Neighborhood Watch (10 page)

other’s misfortunes.”

“Really. Wow. Sad. Anyway, he asked if he and his wife could drop by this evening to welcome us personally. They bought us a housewarming gift. I thought it would be all right about eight.”

“Our first guests. Oooo, I’m all flustered. I’d better check to see if there are any rules about how to entertain your first guest.”

“Huh?”

“In the orientation letter you buried with everything else, Teddy. If Nikki Stanley found out how cavalier you were with this document, you’d be on her shit list.”

“Right. Don’t blow up the neighborhood before I get home,” he said. “Bye.”

She laughed to herself after she hung up and then remembered she was hungry. She

smeared gobs of peanut butter on toasted English muffins and chased them down with

two full glasses of milk. It was funny how she could get so involved in her music that she would ignore her hunger, but once she remembered and began to eat, she was like a

ravenous animal.

Noticing the time, she realized Jennifer, along with the other children in Emerald Lakes, would be brought by the school bus to the front gate any minute. This would be her

second trip home on the bus. Kristin had gone to the gate to wait for her the day before and discovered she was the only mother to do so. The other children gazed at her as if meeting her daughter at the gate was the weirdest thing to do. Today, she decided to take her time and let Jennifer walk more than half the way to the house before greeting her.

Even though she hadn’t been here long, one of the things she had realized about Emerald Lakes was how quiet it was around the homes during long portions of the afternoon, and especially the early evening. She understood that many of the other husbands and wives who lived here both worked, but she had yet to find anyone taking spontaneous walks or simply sitting outside. She discovered through a conversation with Jean and Nikki that all lawn and garden work around the homes was done on specific days and at specific times.

It was so prescribed in the regulations. When she commented about the regimentation, Nikki brought up the economic reasons.

“We negotiate bids and proposals with private contractors through the homeowners

association for all our residents. That way, we ensure that we will all get the best possible service for the lowest possible price. Then we tell them when to do the work so no one is disturbed by it.

“Believe me,” she emphasized, “other homeowner associations are starting to imitate us.

I get calls constantly requesting information about how we do this and how we do that.

We set the standards for development life in upstate New York, and it didn’t surprise us to learn that other homeowners in other states have already heard about us through relatives who visit.”

“That’s right,” Jean chorused. “My cousin Nancy lives in a development in Hidden Hills, California, and they have requested a copy of our CC and R’s.”

“But we don’t give that to just anyone who asks for it,” Nikki pointed out sharply.

“That’s something the committee discusses and approves first.”

Recalling the conversation, Kristin smiled to herself as she walked toward the front entrance. She liked Jean, but Nikki was like someone who had suffered a great deal in her early life and had forgotten what it was to laugh, to joke, even to smile.

The security guard opened the gate and the children of Emerald Lakes bounced down the school bus steps and hurriedly entered the development. The older ones who had been laughing and shouting instantly quieted down, some glancing back at the security guard who looked more like a customs agent checking to be sure none of them were smuggling in contraband. Jennifer appeared and walked quickly to keep up with Terri Sue Levine and her brother George. Kristin stopped and waited.

Something about the way the children walked to their various homes seemed odd. This was an elementary school bus so the children varied in ages from five to eleven. They were all dressed nicely, looking like children from affluent homes, and on the surface didn’t appear any different from the hundreds of children Kristin had seen walking home from schools everywhere else. What was it? she wondered and tilted her head as she

thought.

It occurred to her when the first two children split away to go to their house. It was the way the young people walked through the development: so orderly, keeping to the right, staying out of the road. Absent was the elation most children exhibited when they were free from the constraints of school and their school buses. There were no bursts of laughter; there was no horsing around, no screams and shouts, no running and jumping. It was as if an invisible chaperon trotted alongside them, waiting for one of them to violate the rules for pedestrians in Emerald Lakes.

Kristin waved.

“Jennifer!”

Her daughter did not wave back. Terri Sue and George glanced at her and she looked

back at them. She did not burst forth to leave the pack. She kept her pace: controlled, orderly, patient.

