Succeeding Love

New Neighbor

Feighlynn

One year later….

“Hey, mom,” Preston came into the kitchen behind me, swinging his keys around his finger. Kevin was leaping excitedly around him.

“Hey, sweetie. Where’s your sister?”

Preston grimaced. “Dad came to get her.”

“Again?” I turned off the water, wiping my hands dry on a tea towel after doing the dishes from dinner prep. “He’s gotten her three times this week.”

“I know,” Preston said, not looking happy. “He said he’ll bring her home after shopping for something like that.”

“Shopping? Did you not get an invite?”

He shrugged.

I gave him a half-hearted look of disapproval. “You can’t snub your dad forever. He is trying.”

“Trying to be a pain in the ass,” Preston muttered.

“Hey!”

“Butt. I said butt,” he smiled teasingly.

“Uh, huh? Sure you did.”

I grabbed the leash for Kevin. Jessie usually took him on his afternoon walk with me, but over the past few weeks, I’m doing these walks alone more than with her. Nick has been picking her up from school a lot. It’s never been for long. They get ice cream, or he’ll offer to take her to her dance lessons, or small shopping trips. He insisted on weekends in the divorce, which was completed six months ago, but has been spending the weekend here more. He kept talking me into letting him stay in the guest bedroom Friday and Saturday nights.

He says it’s to get out of the city since his and Arlene’s place isn’t comfortable for the kids, but I think he and Arlene are having trouble. That’s none of my business, so I haven’t asked. To avoid misunderstandings so I don’t get dragged into their problems, on the few weekends he’s stayed here, I’ve gone to my sister’s, that way he and the kids can have the house comfortably all weekend without my presence making things awkward for anyone.

He’s tried to tell me to stay, that he didn’t want to put me out, telling me it was my house, but I took it as an opportunity for him and Preston to repair their fragile relationship while I caught up with my sister, helping her with her young ones to give her a break. If I’m there, Preston gets defensive for me and is always looking for a fight. When I’m gone, he tolerates his father more. Since Preston refuses completely to go to his dad’s apartment now that he is sixteen and fully licensed to drive on his own, trapping him at home with his dad is the only way to get him to talk to Nick.

Kevin and I do our lap around the neighborhood, waving at the neighbors in their driveways and the ones driving by. It’s another beautiful day. You always have to focus on the beauty of each day.

“Hey, Feighlynn! My elderly neighbor, Velma Trude, flagged me down as I walked past.

There was a small Uhaul in her driveway. I looked at it curiously. “Hey, Mrs. Velma. Are you going somewhere?”

“Oh, goodness no,” she waved her hands dismissively towards the truck. “No, no, no. I plan on closing my eyes for the last time in this house. That’s not for me, but for my son.”

“Your son!?” I could sense her excitement.

“Oh, yes. Kevin just moved back to the US from Germany. He’s retired from the military and is going to stay here while he, oh, what’s that word? Transitions? I forgot how he said it, but he’s living with me now! He had to spend the last six months at some fort in the east, but now he’s here!” She said excitedly.

I pressed my lips together, amused at her son’s name. I knew she had a son in the army, but never knew his first name. She just calls him her son the few times he has come up. The old picture of him from when he first enlisted she keeps on her mantle just has ‘TRUDE’ written on his name tag, and I never thought to ask.

Velma was getting a little confused more days than not now, and I’ve tried stopping in to check on her every time I go to get the mail, but she never mentioned her son moving in.

“I’m so excited for you!” I said, matching her excitement. “I can’t wait to meet him.”

“Oh, you can meet him now. Kevin!”

My Kevin whined and perked up, shifting back and forth between his feet in response. “I think something is wrong with your dog, dear,” Velma watched him.

“Maybe,” I pressed my lips together to hold in my laugh.

Heavy footsteps echoed from upstairs, and seconds later a big, militant looking man, with faded brown hair and the beginnings of a bread appeared from behind Velma.

He was tall. Really tall. He had to be over six feet. He entirely filled up the doorway. I’m a short five foot three inches, and I felt like I was going to snap my neck looking up at him.

