People Like Them (Obsession collection) by Minka Kent

Author:Minka Kent [Kent, Minka]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Amazon Original Stories
Published: 2023-07-24T23:00:00+00:00

42 Auburn Drive

Constance Mayfield

“Made this cobbler with peaches from our own trees,” I say to our neighbors as they file into our kitchen through the garage entrance. “Used a combination of donut, clingstone, and Polly varieties for the perfect amount of sweetness.”

It’s almost nine o’clock, and if it were any other night, I’d be in bed with reading glasses, a hardback in my lap and the local news muted on the TV. Over thirty years working as a public educator has given me a fond appreciation for quiet nights in. That said, given that I have a soft spot for traditions, I always make an exception for the annual progressive dinner party.

A lifetime ago and in a neighborhood a little humbler than this one, people used to spend time outside. It wouldn’t be uncommon to see them sitting in lawn chairs in their driveways, conversing, sharing beers, maybe even playing yard games while the kids Hula-Hooped and rode their bikes and scooters up and down the sidewalk.

Now everyone hides behind the doors of their stately homes, only leaving for their daily commute or a quick run to the grocery store. These days, people use their houses as fortresses, a barrier between their personal and private lives, living two existences: one for the outside world to see and the other for everything that happens behind closed doors.

Still, it’s important to know your neighbors—you never know when you might need help from one of them, and people are more likely to help you if they know you. That’s just basic human nature. Not everyone is as altruistic as some of us assume.

“So, Ryan, tell me what you do again?” I ask. Shame on me for not knowing the answer to this question by now. “I know Veronica owns a lovely little clothing boutique in the shopping district.”

The clothes are a little young for my taste, but I only know this fact because I stopped in to buy a birthday gift for my granddaughter one day. I found the prices quite reasonable and the sales staff extremely friendly. Imagine my surprise when I learned one of the saleswomen was actually the owner herself. It’s rare to see that—the owner working the floor like any other employee. Not only that, but as we conversed, I discovered we were actually neighbors.

I thought it said a lot about Veronica.

Her hardworking, approachable demeanor is a rarity in this day and age—on this street too.

Ryan sits straighter, finishing his fifth bite of my famous peach cobbler. I couldn’t help but notice that he hasn’t touched much of the food tonight—save for the cauliflower steak, of all things. He ate his portion and most of his wife’s. His hunger must be catching up with him now, though, because he’s practically inhaling this dessert.

“I’m a regional sales manager for a medical-equipment company,” he answers without a hint of excitement in his eyes, itching the tip of his nose.

He’s not doing something he loves: that much is obvious. He doesn’t light up the way a person should when talking about their career.

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