The House On Baker Street

She gaped at me but now that I've had the idea, it seemed like the best thing in the entire world. After I was able to force some food down mother's throat, I made her wear some new clothes. We would need a car and I needed to find something for mother to do during the days. Activity and interaction with other people were going to snap her out of her downtrodden mood.

We braved Catwoman again and after an hour of her lectures on about all things Llanwrtyd, mum was able to get a word in edgewise and ask her for directions to a realtor.

"Looking to buy a house here? Oh, that's such wonderful news! I knew you were here to stay just by the looks on you." She gushed happily. "Why, my nephew works in the real estate office. I'm going to get you his phone number right now! You and I going to make truly wonderful neighbours." She prattled on but I'd tuned her out, frozen as I was in terror.

Neighbors? I'd have to see her on a daily basis for the rest of my life? Not happening.

I mentally crossed the beautiful white house directly opposite Mrs Clark that had a for sale sign off my list and I was going to make sure it stayed off mum's too.

Mrs Clark returned with a phone number and an offer to lend me her car, but I couldn't drive and mother hadn't learned either.

"I can drive." She announced timidly.

"You can?!" I was betrayed into yelling.

"Yes. My dad...." And she clamped up again.

Mother had always been like that. I knew nothing about her family. Well, thanks to the documents, I knew her father's name was Chrysler Angharad, but that told me nothing. I only had an address for a lawyer but I didn't know what properties he owned that interested Frank so much that he had to dedicate decades into trying to obtain.

Not willing to pester her and add to her anguish, I decided she would teach me how to drive, right after we bought a car. Mum really needed to get a job. At this rate, we'd blow through the money in a week.

Our realtor was a red aired beauty. He was lithe, pale and delicate. I felt like I weighed a million pounds next to him and he was probably a decade older than me. After the introductios were out of the way, Alys, Mrs Clark's nepew took us to five houses. Mother hardly paid attention to any of them. She appeared to be several miles at all the showings and I hated each house. We were driving through to see the sixth house when I saw it. I knew it was the one even before I ordered Alys to stop the car. It was old and abandoned, the yard overgrown and the fence in shambles. It was a two story brick house and one of it's windows was boarded up. It hadn't been so the last time I'd been here. That window sill was where Patrick, my cat familiar, loved to lounge and watch the people in the street. The last time I'd seen this house, the blood suckers had been surrounding it in their numbers, destroying what they could.

"This place has a bit of a, um, history." Alys began.

"We'll take it." I interrupted firmly, already mapping out the things that I'd need to do to bring it back to it's former glory. "And we'll take the shop too."

"How'd you know there's a shop attached to the house?" The realtor asked, looking dumbfounded.

Yeah, how had I known that? I hadn't seen any sign of there being a shop. But a few moments later, I saw it. A large room built into the house. It took up the entire ground floor. While it had its own entrance and was standing on it own, it was designed in such a way that it was connected to the house.

"Its right here, so how couldn't I know about it." I flashed the realtor a wolfish smile and continued looking around the house. I prayed the man let the matter drop. Thankfully, he did.

"But you can't buy this house..."

"Why isn't it for sale?"

"Yes it is, but you don't understand."

"Then we'll take it." My tone brooked no further argument.

Alys looked to mother for help but she may as well have been one of the ruined wallpapers for all the attention she paid to us.

Three hours later, we were the proud owners of the house on baker's street. Mum was ambivalent. Mrs Clark, the owner of the bnb, was aghast.