“There you are. This is Feighlynn Micheals, our neighbor across the street. Feighlynn, meet Kevin.”

My Kevin howled obediently, like he was introducing himself, too. I could help but to laugh, covering my mouth with the back of one hand. Human Kevin was staring at us curiously, his green eyes surprisingly beautiful on his roughly handsome face.

“I’m sorry. His name is Kevin too. He says hi.”

Velma looked offended, but human Kevin actually laughed. He squatted down, leveled with my dog, and let Kevin sniff him a few times before scratching between his ears. My Kevin pushed his excited face against his chest, eager for the attention. I was about to pull him back, but human Kevin laughed and hugged him in return.

“It’s a good name. I don’t mind sharing.”

I smiled warmly, glad he didn’t take any offense.

“Well, I guess it is. Since your husband, I mean, ex-husband, no good scoundrel he is, moved out, you could use a powerful guardian watching over your place.”

My smile faltered. I know she didn’t mean any harm, and was just coming to terms with her army-strong son’s name being my dog’s name too, but it still hurt to hear her air out my business so easily.

“Kevin is a good dog,” I said, like I was agreeing with her. “I’m grateful to have him.”

Human Kevin watched me from the ground, still petting between my dog’s ears. He was shorter than me when squatting like he was, and he was very close to me right now since he was close to my Kevin. I gave him a nervous smile.

“It’s good to meet you, human Kevin, and welcome to the street. If you both would excuse me, I’m going to get Kevin inside and finish up making dinner.”

“Oh, yes. Your birthday dinner, huh?”

I cringed. I had asked Preston and Jessie both to just disregard my birthday this year. It’s not really a day to celebrate for me any longer.

“Just family dinner. Birthdays aren’t much to celebrate when you reach 35. I’ll talk to you later, Mrs. Velma.” I waved to her and her son, hurrying across the street before Velma could reveal any other embarrassing facts about me. I know I shouldn’t let it get to me, but it still hurts from time to time. It still fills me with shame when someone pities me like that.

I went into my garage, closing the overhead door before unstrapping Kevin, then I took a minute to collect myself. Preston can usually sense when I’m upset, and I don’t want to give him another reason to fight with his dad. I knelt down, hugging Kevin to my chest. He licked and nudged his head against mine, making me smile and chasing my stormy emotions away.

“Okay, boy. Who’s a good boy?” I laughed when he nudged me hard enough to make me fall back on my butt. As he licked my face, I caught a whiff of something other than dog breath. It was cologne. Did Preston get himself new cologne? It smelled nothing like his usual go-to citrusy scents. It was deep and woodsy.

“Kevin,” I said, as I realized where it could have come from. Human Kevin rubbed against my Kevin. It must have come from him.

It smells nice.

“Mom?” Preston was standing in the open door, watching me through the bug screen. “Are you sniffing the dog?”

My face heated with embarrassment. “No. I was just loving on him.”

“You totally just sniffed the dog.”

“So what if I did? He sniffs me all day long,” I huffed, getting to my feet.

“Weirdo,” Preston smirked, coming out to the garage and heading to the extra fridge to grab a coke. “You left your phone here. Jessie called while you were out sniffing the dog.”

“I was walking the dog,” I lifted my chin. “What did she need?”

Preston popped the top of his drink, looking uncomfortable for a second. “She asked if dad could have dinner with us. I said no, but she was insistent. I told her you’d call when you got back.”

“Hmm,” I went into the kitchen, the dog and my son following behind me like two watchful guardians. I didn’t really want to entertain my ex husband tonight, but I don’t want to put Jessie in an awkward situation or make Preston get up in arms for something so harmless.

Instead of calling Jessie back first, I texted Nick, not wanting my daughter to be the middleman.

Me:| hey, Pres just told me that Jessie called about dinner. I made lasagna and know you don’t like it. I’m also planning on doing more work after eating. Why don’t you just take Jessie out for dinner instead?

Ex:| I love lasagna.

Me:| No you don’t.

Ex:| says who?

Me:| you, every time I made it.

Ex:| I kind of miss it now.

