The McIntosh twins playing with their dolls under the trees of Renwick Avenue watched the man on a red bicycle stop outside the former Johnstone home and look up at it for a while before dismounting.
The twins lost interest and resumed playing but their mom on the front porch sipping lemonade who's been supervising the three-year-olds, kept watching the guy with growing alarm. She saw him take a measuring tape from his backpack and measure the width of the gate and write the information into a pocket notebook and he then counted the steps in the two flights up to the entrance of the house and noted that.
Jennifer became alarmed and reached for her phone and poised, prepared to call the cops, believing this guy was up to no good. But then she relaxed because he was on his bike again and did a half circle and stopped right alongside the kids.
Jennifer stiffened, ready to jump and run down on the charge. But he remained on his bike.
She heard him quite clearly. "I don't play with dolls."
What a stupid thing to say to three-year-olds. Beside he'd frighten them into silence.
Then astonishingly the shy and quiet Rose said, "My doll's name is Susan."
The talkative know-all Megan said, "You should play with dolls. They are pretty and keep clean."
"Ugly dolls are good too aren't they?"
The guy was told Susan was ugly and Megan snapped, "No she's not."
"Turn them so I can see their faces and I'll decide if Susan is ugly."
Jennifer watched in disbelief as both girls scrambled to their feet and carried their dolls over to the guy, who sat with his arms folded.
"Which one of you twins is the boy?"
"We are girls silly."
"And your name is...?"
"Megan. Don't you know that?"
"No sorry. I must have forgotten."
"What is your name?"
"Fenton."
Megan said no one was called Fenton and he said, "I wish you could have told my mommy that Megan."
"My mommy's name is Jen and some people call her Jennifer."
"I bet she is pretty."
Megan laughed and said, "How did you know that?"
"You and your sister are pretty. That's how I knew."
"Do you kiss mommies?"
"Sometimes. Well I must go. I am going to live in that house over there."
"You can't. It has been sold."
"Yes Megan but I paid lots of money for it and now it's my house."
"You're lucky. Mommy would love to live in that house."
"Well go back on to the rug and play. I think both of your dolls are pretty."
As the guy went to cycle off he looked straight at Jennifer and waved.
She remained motionless; shocked that he'd noticed her. She had been sitting so still in the shade.
Jennifer thought he'd been excellent with the children, basically talking to them at that level and he'd not been nosey. She had to admit he'd been very nice, although who knows.
That evening Jennifer's husband Gary called Gayle the real estate salesperson who'd handled the sale; he'd been at college with her. Gary told his wife the guy's name was Fenton Wagstaff and he was the new chief executive of the city council. His wife left him for another guy and had since divorced him and won custody of their two children and now lived in France. He was thirty-eight and was keen on cycling and hiking and very keen on pretty women.
Jennifer asked, "That last bit about women; did Gayle really say that?"
"Yes and I said did he really say that and she said oh god, don't ask how she found out."
Jennifer giggled. "God he's just arrived in the city and already has seduced his real estate salesperson."
"Don't turn your back on him darling."
"Don't be so foul Gary. He'll know I'm married."
"That didn't stop him with Gayle. She's married."
"Well I'm off limits; tell him that Gary."
"Calm down Jen. Gee I haven't even met the guy. Anyway he probably asks first before lifting a babe's skirt."
"Gary, for god's sake, the children."
"What about them? They're in bed asleep. Calm down. He's the city's CEO and will know how to behave. Oh, or perhaps that's how he won the position?"
"Gary!"
Next morning as Gary was leaving for work an 18-wheeler carrying a big shipping container arrived and minutes later a woman arrived in a car and began organizing the four guys who began carrying the furniture into the house.
Ah, that's why the guy, er Fenton, had been measuring the width of the gateway and counting the steps to inform the relocation company. Jennifer worked out the clipboard the woman was holding contained a house plan and she was directing where each piece of furniture went. Each piece was well-wrapped and once it was inside it was unwrapped and the wrappings were bought back down and put into a huge canvas bag to be taken away.
During the lunch break the woman who introduced herself as Brittany spoke to the twins who were looking out the gate, wondering why were the men sitting down instead of working.
Jennifer learned Mr Wagstaff and his possessions had arrived from England. Brittany's husband worked as a senior engineer for the council and had been told there were seventy-two applications for the position Mr Wagstaff had won including the deputy CEO who had resigned and left in a huff.
"He's a real honey."
Jennifer said, "Who is, Mr Wagstaff?"
"Yes, he's thirty-eight, is big into fitness, has a charming manner, dresses immaculately and he can park his slippers under my bed anytime he likes."
"Then he hasn't seduced you yet?"
"Good heavens no, I'm married."
"Why don't you bring your lunch over here. I'm about to have lunch on the front porch with the twins."
"Oh yes, I'd like to do that. The twins are gorgeous. I want babies but never thought of having twins."