It should have been little surprise to me that the entirety of first conversations around the dinner table would consist mostly of my mother recanting the story of how I had dropped a piece of wood on our new neighbor.

Karolina and Sonya did nothing but laugh.

Yeva rocked back in her chair beside Rose and smiled, something she so rarely did.

Even little Paul and Zoya seemed amused though I'm doubtful Zoya understood a word her grandmother was saying.

"-really am sorry though that this is how we had to meet under such circumstance," my mother was apologizing.

"I'm not," Victoria said. "It'll be a nice story to look back upon."

Mrs. Mazur seemed like she was trying her best to see the humor in the situation and I was right there with her. She nodded at my mother and sister and patted a barely conscious Rose on the shoulder.

"My son is usually pretty good with his hands. He built or helped build most of the houses in this neighborhood alone including the one you live in," my mother noted biting into a piece of a roll.

"Oh yes! We really wanted to thank you for that, my wife and I," Mr. Mazur said.

"We really loved the work you did, especially the bedrooms," Mrs. Mazur said appreciatively speaking for the first time that evening.

"Oh no," Rose mumbled.

Even in her dizzy stupor she seemed to be listening to most of the conversation.

"The fireplaces?" I guessed.

Mrs. Mazur smiled and glanced at her daughter who was burying her face in her hands.

Everyone looked on, amused.

"Well not only the fireplaces but also we asked specifically for the extra bedrooms for our future son in law and whatever grandchildren that transpire," Mrs. Mazur explained looking a bit sheepish sipping from her glass.

"Oh!" My mother gasped surprised. "We can understand that. I used to worry I wouldn't have enough bedrooms if my children married and had children but so far none of them have yet to leave home so all's well," she said cheerfully.

"Yeah we're a close knit bunch," Sonya muttered.

"In fact, it seem almost like tradition since Mama still lives with Grandma Yeva," Karolina laughed.

The table vibrated with laughter. My family always seemed to find the humor in even the worst of situations. Truth be told everyone still lived at home because we couldn't afford to go our separate waves but I'm pretty certain even if we did have the money we wouldn't turn down the offer of staying together. I used to think about leaving, afraid I'd be smothered by living in the same town for the rest of my life without any change or seeing anything that was out there in the world, and for a while I left and ventured further out of Baia a few cities away but a mixture of homesickness and the financial woes of my own and my family had me back home within the year.

"It sounds 'old school' as my daughter would say but it feels like more of a sure thing having those extra bedrooms that my daughter will be married and taken care of," Mr. Mazur explained.

"Do you have to tell this story everywhere we go?" Rose muttered.

Her mother smiled and took another bite of food again.

"Getting to know the neighbors," her father smiled.

"Is this apart of your campaigning?" Rose asked leaning around her mother to her father. Her hair was disheveled where she'd been leaning on her hand.

"No it's apart of being neighborly."

This answer didn't seem to satisfy her. She shook her head muttering under her breath and leaned back in her chair arms folded over her chest.

"Campaigning?" Victoria asked.

"I'm running for mayor," Mr. Mazur said downing the rest of his drink.

Everyone seated around the table that was related to me paused.

Talk about politicians made anyone who wasn't directly associated with them uneasy but seated at the table with one made people anxious. Zoya was the only one at the table still eating tossing a piece of meat into her mouth chewing it contentedly.

"What?" Mr. Mazur said taking notice of the sudden silence.

Karolina was the first to speak.

"Um…sorry. People are just a little uneasy about…about-"

"Politicians," Sonya finished.

Mr. Mazur set down his glass solemnly.

"I can understand that. I've heard of the…horror stories of what some of the politicians around here are capable of, of what they do in order to win public favor."

"So you understand it's nothing personal?" I clarified though I wasn't completely certain myself that it wasn't personal.

"Of course. Perhaps we should-" Mrs. Mazur began pushing her chair back to stand.

"Oh no! We were just a little bit taken off guard," my mother said motioning for them to sit. The couple stood anyway. "Politicians aren't exactly the finer parts of our society around here. We're not saying that we know you'd be one of the few good or among the corrupt. You might be one of the good one trying to change things. Believe me if I had the chance and the courage I might even run for mayor."

"Understandable. I want to clarify that I intend to run a clean campaign and I hope none of this will affect our relationship as neighbors."

"Of course not," my mother reassured. "It seems we've both made lasting first impressions," she smiled.

"It is getting late though and we should be going. We have a bit of unpacking to do," Mrs. Mazur said nudging Rose.

Everyone stood to walk the Mazurs to the door and said their goodbyes.

"Thank you for the lovely dinner and we're sorry if our little announcement caused a commotion," Mrs. Mazur apologized.

My mother reassured her that it was all right.

I stood behind as everyone said goodbye and watched them leave when someone brushed my arm walking by, or more like nudged it.

"Next time you see me and want to say hi you can just use your words," Rose said with a crooked smile.

She walked backward, gave me a joking wink laughing, and left behind her parents.

I gave myself a heavy mental sigh imagining the years to come living next to her and headed back into the kitchen.

My mother mentioned that the dinner didn't end the way she had hoped and that her and Victoria's plans to play matchmaker were thrown off by Abe Mazur's announcement.

"I forgot to ask if Rose wanted a tour of Baia tomorrow. Dimitri you should've asked?"

I stacked the last of the dishes on the shelf.

