I think he’s joking, but then he turns down a residential street, stopping in front of a large house. Its brick is worn to a mellow red, ivy overtaking its exterior. Sprays of flowers burst out from every corner of the garden and the windows sparkle in the sunlight, and even for someone who doesn’t notice houses much, I can’t look away from this one. As I climb off the bike, it dawns on me why. This is a Mom house. When I was little, we used to get out of the city on drives to look at all the big houses on the coast, and we’d spend hours picking which ones we wanted to live in. Hers were always fancy like this, with big gardens and dozens of windows, flags swaying in the breeze. She’d love a garden like this, especially one so close to the ocean.

I swallow hard, trying to dislodge the memory of my mom, then glance at Simon, who is already heading up the lawn. “What a yard,” he says, his voice rising in enthusiasm. “This place will photograph beautifully.”

“Did you say a witch lives here?” I ask, stepping over a few downed blossoms.

Simon chuckles. “Word on the street. It’s an inheritance situation. In one family for generations, but it sat empty for a really long time. About a year ago, one of the family members showed up and decided to restore it. She really dove in. There was a crew here around the clock for close to six months, and they completely overhauled the place. She was a tarot reader, psychic, something like that, but she passed away shortly after it was finished and left it to her sister, who wants to get it appraised right away. Let’s see what we’re working with, shall we?”

The door takes a few tries, but as soon as we step in and make our way into the kitchen, I find myself holding my breath because there’s this feeling that makes you shut up and pay attention.

The house is simple but warm, with soft white walls and honey-colored wooden floors. The only light comes from sunlight filtering in through the windows in thick, lazy beams and there’s a gentle coating of dust on everything. Someone has clearly been taking care of the place because potted plants brighten every possible corner, their leaves green and healthy. But it’s the peacefulness that gets me. A quiet stillness pervades the house, the world shut out behind the door. I think Simon must be enjoying it too, because for once, he doesn’t say anything.