(Aside 2)-Meeting the neighbors

Hannah felt livid.

Philip was goofing off as usual and despite the amount of times she told him not to, there was no way avoiding the boy from doing something reckless and perhaps more than a bit stupid. But boys would be boys and there wasn't a lack of testosterone in the house by that measure. She often felt a bit marooned, a husband that was Mr. Macho man Woodshop teacher at the college, 3 boys from 18 to Philip at 9, and the neighbors were pretty much either elderly or super young.

To say Hannah was relieved to seeing a woman her age and a daughter moving in would be an understatement of understatement.

She had planned on going over some other time, maybe after a few days of letting them settle in and get squared away, but leave it to Philip and his toys to to the kibbash on that. Before she could do anything, there was a loud "TWANG" and a shriek as the balloon had arched over the grass lawn and smashed squarely on the woman's head. Hannah contemplated digging a hole, burying her son in there, and then moving to Alaska. She heard wonderous things about Alaskan winters.

Hannah had rushed over to make sure the woman was okay and she apologized profusely. For someone shocked and soaked, she seemed to be taking it well and the only thing really bothering her was the fact that she was dripping and didn't want to get her purchases ruined. That was easy enough for Hannah to take care of and, as she lifted the bags, she noticed two things about her new neighbor: 1.) The woman loved to shop (always a plus!), and 2) she had a nice-sized SUV to fit things and people in. It would definitely make for a great way to get things going.

"Philip!" she shouted and the little one looked mortified at the sight of his mom rounding the curb and coming up towards him. Hannah tore into him a good one, telling him that he would go to apologize to the lady in a few days, and that there were consequences for him not listening, namely the loss of his beloved Nintendo Switch. The paling on his face told her she had hit the jackpot with that.

I didn't get her name! It was already too late as she noticed the door closed behind the soaked woman but Hannah knew it would just be a matter of time before she could talk with her again. There was something there, she knew it, she knew she had found her new (and perhaps only, how sad to think of it that way!) friend.