How, Shaindy wondered, had this woman from Queens already marched into conversations and made friends

“There should be a rule book for this place,” Shaindy Brucker told her husband as they lingered over lunch, a custom she insisted on now that she was “retired” and had time to enjoy life.

Chaim laughed. “Nu, Shaindy, you always wanted to write a book, maybe this is the time?”

It wasn’t a bad joke, considering, but it irked her because it missed the point of what she was saying. Her comment had been about Alameda and he was making it about her, like she needed a project, when really, it was the neighborhood that needed help.

It was Wednesday afternoon, and she was still deliberating whether or not to invite children for Shabbos. There was a playground in middle of the development, but she had no little kids to justify her being there, and so far, her only friends (if you could call them that) in the neighborhood were her two neighbors, just as new as she was. Lots of the women here went walking every morning: It seemed to be a religion, with many lone walkers, the type who sent off vibes that they didn’t want partners, or even a good morning nod thank-you-very-much.

She would find her place soon enough. There was a Sunday shiur she’d seen advertised and she would make sure to go, and she had heard women talking about the big kiddush on Shabbos.

But she couldn’t wait till Shabbos to invite her children and wasn’t that what people here did? During the week, it was fairly quiet, but wasn’t the point of being in Lakewood — of the four bedrooms downstairs and extra bathroom and play area — specifically to invite the children?

She felt guilty thinking about which kids to invite, because really, she should have chosen the ones who would most appreciate a break, but she had a cheshbon and it was important too. In the long run, she reasoned, it would benefit all of them.

Shaindy Brucker was not a woman prone to second-guessing herself, and a moment later she was dialing Brachi. “We would love to have you and Moshe Dovid for Shabbos…”