Page 4 of Lethal Weakness

I rip my stare from the window above the faucet, and smile at her. “Nothing, sweetie. Nothing.”

She goes back to playing in the water, and my gaze returns to the view beyond our simple backyard.

Rolling grassy hills that stretch between Twinflower and its sister city, Noddingbell. The hills that belong to one family.

The family that bled this town dry to let their town flourish, so they could put their name on every building and billboard.

The Scott family.

The owners of the expansive mansion that sits at the tippy top of the hills behind my demure home.

The family that looms over me.

My in-laws.

Chapter Two

Linden

“Come on, Avery! We have to go!”

“Coming!” She flies into the living room as fast as she can in her plastic princess shoes and sequin purse. Her tulle skirt is hiked up around her waist, and her cat-ear headband is falling off.

A laugh bubbles out of me before I can stop it. She’s a girly-girl to her core even though I practically live in my decade-old jean shorts and overalls, and barely manage to put more than mascara on every day. She’s already started begging to get her ears pierced, though I haven’t given in to it yet, and don’t plan to until she’s at least ten.

“Are you sure you want to wear those? We have to do some walking.”

“I fine.”

“Okay, let’s go.” I usher her out the front door and lock it behind me before turning around. The gasp that leaves my chest is loud and involuntary when I see a man in the yard.

Avery’s already down the steps, and my front door is firmly shut. We’re practically trapped.

“Can I help you?” I ask hesitantly, side-stepping towards Avery.

“Yes, ma’am. I work for the internet provider in the area. Was wondering if I could trouble you for a moment of your time.”

That should be a relief, but it isn’t yet. The unmarked van on the street is still terribly startling.

“Oh, um. I’m sorry, I need to get to work.”

“This will only be a minute,” he pushes. “Is your husband home?” That makes my shoulders bristle.

“I’m sorry, it’s my first day. I can’t be late, and it’s just us. No husband.”

“Ah, can I come by another time? Maybe tomorrow?”

Movement in the corner of my eye catches my attention, and I notice the neighbor in his driveway. There is already one man too many in my proximity; I don’t need another.

“Um…” My gaze bounces back to Avery’s location as she kicks pebbles, unfazed, as a bead of sweat drips down my spine.

One of her pebbles skips across the driveway, allowing me a glimpse of the neighbor as he meanders towards the fence. He starts plucking at the loose portion of chain link as if to mend it.

My anxiety grows as my audience does.

I glance back to the internet worker. “No, tomorrow won’t work. I don’t even have a TV, to be honest. I wouldn’t want to waste your time.”

“No TV?” The worker says skeptically as if he doesn’t believe me. I’m not about to explain that our television only plays VHS tapes to a stranger.