"Carmen?" an unfamiliar male voice asked.
"Yes."
"This is Gerald. Remember me?"
"Oh, yes. Alex said you were going to call."
Carmen hastily began dressing.
"Alex said you were ready to have guests. I wanted to make a reservation for June - if it's open."
Carmen pulled the other arm up and began buttoning her blouse.
"All of June?"
"Three weeks - starting the 30th of May, actually."
That was less than two weeks away. She would need to take some notes. She headed for Alex's office, the fingers on her left hand still fumbling with the last button.
Gerald's voice was concerned. "Is that alright? If you have other plans..."
"No," she said as she climbed the stairs. "It's fine. I'm just looking for a piece of paper and pencil."
"Oh."
She found a pad and pen on his desk. Slipping into his chair, she continued their conversation.
"Alright, I've got it now. I think Alex said you would have two friends with you?"
"One of my friends and a co-worker of his," he corrected. "My friend's name is Aaron Blankenship and his co-worker's name is Robert Sein. That's spelled S-e-i-n. I understand he goes by Rob. I haven't met him yet." He paused and then added, "Oh, and my last name is Wilson."
Carmen scribbled the names on a piece of paper. What else did she need to know? She should have asked Alex.
"And you want to rent the house for the first three weeks in June - from May 30th until June 21st, is that right?"
"Yes. I don't know what time we'll be arriving because we still have to make flight arrangements."
"Do you need someone to pick you up at the airport?"
"No, we'll rent a car and drive from there. We will need instructions how to get to your place, though."
The rest of their conversation was taken up in directions to the house and instructions about the rental contract she would fax them. Gerald was easy to talk to and his conversation generally led her in the direction she needed to go. It was a good thing he was her first summer tenant. Had Alex encouraged him to be? It didn't matter. According to Alex, Gerald had expressed interest several years ago - when the summer cottage thing was only an idea.
After the phone call, she finished getting ready for church and faxed the form. That out of the way, she left to pick up the children.