The neighbor started up her snowblower with Carol peeking through the drapes of the kitchen window halfway through peeling a baked potato.
“How long are you going to stare at her like that?”
The voice of 20-year-old Rindy had startled Carol making her stab the edge of her index finger with the metal peeler. Rindy stood beside Carol same height. It seemed like a lifetime ago when she was below the countertop.
Carol scowled at the droplet of blood and had put her finger in her mouth.
“Dracula,” Rindy pushed her playfully. She turned to stare out the window watching the pretty neighbor cutting off the motor to speak to her son on the front stoop with the door being held open halfway. He was six, wearing thermal Avengers pajamas.
Like Carol and Rindy, the boy had a snow day.
“Don’t tell your Mama,” Carol finally moved away with Rindy looking after her.
Therese had come home with take-out Chinese. She had been the only one who still had to go to work and deal with the snow. Her square black frames fogged up as she and Carol greeted each other a kiss on the lips.
“I told you I had an idea for dinner,” Carol sighed, letting her partner set the food on top of the table.
“Well I'm craving for Chinese,” Therese answered her, removing the beanie cap she wore over her hair.
“There’s no free parking pass to be a total bitch when you’re on the rag,” Carol shook her head.
“I’m not even on it. If you don’t want any, don’t eat,” Therese finished removing her gloves and jacket turning away from the blonde.
“I thought I was doing something nice for us.”
“You knew I was going to cook tonight, Therese,” Carol stormed out of the kitchen right along with her heading straight into the living room where Rindy was bundled up on the sofa watching a rerun episode of Law & Order SVU.
“Rindy, I bought Chinese,” Therese declared, ignoring Carol completely.
“Yum! Thanks Mama!” she throws the red blanket off to rise up.
Carol simply stood there with tight fists at her sides while her family retreated into the next room. She turned around to head back towards the kitchen where both Therese and Rindy were seated and were busy opening up plastic lid containers of broccoli beef and white rice.