She squinted involuntarily, wondering what the room would look like with fresh paint, new flooring.

I wonder—I hope I’m not being forward, but are you sure you want to sell? Now, I mean? It’ll be worth more if you hang on to it, but selling—well, that’s pretty final.

ENTERTAIN STRANGERS BY ADELE ANNESI 34THPARALLEL MAGAZINE ISSUE 09

Anne Ross stepped from the rain drenched landing into the foyer of her parents’ old row house in South Philly. The entrywa…