Neighborly by R. R. Coleman

Author:R. R. Coleman
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9798985669206
Publisher: Wind Lark Publishing

Pearl woke to a rapping sound. She was disoriented at first, but she shook her head to clear it and listened. There it was again, a light knocking.

Oh hell, she thought. I’m not prepared to receive callers. She glanced at the table next to the bed. The ornate hands on the ancient alarm clock showed it was twenty past two. Her nap had been longer than usual. One more time, a rapping, more hesitant. Pearl checked her bedroom windows. Her blinds were pulled shut and the curtains drawn. Prying eyes wouldn’t have access. She was pretty sure do-gooder Sandy had come calling. Pearl would just wait her out.

She strained her ears, cursing her age and the weakening of her senses. It was more and more difficult to stay aware of her surroundings the older she got. Everything was more difficult, but she was pretty certain she heard a car drive away. Still, she waited. She was no fool. She knew how church ladies worked, and she knew Sandy would be back. Probably in an hour or sooner, bearing gifts, a casserole or pie, an admittance to Pearl’s home. She sighed. She knew this was the price she was to pay for her foray into the fold.

She rose from the bed and smoothed the old bedspread making sure it was just so, the twisted fringe hanging straight as a line of soldiers skimming the floor. Then she looked in the mirror and patted her hair, tucking an errant wisp into a pin. Satisfied as presentable, she opened her curtains and blinds allowing the sun to stream into her bedroom. She cracked a window to air the room and the heady scent of lavender flowed in. Jenny’s lavender. The mother who had so tragically lost a son.

Didn’t lose him. Was murdered, Emmet muttered in her head. She thought of the way the neighbor had butchered her roses. Jenny’s roses. Emmet was probably right.

The tea kettle was whistling when the rapping came again. This time Pearl was ready. She answered the door and was properly surprised at the visit, never giving a hint that she knew Sandy had made an earlier attempt to call.

“Why, hello again,” Pearl said kindly, making certain the corners of her eyes crinkled just so.

“I hope you don’t mind me stopping by. I wanted to drop off a welcome packet from the church. I am in charge of the welcoming committee, well, we call ourselves the Greeters for Glory.” She had the decency to blush realizing how ridiculous that sounded as it rolled off her tongue. She reminded herself to bring up the name at the next committee meeting. “I also wanted to drop off this casserole as a welcome gesture. Don’t worry about the dish. I can get it later.”

Pearl knew the calculated game. She had actually done it herself many times in her youth. She always gained a lot more than she gave. She stepped aside and ushered Sandy into the living room as she made appropriate grateful noises while she accepted the casserole-for-two sized pot.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.