Chapter 5

Katie Murray was having a difficult time this month. She was coping reasonably well with the series of events that had turned her safe and happy world upside-down.

On her wedding anniversary, her husband, Kerry Murray, had a heart attack, crashed his car, and died on the side of the road while paramedics tried to save his life.

It was not a great marriage, it was just a reasonably good one, and it was Katie’s marriage. It was her life, and her family all rolled into one. At least she was well off with the assets and the pile of money that her husband had thoughtfully left behind. Katie would not want any material needs.

Katie took time to herself and moved into the family’s lakeside cottage on Lake Muskoka. It was early autumn, and the leaves were turning in the fall weather. Her son and Daughter offered to come and join her, but she refused their help. In any case, they now had their own lives to re-assess and sort out. Katie just wanted to be alone with her thoughts and without any distractions. It was going to be a healing time for her. She had a lot of thinking and needed the time to do it.

Monday morning was a bright clear day. Katie picked up the phone and called her local real estate agent, Janet McPherson. Her call was answered almost immediately. “Hello, McPherson real estate, Annette speaking,” A girl with an American accent said in a polite, professional tone. “Hello, Annette, I would like someone to come out and give me an idea of how much my cottage is worth on Lake Muskoka?” Katie asked. “Certainly, I shall pass you over to Ms McPherson herself...” Then the voice of Janet McPherson came on the phone. “Hello, Mrs Murray. What can we do for you this morning,” Janet asked. “I need a valuation on my cottage,” Katie told her.

“Please, give me your address,” “225 Muskoka Lane, the cottage is called ‘Waterside’. I have a blue ford sedan parked in the driveway,” Katie gave the address and some directions.

“I can be there in an hour, Mrs Murray. Would that be good for you?” Janet told her. “Great, I will expect to see you in an hour then,” Katie confirmed the time and hung up. “Well, old cottage, let’s find out how much your old timbers are worth,” Katie said to the cottage.

An hour later, Janet’s red SUV pulled into the ‘Waterside Cottage driveway on Muskoka Lane. She was already estimating the property’s value based on the location, lake access and the cottage’s style. She went to the door, which was opened by a middle-aged woman, about 45 or 50 years of age. She had grey streaks in her dark hair and looked like she had not had a good night’s sleep. She was wearing a blanket around her shoulders and looking a little shabby. Janet wondered just who Mrs Murray was. “Welcome, come in and have a good look around,” said Katie.

It did not take long for Janet to come up with a good idea of what the property was worth in the present market. “I have some good news for you, Mrs Murray. I would say that I could get well over a million for your cottage, perhaps even a bit more,” Janet told Katie. “Wow! That much for this old place?” Katie was surprised at how much Janet had thought the place was worth. “It is more about the location than the condition of the property Mrs Murray. Your cottage is in a prime neighbourhood. People want property here. Think of it as the ‘Golden Triangle of Muskoka,” Janet explained the property’s valuation and desirability. “Oh my, looks like I am going to be a rich old widow!” Katie said with raised eyebrows and a happy look on her face. “I suppose you will take a cut off that,” Katie said. “That is the business I am in,” Janet replied professionally. “Well, good for you,” said Katie.

Over the next hour, they talked about themselves—Janet about how she lives and runs her business. Katie spoke about herself, being a new widow, and her life. During their conversation, Janet persuaded Katie not to sell her cottage until next year, when the market would be more robust, and she could sell for one and a half million. Katie talked about her husband’s infidelity with his secretaries and other women. And how she had spent the last 25 years in very average marriage, and her own life was at a crossroads. She then asked Janet something. “You hold those sex parties, those houseboat parties, don’t you?” she asked. Janet smiled without any embarrassment at all, and she replied that she did indeed hold sex parties. “Why do you ask? Do you want an invitation to the next one?” Janet asked hopefully. “Perhaps, but I would be more interested in meeting some other women. Women that like other women,” Katie said. “Thinking of trying a new lifestyle?” Janet asked with a grin. “You know anyone like that?” Katie asked again. “Yes, I do, a lot of them. What are you looking for, Katie?” Janet needed to understand the requirement that Katie had in mind for a female companion.