part of Jay dearly wanted to hear Tyler’s words. Because some part of her—an alien part, still in its infancy—hoped his mutterings might somehow relate to her.
An ancient station wagon demanded her attention when it jumped the curb before rattling to a screeching halt in the driveway. Its driver was a woman with the same rich auburn tones to her hair as Caro’s.
The woman left the engine idling while she fumbled about in her handbag. “Dammit!” Jay heard her say. “Where the heck did I put the darn remote?”
The car’s engine hiccoughed and spluttered, and she revved it to prevent it from stalling. Finally locating the remote, she aimed it at the garage door… which refused to do what it was supposed to do. Namely, open.
She closed her eyes, groaned and rested her forehead on the steering wheel for a few moments before jabbing the remote—again with no success.
Tyler jerked open the front door and Jay switched her focus back to him.
“Jay,” he said, sounding breathless. “C’mon in.”
“Hello, Tyler. Your mother’s home.”
He stood on tiptoes and craned his neck to look over her shoulder. “Ah crap,” he muttered. “Garage door opener’s on the blink again. Can you tell her I’ll open it manually?” He raced off down the hall.
“There’s a pot boiling over on the stove,” she called after him.
“The pasta!” she heard him say before another expletive floated to her ears.
Jay walked over to the car. The driver’s name was Marissa Carolyn Davidson. Jay knew this because once she’d decided to make Snapperton her home, she’d accessed public records for every Snapperton resident.
Marissa was forty-three and mother of twins—Tyler, and Carolyn, who preferred the diminutive “Caro”. Five years ago, Marissa’s husband had packed a suitcase, walked out of the house, and for all intents and purposes, vanished. Town gossip insisted he’d run off with some unidentified floozy.
Marissa was currently employed as a secretary with the Snapperton Legal Office. Prior to embracing full-time motherhood she’d been a registered paralegal, doing everything for her employer barring presenting actual cases in court and giving legal advice. Her skills were both underutilized and unappreciated by her current employer. She was barely managing to cover her family’s living expenses.
Right now she was taking out her frustrations on the garage door remote.
When Jay tapped on the driver’s side window, Marissa jerked in her seat, eyes wide as they raked Jay’s face, one hand fluttering at her throat. Her breathing was rapid and her pulse had quickened.
Jay had scared her, and that had not been her intention. She ventured an “I’m harmless” smile.
Marissa rolled down the window of the vehicle.
“Hello, Mrs. Davidson. Tyler’s just opening the garage door for you. Would you like me to take a look at that remote? I’m Jay, by the way.”
Marissa checked her over. “Well, hi there, Jay. You one of Caro’s friends?”
“I hope so. I’m also a friend of Tyler’s.”
“Really.” Marissa cocked her head to one side and eyed Jay thoughtfully. “Tyler’s friend too, huh?”
Jay nodded. Since Marissa obviously found it strange that Jay would be friends with her son, she chose to volunteer just enough information to settle any qualms the woman might have. “I just transferred in. Tyler and I are Bio partners and we have English together, too.” That last fact Tyler had yet to discover because he’d skipped English.
She ducked her head and scuffed her sneaker on the driveway, acting as though she was embarrassed about admitting something. “He’s very sweet. He helped me get through my first day.”
Marissa’s expression smoothed, doubts sliding away. “First day at a new school isn’t much fun for anyone.”
Jay nodded. “Yes. It was rough. Would you like me to look at
An ancient station wagon demanded her attention when it jumped the curb before rattling to a screeching halt in the driveway. Its driver was a woman with the same rich auburn tones to her hair as Caro’s.
The woman left the engine idling while she fumbled about in her handbag. “Dammit!” Jay heard her say. “Where the heck did I put the darn remote?”
The car’s engine hiccoughed and spluttered, and she revved it to prevent it from stalling. Finally locating the remote, she aimed it at the garage door… which refused to do what it was supposed to do. Namely, open.
She closed her eyes, groaned and rested her forehead on the steering wheel for a few moments before jabbing the remote—again with no success.
Tyler jerked open the front door and Jay switched her focus back to him.
“Jay,” he said, sounding breathless. “C’mon in.”
“Hello, Tyler. Your mother’s home.”
He stood on tiptoes and craned his neck to look over her shoulder. “Ah crap,” he muttered. “Garage door opener’s on the blink again. Can you tell her I’ll open it manually?” He raced off down the hall.
“There’s a pot boiling over on the stove,” she called after him.
“The pasta!” she heard him say before another expletive floated to her ears.
Jay walked over to the car. The driver’s name was Marissa Carolyn Davidson. Jay knew this because once she’d decided to make Snapperton her home, she’d accessed public records for every Snapperton resident.
Marissa was forty-three and mother of twins—Tyler, and Carolyn, who preferred the diminutive “Caro”. Five years ago, Marissa’s husband had packed a suitcase, walked out of the house, and for all intents and purposes, vanished. Town gossip insisted he’d run off with some unidentified floozy.
Marissa was currently employed as a secretary with the Snapperton Legal Office. Prior to embracing full-time motherhood she’d been a registered paralegal, doing everything for her employer barring presenting actual cases in court and giving legal advice. Her skills were both underutilized and unappreciated by her current employer. She was barely managing to cover her family’s living expenses.
Right now she was taking out her frustrations on the garage door remote.
When Jay tapped on the driver’s side window, Marissa jerked in her seat, eyes wide as they raked Jay’s face, one hand fluttering at her throat. Her breathing was rapid and her pulse had quickened.
Jay had scared her, and that had not been her intention. She ventured an “I’m harmless” smile.
Marissa rolled down the window of the vehicle.
“Hello, Mrs. Davidson. Tyler’s just opening the garage door for you. Would you like me to take a look at that remote? I’m Jay, by the way.”
Marissa checked her over. “Well, hi there, Jay. You one of Caro’s friends?”
“I hope so. I’m also a friend of Tyler’s.”
“Really.” Marissa cocked her head to one side and eyed Jay thoughtfully. “Tyler’s friend too, huh?”
Jay nodded. Since Marissa obviously found it strange that Jay would be friends with her son, she chose to volunteer just enough information to settle any qualms the woman might have. “I just transferred in. Tyler and I are Bio partners and we have English together, too.” That last fact Tyler had yet to discover because he’d skipped English.
She ducked her head and scuffed her sneaker on the driveway, acting as though she was embarrassed about admitting something. “He’s very sweet. He helped me get through my first day.”
Marissa’s expression smoothed, doubts sliding away. “First day at a new school isn’t much fun for anyone.”
Jay nodded. “Yes. It was rough. Would you like me to look at
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