“Yes, definitely,” she said with real enthusiasm. They pulled up to a beautiful building. It looked more like a four star hotel than an apartment complex. There was a water fountain in the circular front entryway, surrounded by colorful, lush flowers. The drive was paved in multi-colored stones, looking like a path from a fairy tale book. She watched as they passed the front doors, which were done in gold trim, with brass fixtures. A doorman, in a tuxedo, stood just inside and waved as Lucas drove by.
She peeked out the window and looked up at the overhead roof, where three chandeliers hung down, shooting rainbows of light as they drove beneath the canopy. It was an overwhelming thought that she’d be living in such a sophisticated place.
They pulled inside an underground parking tunnel, where he used a card to enter and then he parked where a sign had his spot reserved.
“You’ll park here,” he said, while pointing out a space near the elevator. He came around the car before she’d even unbuckled. He opened her car door, something she was getting used to. It felt nice to be treated like a lady for an entire day, even if she knew he’d do it for anyone he was with.
They walked into the plush elevator and he pressed the only button available. “This elevator only goes to the lobby. It’s another safety precaution. We take the security of our tenants very seriously.”
The elevator chimed and the doors opened to a huge lobby area that would rival the best hotels in New York. There was a large desk sitting against the far wall with a security guard eyeing the monitors in front of him. “Good evening, Mr. Anderson. You’re in early tonight,” he said before smiling at Amy.
“Hello, Fred. How are you doing?”
“Good. Good.” He replied pleasantly.
“Fred, this is our newest tenant, Ms. Harper. She’ll be living in nineteen-A.” he finished.
“It’s real good to meet you, Ms. Harper. I hope you’ll enjoy living here. It’s a great place. I work the evening shifts Tuesday through Saturday but I live here in apartment two-A if you ever need me. I already put a list of numbers in your apartment, so don’t hesitate to call me any time,” he finished.
Amy liked Fred instantly. He seemed to be around fifty years old and had one of those smiles that made you feel safe. She felt extremely secure in the nice building, like the rest of the world couldn’t get to her if she didn’t allow it. She liked the extra security measures in place and she also loved all the beauty surrounding her.
“Come on, I’ll give you the grand tour before showing you your place,” Lucas said.
He led her down a hallway to the left. They entered a doorway of a state of the art gym. Lucas then led her through another door, where there was an Olympic sized pool. Her mouth almost started watering. Could it be real? She not only got a place, which she didn’t even care if it was the size of a shoe box, but she also got a swimming pool, gym, and security.
The next door he led her through had a hot tub and sauna. Lucas was watching her reactions to the things he never even thought about as special anymore. Her face, lit up in delight, actually humbled him. He noticed she was working hard to control her features, but she’d never succeed at poker. She couldn’t hide the pleasure running across her face.
He showed her the private backyard garden with benches and another fountain. She knew she’d spend hours there reading a good book; that is, of course, after her work out and swim.
Finally, she lost her ability to maintain her calm and let herself enjoy the moment. She spun in a circle and laughed aloud. She almost grabbed him in her excitement, but at the last minute pulled back.
“Um, sorry about that; I tend to get too excited sometimes,” she mumbled and walked back into the building.
“Well, you may want to reserve judgment until you actually see your apartment,” he said, while leading her back into the lobby. He was having a difficult time keeping the smile from his face. She was contagious in her excitement, and he found her such a pleasure to be around. He was trying not to like her and it wasn’t working out so well for him.
He pressed the elevator button and stepped inside once the doors opened. They rode to the nineteenth floor in silence. They arrived quickly on their floor. As she looked around at the extra wide hallways with beautiful paintings, strategically placed, she realized the massive size of the building.
When she was told it was a corporate apartment complex, she’d assumed it only had a couple floors, with minimal units. But from what she was seeing, there must have been at least several hundred apartments.
As they walked down the hallway, she noticed there were hardly any doors. They came toward the end, and he placed a key in the door on the left. Her curiosity got the best of her and she asked, “There aren’t many doors up here. How many apartments are on each floor?”