Braig took a long look at the building that stood before him. Ideas swirled in his head for his new home, most of them involving plants, grown and shaped into some artistic fashion. The yard before him was a lush and verdant haven and the four bedroom, three bathroom house that sat behind it, while old and due for a fresh coat of paint, looked cozy nonetheless. Say what you will about his father, whether he abandoned him at birth, he died, or simply just disappeared, he'd left Braig a good sized inheritance. One which he used to buy himself a house, get into a college (that was of course in a state that had more warm days than not) and still have enough left over for a good chunk of living expenses, not to mention the fact that his mother's new boyfriend, Frank (or Fancy Francis as Braig used to call him when they still didn't see eye to eye) had landed him a job working for a nearby corporation's corporate offices. Life was shaping up well for the young Irishman as he exited his car and walked up the driveway.
"Dallas hmm?" He sighed under his breath. For all the hype he had heard about the states, it seemed to be falling flat, aside from the ninety degree Fahrenheit weather at noon. Then again, it'd only been an hour since he stepped off the plane, so he still had a lot of time ahead of him.
The front door stood before him, a large, thick, oak wood slab with very little detail inscribed upon it, unlike the one on his old house. It had been inscribed with the story of Saint Patrick and how he banished the snakes from Ireland. It wasn't Braig's idea, but he liked it nonetheless and decided that after all else had been done, that he would have a copy of the door made for his new house.
As the tumblers in the lock clicked, the door swung wide and Braig whistled lightly. The entry way was magnificent, with a sky bridge connecting the two smaller bedrooms and the master bedroom upstairs spanning the air above the living room. The house was barren, aside from a lone dining room table with four chairs and a grocery bag, but the inside was extremely well kept. No doubt Frank had the real estate agent come in and spruce the place up with some Febreeze before Braig got there.
Wandering to the table, Braig found the grocery bag had a note scribbled on the side.
"A Loaf of bread that this home will never hunger, Salt that this life will always have flavour, Wine that there will always be celebration and joy in this home, and a Candle, that all who dwell here will know the warmth of the hearth and the light of love. Love, Mom and Frank."
Smiling at the traditional housewarming gift, Braig set his backpack down on one of the chairs and sat in another, twisting the cork from the bottle and pouring some into the empty water bottle he produced from his bag before taking a sip.
"To the start of a new life." He said, lifting both bottles in the air, toasting to no one but himself. "I think I'm going to like it here."