"Are you in there?" Cynthia asked. She waived an impatient hand in front of Marie's glazed eyes. Marie nodded, but kept staring at the pictures of the estate on the desk in front of her. It was roomy, but had a comfortable coziness to it. She imagined Cynthia would brush that off. The Baxter's estate was sprawling and imposing. Richard would never go for that. This one, Marie picked up the picture of the curbside view and studied it closely, this one she thought he just might accept.

Marie smiled at the look of relief on Silvia Brown's face when she'd slapped the photo back down and practically shouted that it was perfect, much to Cynthia's undisguised dismay. "Richard will love it!"

A look of disbelief registered on Cynthia's features. "That's great. I'm so glad he finally saw the light. You two will be much happier in a proper house."

Marie blew out a long stream of air in relief at the conclusiveness of the situation. She watched as Silvia hustled about the little office digging for the paperwork that would make the deal final. Marie bit her lower lip and looked sheepishly at Cynthia, "well…"

"Lord, Marie, he'll hang you."

****

Richard sat across from a similar desk across town and nodded in agreement as he listened to Brian Gibbs spew investment opportunities in his direction. Pie charts, and graphs littered the desk, perched on easels, and were strewn about the floor.