Annihilate Me by Christina Ross

up.”
    I
smiled at her and broke into song.   “To a de -luxe apartment in the ski-hi-hi.”
    “I
don’t know what that means,” Blackwell said.
    “Nothing,”
Lisa said.  
    “Sorry,”
I offered.   “Just a bit of
nostalgia.”
    “A
bit of what?”
    “Not
important.”
    “Whatever.   Let’s go and have a look, shall we?   It’s only been on the market for two
days.   You are so in luck.   If you
like it, we get it now.   As in right
now.   No dawdling.   This apartment will go very
quickly.   By the end of tomorrow at
the latest.”
    We
were ushered into a massive lobby that was nicely furnished and had lots of
natural light and a friendly looking man standing behind a desk to our
right.  
    “Ms.
Blackwell,” he said.
    Blackwell
clicked over to him with purpose.   “James, James, James.   Sweet,
James.   So good to see you.   Hellohoware?   Are we the first?”
    “I’m
afraid not.”
    “Have
any offers come in?”
    “I
wouldn’t know.   But by the looks of
one couple, whom I saw leaving with their Realtor a few hours ago, I’m certain
that one is coming.”
    “They
had that look, didn’t they?”
    “They
did.”
    “A
happy little bounce in their step?”
    “A
definite bounce.”
    “And
that awful, ‘Can you fucking believe we finally found a place’ look?”
    “That
was the look.”
    “ Merde .”
    He
gave her a key.   “Perhaps if you
move swiftly?”
    “Of
course.   Please call
management.   Stall everything until
we’ve seen it.   No offers are to be
accepted.   That’s coming from me and
Mr. Wenn.”  
    “Of
course, Ms. Blackwell.”
    She
looked at us.   “Elevator.   We’re on a mission.   Now.”

 
 
    *   *   *  

 
 
    When
we arrived on the thirty-fourth floor, we took a right out of one of the
elevators and went to the end of a long hallway where there was a door marked
34F.   Blackwell wasted no time.   She unlocked the door, swung it open,
and said, “Let’s do this.”
    We
walked inside, and it was just glorious.   A half-bath to our left with a closet next to it.   Beautiful tiled floors.   To the left was the living room, which
had the most amazing views of the Park beyond a curtain of windows.   On the other side of the foyer was a
library or a dining room—however we wanted to use it.   Probably a dining room.   We followed Blackwell, who was pointing
at this and at that, but all Lisa and I could do was shoot each other looks of
disbelief.   The space was
massive.   Two large bedrooms that
had their own attached marble baths.   A gourmet kitchen with granite counter tops and high-end, gleaming
stainless steel appliances.   Windows
everywhere that flooded the space with light.
    “I
want it,” I said.   “Lisa?”
    “It’s
amazing.”
    “Of
course, it is,” Blackwell said.   “At
least you two have the good taste to recognize good design in a flash.”
    “How
much per month?”
    “Ten
thousand.”
    “Ten
thousand?” Lisa said, looking crestfallen.   “Oh.”
    “We’ll
take it,” I said.   “As in right
now.   Please make sure that all
other offers are too late, and that this penthouse is ours.”
    Ms.
Blackwell looked me coolly in the eye.   “You wouldn’t like to see anything else?”
    “Why
would I when you’ve already shown us perfection?”
    “Sometimes
I really like you, Maine.”
    “Sometimes
it’s mutual, Ms. Blackwell,” I said.   And when I said it, each of us tried to suppress a smile.

 
 
    *   *   *  

 
 
    In
the elevator, I texted Alex.   “We’ve
got our place.   It’s fantastic.   Penthouse at 800 Fifth.   More later.   Miss you.”
    It
was only a moment before he chimed in.   “Very happy for you and Lisa.   Great location.   I wish I
could pick you up from work tonight.   Let’s talk later.   Miss you
very, very much.”
    I
smiled down at my phone and looked up to see the two women looking squarely
back at me.   “What?” I said.
    “All
of