" As you can see it hasn't been in usage for some time. Yet, the owner of the building did keep it up to date with modern day plumbing, an electricity." Realtor reached deep into her pocket an fiddled for the key to this building. Behind the more elderly woman stood Aunia who was less professionally dressed. With a earth tone brown sundress with the 'Illuminati' symbol on it. Comfortable sandals that those lovely painted toes from being overheated in this southern weather. Dropping her brown eyes to see the realtor searching for that right keep. Aunia moved toward the dirty window nearby, anxiously seeking out a clean spot so she can see anything inside yet.
"Ah, here we go. " Key was inserted, then wiggled into the hole, that's were the sound from being unlocked cause Aunia to quickly to observe the realtor enter in, prompting her to follow behind instantly. Room was dark since the sunlight had long ago redirected it's descent into the dusk phase. Aunia couldn't see much at first. Then the lights when on and illuminated the gigantic size of the place. This was the place, the place she and her sister had anxiously wanted. Realtor turned to see that Aunia was breathless.
"Building was constructed in the 1861 during the South Confederacy. Many solider's came to this local salon to enjoy entertainment, drinking, an dance hall girls. You can see the stage is still original woodwork, an bar too. Upstairs use to be the rooms used for ..." Realtor didn't want to say whoring she used a more civil statement." fun times..." A small apologetic laugh came. " Go ahead and look around and tell me what you think?"
Elsewhere that she'd been shown never felt like home. Nor did she feel connected to the spirit she was looking for. Across the room she crossed the hard wood floor that could use some repair. She could see all the scuff marks. Looked like the owner, who's family had this for years, only used it for storage. Like they couldn't decided all these years what to do with it. Only say they owned a historical building until one day it would be rented out, or bought for the right price? Around the downstairs she took to studying the plumbing in the kitchen, bathroom, behind the bar downstairs. Upstairs she felt how comfortable the stairs were. They seem relatively sturdy. Rooms nice size for office space, an living quarters for both sisters. They could stop paying rent at their tiny apartment an move into their place of business. Save gas money too during this economic crisis? Coming out onto the balcony she looked down at the Realtor patiently waiting below.
"Mrs. Evans. I'll take it" She exclaimed with sincerity.
- Following Week -
"Trysta trust me it was a wise purchase. I mean it has tones of outlooks we can design for it. It's huge, and we have an entire upstairs to make it our home, an work living space." The older sister carried on explaining to her what to anticipate. Yes, this purchase was a surprise, a sort of present for both of them. With encouragements from their parents money to buy it was no problem. Aunia pulled the moving van up front of the building. It had been semi cleaned front windows. She'd spent private time here during the early mornings to polish it up. Remove cobwebs an dust.
"You see that spot there? That will be perfect spot for the large Zodiac Cafe sign" Expressing excitedly as she moved out of the van, locking it behind her. In a rush she came about an grabbed her sisters arm an ushered her into the place once it was unlocked. " Okay, so there is a stage, we can do live bands, or poetry nights, ...and oh there is the bar. It's all yours....and there I can set up my pastry section near the kitchen. Oh, oh, an there is the grand stairway ..." Aunia released her sisters hand and spiraled around in a merry way, showing that creative vision for her sister. Lucky there were no tables or chairs that she would collide into as she danced in the middle of their new place.
"Don't you just love it. I cannot wait to see it painted an wow..." Aunia finally calmed down from all the overwhelming talk she'd been doing to let her sister speak. Anxiously she came up to her face to face pondering what she thought about it all. Maybe she'd get more of a opinion when she chose her own room?
Why was it that when anyone said, 'trust me' you knew you were about to walk into a disaster of immense proportions? Pink glossed lips pursed together in a look that clearly stated the thoughts on her mind as she listened to Aunia chatter away excitedly about all the amenities this purchase of hers could offer. Not that she thought having their own cafe was a bad idea. Actually, it was a rather clever one, for more reasons than she could really count. The top one probably on both their lists being that, well, Trysta had authority issues. Every job she'd ever tried to keep a hold of had ended up the same. With her telling her boss to shove it where the sun didn't shine and walking out. Not that she was hard to get along with, but she had her own way of doing things, and really hated it when people addressed or treated her like a child. Yes, sometimes her head floated in the clouds, and sometimes she came up with really hair-brained schemes that could hatch with a lightning quickness, but that didn't make her incompetent, just, somewhat difficult.
