Behind The Pretty Pink Door: Have you met the new neighbours yet?

by M J Hardy

  Lucas nods and to everyone else he looks at ease, but I know he is hating every minute of this. He’s never been one for social gatherings and this one’s with strangers. He’s a little uncomfortable talking to a room full of people he doesn’t know, and I guess he’s struggling.

  My heart sinks when Keith Wickham steps forward, pulling a short, rather plump woman with him, which I’m guessing must be his wife Sandra. She is dressed in floral chiffon and her perfume reaches me before she does.

  She looks to be in her early sixties and her make-up hasn’t evolved because she’s wearing bright blue eye shadow and her lips are painted pale pink and the blusher on her cheeks resembles a circus clown. She has more scarves draped around her than a belly dancer, and as she steps forward, I see her gaze stripping me bare. I shrink under it because it’s obvious Sandra Wickham is the sort of woman who judges a person on sight.

  “Welcome, welcome, allow me to introduce my wife Sandra.”

  Sandra looks so puffed up with her own importance I stifle a grin because Keith couldn’t look any prouder than he does and I’m guessing she is used to being treated like a queen. In their house, anyway.

  “I’m pleased to meet you both. You must tell me all about yourselves, I’m dying to know.”

  I open my mouth to speak but she interrupts, “We live in the house opposite, the Wisteria, you know, the big one.”

  My heart sinks as I nod politely.

  “Anything you want to know just ask us because Keith prides himself on getting stuck into the community and giving something back.”

  “Yes - he said.”

  I daren’t look at Lucas because I’m guessing if I did, the look he gives me would kill me on the spot.

  Sandra carries on firing out words like a lethal machine gun.

  “So, let me bring you up to speed.”

  She lowers her voice and leans in. “Watch out for that one over there.”

  I look to where her sharp gaze is pointing and see Jasmine looking as bored as Lucas undoubtedly is.

  “She’s a bit standoffish, which doesn’t work well in a community like ours. Won’t even put her name down for cricket club teas. Never volunteers for litter picking duty and won’t entertain attending one of my community suppers. There’s a story there though, mark my words.”

  I look at Jasmine and see a woman who I like on the spot because any woman who could rebuff Sandra goes up in my estimation.

  “Look at her husband, I’m guessing he’s a bit of a cad.”

  I almost spit out the wine I’m downing fast as Lucas goes still beside me.

  “Dresses like a right player and the look in her eyes tells me she’s unhappy. I mean, she’s so cold and he looks - well, bored most of the time. I’m guessing he likes the ladies—a lot, so make sure you’re on your guard if they invite you around for the evening.”

  She raises her eyes and whispers, “Keys in the bowl in the centre of the table, if I’m not mistaken.”

  Now I am definitely not looking at Lucas because I’m guessing he’s about to explode—with laughter. Keith says pompously, “Sandra’s a good judge of character, she’s never wrong.”

  Looking over at Jasmine and Liam, I see them in a new light. Wow, do things like that really go on outside of the movies? How interesting.

  Then Sandra says firmly, “I see you have a cat.”

  “Yes, Pixie.” I smile at the mention of my adored pet and Sandra shakes her head. “Word of warning, make sure you keep it in for a few weeks. Don’t let it roam because I’m not going to lie, cats around here are becoming a nuisance.”

  “In what way?”

  I feel a little anxious and Keith says, “Messing over the lawn, sleeping in flowerbeds and on car roofs. Fighting at night and making a terrible noise and generally becoming a right nuisance. I have added it to the agenda at the next committee meeting because something needs to be done about it.”

  “Yes, take your own cat for instance.”

  My heart freezes as she says coolly, “I found it in my kitchen this afternoon and had to shoo it away. It comes as something when you can’t even leave your door open to air the house without intruders taking up residency. Just so you know, Keith is allergic to animal fur and any trace of it could lead to an anaphylactic shock, so I would ask you to keep your animal under control, otherwise you may have a death on your conscience.”