"I think the best thing we can do is stay away from them," I told her honestly.

"Why? They seem nice," Karolina said.

"You know as well as I do that living next to a politician is dangerous but being friend and getting close to them-"

"Dimka you're exaggerating."

"I'm protecting my family."

With that I went up stairs. I felt worn down. Today was one of those long days that passed slowly and never seemed to end. I only hoped that my mother would heed my warning. If I seemed unfair or overprotective it was because I didn't want to see my family suddenly on the street because they made friends with the wrong people. Baia was a small town, quiet, but full of just as much danger and secrets as any other city.

The next morning came quickly.

I opened my eyes to a clear blue early morning sky patterned with fluffy white clouds. I pulled on jeans and a long sleeve, eager to get a whiff of the fresh morning air. It wasn't too often that it was like this: quiet and I had time to think to myself. Don't get me wrong I love my family but living in a house full of girls and the only other male being a six year old took its toll.

Everyone else was still asleep so I was careful to the leave the house silently with Pepper towing along. She panted and eased her way through the front door behind me. Once outside she ran through the trees across from our house to do whatever it is dogs do in their spare time and came back, sitting beside me in the grass between our house and the Mazurs.

I lay back in the grass and stared up at the sky wishing I could stay in moments like these forever. I watched as the clouds slowly moved over our house and hovered over the neighboring house. I caught the glimpse of a figure moving on the roof. I sat up to see the figure completely. Whoever it was watched the sky as I had been before and sat up at the sound of my boots against the grass.

Damn the luck, I muttered to myself in Russian.

It was Rose.

She saw me and smiled. I didn't meet her smile instead falling back onto the steps that led into the kitchen with Pepper lying in front of me.

I watched as she climbed down the side of her house on the two windowsills that paralleled and leaned against the fence.

"So you're an early bird huh?" She asked sounding amused.

I gave a slight shrug.

"I would've never figure you for one," I muttered.

She smiled to herself.

For a moment no one spoke and one of those long drawn out silences sat between us.

She fidgeted with the white bandage on her forehead.

"Should you be climbing with a head injury?"

She imitated my shrug, a sly smile on her face.

"I like to watch the sun come up."

I looked up at the sky where the clouds where still too thick. The sun had yet to fully rise.

"Still waiting for it to make it's appearance," she said as if reading my expression and answering my thoughts aloud. She stood there watching my expression. When I met her gaze she averted her eyes to where Pepper was lying.

"Can I join you?"

I shrugged.

She took that as an invitation and climbed over the fence. She knelt in front of Pepper and patted his head.

"She's beautiful," she murmured.

"She's a he."

Rose leaned down and peeked under her to make sure.

"Sorry," She mumbled to the dog. She sat herself in the grass beside Pepper never taking her hand off.

"What's his name?"

"Pepper."

She smiled. "Fitting for a beautiful...Siberian husky?"

I nodded.

"I'm surprised I got the name right. I'm not around dogs much. I'm not allowed to have one. My mom has allergies and even if she didn't my dad says I'm too much in more own world to take care of a dog."

She seemed to talk even if I chose not answer so I watch the sky as Rose's voice went on in the background. After a few moments I realized she wasn't speaking anymore. I looked away from the sky long enough to see Rose staring back at me, a barely there smile on her face. She kind of reminded me of Victoria in that sense that she didn't need much to smile or laugh or talk.

"You don't like me much do you?"

It was a blunt question that kind of through me for a second.

"I never said that," was my puzzled but honest answer.

"You didn't deny it either," she pointed out. She sat waiting for my reply but she was going to be sitting for long time because I didn't have one. It wasn't entirely personal but no, from the few times Rose and I spoke directly to each other, or that Rose spoke to me and I tried not to listen, I didn't like her. The rest of it was because of the political family issue.

She watched me for a moment, trying to read my expression I guess but I was the reigning champion of impassive expressions. She shook her head running a hand through her long hair but the wind blew it back into her face a few moments later.

At that moment i had a clear look of her.

I honestly didn't notice before but my mother and sister were right. She was beautiful...in a unique way. Not the average beautiful that most girls seemed to naturally be born with. She had looks that would make her stand out.

If she was going to live around here and be a politician's daught, her father proably shouldn't count on any female votes because surely they'd envy Rose's tanned skin, natural I guessed, wide bright brown eyes and her facial features that all seemed either smooth, perfectly curved or both.

She watched as I silently analyzed her and I looked away almost ashamed to be doing so.

She must have taken that as another notion of me not liking her because then she stood.

"I guess what you said last night about it not being personal was a lie," she said pulling down the leg of the pajama bottoms she was wearing. "Or maybe it's just me."

She paused either going for a dramatic moment or to see if I'd respond. If it was the later she shouldn't have expected much. I clasped my hands together and met her eyes. Standing while I was still seated on the steps leaning my arms against my knees she was my eye level.

"I'm looking out for my family. That's my priority. Making friends with the neighbors is the least of my worries. Especially if their involved in politics," I told her truthfully.

She flinch as if I'd slapped her but shook her self trying to regain her composure.

"Whatever. Screw you," she muttered and turned toward her own home.

Pepper stood to follow. Taking notice she ruffled his fur once, gave me the 'fiercest of all girl glares' as Victoria would say and left, climbing over the small fence that didn't reach the drive way.

Yes, it was going to be a long time living beside her.