Gurl Next Door by Madison McCall (read the beginning after the end novel .txt) 📗

at the bar in the kitchen facing toward her where she was washing the dishes and then asked, “How was work?”

Smiling at me she said, “Work was work.  A little slow, that’s why I headed home.”

“I don’t guess me changing into a girl was a factor in you taking off a little early?”

“Dana, I’m not going to lie, it was a factor.  I’m a mom, and it’s normal to worry about one’s son when they’ve just been changed into a young woman.”

Rolling my eyes upward and bobbing my head from side to side I then looked back down and said, “Okay, I can see that.”

“So, what did you do after we split up at the restaurant?”

“Oh, I got a brainstorm.”

Mom had now finished the dishes and came over and took a seat beside me.  Sitting down she placed a cup of tea with a teabag string hanging over the side onto the counter and said, “Do tell.”

“You know how I found the necklace behind the bookcase wall?”

She nodded and said, “Mmmm hmmm.”

“I figured the best place to start would be by talking to the prior owners, however many there had been, and see if they had any knowledge of the necklace.  To find them, I would need to find out who the prior owner or owners were.”

“And?” she asked.

“So, I went to the courthouse and talked with a guy named Cole, who just happens to be our other next-door neighbor.  He told me that his dad’s law firm actually closed the deal when you bought the house, and he told me to go over and see his dad and see what information he had on file.”

“Great idea.”

“Unfortunately, he had closed for the day when I got there, so I got on my phone and was about ready to order a car to come home when I ran into Annabelle. She was nice enough to offer me a ride.”

“And you hung out the rest of the day?”

Shaking my head, I said, “No, she dropped me off and we got together later.  Oh, by the way, I applied to one of the local colleges.”

“You did? Which one?”

“Midwestern Central State, it’s right here in the Four Points area.”

“Good for you.  What made you choose that one?”

“Well, that’s where Annabelle goes and that guy that I met today, Cole, attends there too.  So, I figured since I hadn’t applied anywhere and I already knew two people going there, that this was as good a place as any.”

“Sounds like you had a good day.”

“I did.  So, my plan for tomorrow is to go back to the law firm and see if they have an address for Dawn Mills, who you bought the house from.  You never met her, did you?”

Shaking her head, she said, “No, everything was mailed to me and after signing all the documents I overnighted the documents back.  However, I do have a copy of all the paperwork.  Maybe we could look through it?”

“That would be great.”

“Be right back,” mom said and then headed down the hall to her office, and within a couple of minutes she returned carrying a large legal-size envelope.

Taking the papers out of the envelope we began looking through them hoping to find information on where the previous owner had moved.

“Wait, I think I’ve found something,” mom said.

Showing me the paper, she was looking she said, “This is the settlement statement, and here is Dawn Mills address.”

Pointing at it with my forefinger I said, “Mom, it looks like she lives in Center Point.”

“Yes, it does, doesn’t it?”

“Cole at the courthouse said that Dawn’s mom lived there so I guess it’s logical that she moved there too.  Maybe to look after her in her old age?”

“Makes sense.  When I’m old one day will you move to be close to me so you can see about me?”

Shaking my head, I said, “Naaa, I’m just going to stick you in an old folk’s home.”

She and I both laughed at my comment.

“So, mom, you know Neil that you met at the restaurant today?  Annabelle’s dad?” I asked in a suggestive tone.

“Oh boy, I know what you’re going to say.”

“What?” I asked throwing my hands up.

“You’re going to say that there was a little chemistry in the air between us, or something like that.”

“Mom, if you like him and he likes you there’s nothing wrong with that.”

“I know, but I’ve not dated in so long. I wouldn’t even know how.”

With a serious look on my face I said, “Mom, I’m pretty sure the basics will come back to you once you start, but that’s the key, you have to take the first step.”

“We’ll see.  Oh, by the way, I’m off tomorrow and thought maybe we could spend a little time together.”

“That’s cool, what do you think we should do?” I asked.

“There are a couple of things we could do.  We could run over to Center Point and you could see if you could find Dawn Mills and find out more about the mysterious necklace.”

“That sounds like a good idea.”

“Also, we need to take you shopping and get you some clothes to wear.”

“Why can’t I wear yours until I get changed back?”

“Honey, for one we don’t know for a fact that we are going to be able to change you back, and two you’re going to need wardrobe that a young woman would wear, not a woman in her mid-forties, despite that we are close to the same size.”

Crossing my arms, I said, “I can’t believe you won’t share your clothes with me mom!”

“Sweetie, you don’t even have your own bras and panties, which are very personal items, so we need to take you shopping.  There are quite a few things that you need.”

“I’ve only been a female for a day and you’re already trying to turn me into a woman.”

“Baby, you are a woman.  Plus, you’re probably going to need some other personal items, but we will tend to that tomorrow.”

Knowing that she was correct, and I truly was a woman, it might