  Once again, I open my mouth to speak but Sandra waves at someone gaily from across the kitchen and says loudly, “Oh, excuse us, I must have a word with Adrian, he told me he would recommend a good landscape gardener and I’m keen to get started.”

  Keith looks at her proudly. “Yes, Sandra’s always been a keen gardener. We opened our last garden to the public under the National Garden scheme. I’m sure she will raise the bar high in the neighbourhood when she gets planning.”

  As they move away, Lucas growls, “I’ll raise the bar myself if I spend one more minute with that woman.”

  I’m spared from answering as Nancy heads over and raises her eyes, “Sorry to leave you with the Wickhams, please don’t judge the rest of us by them.”

  I instantly relax and laugh softly, “They’re an interesting couple, that’s for sure.”

  Giggling, Nancy looks across at her husband and laughs as she sees the pained look he shoots in her direction as Sandra corners him in the kitchen.

  Turning to us, she says sweetly, “Let me introduce you to Jasmine and Liam, they are one hundred percent nicer than the Wickhams and the nicest people I know.”

  We follow her to meet them and I look with interest as we approach.

  Jasmine is an attractive woman with long dark hair and stunning blue eyes. She’s dressed immaculately and looks to be in her mid-thirties. Her husband looks around him with an easy manner and seems unfazed by his surroundings and comfortable in company and I wonder what he does for a living because they have money, it’s obvious by the clothes they wear and the watch on his wrist.

  “Jasmine, Liam, meet Esme and Lucas, our new neighbours.”

  I smile and Lucas steps forward and shakes Liam’s hand as Jasmine smiles. “Pleased to meet you. This must be a little overwhelming.”

  “A little, but it’s nice to meet the neighbours.”

  Liam grins. “Some of them, anyway.”

  He rolls in eyes in Sandra’s direction and I grin.

  Jasmine lowers her voice, “You’ll soon become de-sensitised to the Wickhams. To be honest, I tuned out five minutes after I met them. They’re always moaning about something and if you dare leave your bins out for more than half an hour after the bin men leave, expect a knock on the door and a sharp reprimand from Keith on Sandra’s instructions.”

  Liam laughs. “We do it to annoy them. It’s become a favourite game of ours.”

  Jasmine laughs and looks at him fondly, “One of many, darling.”

  Lucas nudges me and images of keys in a bowl spring to my mind as the couple share a loaded look.

  Turning her attention back to me, Jasmine lowers her voice. “It’s not a bad place to live, at least it won’t be when they finish it and the builders leave. Most people here seem nice and the Wickham’s aside, most appear normal at least.”

  Liam nods. “You must take Jasmine’s word on that, I still think the place is stuffed full of Stepford wives.”

  He looks at Lucas and nods towards the counter. “Fancy a beer, you could probably use one just to get through this ordeal.”

  I can sense Lucas’s relief as he nods. “Great, now you mention it…”

  They move away and I exhale, feeling as if a tremendous weight has lifted and Jasmine laughs. “It’s hard for them.”

  “Who?”

  “The men. They suffer at these things because they’re like fish out of water. Liam hates mingling with the natives as he calls it and the fact that Lucas seems nice will have helped.”

  “Why, what about Adrian, he seems nice?”

  “He’s ok I guess, a little quiet most of th
e time and not a big drinker. He’s content just to follow Nancy around and do what she tells him. He’s a bit easily led and doesn’t seem to have his own conversation. It’s always Nancy this and Nancy that.”

  “What does he do for a living?”

  I look across at the man backed into a corner with interest.

  “I think he’s an accountant, don’t ask me where he works because it left my mind the moment they told me. I’m not going to lie, talk about money bores me rigid, I’m much more interested in hearing the local gossip.”

  “Then we will get along just fine.”

  I laugh softly and she grins. “Then let me fill you in.”

  Steering me to the corner of the window, she points out the houses that back onto ours.

  “The house behind this one belongs to a retired couple. I think he’s a policeman and they are nice enough. They just keep themselves to themselves and are no trouble. The one next to them, behind you, is a little strange.”

