Misses Santiago lived right beside the Bradfords for many years. She was there before the young couple even moved in. She watched the young blond man carry his wife through the front door, wishing for her love to return. Later she found out that their names were Tim and Isabol Bradford.
Miss Santiago enjoyed to call Tim over for some maintenance. Watching the police officer struggle with some repairmen's made her day. She always used to ask him about his life and made sure to tell him lot about hers.
Within a year she recognised the shift of the couple. Isabol was gone more often and Tim was more like a shadow of himself than anything else. One day she tried to talk to him, get him to tell her what is going on.
"Dear, I brought you cookies." She greeted him at his front door.
"Uhm Thanks" He smiled at her, but it didn't reached his eyes. She knew that it always used to, since he loved her homemade cookies.
"I'll give them to you if you tell me what has been bothering you lately."
He laughed. Misses Santiago smiled, at least she made him laugh a bit.
"Nah, I think I'll let you spy on us some more." He winked at her and grabed a cookie. "Thanks for the calorie bomb though."
The older lady just smiled at him and finally gave him his cookies.
Weeks passed and she noticed that Tim looked more defeated than ever, she hadn't seen Isabol at all. So she formed her own story about what had happened between the couple. Another thing she noticed was a certain latina woman visiting the house beside herd frequently often. The woman always seemed to come by late at night and drive off with Tim in the morning.
It didn't sat right with her to just march over and tell the woman that he is a married man, even though he was unhappy.
She watched it happen a few more times, before one night, she saw the woman out alone stargazing. Misses Santiago didn't hesitate long. She marched over to the fence that parted the two gardens and called the stranger over.
"Listen young lady, I'm quite aware that that boy is handsome. But he is married, so you should really leave him alone."
The woman in front of her smiled big time and stretched out her hand "Angela Lopez, I heard about the nosey but lovely neighbour."
Misses Santiago took the hand and shook it briefly. "Anyway, I am definitely not here to sleep with my stubborn best friend. I am just emotional support."
"Emotional support for what?" She asked, jumping at the opportunity to get to know a little bit more.
Angela sighed and glanced back to the closed porchdoor. "Well, he's not doing well since Isabol left him. She just took one night with all their saved money and his watch."
Misses Santiago gaped at her. She had figured out that Isabol left him, but that she took it that far, she would have never guessed.
"Why did she do that?"
"I'm sorry, I really don't think that I should tell you. But... I have to ask an favor off of you."
"beat me with it girl, I am home all day and bored out of my mind."
"Well I can't be here all the time and I want to know when he's not doing well. So if his lights are on late and if you hear something please give me a call." Angela said, giving her a card with a phone number on. "Anytime, doesn't matter how late."
Misses Santiago nodded. She saw movements behind Angela and smiled up at Tim. "Good evening boy."
Tim nodded at her, "Evening."
Angela rolled her eyes at him, "One word? That's all you got?"
Tim bumped her with his shoulder, "shut up." Before slightly grinning at her, "See two words."
Misses Santiago laughed, "Well dear save your voice for the football game."
"Thank you" he looked at Angela, "See? She understands. Now, do you want to come in? Game is about to start and the delivery guy brought the pizza."
Angela nodded, "Alright officer grumpy." She looked back at Tims neighbour, "It was a pleasure to meet you."
"Ouh dear yes, I hope to see you soon."
"Shouldn't be a problem since she refuses to leave me alone." Tim muttered. Which earned him a slap on the backhead. "You're stuck with me Timothy." She waved at Misses Santiago and walked off.
Tim stayed behind and smiled at his neighbour, "Doing some detective work?"
"Maybe." She replied with a little smile, "I'll figure you out one day Timothy"
Tim sighed, "Anyway, you hungry? I can bring over some pizza."
"no dear, thank you though. Go and enjoy the game."
Tim nodded and made his goodbye before walking off.
Within the next year she noticed him being more himself. He even got a dog. Misses Santiago loved the furrball and came by just to pet him and give him some treets. Tim decided that to give her a key and the code for his security system, so that she could let Kojo out and feed him. That's the time she noticed another woman coming by more often (beside the blond lifeguard that Tim introduced as his girlfriend) it was a young asian woman. She always wore a smile and laughed a lot. Misses Santiago liked her a lot. She always waved at the older woman, not like the blond girl that just decided to ignore her.
"Hii, you must be Misses Santiago" the woman said one day, stretching out her hand.
"Yes, and you are?"
"Lucy Chen, I'm a coworker of Tims and a friend, he just doesn't want to admit it." Lucy laughed.
Miss Santiago smiled, "stubborn, isnt he?"
"You have no idea. He trained me."
"Well you're still up and breathing." Lucy laughed again.
"Anyway, I need to hurry to get Kojo King of canines out for his walk."
"Do you mind If I joyn you? You just delight me so much, and I have nothing big to do today."
Lucy nodded, "of course, I would like that very much. Let me just get rid of my stuff real quick."
They took Kojo on his walk and talked alot about everything, but misses Santiago mostly lead thee conversation to Lucy and Tim. She found out that he saved her life and she helped him renovate his childhood home and visit his dad. She also suspected that Lucy was the reason for Tims change of heart.
In the next few months she enjoyed to see that the blond wasn't around anymore and Tim was gone most days. If he was home than Lucy was with him. Soon she catched them kissing in the yard and cuddling up on the porch. Two years later she was invited to their wedding and Misses Santiago decided to come clean towards Lucy. She pulled the young woman aside for a moment and took her hands. "I knew it's gonna be you the moment I first saw you climb out of your car and literally hoping towards his front door. You were so cheerful and I saw your light crack his darkness little by little. You made him smile so bright, thank you for bringing that boy back dear."
Lucy smiled through unshedded tears, "I think I have to thank you. Tim told me that you always brought him cookies and made him do some maintenance work for it." She laughed, "I love the storys he told me. And I know that you tried to scare off woman that did not belong with him."
Misses Santiago smiled at the memorie of talking to Angela and Rachel.
"Well, I'm glad he found his forever in you."
Not so long after that, she found Tim and Lucy at her front porch, a little bundle in Tims arms. She opened the door, excited to meet the new Bradford. "Ouh good lord, she is gorgeous."
Tim nodded, "she is. Do you want to hold her?"
Misses Santiago nodded and took the little girl from his hands, "what's her name?" She asked, looking down at her.
"It's Felicity Angela Bradford." Lucy answered, emotions clounding her voice.
Misses Santiago looked up at them, tears in her eyes. "Felicity? You named her after me?"
Tim just nodded, biting on his upper lip, "well we thought she needs to be named after an amazing and loving woman."
Felicity Santiago reached out and pulled him into a hug, careful not to crush little Felicity.
"Baby girl I promise to look out for you, just like I looked out for your father." She whispered to Fei, once they all had settled down with some cookies and fresh lemonade.
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Couldn't wait till next week, I hope you enjoyed it <3
