Beneath the Surface

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“This is bullshit!”

I stomp back into my living room with a beer and sit down in my recliner to think. I should have moved somewhere away from other houses so I couldn’t have neighbors! That is what I should have done, but did I? No! I hate having neighbors. I am definitely not a neighborly guy anymore. I live at the end of a dead end so there isn’t a house to my right. The house to my left has been empty since before I bought my house. So I haven’t had to deal with neighbors so far, and I don’t want to now!

Having an attractive woman living next door is the last thing I need in my life! I swore off women all together, and I’m sticking to it no matter how attractive she is. I learned that lesson years ago. After Nicole, and what she did to me, I will never get close to a woman again. She showed me what women are capable of and I don’t want anything to do with any of them. Yes I have needs like any other man, but I can take care of that myself. I haven’t been with a woman in…. four years. Huh, has it really been that long? Damn, maybe that’s why I had such a strong reaction to Lexie when I first set eyes on her. Yeah, that’s it. It’s just been too long and she’s so beautiful it hit me twice as hard, no big deal. I’ll just stay away from her and it won’t be a problem. I’m not home too often anyway, and when I am I usually stay inside unless I need to work in the yard, or me and the guys drink a beer on the back patio.

I’ll just avoid her and when I do see her I’ll make sure she realizes I’m an asshole so she will avoid me too. There, problem solved! That shouldn’t be too hard after the first impression I just made. Hell, I didn’t even introduce myself to her or the other woman. I just glared at her like she just kicked my puppy or something, but I couldn’t seem to help it. I’ve had no problem staying away from women for four years and she moves here and all the sudden my body is reacting like a fourteen year old boy.

My body’s reaction to seeing her was so strong it pissed me off. I realize it’s not her fault, but it isn’t my fault either, and I don’t know who to blame so I choose to blame her. The sound of loud laughter breaks the silence. I walk across my living room and look out the front window. I don’t see Carson and Dillon anywhere, they must be inside Lexie’s house. Lexie and Maddie are sitting in rocking chairs on the front porch. I hear another laugh and look over towards her driveway.

“Oh what the hell? She has kids?” I growl at the empty room. Is she married? Is that her husband? I pull the curtain back further to get a better look. Two identical looking little boys run from the car over to Lexie. They look like twins, if they aren’t twins I’d be shocked. They look the same age, and so identical to each other I don’t know how anyone tells them apart. They both seem tall for little kids and very scrawny. They have shaggy blond hair and I can’t see their eyes from here. They basically look like miniature versions of the man they just pulled up with. Is that their dad? Her husband? I realize when he steps up next to Maddie and puts his arm around her that he looks like a male replica of Maddie. He must be their brother.

So are the kids his or hers? God, I hope they’re his! I can’t stand kids and sure as hell don’t want any living next door. I have loved living here since I moved in four years ago, when me and Nicole got a divorce. It’s a very quiet street. Mostly older people, and not a single kid on this street. It’s a very peaceful place to live. I have a feeling that is about to change. As if to drive that point home the quiet afternoon is shattered with a high pitch scream as one boy throws his drink in the others face before taking off running into the house while Lexie yells after them to get back here. Well that answers it. They’re hers and I not only have an attractive woman next door, but two children as well. I have a feeling I’m going to be spending a lot of time away from home.