Imperfect-ish

Chapter two

Rrrrriiinnnggg!
Rrrrriiinnnggg!
Rrrrriiinnnggg!

"I'll get it...." mom yelled from downstairs.

She wiped her hands clean on her apron. She had been baking an apple pie for dessert. It was the girls absolute favourite.

She opened the door and was surprised to see an old woman on the doorstep, holding a small basket of fruits.

"Good morning ma'am..... can I help you?" she asked, fixing on a smile.

"I'm Ms. Johnson. But you can call me Elizabeth. I just moved in next door and I thought it would be nice to come over and introduce myself.. and at the same time give you these as a friendly gesture." she replied. With a true smile plastered on her face, she handed over the basket.

Susan took the basket from her and spoke.....

"Well this is very kind of you Ms.John...... I mean Elizabeth. Thank you very much." She gave her a warm smile.

"It's always a pleasure......"

"Susan. Susan Wright."

"It's always a pleasure Susan. And please if you ever need anything, I'm not too far away"

"Alright then. Thanks again."

The old lady smiled and carefully made her way back home with her aid.

                *****************
"Are you guys aware that we have new neighbors?" Mom asked that night over dinner.

Michelle was about to lift a forkfull of spaghetti to her mouth when she put it back down and replied.....

"Oh my gosh! Really? When did they move in? Do they have kids our age?" she asked

"This Wednesday... and no they dont "Lillian spoke

"What?" Both her sister and her mom asked in unison and raised their eyebrows at Lillian.

"They moved in last Wednesday..." she repeated.

"How do you know?" Michelle asked

" Ummmmm..... I saw them?"

"What are you doing spying at our neighbors when you have other things to do?" Mom asked

"What?! No, I wasn't spying...." she tried defending herself but was cut off by her mother.

"Did you rake the leaves in the backyard as I asked you to? And how about those boxes I told you to return to the attic? And then also the old clothes you were supposed to pack for the orphanage? Did you do all that?"
In the corner of her eye, she saw Michelle smirking.

Lillian started chewing her bottom lip, she had a habit of doing that when she didn't want to cry, lowered her head in shame and slightly shook her  head.......

"I'm talking to you am I not?"

"No..... no I didn't...."

"And then you go spying on our neighbours?"

She raised her head and tried to defend herself again....

"I wasn't. ... "

"Not another word from you Lillian." 

After that, the rest if the meal was eaten in silence.

Up in her room that night Lillian was furious. She thought and thought and thought and thought. They were thoughts she had thought before. She searched her mind and raked it for answers to all her questions but she couldn't find them.