There’s No Avoiding Them
My neighbors went to visit family in another state about two months ago. Today we got a letter in the mail from his sister informing us that, during their stay, my neighbor’s 13-year-old son seriously harmed his four-year-old girl cousin.
This has been a complete shock to us, but definitely explains why they came home early. They didn’t even hint that anything was wrong when they got back. They all seemed perfectly normal. Their whole family has been so welcoming and so nice to us over the years.
It’s so hard to comprehend that this happened. I even had so many great conversations with their son when I see them outside. He’s always so nice and polite. A small part of me (I would like to re-emphasize “small”) almost wishes I didn’t know.
How am I supposed to talk to him or his parents again? I see them almost every day and I have loved talking to them. I can’t help but feel bad for his parents. They have so many friends in the neighborhood and I know that at least one of my other neighbors got the same letter.
They have to face all of us every day and I’m not even sure they know that these letters were sent out. It’s going to be devastating to their whole family once they find out that we all know. I don’t have a clue how to act around them now. Do I play it off as if I don’t know until they bring it up?
They are my next-door neighbors after all. There’s no avoiding them and I have to live next to them. Or do I tell them we know and see what happens? I know my wife is not a forgiving person.
I think I’m more stressed about how she will react. Not the way I wanted to start my weekend…
Story credit: Reddit / Wiggles685