“This drive’s longer every time we make it,” June said, staring at New Hampshire’s small town streets. Far nicer than her tiny apartment, if she were honest, but she was beginning to dread the nightly trip to the Langes’.
Even more than interactions with certain coworkers, if she were really being honest. That was saying something, after the latest round of service commitments snidely dumped in her lap. Her jaw hurt from the forced smiles and quiet acceptance, as though
From the driver’s seat came a laugh that quickly wheezed into a muddled cough. “You inherited a house, not an unwanted mother-in law.” Peter grinned, his shoulders shaking slightly with repressed mirth. He slid his silver SUV into an open spot in front of the brick townhouse. “There aren’t gravity waves pulling you in, just legal duties.”
“Feels like a gravitational pull,” she muttered, then pointed at the moving curtain that spilled lamplight onto the grass. “There’s your mother-in-law figure.”
“Also known as a neighbor,” he corrected. “She’s lovely. Baked us cookies and everything.”
She opened her door. “Tiny flavored rocks, you mean, delivered as an excuse to interrogate us.”
Peter pulled their bags from the backseat. “Aye, perhaps. But would you rather go through a dead man’s possessions with or without some flavor?”
Taking her bag and shrugging it onto her shoulder, she mimicked the motion with her free hand, then dug into her satchel for the key. June jutted her chin toward the stained glass door, aware of Dolly watching from next door. “I don’t know what to do with this place.”
“Well…” Peter twisted his head from side to side. “I had to pick up a package at the front office today. Heard them complaining about some woman swordfighting.”
She groaned and stuck the key in the lock, already knowing to give it a slight twist right before attempting to open the door. “Don’t sell this place in case I get kicked out, you mean.”
“Grand,” Peter agreed. “Besides, you’re still in boxes. Other than the swords, it’d be an easy move.”
***
This week’s prompt was from Becky Jones: The drive was longer every time they went to the house.
Update! My prompt did not go to Leigh Kimmel but to Parrish Baker: The rocky path was filled with unstable scree – and recent footprints, showing clearly after the morning’s gentle rain.
Sorry, Parrish!
Check out more, over at MOTE!
