They say that neighbours can become either friends or enemies, but I never imagined that mine would turn into both overnight. What started out as a simple favour turned into a bitter feud and a twist that left us both dumbfounded.
When my husband, Silas, walked out of our lives six years ago, I never imagined I would be standing in my kitchen scrubbing the same countertop for the third time and wondering how I got to be this way.
I’m Prudence, 48 years old, mother of two, trying to make ends meet by working remotely in a call centre. Life hasn’t turned out quite the way I’d hoped.
Silas and I used to talk a lot about our dreams, you know? About what kind of life we wanted to build together. But somewhere along the way, those dreams got shattered, leaving me to pick up the pieces alone.
He left one night, saying he needed ‘space to find himself,’ leaving me with our then eight-year-old son Damien and only a few months old daughter Connie. I guess he found more than space because he never came back.
‘Mum, can I have some cereal?’ Connie’s thin voice brought me out of my reverie. Her wide open brown eyes, full of innocence, looked up at me from the kitchen table.
‘Of course, sweetheart. Just give me a second.’ I forced myself to smile and grabbed a box of cereal from the top shelf.
Damien, now fourteen, walked into the kitchen as usual with his headphones plugged in. He barely looked up from his phone. ‘I’m going to meet Jake, okay?’ – He muttered.
‘Don’t stay out too late. And remember, when you get back, do your homework first,’ I tossed after him as he slipped out the door without waiting for my reply.
It was just another day in the life I’d been trying to manage since Silas left. Balancing the responsibilities of raising two children alone with trying to keep a roof over my head wasn’t easy.
My job at the call centre helped, but it wasn’t exactly my dream job. But it was a job, and in times like these, that’s all that mattered.
At that moment Emery, a new neighbour in her thirties, knocked on my door. I opened the door and saw her with red eyes, looking like she hadn’t slept in days.
‘Hi Prudence, can I ask you a huge favour?’ – She said, her voice trembling slightly.
I nodded, stepping aside to let her pass. ‘Of course, Emery. What’s going on?’
She sighed, sinking down onto the couch like she was about to collapse. ‘I had a crazy party last night, and then I got called out of town for work. The house is a disaster and I don’t have time to clean it. Would you mind helping me out? I’ll pay you, of course.’
I hesitated, glancing at my watch. My shift was due to start in a couple of hours, but the idea of making a little extra money was tempting. Lord knows we could use it.
‘How much money are we talking about?’ I asked, folding my arms across my chest.
‘Two hundred and fifty dollars,’ she answered quickly. ‘I just really need help, Prudence. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t urgent.’
‘Okay,’ I agreed after a moment. ‘I’ll do it.’
‘Thank you so much! You’re a lifesaver!’ Emery gave me a quick hug and then hurried away, leaving me wondering what I had just signed up for.
Emery’s house was simply trashed, and that’s putting it mildly. Empty bottles, plates of uneaten food, and trash everywhere, it looked like a tornado had ripped through it.
I stood in the middle of her living room with my hands on my hips, trying to figure out where to start.
Two days. It took me two days to clean, sweep, and trash this house. By the time I was done, my back was aching and my hands were raw. But I kept reminding myself of the $250 promised to Emery. We could really use that money.
When Emery finally returned, I went to her, ready to collect the money.
‘Emery, everything is ready. Your house is spotless,’ I said, trying not to betray the tiredness in my voice. ‘So, about the payment…’
She stared at me like I was speaking another language. ‘Payment? What payment?’
I frowned, my heart sinking a little. ‘The $250 you promised for cleaning the house. Remember?’
The look on Emery’s face changed to confusion and then to annoyance. ‘Prudence, I never agreed to pay you anything. I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
For a moment I just froze, stunned. ‘You… what? You said you’d pay me! We had an agreement.’
‘No, we didn’t,’ she snarled. ‘Look, I’m late for work, and I really don’t have time for this.’ She squeezed past me, heading for her car.
‘Emery, this isn’t right!’ I called out to her, but she was already pulling out of her driveway without even dignifying me with a glance.
I watched Emery’s car disappear down the street and stood there furious. How could she just leave like that?
Two days of gruelling work and she had the nerve to pretend like we’d never made a deal. I could feel the anger bubbling up inside me, but I knew better than to act impulsively.