Here is the second story for our prompt: "Write a story where a good person does something bad or villainous." Enjoy, and please feel free to comment below!!

The Rental House by Jessica VanderWerff

Trigger Warning: Illness  

            “Are you serious? What the hell is wrong with you? How could you cancel on us like this?” The blonde woman with coffee stained teeth screeched in David’s face. 

            “I’m sorry Ma’am, but I need to rescind the offer on the rental house. Something has come up and it’s something I’m not able to fix.”

            “But we’ve already packed up all of our stuff!”

            “Is your lease up yet at your current place?” 

            “No, we’ve got a few more months, but still!” 

            David winced as the smell of coffee and cigarettes on the blonde woman’s breath hit his face. 

            “That’s plenty of time to find a new rental house. I can give you the names of at least 4 different people I know in town who are renting out. All pet friendly,” David added with a fake smile as he glared at the blonde woman’s chihuahua sitting in an oversized bag at her feet.

            “You know what?” she whispered as she leaned closer to him, “I’m going to tell everyone I know what a disgusting person you are. How can you possibly tell us we can’t move in to the rental when we’re a family with two kids? It’s unprofessional and gross and in a town this small, people will find out fast. You’re a terrible landlord! Scumbag!”

            The blonde woman’s husband kept his gaze fixed on the ground. 

            “I’m sorry,” he whispered to David. “My wife is intense. You’re right, we can easily find another place before our current lease is up. That landlord wants us out so it’s stressful. They didn’t tell us why either, but I‘m sure you have your reasons.” 

            “It’s a private matter.” 

            The blonde woman’s husband nodded and followed his wife back to their car. 

            David got into his van and glanced at the clock: 4:30. Miss Sommers would probably be home from her doctor’s appointment by now. He drove up the gravel road that led to the two bedroom house he rented out to Miss Sommers and her son. He’s probably in third grade by now. I wonder if his dad ever came back? David shook his head and sighed. 

            Miss Sommers opened the door before David even had a chance to knock. 

            “Look, all of our stuff is packed up, ok? We’ll be out of here just in time for the other family to move in.” 

            She reached up and adjusted the pink and silver scarf she used to cover the hair loss from her cancer treatments. 

            “No, no, I have a new lease I wanted you to read over. I think you’ll find it quite fair.” 

            Miss Sommers shook her head. “I can’t afford the rent. My husband left us right before I got sick. We’re out of options. We’re going to stay with my sister for a while but she doesn’t like kids so that’s not going to last long. I’ll have to figure something else out in the meantime.”

            “Please just read the new lease, miss.” 

            “Come in.”

            David followed her into the dimly lit kitchen and sat across from her at the table. Miss Sommers took the lease from him with a trembling hand. 

            “Are you serious?” 

            David laughed. “Why does everyone keep asking me that today?” 

            “Only a dollar? You’re only asking for a dollar a month? Then you won’t be making any money off of us!” 

            “That’s not true!” David smiled. “I’ll be making a dollar a month. The family who was going to move in here cancelled, so you can stay. In fact, my wife and I really hope you and Sam will stay. You’re good people.”

            “I thought we had to leave because we couldn’t pay the rent?”

            “Yes, but my wife and I talked about it and we can afford you to stay on a reduced rent. We have other sources of income. We’ll be ok. Please stay here.” 

            Miss Sommers wiped the tears from her eyes. “Thank you. This means a lot to us. But wait, is this legal? Like, can you really only charge a dollar a month?”

            David rolled his eyes. “No, the police will stop me.” 

            It took her a second to realize he was being sarcastic. 

            “You’re a jackass, but like, a really nice jackass.” 

            “That’s funny, my wife tells me the same thing.”