You look so amazing Maria..." he says.She blushes and nervously plays with her hair. "Thank you. That suit looks perfect for you." Oh thanks." he says... exhaling nervously."I think we should dress up like this more often. I love this kind of thing." Maria says, with a big genuine smile."You did any amazing job with your hair..." he begins to say. Just then, a tall man appears next to Maria, with a big 'ol fatherly smile. He puts his arm around her and looks directly at Michael who instantly. Due to some political maneuvering, Anna was in the process of losing the secondhand store she'd inherited from Bill, who'd gotten it from Samuel in the first place. She was already in a slow cycle of the economy, and a group wanting to revitalize the neighborhood didn't feel her business fit in with their new vision. It could take all her remaining money to fight them, and even then she could lose. Eminent Domain is a powerful force to have to go up against.This worried Darlene for several. I was surprised when she turned in at the same apartments were I was going. Usually I took the steps from the lobby up to my floor, but when the woman went to the elevator I stayed with her. She got on and I rode it to the third floor with her. As she was getting off the elevator she turned to face me:"I know you live on the first floor so why did you ride up with me? Was it because of my ass or my legs?"I didn't say anything and I'm sure I blushed redder than a firetruck. She patted my cheek. ..”Two seventy four?”Jim and I both nodded, “Sure.” “Why not.” “Yeah ... that’ll work.”We grinned again, rather satisfied with each other.Then I said, “Might be more.”Abbie rounded on me, “Will you shut up!?”She looked at the ceiling ... at the floor ... out the window ... at the ceiling again ... counted on her fingers and said, “Fourteen million, one hundred forty one thousand, one hundred forty dollars.” She looked stunned for a bit ... sat down with a thud ... got back up ... looked at us.