Second Time Around by Darrin Lowery Page B

television in his robe and slippers along with two of his friends. One of them was most likely the owner of one or both of the cars in front.
    All three men looked to be in their forties, and all three looked as if they would struggle with completing a job application. Korie tried hard not to be judgmental, but she thought to herself, sometimes you can just look at a man and see that he has little if any potential. None of the three men looked as if they had any potential. They each looked as if they had already peaked in life.
    Korie tried to ignore the men as she toured the rest of the house. The men each looked up at her as if she was a piece of meat and they were carnivores. The looks they gave made her feel uncomfortable; as if they each were undressing her with their eyes. Still, she ignored them and followed Mrs. Underwood into the grand home.
    The house had a two-story foyer, a two-story family room, and a two-story state-of-the-art kitchen with a hearth room. It had a front and rear staircase, and a stunning master suite with both a huge fireplace and master bathroom inside. There was also a second kitchen in the home, a wet bar, a wine cellar, a theater room, exercise room, and a circular drive.
    At first glance the house had to cost at least three million dollars. It was Korie’s dream house, and even she couldn’t begin to think about buying a house this expensive. It was immediately obvious that the couple was living way beyond their means.
    â€œWow, you really have a lovely house.”
    â€œThank you.”
    â€œSo if you don’t mind my asking, what does your husband do for a living?”
    Korie couldn’t help but to ask. Based on what she saw in the living room versus what she was looking at in the home, something in this picture just wasn’t clicking.
    â€œYou mean where the money came from.”
    Mrs. Underwood’s tone was sharp, but not sharp enough to be rude. It was a tone that suggested she had heard that question before. It was becoming more and more obvious that the Underwoods had no business in this section of town.
    The house was grand, but the furniture was cheap. The couch looked as if it came from a storefront on Chicago’s west side. Many of the accessories, towels, and accents of the home reeked of flea market values. There were dishes in the sink, pots and pans with the Teflon scraped off the bottom, and curtains where there should have been drapes. Then there was the distinct smell of hog headcheese on crackers, leftover food that was fried rather than grilled, and cheap accessories that were nailed into the walls. Just looking at the place, it was clear that they needed help decorating. It was also clear that they did not fit the area that they were living in.
    Most people from the hood had champagne taste and a malt liquor budget. The Underwoods seemed to have a champagne budget and malt liquor taste.
    â€œMrs. Underwood, I didn’t mean anything by my question—”
    â€œSure you did.”
    â€œExcuse me?”
    â€œCome on, sister, you know what I mean. I bet you are wondering how someone like me and someone like my husband could afford a place like this. Everyone else we’ve called to help us out pulls up to the house and are all smiles until the moment we open the front door. Everyone wants to know how people like us ended up out here. No offense, but your face gave you away the moment I opened the door. It’s obvious that you are wondering how we get to live out here and you probably can’t afford to live out here yourself.”
    She was right. Silence fell between the two women. Korie decided if they were going to work together, she needed to keep things real.
    â€œWell, to be honest with you, the thought did cross my mind.”
    â€œThank you for your honesty.”
    â€œSo can I ask? How did you all come to live out here?”
    â€œWell, I don’t mind telling you, we’re lottery