Work Text:
“So, um,” Lynne said, “what brought you to move here?”
“This and that,” Emma replied airily, but Lynne saw the corners of her eyes tighten when Lynne asked. Got it, no more questions about moving, or where she and Amelie had lived before. “Life has its twists and turns, you know!”
“…Yeah.” Lynne did know. But if they were going to talk about that, Emma would need to get really cool about a bunch of things really fast, and Lynne would have to tell her that actually, she would take Emma’s offer of a glass of wine while Kamila and Amelie played in the next room. And if Lynne did that, and the wine let her stop thinking about everything for a few minutes like people said it did, she had a nasty feeling it would be really, really hard to stop.
She didn’t have a lot of time left, and she couldn’t waste it.
But making Kamila happy was not a waste of time. There was a new kid next door and they were almost the same age, and from the noise they were making, they were having a blast together. Maybe Kamila, at least, had stopped thinking about Detective Jowd, and last week’s news…for a little bit.
“I must say, I’m delighted to have such a darling young girl mere seconds away,” Emma said. “I was afraid that Amelie would be bored and upset, living here. She still goes to the same school, of course, but it’s a change, and I’m so busy with my work right now.”
“That’s just like how it is for me,” Lynne said with a rush of relief. It wasn’t just her?! “And I hate leaving Kamila by herself. Honestly, if Kamila’s home, even if I’m not, Amelie’s welcome to come over.”
“Well, I wouldn’t go that far until you have seen the mess my darling angel is capable of creating. But here is to the generosity of new neighbors!” Emma toasted Lynne with the glass she’d poured for herself.
“Thanks!”
This was good, right? This was how adults talked to each other, over the table while the kids played elsewhere, and Lynne was an adult now. Not that she was Kamila’s mom. Emma hadn’t made that mistake, which was why Lynne had decided to like her right off the bat.
“What’s your job?” Lynne asked her.
“I write! Under a pseudonym, so don’t go thinking you can rush to the bookstore and find me.” Emma winked at her. “My latest novel is…well, it’s sure to keep the readers guessing! It’s certainly kept me up late some nights trying to figure it out.”
“That’s tough,” Lynne sympathized, not sure what to say. Should she offer to read the novel in question? No, Emma was literally talking about it not being done yet. Use your brain, Lynne.
“And what do you do?”
“Oh, I’m a police officer! Well, I’m actually studying to take my detective’s exam”—for the third time—“so I’ll be changing titles soon. If I pass, I mean. I’ll probably be even busier then, but…” But the money was better, and she didn’t want to keep relying on Inspector Cabanela, even if he never said anything about the checks that appeared regularly in her mailbox. Lynne forced herself to keep up her flagging smile. “But it’ll be worth it!”
“Such determination! And what brings such a young gem as yourself into our city’s police department?”
Lynne was saved from having to answer by a sudden explosion of barking. Missile streaked out of the bedroom, yipping for his life, pursued by two giggling girls holding what looked like bows and hair clips. Lynne said a silent thank-you for Missile’s patience…and substantial floof.
“Dear!” Emma said, wincing. “At least we’re only here for a playdate! Without two darling little girls winding that puppy up, I’m sure he’ll be much less noisy.”
“…Haha…yeah…” Lynne had a feeling Emma would not be as friendly after a few more days of living next door to Missile’s barking.
At least her offers of wine wouldn’t keep being such a temptation.