Sitting on the ground, I search for the scissors that I brought with me. “Ah, it’s okay. Just need to keep Enzo out of my closet for another twelve hours until he goes to sleep,” I assure him and briefly look up to give him a tiny smile which he returns before he goes.
With a deep breath, setting holiday music on the Bluetooth and conquering my fights with the tape, I managed to wrap gifts, and I’m adding bows on my last two presents. I can’t help but smile to myself as I hum along with the holiday song.
The bell in the song fades because an actual doorbell takes over.
Hopping up on my feet, I walk to the door and look through the peephole and see a couple that must be in their fifties. I have a strange feeling that these people are meant to be here.
Turning the knob, I paste on a giant smile when I open the door. “Hello.”
The woman with darker hair and Tyler’s eyes seems puzzled, but her pleasant smile stays put. Gosh, I hope I look like her when I’m that age. Her dewy skin is glowing,and her perfume is floral but subtle, maybe even with a hint of honey. The man has peppered gray hair but still seems to be in shape. Geez, I’m not sure I’m supposed to be thinking about the silver fox vibes.
“Oh, hi there,” she greets me.
“Uh, you would be?” The man seems confused in an amusing way.
The woman reaches her perfectly manicured nails out to touch my arm. “You’re the girlfriend. I knew he was keeping something from us. He’s been too upbeat for his standards lately.”
Quickly, I step to the side. “Oh.” I laugh. “I’m Lainey, the neighbor from across the hall.”
She assesses me from head to toe. “Huh.”
The man offers me his hand, and I shake it. “Nice to meet you. We’re Tyler’s parents, Josh and Layla.”
Layla is already hanging up her coat. “It is lovely to meet you. We’re early, and I’m sure our son will release a long sentence of profanities at us. Where is he?”
I walk further down the hall, following them. “He went to the grocery store.”
“Eek.” She winces. “His nightmare.”
His parents must have been here before because they need no direction of where to go and wander straight to the living room.
“I’ll get the bags from the car later.” Josh sits down on a couch near the large window.
Layla notices the floor which looks like a warzone as she joins her husband.
I feel the need to quickly explain. “Sorry it’s a mess. Tyler was letting me hide my son’s gifts from Santa here, and I needed to wrap them.”
“Ah, Enzo, right?” his mother asks.
“Yeah, Enzo.” I smile proudly, but my eyes must hint that I’m perplexed.
She notices. “He’s mentioned him a few times since you moved in.”
“Really?” Why does it hit me with a pleasant feeling in my chest.
“Mm-hmm.” She makes it seem as though it’s no big deal.
I drop down onto the other sofa as I think about her tidbit of information. “Well, he is a special kid.”
“I’m sure,” Josh affirms, and they both seem to be watching me as though they know something that I do not.
Fidgeting with my sweater, I’m not sure what to do. “Want something to drink?” I offer, even though this isn’t my home.
His mother attempts to keep her smirk from growing. “It seems you know the layout of his home quite well.”
This woman has a theory in her head, and I feel my cheeks warm.
Luckily, I’m saved by the sound of the front door opening, and I finally let go of the breath that I was apparently holding.
