Water

I forgot to tell P. when I’d be home, which is how I came to find myself sitting on the stoop at 3pm, trying to read and fighting off mosquitoes. Sita told me that P. and R. had gone out, and they should be home soon. She proceeded to weed one of the many flowerbeds around the house. I leaned up against the locked door, trying not to be frustrated.

There are many public works projects afoot in my neighborhood, which means there are plenty of day laborers passing through. During my banishment to the stoop one stopped by. I was curious to see what Sita would do - she has a strong “mother hen” streak. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, and I probably couldn’t have understood it anyway. But soon Sita was leading the woman down the drive to the spigot in the back where she filled her large water jug. They chatted. I smiled to myself and pretended I didn’t see anything.

A half hour later P. and R. showed up.