I could hear Tanya’s grin as I turned around and studied the woman. She was older, with a head full of salt and peppered hair. It was the only thing that gave away her age because her skin sure as hell didn’t. It sagged and drooped a bit here and there, but there were no wrinkles in it. No bags underneath her eyes and no scars to weigh her skin down. She was plump with the many children she’d raised on her own, and the war-torn life she had led being married to a military man was reflected in the brown of her eyes.
I had a great deal of respect for her, but it still didn’t give her the right to meddle in my affairs.
“She did, yes,” I said.
“Did you have a nice conversation with her?” Tanya asked.
“What are you getting at?”
“What I’m getting at is maybe you should take her some food. She was hobbling around pretty badly, and her car has been coming and going. I think she’s living off fast food.”
“She better. Turning on a stove in that cabin might set it on fire,” I said.
“All the more reason for you to take her something.”
“Why the hell would I do that?” I asked again.
“Because there’s no one else around here to do it.”
“You could since you seem so keen on it.”
“Then who’s going to take care of Lanie?” she asked.
“Umm, me.”
“I think it would be better if you took it to her,” she said.
“What exactly are you trying to do here Tanya?” I asked, my voice laced with annoyance.
“You should take her your chili. That stuff is the best. I’ve already got some venison that has fully defrosted in the fridge.”
“I’m not taking chili to Amanda,” I said.
“Please?”
I whipped my head around at the sound of Lanie’s voice as she stood in the hallway holding her blanket.
“What are you doing up?” I asked.
“Go see Amana! Please?” she said, not quite able to pronounce Amanda’s name correctly.
“Sweetheart, Amanda isn’t feeling well,” I said.
“Food! Amana!”
“I think she’s onto something,” Tanya said.
I eyed her darkly before I sighed. Lanie was looking up at me with her puppy dog eyes and giving me that little pouty lip. Tears were welling in her tired eyes as she ran over and wrapped her arm around my leg. She nuzzled her nose into me, wiping away the snot from her fake tears as she snuggled into my jeans.
“Please?” she asked lightly.
I knew I couldn’t refuse a heartfelt plea like that. Hell, I couldn’t refuse Lanie much at all. Over the past year, I’d watched Lanie grow. I’d watched her blossom into a little social butterfly, and part of me hoped she would always stay that way. Just because I enjoyed being reclusive didn’t mean she had to be as well. But that meant I would have to support and even encourage her interacting with others.
I guess we’d have to start with my new neighbor.
“Okay,” I said as I looked down at her. “But you have to take a nap. No nap, we don’t go over.”
“Yay!”