  “In what way?” The alarm bell rings and Jasmine looks out of the window thoughtfully. “Well, I’ve been here a while now and still don’t know who lives there. The windows are open at the back but there’s never anyone in the garden. Occasionally I see a man coming and going and there is a car parked there most nights, but nothing at weekends.”

  “Maybe they just live there in the week, do you think they have another weekend home somewhere?”

  “Possibly, if they do, you’re lucky. At least you won’t have a child jumping up and down on a trampoline disturbing your peace, or a dog barking while you relax in the garden. In some sense they are the perfect neighbours because they make no sound at all. Maybe I’m wrong, but take a look when you go around to that side. It’s the house with the pretty pink door. You can’t miss it.”

  “Are you talking about the house behind Esme’s?”

  Nancy joins us and says with interest. “I heard it’s some kind of company house, you know, the sort companies house their workers in and they go home on weekends. It would explain the state of the garden. I don’t think they’ve weeded since they arrived. You should hear Keith moaning about it, it’s quite funny, really.”

  Jasmine rolls her eyes. “He’s only happy if he’s moaning. Can you imagine the conversation in that house?”

  Nancy laughs. “True enough. Anyway, this is nice, isn’t it? Our little quartet is complete and if we can somehow get the Wickhams to move, all would be perfect.”

  As I look around at the friendly gathering, my heart settles. Yes, this is perfect, to me, anyway and I hope that we will be happy here because I never like to admit I’m wrong and my family's happiness is everything to me. This move is everything to me because I want us to live the life I always wanted us to have, and I’ve a feeling that Meadow Vale could be just the place to deliver it.

  Chapter 5

  Esme

  It doesn’t take long to settle into a routine, and one of them is my early morning jog around the development. As soon as I wake, I pull on my running shoes and lycra and start the gentle jog, taking time to admire the place we now call home. As I turn the corner to the village green, my attention is drawn to the house with the pretty pink door. Ever since I heard the gossip about the place, I’ve been intrigued and have spent many hours just looking out of my window at the house behind us and imagining all sorts.

  Jasmine and Nancy were right, they are certainly not keen gardeners because I’m not sure if they’ve planted one plant since they got there. From what I can see, the lawn is still just an enormous expanse of grass with no flower beds dug out and although it is obviously cut regularly, there is no other sign of life except the windows that are open daily.

  As I jog past the front of the property, it’s as if nobody’s at home. Occasionally, I’ve seen a black car parked on the driveway, but again no sign of life from the front. The curtains are never open and the windows are dirty, telling me they don’t think cleaning them is of any importance. Is it a company house? It could be, and yet for some reason I am developing an unhealthy obsession with the place.

  As I jog, I think about our first few weeks here. It didn’t take long to settle in and with every passing day; I thank God we moved here. This is the place I’ve always dreamed of raising my family. Unlike London, the pace of life is slower, the surrounding space bigger, and the air appears cleaner. Gone are the dusty, noisy streets of a city where its inhabitants coexist in close proximity and here in Meadow Vale, the streets are wider, the houses larger and the people friendlier. Well, most of them, anyway.

  As I jog around the village green, I look with interest at the houses that back onto ours and see the familiar designs set around a green space with virtually no noise. Maybe it’s the lack of life this early in the morning that heightens my senses because for the entire circuit I feel as if I’m being watched. If there were any net curtains here, I would expect to see them twitching because it feels a little eerie as I pass houses impressive in design, hiding their inhabitants behind shuttered windows.

  Half way round, my shoelace comes undone and I bend down to tie it, glad of a breather, and as I do, I hear a door slam and look up with interest. A man is heading out of a smart house nearby and as I look up, he raises his hand to wave.

  “Good morning.”

  Straightening up, I smile as he heads my way, briefcase in one hand and his car keys in another.

  “Hey, I’ve seen you most mornings, which leads me to the conclusion you must live here. My name’s, Guy and I live here with Angela, my wife. Have you moved here recently?”