"Of course it was a wise purchase," she mumbled under her breath, "And next you will be telling me that the grass is really purple." Eyes the color of warm topaz looked to the driver's side of the van and she gave her sister a small smile. She wasn't trying to be a brat, and knew they both needed a place where they could flourish as artists while still being able to earn a decent living, but sometimes, her sister made rash decisions, not that she could really talk much in that department. As they pulled up in front of the building, she opened the door of the moving van and hopped out nimbly, her gaze moving to where Aunia directed it, tilting her head back and covering her eyes to get a better view. "I guess that would be a decent place for a sign..." She said feeling a little bit of the thrill that was going through her, though she tried to contain herself in spite of her sister's obvious excitement.
When her sister rushed upon her grabbing her arm and pulled her along quickly, she tried to drag her feet, though, that tell-tale twitch of a smile hinted at her lips. She waited as the door was unlocked and then walked into the place, her eyes widening at the site. The place was trashed! She would have called it an out and out dump, but, it definitely had potential. It was big enough, that was for sure. The stage was a bonus, and the bar, perfect for the coffeehouse/liquor bar idea swimming in her head. Though she hoped she could get their parents to help them with obtaining a liquor license. Shouldn't be too hard in New Orleans, right?
She watched as her sister spun about the room in a happy little dance, tilting her head to the side as she looked over the staircase, and noted the upstairs rooms. The place was huge, and grudgingly she had to admit, for the price they had got it at, it was a wise purchase. Trysta came to stand in the middle of the room, still silent, of course, trying to get a word in edgewise when Aunia was like this would be like trying to find the leprechauns pot of gold. Already her mind was starting to go over paint schemes, what pictures might be hung and where, and just how good the place would look fully cleaned.
As her sister walked up to her to stare her in the eyes, she leaned her head forward until their foreheads were touching and placed her hands on her sisters shoulders. She waited a full minute with that eye contact before letting a glorious smile spread over her lips. "It's perfect! Absolutely perfect! Now, lets go get some cleaning supplies and get this mess cleaned up, then we can talk painting!"
-- Edited by TRYSTA KHAUN on Saturday 5th of March 2011 01:28:23 AM
Hearing her sister’s approval over the building made Aunia breath in relief. Even if she did reject the place there was no way going back for a refund. The property had already been bought. Aunia didn’t at all want to have to call their parents and try to explain her surprise for Trysta was an epic fail.Together they traveled around the room expressing back and forth what ideas would be good. Like the name was going to be – Zodiac Café.
Moving stuff from the van was tedious work for the two women. Not to mention trying to get their bed equipment up that steep wooden stairs to the top floor.Aunia choose a room farthest away from the stairs. Leaving the more front rooms to be office and storage facilities for that easier access during business hours –why? Because those stairs are gonna wear her out!?Having taken most of the morning they both concurred about getting cleaning supplies.
Using the rental van to haul off to buy cleaning supplies, paints & equipment, provisions, and other essentials, this task took a good three hours before they returned to their dream business/home building.Aunia dropped her sister off and bringing in the goods. Afterwards she left Trysta to fend for herself. “I need to get this Van turned in. I don’t feel like paying for an extra day. I’d like petty cash savings to buy a car that can also be advertisement for our café.”Just a consideration to think about since most of their money would be put into carpenters, electricians to fix the wiring, plumber to double check the bathroom.
Drive was ridiculous to the rental due to the fact it was traffic hour. The rental dealer looked over the van and found no flaws that would charge her extra cash to cover the damages.Once it was paid she took a taxi back to the building. No doubt that was the most expensive taxi ride ever since it took literally half hour. Aunia noticed that her sister had begun to sweep the floor. What part of the building should she start in? Ah, the windows? Finding all the shopping bags filled with cleaning supplies. She pulled out the window cleaner and paper towels.She started on her first window and made a suggestion to Trysta.
“ I do think we should get some blinds to cover the store windows at night time. I sure as heck don’t want them peeking in an viewing me running to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Or emerging out of the shower half naked?” Aunia sneezed over the dust. Then laughed.