I sighed, not wanting to argue further. I know he hates lasagna. He would complain every time I made anything with tomato sauce in the past.

Seconds later, he texted me again.

Ex:| Jessie mentioned wanting all of us to eat dinner as a family again like we used to. I just want to make her happy. I haven’t been able to hold a conversation with Preston lately, either. Please.

I couldn’t say no to that.

Me:| okay. Dinner should be done by 6.

~

Kevin

I watched the pretty young neighbor woman walk back to her house and into the garage; her smile turning more and more sad with every step. She was far too small to be carrying so much weight on those slim shoulders of hers. It made a man want to reach out and comfort her, but in the brief conversation we had, I don’t think the woman is the kind to cry on the shoulder of a stranger.

I’ve been through divorce. It was a long ass time ago, but I can still remember the sting of every reminder that you failed at the one thing you’re supposed to fight for harder than anything else. I’ve been there and understood her pain. All of it. The darkest time in my life was coming home from a sixteen month-long tour to another man moved into my house, sleeping in my bed next to my wife. That was twelve years ago, but the memory still drives a stake through my heart when I least expect it.

“Mom, it might not be best to bring up other people’s relationship troubles like that. You could hurt them.”

Mom looked puzzled for a second. “Relationship troubles? Are you having relationship troubles again? Is it Mindy?”

There it is. The dull stabbing pain at the mention of that woman’s name. Mom’s mind seems to be stuck in the past more than it’s not lately and she sometimes thinks I’m still in my marriage.

“No, mom. Your neighbor. The one with the dog named Kevin,” I smiled at the dog’s name. That woman seemed so apologetic about naming her dog the same name as me, but I really didn’t mind. It was flattering.

Mom still looked confused.

“I think her name is Feighlynn.”

“Oh! Have you met Feighlynn?! Sweet woman. Her and her kids are so helpful to me. It’s too bad that the scoundrel of a husband left her for another woman. A colleague, no less.” My mom sighed, shaking her head while staring at that woman’s house. “Bless her heart. Left her on her birthday too. It was the talk of the neighborhood, seeing him leaving their house with a suitcase and that guilty look on his face. I would have just died.”

“Mom, that’s what I’m talking about,” I groaned, rubbing my hand up and down my face, then cringing when it smelled like a dog. A dog named Kevin. Kevin needs a bath.

“Talking about what, dear?” mom strained herself, bending down over the flower bed to pick out a few yellow leaves at the bottom.

“Nothing, mom. I’m going to finish unpacking.”

Her mind must be taking a turn again. She was fine most of the day, but I think the stress of me moving in is getting to her.

When I got a call from her months ago when she was having a moment of clarity, she told me she might have to move soon because she was getting too forgetful to live on her own. She had mortgaged her home a few years ago to do some major repairs, and had been forgetting to make the payments. Her house was going into foreclosure, and she didn’t know what to do.

Since I was already leaving the Army and trying to figure out my next steps, I bought the house from her and started preparing to move after I left the military. It took several months to sort out all her banking shit, and to get to where I could purchase the house, but it’s now officially in my name, and I can stay here and take care of my mom until I figure out what to do next.

By the time I finished unpacking the sparse belongings I brought, it was already getting dark outside. I got my old childhood room as livable as I could for now. I just needed to buy a better, bigger bed in the next few days. Right now, I needed to lock up the uhaul for the night. I’ll unload all my army shit into the attack tomorrow before taking it to be dropped off.

“Oh, Kevin! Just the person I want to see,” mom sang out, clapping her hands when I finished with the truck and walked into the kitchen. She had a pretty bouquet made from her greenhouse flowers arranged in a vase with a ribbon around the curve of the glass. The ribbon had a ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY’ pattern. “It’s my neighbor’s birthday today, and I always give her a little something just to say thanks for all the help she gives me. Would you mind running this over for me? I would hate to trip in the dark and ruin her gift.”

She may be forgetful, but the flickers of the sweet woman that raised me still shine through often, which is why I could never put her in a home or leave her on her own during the last years of her life.

I wrapped my arms around her shoulders, giving her a gentle squeeze. “Sure, mom. I’ll take it for you.”