Buyer Advocate Brother

I slapped my tablet down on the table in front of my wife, slightly harder than I’d intended, and she frowned at me over the top of her reading glasses. When she’d gotten them she said she’d been mortified, but now I think she quite liked having something to peer over.

         ‘A problem, dear?’ she asked.

         ‘He’s done it again!’ I said, pointing at the screen. I started to pace, my hands falling naturally on my hips.

         ‘You know, you’ll have to be more specific,’ she said, rolling her eyes. She reached forward and picked up the tablet, frowning as her eyes darted across the social media post I’d left it sitting at. ‘What, your brother?’

         ‘Yes, my brother,’ I groaned, running my hands through my hair. ‘He’s bought another one!’

         ‘That’s exciting!’ she laughed, putting the screen down gently on the table. ‘Their last house was too small for them anyway.’

         ‘This is their third home!’ I cried out. ‘In ten years! We’ve been trying to find one for just as long, and we’re stuck in this crummy rental!’

         ‘I love our rental.’ She frowned, looking around at the living room. ‘He’s probably just got a buyer’s advocate near the… Sandringham area,’ she said, glancing down to see the new address on the post.

         ‘A what?’

         ‘You know,’ she said. ‘A buyer’s advocate. Or is it agent? I can never remember.’

         ‘What is a buyer’s agent?’

         ‘You’ve never heard of a buyer’s agent?’

         ‘Clearly not, Carol!’

         She raised an eyebrow and leaned back in her seat, fixing me with what can only be described as a look. I raised my hands in apology and took a deep breath.

         ‘A buyer’s agent?’ I asked, in a sing-song tone. ‘Why, whatever is that?’

         ‘They help you with the buying process,’ she explained. ‘Give you a leg up over the competition.’

         ‘Are there any buyer’s advocates for Brighton East?’ I asked.

         ‘Probably,’ she shrugged. ‘Why?’

         ‘Because we live in Brighton East! Don’t you want to find somewhere better than this dump?’

         She met my gaze coolly, then stood up from the table.

         ‘Like I said,’ she glared. ‘I love our rental.’