Do you know your neighbors? Is so, you might be surprised by how many people do not know the names of the people who live next door to them.

 The Neighbors : A Christian Christmas Romance

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082G1TK3V

Here’s a sample Chapter:

CHAPTER ONE

Abby parted the brocade curtains at the living room widow and peered out. Grimacing, she said, “I knew I heard something. That boy is at it again. He’s shrieking and bouncing his ball against the side of his house. I don’t know how the next door neighbor stands it. She ought to call the police and have them talk to his mother.”

Vic shifted in the overstuffed armchair and lowered the newspaper. “I don’t hear anything. So, maybe it doesn’t bother the neighbor. If it bothers you, report it as a public nuisance”

She shook her head at the man who’d been her husband for almost fifty years. “I don’t want someone that inconsiderate to know I called the police. The noise doesn’t bother you because you don’t hear much of anything even with your hearing aids.”

“What haven’t I paid?”

She replied, “I said hearing aids, not paid.”

Then she noticed his grin. “Very funny.  How about we have lunch? I have leftover egg salad if you want some.”

Vic cocked his head, “Did you say lonesome?  There’s a little room in the chair if you don’t mind squeezing in.”

Abby chuckled as she studied him. “Stop it, you old goose. You know what I said.”

“Yep. The egg salad sounds good, but so does a cuddle. Come on over here sit still a minute. You flit around so much you make me tired.”

Abby slid onto his lap. “Let me know if I hurt you.”

Vic put his arm around her waist. “You don’t weigh more than a thistle. I think my old legs can take it.”

Abby sighed. Sitting like this reminded her of their courtship and early marriage when they cuddled for hours on the sofa. Where had all that time gone and how did they get so old? They had changed so much over the years that she would hardly recognize them from their wedding pictures. Of course it happened to everyone, she simply didn’t think it would happen so fast.

She sat with Vic for a few minutes before using the armrests to shove herself to her feet.”Okay. Up, now. You need to eat so I can get your noon meds into you.”

“Lunch. Then a nap,” Vic said.

“You sleep so much you remind me of a hibernating bear.”

“Like I said, you should slow down. You work too hard. There’s not a spot of dust anywhere in this place. You could rest with me today.”

“I’ll join you after a bit. There’s some baking I want to do first. I want to get the cookies shipped before the grandkids start their finals. Nibbling on them helps him concentrate. “

Vic patted his amble waist. “They help me put on weight.”

“I’ll have them boxed before you wake up.”

“If you left out two or three, I shouldn’t think that would hurt me,” Vic said.

“You’ll have to eat them after supper so you don’t raise your blood sugar too fast,” Abby said.

Vic and Abby ate lunch in the same leisurely manner that defined their activities these days. Abby spooned egg salad from the refrigerator over the toasted bread. She gave them each a cup of applesauce and glasses of cold ice tea and they sat at the round dinette table to eat. 

Abby had not pushed aside the curtains on the window near the table. The view of the ornamental plum tree with pretty foliage in spring; summer, and fall, was barren and brown in winter. 

She sighed. Her optimism failed her this winter. Vic was too sedentary and tired to want to go out and trips to the grocery store were her main social outlet unless one of their daughters called for a chat.

She longed for the days when she’d baked Christmas cookies for her girls to take to their teachers and neighborhood friends. Downsizing to a smaller house had been a must and the cul-de-sac was quiet except for the boy who bounced his tennis ball against the wall or came out to shout when he was angry. 

She shook her head. She would never have tolerated such a child.

God had blessed her with two daughters. They were good students and hardly ever a worry with them. She regretted they lived on opposite sides of the country. Linda had settled on the west coast and Julie taught in a university in Connecticut. Abby and Vic rarely saw Julie’s two girls who were nearing their teenage years and Linda had no kids. Vic and Abby had considered moving to Connecticut for awhile but decided to stay in their hometown where they had friends and doctors they liked.

Vic broke into her thoughts.

“After my nap, I thought we might give the girls a call. We can see what they’re doing for Christmas.”

Abby sighed.”I’d love to talk to them, but you’ll try to talk them into coming for the holidays and they’ve already said they can’t. It makes them feel guilty.”

Vic held up two fingers. “I won’t say a word. I promise.”

Abby doubted he’d keep his promise. Yet she did want to talk to the girls.

“All right. We’ll see if we can get them.”

Vic dished out a little more egg salad and chewed the bites slowly before he finally licked the spoon.

Abby wished he’d hurry so she could get to the store and finish before the afternoon rush when moms stopped off after school with their kids.

When Vic trudged off for his nap, Abby washed the dishes before she grabbed her list and purse and headed for the store. As she pulled from the driveway she glanced behind her to see the irritating boy’s mom slam her car door and roar from the driveway nearly clipping Abby’s rear fender. 

Abby braked hard and did a quick intake of breath. She stared at the car as it disappeared onto the next street. What was wrong with the woman? She was as thoughtless as her son.

Abby had nearly forgotten the incident when she got to the store. Fortunately, it wasn’t crowded. As she made her way from the vegetable aisle to the meats, she realized smells were beginning to bother her. By the time she got the deli meat, her stomach was rolling. The sweet scents from the bakery mingled with the pungent aroma of salami and cheese.

She hurried to check out and exited the store. Waves of nausea accompanied her drive home. The road rose and roiled in front of her in time with her stomach.

“Merry Christmas,” she whispered.

Her plans to bake Christmas cookies today and ship them tomorrow for the grandkids were ruined. She swallowed over a lump in her throat. 

She wasn’t going to see the kids. Vic never wanted to go out anymore and she felt crummy. It wasn’t a good start to the holidays.

Vic glanced up from the couch as she staggered into the house. One look at her face must have told all.

He shoved himself up and took her arm. “What’s wrong, honey?”

“It’s my stomach. It feels terrible.”

“Let’s get you to bed. I hope you don’t have the flu. I heard it’s going around.”

Nausea clawed at her throat and she leaned on Vic as they headed to the bedroom. He propped up her pillow and sat her onto the bed to remove her shoes. She sank against the pillow as he lifted her legs onto the bed.

“Would you like a soda?” Vic asked.

Abby shook her head. “No. My stomach is too upset. I just want to close my eyes.”

“You do that, honey. I’ll sit in the chair and read you can tell me if you need anything.”

Abby nodded. The ache in her bones caused her to long for pain relief, yet she didn’t think she could keep down any medicine. She drifted to sleep and awoke a while later to find that Vic wasn’t in the room. She shivered and drew the cover tighter around her. Her mouth was too dry to swallow so she called out to Vic to bring her some water.

He appeared a moment later. “You’re awake. I was just coming back to check on you.”

“Would you bring me a glass of water?” Abby asked.

“Of course. Do you want ice in it?”

Abby shook her head.”I’m too cold.”

Vic disappeared and returned with a glass of tepid water. Abby sipped it slowly so she didn’t upset her stomach. After a few swallows, she handed it to Vic to set on the nightstand.

“I was putting away our groceries,” Vic said. “I didn’t think about you having them in the trunk until a neighbor stopped by and told me they were there. The nice young lady insisted on helping me carry them inside.”

Abby winced. “I was so miserable I forgot about them. Did anything melt?”

Vic shook his head. “We got to them in time.”

“Who was it that helped you?”

“I forget her name. She lives next door to the boy that makes you so mad.”

“I told you she must be a saint,” Abby mumbled before she fell back asleep.

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