Page 41 of The Neighbor
“Like, for example, I know you like that woman in the green house.”
Angered by his nosiness, I squint my eyes and ask, “Have you been spying on me?”
He shakes his head and frowns. “No. Just observing the obvious. Want to know something else that’s obvious?”
I don’t answer, already tired of this conversation. I give him another shrug since he’s going to keep talking anyway, but I can’t decide if he’s the crazy guy I thought he was the other night or far more lucid at this moment.
“She doesn’t like you as much as you like her. You can tell by the way she looks at you when you aren’t paying attention.”
God, this guy’s a dick. Who tells another man that kind of thing? It’s not like we’re best friends and he’s trying to look out for me. He’s just being an asshole, and I don’t even think he’s right. She’s the one who keeps inviting me over, and she gave me an alibi for the police, for Christ’s sake.
If anyone is into anyone, it’s her with me.
“Yeah, thanks. Better go back inside. The sun is starting to get to you.”
I hurry inside before he can say another word. Damnit, I’m getting tired of that guy. Why did I have to move into the house that’s next to a crazy man?
Right before I close the door behind me, I look out and see Marilyn, Kimmy, and Harold looking up the street at me. They’re probably talking about Aaron and how sad his situation is. And he thinks I’m spying on him? He has no idea.
There’s always someone watching in this neighborhood.
16
After hoursof researching a fresh crop of potential employees, I stand from my desk to stretch my legs. The heat of the day hit around noon, and when I look out my front window, I see what look like waves coming up off the road.
The mailman walks up my sidewalk, so I hurry to the door to intercept him. I’m not expecting anything interesting, but he’s a decent guy who always has a nice smile for the people on his route, and I feel like I need some normal interaction with another human being after that strange conversation with Aaron this morning.
He looks at the door with a surprised expression when I open it, but that morphs into his usual friendly face after only a second or two. “Hello, Mr. Prentiss. Staying cool inside today? Smart man.”
I take the stack of white envelopes from him when he hands them to me and nod. All anyone has to talk about lately is the damn weather. Doesn’t anyone have another subject to discuss?
“Sure am. Thanks! Stay cool.”
God, I sound as ridiculous as all my neighbors.
As I turn to close the door, the mailman stops me. “Mr. Prentiss, there’s something in your mailbox. Not official United States Postal Service mail, but something, nonetheless.”
I crane my neck to look inside and see he’s right. “Hmm. Looks like someone decided to deliver an envelope all on their own.”
He laughs, crinkling up his sunburnt face. “I better watch out. They’re going to put me out of a job.”
I chuckle before repeating my lame advice about staying cool and closing the door behind me. On top of the stack of white envelopes sits a yellow one that looks like the kind that comes with a greeting card. Someone handwrote my name Adam on the front of it. I study the handwriting for a few moments before deciding it’s a female’s.
Probably Kimmy inviting me to September’s big shindig. I’m not sure she and Marilyn are going to be able to top this month’s. Searing heat and a brawl between a wife and a mistress while the husband stands off to the side enjoying it all? I can’t imagine how they’re going to improve on that.
I set the pile of mail on my desk and open the yellow envelope. Inside, I find a card with a long-eared dog sitting on green grass and the words “You’re Invited” above him. This seems like a step up from Kimmy’s typical handmade invitations her boys usually help with.
When I open the card, I’m surprised to see it’s not from one of the neighborhood hostesses with the mostest but Caroline. In the same handwriting as on the envelope, she’s jotted down, “Hope you’ll come to my housewarming party on August 15 at 7pm! See you there!”
Normally, I wouldn’t even consider another social event this month since I find them exhausting, but this one I’ll make an exception for since it’s Caroline. Curious to know if she’s invitedeveryone else in the neighborhood, I head out toward her house to ask.
She’s on her porch when I get there and waves me up like we’re the best of friends. “Hey, you! I see you got my invitation.”
Holding it up like I need to prove that fact, I nod and say, “I did. I’ll be there. Should I bring anything? I didn’t know if it would be potluck like the neighborhood event last week. I don’t want to bring something another guest is already bringing.”
Caroline shakes her head and walks over to stand right in front of me. In a much lower voice, she says, “I didn’t invite anyone else. I planned to before all this stuff happened with Jared and Suzanne. It just didn’t feel right to do it for the whole neighborhood now, but I thought it would be okay to have one person over. I bought a bunch of stuff when I was planning it, so I’m considering when you come over as a test run. Maybe when everything calms down with the police and everything, I’ll do it again and invite everyone else.”
Thoughtful and decent. Very typically Caroline, it seems.