“Hi, honey,” Kristin said when the group of children reached her. It was then, after glancing at Terri Sue and George once more, that Jennifer shot forward to embrace

Kristin. “Hi, Terri, George,” Kristin said.

“Hello, Mrs. Morris,” George said.

“Hi,” Terri offered shyly, but they didn’t pause to walk along with her.

Kristin took Jennifer’s hand and started back to the house.

“How was school today, honey?”

“Good.”

“Do you like the bus ride?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Everyone seems so well behaved today. Did the bus driver bawl them out or

something?” Kristin asked.

“No. His name is Mr. Tooey. He told me where to sit and he said I can’t put my hand out the window,” Jennifer explained.

“That’s for safety reasons.”

“I know.” Jennifer paused and looked up at Kristin. “You don’t have to wait for me, Mommy. You can wait inside like everyone else’s mommy. I know how to go home

already.”

“Do you? That’s nice, sweetheart, but I like to meet you. I miss you. Do you mind?”

Jennifer, to Kristin’s surprise, nodded.

“You do mind?”

“You’re supposed to wait inside like the other mommies,” she insisted.

“Who said such a thing?”

“Everyone. They laughed at me.”

“That’s silly, honey. Why do I have to wait for you?”

Jennifer shrugged.

“Next time they laugh at you, you tell them your mommy is a different kind of mommy,”

Kristin said, her ire rising. “You tell them your mommy has a mind of her own. Can you remember that, honey?”

Jennifer shook her head.

“I’ll remind you,” Kristin said.

In front of their house, the Levine kids paused to watch Kristin and Jennifer walk by.

Then they hurried inside as if they couldn’t wait to tell. Surprised at how furious such a simple thing made her feel, Kristin deliberately swung Jennifer’s hand back and forth and took her time returning to the house.

At eight o’clock sharp the doorbell sounded. Kristin looked up from the apple pie she had baked. Despite what Teddy had told her, she had decided to be prepared. What sort of a host has nothing to offer, especially to her first important visitors?

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she heard Teddy say at the door. “Please, come in.”

Kristin hurried around to greet the Slaters and was surprised to see only Philip enter.

Despite the hour he was still dressed in a silver and black suit and tie, but he looked as fresh as he would if he had just put on those clothes. He carried a gift-wrapped package under his right arm.

“Evening, Kristin. Sorry. Marilyn couldn’t come. She gets this terrible migraine

occasionally, and unfortunately tonight is one of those occasions.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“But don’t let me put a dark cloud over your arrival,” Philip said quickly. He smiled. “I hope you’ve had an easy time of it.”

“And how,” Teddy said enthusiastically. He gazed at Kristin, urging her to chorus.

“Yes. The neighbors have been so helpful and all of the things the association does to help new residents are wonderful,” she added. “Please. Come in,” Kristin said. “Teddy told me you specifically requested there be no coffee and cake. I hope you don’t mind coffee and pie.”

Philip Slater’s smile widened.

“I must confess the aroma of freshly baked apple pie hit me as soon as I turned up your walkway. My mother was a great homemaker. I miss it,” he concluded and stepped down, Teddy right behind him, beaming.

“Mommy!” they heard and all turned to see Jennifer come in with a drawing she had just completed. Everyone in her class had been asked to draw the thing that they loved the most in their rooms at home. She drew her giant stuffed Mickey Mouse sitting in her little wicker rocker.

“Jennifer, you remember Mr. Slater, don’t you? Come say hello, honey.”

Jennifer stopped in the living room and looked up at Philip Slater. Her deliberate

hesitation brought a smile of puzzlement to Kristin.

“Jennifer?”

“I don’t wanna,” she cried as she turned and ran back to her room.

“Jennifer!”

“I don’t believe that,” Teddy said. “She’s bashful, but not that bashful. I’ll go get her.”

“Please,” Philip said seizing his arm. “Let her be. She’ll get used to seeing me around and be more comfortable with me as time goes by. Anyway, let me give you this.”

He handed the gift to Kristin and smiled conspiratorially at Teddy.

“This is very nice of you. Should I open it now?”

