October 8, 2023 – 6:02 PM
The neighboring property remained busy well into the evening.
Lin stood on the farmhouse porch with a mug of coffee warming her hands.
From here, she could see flashes of movement through the trees.
The two fifth-wheel trailers had been parked side by side.
One faced east.
The other west.
A portable generator rumbled steadily between them.
Extension cords snaked across the ground.
Floodlights flickered on one by one.
Mike had wasted no time getting the essentials running.
Richard stepped onto the porch beside her.
He followed her gaze.
"Looks like they'll have electricity before dinner."
Lin nodded.
"He's efficient."
Richard smiled.
"Construction guys usually are."
Across the property line, the older boy limped slightly as he carried a folded camping chair.
The younger one still favored his bandaged leg.
Lin frowned almost imperceptibly.
No hospital.
No urgent care.
Just...
Back to work.
Karen noticed the younger boy slowing down.
She hurried over and quietly took the chair from him.
The little boy protested.
She smiled and ruffled his hair before sending him toward one of the trailers instead.
At least someone was making him rest.
The smell of charcoal drifted across the fields.
Mike had already started a barbecue.
The children gathered around a folding picnic table while Karen unpacked plastic containers from coolers.
Lin watched for another minute.
Ordinary.
Almost painfully ordinary.
If she hadn't heard Karen stumble over her words...
If she hadn't watched Mike dismiss Helen's advice...
She would've thought nothing of them.
Richard leaned against the porch railing.
"Thinking?"
Lin smiled faintly.
"Always."
He chuckled.
"You get that from me."
A pickup truck turned into the neighboring driveway.
Not one Lin recognized.
A middle-aged man climbed out carrying a toolbox.
Mike walked over to meet him.
The two shook hands before opening the trailer's front compartment.
Within minutes they were running electrical cables beneath one of the fifth-wheels.
Richard nodded approvingly.
"Probably his electrician."
Lin watched the man work.
Confident.
Quick.
No wasted movement.
The temporary power setup was finished in less than twenty minutes.
The pickup drove away before sunset.
As dusk settled over Maple Creek, lights began appearing across the valley.
Farmhouses.
Barns.
Porch lights.
The neighboring trailers joined them.
Warm yellow light spilled through the windows.
The youngest boy pressed his face against the glass before disappearing back inside.
Lin took another sip of coffee.
Rex wandered onto the porch and rested his head against her leg.
She scratched behind his ears absentmindedly.
Her eyes never left the neighboring property.
Mike stepped outside carrying a flashlight.
Instead of checking on the children...
Or organizing the remaining boxes...
He walked straight to a stack of blue plastic barrels sitting beside the utility trailer.
He counted them.
One by one.
Then he checked the lids.
Satisfied, he covered them with a heavy tarp before securing it with ratchet straps.
Lin narrowed her eyes.
Barrels.
Food-grade.
About the same size as hers.
Interesting.
Not suspicious by themselves.
Just...
Interesting.
Richard noticed where she was looking.
"Rain barrels?"
Lin shrugged.
"Maybe."
She couldn't tell from this distance.
Mike finished tying down the tarp before locking the utility trailer.
Then he walked the perimeter of the property with his flashlight.
Checking equipment.
Generators.
Fuel cans.
Only after everything had been inspected did he finally head inside.
Lin quietly filed the observation away.
He had routines.
Just like she did.
The screen door opened behind her.
Helen stepped onto the porch carrying a small container.
"Extra lasagna."
She looked toward the neighboring trailers.
"Think they could use a proper meal after moving all day?"
Richard smiled immediately.
"Now you're talking."
Lin looked at the container.
Still warm.
Enough for several people.
She smiled.
"I'm sure they'd appreciate it."
Helen handed it to her.
"Would you mind?"
Lin looked back toward the neighboring trailers.
The lights glowed warmly against the darkening sky.
She nodded.
"Of course."
Cradling the covered casserole dish in both hands, Lin stepped off the porch and headed toward the fence line, the cool evening air carrying the sounds of children laughing and the steady hum of the generator across the quiet fields.
October 8, 2023 – 6:18 PM
The grass crunched softly beneath Lin's boots as she crossed the field.
The casserole dish was still warm through the thick oven mitt wrapped around it.
Halfway to the property line, one of the children spotted her.
"Dad!"
The youngest boy pointed excitedly.
"The neighbor's coming!"
Mike looked up from unfolding a camping table.
He smiled.
"Evening."
"Evening."
Lin stopped a few feet from the trailers.
Close enough to talk.
Far enough not to intrude.
She lifted the casserole dish slightly.
"My mom made too much lasagna."
She smiled.
"She thought moving day probably wasn't the best time to cook."
Karen's face immediately softened.
"That's incredibly thoughtful."
Mike looked genuinely surprised.
"You really didn't have to do that."
"We know."
Lin laughed.
"She wasn't taking no for an answer."
Karen smiled knowingly.
"Moms are like that."
"They are."
Mike accepted the dish carefully.
It was heavier than he expected.
"Please thank her for us."
"I will."
