Benedict and Patricia Payne were relatives of mine and the only thing that was more off putting then that would have been had you been neighbors of theirs.

Benedict liked his grass to be mowed a certain way, he wanted his gardens and orchards to be planted in neat pristine rows that were more reminiscent of a neatly laid out graveyard then an living breathing collection of plants and flowers.

Patricia and Benedict demanded that their children’s manners be executed to perfection. The children were dressed neatly. Their hands were always clean and their finger nails were clipped and trimmed. The girls wore their hair loose and the boys hair was cut short and combed.

In this well constructed neighborhood, Mrs Munson lived across the street from the Payne’s and she was the one neighbor who wasn’t afraid to stride up the steps to the Payne’s front door and knock on it.

She would stand straight and tall at their front door, chin out and tilted up just a little and she would inquire if The Payne’s were interested in attending a church function, if they had seen Mr. McFarland’s dog Shep who was known to roam the neighborhood from time to time.

Or if this time they had seen or heard anything out of the ordinary from the house behind theirs.

” I can’t say that I have heard anything from the Sharp’s place. Not since, ” Patricia said delicately ‘ the tragedy. ”

Most people would have referred to the ‘tragedy’ at the Sharp Farm as a ” blood bath or a massacre ” but Patricia was cool and collected and she never said a word that could bring drama to her carefully crafted conversations.

” Yes. The tragedy,  so you have heard nothing recently- ”

Patricia lifted her hair up from her right ear, ” this one is working just fine. So I am positive I haven’t heard anything recently.”

Patricia smiled her prim and proper smile and Mrs Munson wondered as she looked into that smile if Patricia and Mr McFarland were related. Her smile looked exactly like his late Aunt’s smile. She even had that moon shaped birthmark just under the left corner of her mouth.

” Well. If that’s all Mrs. Munson, excuse me- children hurry in and don’t dawdle. ”

Patricia’s children said good afternoon to Mrs Munson and she watched them walk through the front door.

The little girl was dragging her left foot a little and when Mrs Munson looked up Patricia was already looking at her. ” I’m going to have to tend to that, aren’t I? I’m afraid I’m have to leave town for that. ”

Mrs Muson wasn’t sure what she was supposed to say so she just nodded.

” Keeping up appearances is a full time job, isn’t it Mrs Munson? One needs the steady hand of a tailor and the patience of a Saint”

Mrs Muson stepped back from the door and as Patricia closed it Mrs Muson put her hand up to her throat and Patricia pushed the screen door open and stepped outside.

She put a soft hand on Mrs. Munson’s forearm.

” May I say Mrs Munson, you have lovely hands. Just lovely. What I wouldn’t do to have a set like that. ”

” Well.  Yes. Thank you. ” Then Mrs. Muscon tried to make a quick retreat from the porch to the safety of the sidewalk outside the front gate. She made it most of the way there without slipping or tripping and that wasn’t easy because she was shaking.

She heard Patricia  hear her call out to someone inside of her  husband,  ” I found the perfect set Benedict. They’re absolutely perfect. Let’s fetch them tonight, is that alright with you darling? ”

Inspired by “ Hybrids ” Photo Prompt at Experience Writing