“Please do,” Philip said. Kristin went to the coffee table and put the package down. She tore off the gift wrapping neatly and revealed a new doorbell chime, one that played a few bars of music instead of sounding an anonymous
ding dong
.

“Oh, how sweet,” Kristin said.

“We can hook it right up,” Philip said winking at Teddy. “It’s designed to simply plug into wires for the one that’s already here.”

“We don’t have to do it right now,” Kristin said.

“No problem,” Teddy said. “While you’re getting the coffee and pie, we’ll see to it.”

“Okay,” she said. Teddy still had that silly grin on his lips. She started for the kitchen and the two men went to work. Less than ten minutes later, just as Kristin had the coffee ready to pour, Teddy announced the chime was ready for its first test run.

He called Jennifer, who was tempted out of her room to participate in the festivities.

“You can push the doorbell, Jen. Okay?” She nodded, gazing tentatively toward Philip Slater. “Go ahead, honey.”

She ran to the front excitedly and opened the door. “Push it, babe,” Teddy ordered and she did.

Kristin’s eyes widened with delighted surprise as soon as she heard the first two notes. It was one of her tunes, Teddy’s favorite, from a song she had entitled “Every Beat of My Heart.” She squealed with delight and Jennifer came running back.

“How did you do that?”

Teddy and Philip Slater laughed.

“Philip was the one who came up with the idea. He told me he wanted to do something special, something personal.”

“It’s so nice of you.”

“It was no big deal. I have a friend who manufactures these things. I’m glad you’re happy.”

“Did you hear that melody, honey? It’s one of Mommy’s songs,” Kristin told Jennifer.

“Can I push the button again, Mommy? Can I?”

“Oh no,” Teddy said. “I’ll be hearing the tune in my dreams.”

“Not such a bad thing to hear in your dreams, is it?” Philip said.

Kristin blushed.

“Thank you, really. It’s a very special gift. And please, tell your wife thank you, too.”

“I will.” He smiled at Jennifer. The excitement left her face.

“I wanna go color,” she said quickly and ran back to her room.

“I don’t know what’s got into her tonight,” Kristin said.

“I’m sure it’s just the strangeness of being in a new world,” Philip said and narrowed his eyes as he looked after Jennifer. There was a heavy silence. Kristin looked at Teddy who gestured with his eyes toward the dining room.

“Well, why don’t we have that coffee and let me try my pie on our captured guinea pig,”

she said.

“Good idea,” Teddy said.

Philip smiled.

“From the aroma, I know it’s going to be delicious.”

Kristin served the pie and coffee, and they talked. Phil Slater described his background and how he had come to build the development. He asked polite questions, but made no attempt to get too personal. If he did ask something that could be construed as such, he quickly apologized.

“That’s all right, Philip,” Kristin said. “We should be preparing ourselves for the interview on Sunday.”

“Interview?”

“For the Emerald Lakes directory.”

“Oh.” Philip smiled. “One of my committee’s pet projects. Actually, it’s turned out very well and proven to be very useful. I hope you’ll get involved with some of our other activities. We’re always looking for fresh blood and new ideas.”

“Oh, if I know Kristin, she’ll come up with new ideas,” Teddy warned.

“Well, a little controversy is a good thing as long as it stimulates healthy discussion and results in improvement. But, I must say, I have a talent for reading people accurately.

Like you, Teddy, I am intrigued with eyes,” he explained. “I gaze into the eyes of

someone and I sense their true personalities. Looking into Kristin’s, I see only

compassion and kindness,” he said fixing his gaze on her.

To Kristin it was like he had put his hand under her blouse and cupped her breast. She felt a sudden tingle, an instant of electricity flow through her veins and arteries and clamp itself around her heart to make it skip a beat. It was as if the tips of his fingers freely explored the very essence of her inner being. She felt her face fill with warmth, a warmth that traveled down her neck and over her bosom. The nearly five-month-old fetus within her womb stirred as if it, too, had been nudged in its most secret places.

“I’m sure you’ll be one of our best residents, Kristin.” Philip Slater said. “Well, I’d better get home and see how Marilyn’s doing. Thank you for a most delicious and unexpected treat. These days, I’m very rarely surprised by anyone,” he added and stood up.