"It's just a few things as you can see."

I could see her chest rising and falling with each breath she took.  In and out.  In and out.  Nothing hurried.  No fear.  Good. 

Her hair dances along her shoulders and is actually a mixture of browns and reds - the sunlight makes the lighter colors sparkle.  Up and down.  Up and down.

"Is your husband home?" the words escape me before I can figure out a reason to ask.

"No, he's away on business.  Why?"

"Well, I, ah, have some heavy things that I need..."

A shadow inside her house makes me stop in mid-sentence and I strain to look behind her.  He is home. Why would she lie about her husband being away.  Tricky, this one. Or maybe she wants me alone.  Maybe she finds me as...

"Are we going now, Mom?" He's a young boy, seven maybe eight.  His voice is whining, no, anxious. He runs up to her with a jacket half on.  I fight the thought of my kids. Easily.  The happy pills have me in complete harmony.  She bends to help him on with his jacket and I stretch to peek down her blouse.  ****.  Did the boy see me.  He's looking straight through me.  Fear and suspicion.  Anger?  She's asking me something...

"Sorry?  Oh, no. No hurry."

"This is my son, Thomas. I promised him we'd stop by the library and get a card so he can borrow some books."

"Hi, Thomas, I'm Andrew.  I live next door and actually, I have a lot of books if you and your mom want to come over and..."

"No, thanks," he said it so quickly it took me aback.  His eyes darted over towards my house and back again several times.  Fear suddenly bested suspicion and anger.

"Thomas, where are your manners." She tried to pry his hands from her belt but he wasn't letting go.

"I want to go.  Now!"  He was pleading. Demanding.

Pushy little **** aren't we?  Wah wah wah. I'd take that belt off of her and...

"I'm sorry, my son hasn't adjusted very well to the new house.  He hears things creaking at night and it's keeping him up.  We figure some good books might just do the trick."

I can show you some tricks.  I make things disappear.

"Oh, yeah, a good book always makes me..."

"Can we go now?  Please?" He interrupted me again and ran crying to the car, opened up the back door, sat down and slammed the door shut. He pushed down on the lock, thought a few seconds and then unlocked the door. He stared straight at me.

Charlotte apologized and went just inside the front door of the house and grabbed her purse.  As she went I couldn't help but take a few steps toward the car.  The door locked again.  I grinned.  He scowled.

"I'll honk the horn when we get back and, if you don't mind, I'll just leave your things here on my porch, ok?"

"Sure, that's fine," I answered.

She started for the car and then quickly turned and came back my way.  She almost caught me looking at her backside.  I know Thomas did.

"Please don't hold it against him.  He's been hearing things at night."

"Yes, you said," I tried to ease her mind.

"No, I mean, he's hearing weird things like crying children and whimpering dogs.  I think it's just a nightmare but he swears he's awake."

I know I'm awake when I hear them.

"I wouldn't worry.  It's just a phase he's going through.  He'll be over it probably sooner than you think."

As I smile and wave goodbye I can't help but feel for the kid.  Scary things the noises we hear in the night.  I turn to go back to my house, and catch a movement out of the corner of my eye.  The neighbor's door opens slowly and out of the shadows a familiar voice.

"Go grab your hammer, there's some things that need fix'n over here."