elizabeth's by accident!

"I'm sorry, I seem to have picked up Elizabeth's cell phone by mistake this morning and I'm not at home. I'm at my professor's house right now, helping him clean out an apartment."

"Oh, I see."

"Elizabeth must have my phone, would you like that number?"

"No, that's alright. Would you just tell her that I called, and that she should give me a call when you return from your holiday?"

"Of course," William said.

"Well, good talking to you William. I'm glad that you and Buffy are having a good...summer."

"Thank you, it's been nice talking to you too, Giles."

"Oh, and William? You remember what I said don't you? If you ever need to talk...?"

William paused, he'd actually thought of that recently. "Yes, I remember. And I have your card, still."

"Very good. Well, have a safe trip and a good holiday. Both of you."

"We will. Thank you."

"Good-bye, William."

"Good-bye, Giles," he said, and flipped the phone shut.

He took a break when Professor Wittman and his wife Ingrid, insisted that he have a bite of lunch with them. They asked him where he and Elizabeth were going on vacation and told him they were from Ohio, originally and talked of the mid-west, in general.

After lunch, he finished the bedroom, then went on to the bathroom, which only took one garbage bag full to clean. He was quite glad he wasn’t the one who was going to have to clean that tub.

The phone rang again, this time it was Elizabeth, asking him what he wanted for dinner, and asking if she should pick up something before or after coming for him. He told her to go to the store first; that by the time she was done, he’d be finished.

It took another 45 minutes to clean out the kitchen. He took down another 3 bags of trash to the curb and walked back upstairs to make sure he didn’t miss anything.

As he was looking around, he had the strangest feeling come over him, especially when he walked into the bedroom. It was almost a precognition sort of feeling, as he looked at the bed, he could almost imagine himself lying there.

The feeling continued when he walked out into the living room, as well. He looked out onto the street and could imagine it dark, see himself standing there, bereft, lonely, lost.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy had knocked on the door of the house, after arriving. Professor Wittman pointed her in the direction of the apartment, after asking her if she wanted him to show her.

She walked to the front of the house and went up the stairs. The door was open a bit and she walked in.

“William?”

“In here,” she finally heard him call. She walked into the bedroom and he was standing there by the window, looking out.

“Hey,” she said, coming over to him as he turned around.

“Hi,” he said, smiling warmly at her, glad to see her.

He put out his arms and she came into them.

“Miss me?”

“Always,” he said, kissing her. “I’m done here, let’s go.”

“Okay,” she said, taking his hand. “Looks like you had a ton of stuff to clear out, from all the garbage bags on the street.”

He nodded, as they walked through the living room. He told her to wait, while he took a final look around to make sure he didn’t leave anything. Not finding anything, he rejoined her in the living room.

“Just going to say good-bye, then we can be off,” he told her as they walked out and down the stairs.

He knocked on the door and Professor Wittman came to it and motioned them in.

William declined for them both, “I really shouldn’t, we need to get home. Elizabeth has some food in the car, which needs to be refrigerated before it spoils.

“I understand,” he said.

William and him talked for a few minutes about what he’d taken out to the curb, and what he’d left alone. He told him about the refrigerator, and the professor said he’d plug it back in, before attempting to have anybody clean it up. He then thanked William and told him he’d see him when he returned from vacation.

“Remember to call me. I should find out about your T.A. position in the next few days, but I shouldn’t worry too much. It’s just a technicality; basically, me recommending you for it, which I already did. If you want it, it’s yours.”

“Thank you,” William said, shaking his hand, “I do, that is...”

He turned towards Buffy, “What do you think?”

“If that’s what you want, then I think it’s great,” she said smiling, although inside, it made her sad to know that he really wouldn’t be close by like he had been during the last school year.

He looked at her and nodded.

“Well, we should be off,” he told Professor Wittman.

“Have a great vacation. And nice meeting you again, Elizabeth,” he said.

“You, too.”

William took her hand and they walked to the car.
too took one more look at the apartment after getting into the passenger seat, wondering what it was about it, that had made him feel so melancholy.

“Ready?” she asked.

“Very. Let’s get out of here,” he answered.

END CHAPTER 139