River

I’m asking her out. Skittish or not, I have to try. I can’t ignore that she’s been invading every thought I’ve had since I laid eyes on her yesterday.

I’m dragging ass this morning. Between my asshole brother making an appearance with his new girlfriend last night and thinking about Angel, sleep was simply not happening.

I know nothing about Angel other than she’s gorgeous, able to handle herself, and a dancer. I intend to change all of that today, right after I go and kick my brother’s ass.

I promised Maria I wouldn’t kill him at dinner last night, but I never said anything about today. I couldn’t even speak to him. He was acting like such a fool, parading his trophy girlfriend around Noah’s house like he was a single man with no family.

Coming from a large family, being a good husband and father is of the utmost importance to me. I don’t buy that crap about Misty leaving with the kids. She’s always been pathetically accepting of David’s looser lifestyle and lack of drive. I never understood why she was so devoted to him. It wasn’t as if she depended on him financially. She is a damn good real estate agent, and she has been supporting the family for the past few years. David lost his job managing a restaurant, and he’s been sitting on his lazy ass doing a whole lot of nothing for way too long.

When I pull up to their traditional two-story house, I notice right away that the yard is in desperate need of mowing, flowers have been left to wilt in the heat, and a section of gutter is dangling over the attached garage, threatening to fall off.

What the hell has been going on over here? I haven’t visited in a few months, but it looks like no one lives here anymore. I open the door and unfold my long legs from my car and walk to the front door. Before I can even ring the bell, an elderly neighbor is yoo- hooing and motioning for me to come over to her porch.

I don’t have time for this, but I’m a sucker for senior citizens, so I oblige. I cross the grass that joins the two yards in five long strides to her wrap-around porch.

“Good morning,” I say.

“Good morning,” the frail woman who looks to be in her eighties says, peering around me. She points at David and Misty’s house.

“Nobody’s living there. They all left about a month ago.”

“All of them?”

“Yes, are you family?” she asks.

“I’m David’s brother. I was looking for my sister-in-law and her kids.”

Her eyes narrow, and she looks me up and down. She waves her finger back and forth down the length of my body and says, “You don’t look like him. Not one bit. Not to be disrespectful, but your brother is a lazy, no good whippersnapper. Your mama should have given him more swats with the paddle.”

I chuckle and offer her my hand, introducing myself. “My name is River Kelly, ma’am, and I think I like you very much.”

She accepts my handshake and turns to sit in a slat rocking chair that dwarfs her body like that of a child sitting in her mother’s chair.

“Sit,” she says and points to a lawn chair across from her that I’m not sure will support my weight. I take the offered seat, supporting myself with my leg muscles just in case it gives way.

“I’m Millie Chestnut, born and raised in Rockford, California, and I’ve lived in this old house here for forty years with my Benjamin till he died six years ago.”

I imagine she’s been monitoring the neighborhood regularly for the past six years from this porch. She has my brother pegged, and I’m sure he’s not the only neighbor.

“Did you know David and Misty well?” I ask, knowing full well that she probably knows their underwear and shoe sizes.

“I knew your Misty and the kids. She was such a hard worker, always packing up that car of hers, taking kids to ball games and dance or going to work. Your brother wasn’t one I wanted to know.”

“I wish I didn’t know him either. If you don’t mind me asking, who left first, Misty or David?”

“David had himself a mistress,” she says in a hushed voice. “She came over all the time when poor Misty was at work. As soon as Misty pulled out of the drive, that hussy of his would show up and just let herself in.”

“I think I met her at our family dinner last night. She’s a peach.” I roll my eyes, and the hint of a smile twitches at the corner of her mouth.

“David says Misty left him first, though. You’re sure it was him?”

“Yep, they got in an argument one afternoon, and he stormed out of the house cursing and saying awful things about her. She locked the doors and threw all his clothes out the second-story window into the driveway. I wanted to cheer her on, but it’s not any of my business, you know.”

I almost choke on my spit when she throws in that last part about it not being her business. Millie is hilarious. I’d love to sit here on her porch and gossip with her all day, but I have a brother to pummel and a dance class to attend.

“Do you have any idea where they might have gone? I’m trying to make sure Misty and the kids are safe.”

“Well, like I said, it’s not my business, but . . . Misty was friends with Cora across the street. Their kids played together, and they helped each other out sometimes. Anyway, Cora says that Susanna—she lives three houses up,” she says and points to a green house on the opposite side of the street with her long thin finger.

“She works for United Airlines, and she saw Misty and the kids get on a plane to Texas. But you didn’t hear that from me.” Millie looks up and down the street like someone might be able to hear her gossiping.

“Texas? Any particular part of Texas?”

“Oh, I think Dallas is what she said. I don’t know all the particulars.”

Yes, she does. Millie knows the smallest of particulars.

“Any reason she chose Texas?”

“Friends there, something like that. Do you care for some coffee? We can go inside and sit on the Davenport and chit-chat if you’d like.”

I think Millie needs some attention, but right now, I’m not the person to give it to her.

“Oh, no, thank you. I have to be going. I have a class, and I don’t want to be late.” I want to be on time so I can show Angel that I respect what she’s doing for our team . . . and also so I can look at her spectacular ass.

Millie’s eyes light up when I mention class.

“I used to be a teacher, you know. Fourth grade. I loved teaching children.”

“Oh, no, it’s not that kind of class. It’s ballet. We have to learn to be more graceful, according to our coach.”

“Ballet, huh? Yeah, your coach is right. Football players can be downright clumsy. I watched a lot of ball with Benjamin. He loved football. I learned to love it, too, over the years.”

“Do you ever watch the Sparks?”

“Oh, why yes, of course.”

“That’s my team.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re taking ballet then. You boys sure do need it.”

I smile and stand to leave.

“Could I ask you a favor, Millie?”

“Yes.”

“Could you call me if anyone shows up at my brother’s house?”

Millie fidgets in her chair before answering.

“I will, but I’m not always out here watching what’s going on, you know. People’s business is their business. I’m no gossip.”

“Of course you aren’t. I just meant if you happen to see anyone while you’re working in the yard or something, maybe you could let me know.”

Millie is ultra-sensitive about being the neighborhood gossip queen. Someone must have been outed by her sharp detective work.

She relaxes in her chair when I refer to the task casually.

“All right, if I happen to see someone, I’ll ring you. What’s your number?”

“Do you have something I can write on?”

“I don’t need you to write it down. Just tell me. I’m still sharp as a tack,” she says, tapping her finger on her temple. I tell her my number, knowing I’ll most likely never hear from her.

“Thanks for filling me in, Millie. I appreciate it.”

“Don’t mention it. Next time, you will stay for coffee.”

I wasn’t planning on there being a next time, but her tone says otherwise.

“Absolutely. Have a nice day.” I descend the creaking stairs that lead to her patio and back to my car. It’s time to go to ballet class. Now there’s a thought I never anticipated having.

I’m about to close the door when I hear Millie call out, “Have fun at ballet class!” Oh, that lady is saucy. I may have to come and have coffee with her after all.