Pamela opened the door of the small apartment block. It was a spur of the moment action. Following her husband’s death, she was planning on moving to a smaller property, although as yet she hadn’t settled on anywhere. Originally, she had thought it would still be somewhere in the town where she was living; some suitable retirement places had been suggested to her, with all the amenities pointed out. However, while she was spending a few days with her son-in-law, it didn’t seem a bad idea to see what else was available, if only to give her a chance to compare properties.

She entered, followed by her teenage grandson, and was instantly greeted by a young man.

“Good morning, madam, how lovely to see you. Do come in and have a seat. How can I help you this beautiful morning?”

“I’d like a few details about your properties, please.”

“Certainly, certainly. What sort of property are you looking for?”

“A reasonable sized one-bedroom apartment.”

“There are a number of those here. But I must warn you, they’re being snapped up quickly and we do recommend prospective buyers place a small deposit as soon as possible. Would you like one of our brochures?”

“Yes, please.” Pamela accepted the glossy brochure and glanced through it.

“Shall I take you to see the show apartment?” He stood up and went to open the door through to the main apartment block.

Pamela looked at her watch. “I’m sorry. I shall need to get back. If you could just let me have a copy of the terms and conditions etc, I notice these aren’t included with the brochure.

“It would be better if I went through them with you now, just so you understand them.”

“I’m afraid I don’t have the time. My grandson is already getting very fidgety.”

Pamela looked at Wes, who obediently whined, “How much longer will you be, Grandma?”

Pamela stood up and together the two left the sales assistant still holding the main block door open in the vain hope he could show them round.

Once outside, Wes said, “You’ve forgotten the brochure, Grandma.”

“Not forgotten, deliberately left,” Pamela replied. “It’s a shame, in a way, because from the outside the apartments look very pleasant, but I didn’t trust the salesman to be open with me about the terms.”

“I’m sure Dad would read everything through.”

“Young man, I am quite capable of reading and understanding such matters without anyone’s assistance. Although yes, I think I will take advice from both your father and from Lucas before I take any major steps.”

Wes nodded. “Oh, you remember the new apartments by the church which were being finished at Christmas, I think they’re ready now. If you weren’t too tired, we could go home that way so you could have a look at them too.”

“That’s a very good idea. Let’s do that.”

A few minutes’ walk brought them to the second apartment block. This one was smaller, and the path to the front door was slightly muddy. Once more Pamela opened the door and she and Wes went inside. She then stopped and instructed Wes to wipe his feet on the mat.

A young lady came forward and said, “Good morning. It’s lovely to meet you. I must apologise for the state of the path, we’re still in the process of doing the landscaping.”

“Good morning,” Pamela replied. “Considering the weather, we’ve been having recently, I’m not surprised at the mud. Will the grounds be completely landscaped?”

“At the front yes, we’ll be putting in bushes, including some roses and a few plants to encourage the bees and butterflies, I’m not sure exactly what, and at the back we hope to have an area where those residents who enjoy gardening can join in, with a few raised beds as well as a lawn and standard flower beds. Please, do take a seat. Can I make you a cup of coffee or tea?”

“No, thank you. I was just calling in to get a few details if you have them.”

“Of course. I can give you a quick tour if you’re interested, or you’ll be welcome to come back at a later time when you’ve looked through the pack.”

She passed over a pack of information and Pamela nodded at all that was inside.

The sales assistant said, “Here’s my card. Just phone if you’d like to make an appointment to come and look round and do feel free to bring a friend or relative with you. I think it always helps to have someone else who’s seen the property when you come to think it over.”

Pamela stood up. “Thank you. I will do so.” She picked up the information pack. “Wes, put this in your bag please.”

The assistant opened the door and Pamela and Wes left, Pamela thanking the assistant once again for her help.

“Are you really thinking of moving here?” Wes asked.

“Possibly,” Pamela replied. “I think it’s time to be open to a few new ideas.”