Charlotte, NC 07:48 EST
Jen was a nice neighbor. She travelled for work occasionally, and would every once in a while ask if I could help her with tiny tasks. Sometimes it was feeding her cats, and bringing in her mail while she was out of town for work. I was happy to do it. We were both in our middle thirties and professional people, and I liked having a bit more sense of community when most of my everyday life felt anonymous and disconnected. Jen was pretty and fun, in a familiar way. Her laugh and voice were husky and deep, and she carried her confidence well. She wore stretch pants and carried a tiny bit more weight than was probably healthy, but I wasn’t one to judge. I’m no different. I had followed her on social media, and would be lying if I said some photos of her in a sundress having a drink on a balcony showing off some deep, freckled cleavage had not made me more than a little curious.