The smell of grilled hamburgers drifted from a portable barbecue.
Cardboard boxes sat stacked outside both trailers.
Coolers.
Plastic storage bins.
Folding chairs.
The organized chaos of moving.
Karen brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"We're still trying to figure out which box has the plates."
Lin looked toward the mountain of boxes.
"Good luck."
Karen laughed.
"At this point..."
She shrugged.
"...I'm just happy we found the coffee maker."
"That's usually the important one."
Mike grinned.
"See?"
He looked toward Karen.
"I told you."
The youngest boy limped over carefully.
His fresh bandage peeked out beneath his pant leg.
Helen's work.
He smiled shyly at Lin.
"Hi."
"Hi."
She crouched slightly so they were closer to eye level.
"How's your leg feeling?"
He thought about it.
"Better."
"Still hurts."
"That's normal."
He nodded as though that made perfect sense.
Karen gently rested a hand on his shoulder.
"Say thank you."
The little boy looked at his bandage.
Then back at Lin.
"Thank your mom."
Lin smiled.
"I'll tell her."
The older brother wandered over carrying two cans of soda.
He offered one to Mike before opening the other himself.
He still had fresh scrapes across both palms.
Lin noticed they hadn't been cleaned particularly well.
Tiny bits of gravel still clung near one edge of a bandage.
Mike noticed her glance.
He smiled casually.
"Kids bounce back."
Lin smiled politely.
"Usually."
She left it there.
There wasn't any point pushing.
Not today.
Karen looked toward Lin's property.
The farmhouse lights glowed warmly through the trees.
The hotel stood beyond it, surrounded by workers finishing up for the day.
She smiled quietly.
"It's beautiful here."
Lin followed her gaze.
"That's one of the reasons I bought it."
Karen nodded.
"Feels..."
She searched for the right word.
"...safe."
The word caught Lin's attention.
Safe.
Not peaceful.
Not quiet.
Safe.
Karen seemed to realize it too.
She laughed softly.
"Listen to me."
"I sound ridiculous."
"No."
Lin answered honestly.
"I know what you mean."
Karen smiled.
A genuine one this time.
Mike looked toward the hotel.
"You've got a lot going on over there."
"Trying to."
He whistled.
"That place must've cost a fortune to renovate."
Lin laughed.
"Don't remind me."
Mike grinned.
"Construction's never finished."
Richard had said almost the exact same thing a week earlier.
Lin smiled.
"I'm starting to believe that."
One of the trailer doors opened.
The little girl appeared carrying three mismatched paper plates.
She looked at her father.
"Daddy..."
"Can we eat now?"
Mike laughed.
"Yeah."
He ruffled her hair.
"We can eat now."
Karen looked back toward Lin.
"Thank you again."
She held up the casserole.
"This probably just became tomorrow's dinner too."
"That's what leftovers are for."
Karen smiled.
"We'll return the dish."
Lin nodded.
"No rush."
She turned to leave.
As she reached the fence line, she glanced back one last time.
Mike had already cut generous portions of lasagna onto the children's plates before serving himself.
The younger boy smiled so widely his earlier tears seemed forgotten.
Lin smiled back and turned to leave.
As she reached the fence line, she paused and looked back.
Mike was already setting paper plates on the folding table.
Karen was helping the youngest boy into a camping chair so he wouldn't have to stand on his sore leg.
The older children were wandering toward the edge of the property again, curiosity pulling them toward the neighboring fields.
Lin smiled politely.
"One more thing."
Both Mike and Karen looked up.
"Sure." Mike said.
Lin gestured toward the hotel behind her.
The sounds of construction still echoed across the property.
A nail gun fired.
A forklift backed up with a warning beep.
Workers carried lumber between the buildings.
"We've got construction going every day for a while."
She pointed toward the temporary fencing surrounding the work areas.
"There are trucks coming and going heavy equipment..."
"...building materials stacked around the site."
She smiled warmly at the children.
"I'd really appreciate it if the kids stayed on your side of the property unless one of us is with them."
Karen immediately nodded.
"Of course."
Lin glanced toward the youngest boy's bandaged leg.
"I'd rather not have a repeat of today."
Mike looked toward the construction crews across the fence.
Then back at his children.
He gave a single nod.
"Fair enough."
He raised his voice just enough for the children to hear.
"You three hear that?"
The teenagers looked over.
The youngest boy stopped halfway through climbing onto a tree stump.
"Until Ms. Zhang's construction is finished..."
Mike pointed toward Lin's property.
"...nobody crosses the fence without permission."
Three voices answered at once.
"Okay!"
Karen smiled apologetically.
"They're curious."
Lin laughed softly.
"I'd be worried if they weren't."
She gave them one last smile.
"Welcome to Maple Creek."
Karen returned the smile.
"Thank you."
Lin turned and headed back across the field.
Behind her, she heard Mike directing the children toward the picnic table for dinner.
The conversation faded into the evening breeze.
As she walked home, Lin felt a little better.
Children were naturally curious.
Construction sites weren't.
Hopefully...
Today's accident would be the last one.