  Glad of some friendly conversation, I smile, “Pleased to meet you, Guy, yes, I’ve moved into Sycamore Avenue.”

  “Welcome, how are you finding it?”

  “Good thanks, it’s a lovely development, we feel very lucky to live here.”

  “Yes, same. What house type did you buy?”

  “The Rose. We love it.”

  I look at Guy’s house and see a similar house to ours, but a step up in design. It interests me to see the different houses and I’m itching to look inside to see the differences and how they’ve furnished it.

  “Where did you move from?” Guy says with interest and I smile politely. “Streatham.”

  “This must be quite a change for you then. We moved from Brighton, so it’s not a million miles away and was the best thing we ever did.”

  “You like it here then?” My heart settles as he nods vigorously. “Yes, we should have moved years ago but then again, I’m a firm believer in fate and this place is that for us, anyway. Well, I should get to work. This place costs money and any spare, Angela disposes of extremely quickly. Hopefully we’ll see you for drinks one evening. Word of warning, there are a lot of those, maybe it’s because everyone’s new, we’re all keen to establish a community, so don’t be surprised if you find yourselves out a lot, it’s all good though.”

  He nods politely. “Well nice to meet you…”

  “Esme.”

  I watch as he heads towards his car and think how nice he seemed. Everyone seems so nice and it strikes me that in the few weeks I’ve been here, I’ve met more people than the twenty years I spent in Streatham. We never socialised with our neighbours there. Everyone was too exhausted after working all day and once they closed their front doors, they only opened them for Deliveroo, or to go to work. This is a different life entirely, and I’m keen to see what that involves.

  As I start the gentle jog home, I congratulate myself on a good move made and try to push aside the feeling of uneasiness that won’t go away. This is all a little too perfect, a little surreal and as if there’s an undercurrent of something that is definitely not normal.

  Chapter 6

  Lola

  The blue sky outside my window tells me it will be another warm day. The birds that wake me are my only company because aside from my nightly visit from Mr Evans, I’m all alone.

  As always, as soon as I wake, I drag myself to the window and look out on a place I always k
new existed but never thought I’d see first-hand. Smart houses and expensive cars existing in a quiet piece of paradise.

  Then, as always, my thoughts turn to my father and the anxiety returns. Where is he, is he ok and when will this be over?

  My stomach growls reminding me I haven’t eaten in twelve hours and the tears bite at the realisation a visit is due.

  When I left with the police officers, I never expected to end up here. They were so nice and made me feel as if I was safe. I am safe, for now, anyway. Is my father ok, it’s been a week already and still no word? Mr Evans tells me nothing, just delivers me food and tells me to lie low. I must never be discovered because if I am, it’s doubtful I would see my father again.

  The air inside the room suffocates me and I struggle to breathe. I am so worried. Is he ok, have they have looked him after like they said he would? Is it over yet and when will I be sent back to him? These are my usual thoughts when I wake and ones that accompany me through the day. It’s been several weeks now and still no word.

  As I drag myself to the window, I look out at the house opposite eagerly. Are they up yet?

  I spend hours at the window, but they will never see me watching. I must stay out of sight; nobody must know I’m here because if I’m discovered they will come for me. I’ll never see my father again, so I do as I’m told. ‘It won’t be long’ they say, ‘how long?’ I ask, but I’m never told a date. The only way I can get through this is to watch the world outside my window carrying on without me.

  When the people moved in opposite, I was glad of something new to watch. A normal family. Two small boys and a sweet little cat. Occasionally, I hear their laughter cross the divide towards me and I strain to hear their conversation. I crave the voices because my world is now a silent one. No television, no radio and no communication. I am forbidden to move around the house. In fact, I couldn’t if I wanted to because from the moment I arrived, I have been locked in this room with no way out. At least I have a modern bathroom, but nothing else. A single bed and a small table, with only the small bag of possessions I packed and not even a book. I could go mad in here; I feel as if I already am and the only thing left for me to do is watch the world outside my window, remaining hidden because the consequences of being found are too horrific to even think about.