this to you. Do you?”
Nick shrugged. “I only know what you know. I came home last night to find him and his supposedly pregnant girlfriend taking over our house.”
He explained the situation in detail to her. He felt somewhat vindicated of what he had originally thought about Bradford--he truly was a low-life, trying to make a quick buck and getting a house without lifting a finger.
“I’m calling my lawyer today, Sarah. You don’t think he recognized you?”
Sarah shook her head no. “No, no, he couldn’t have. I only saw his picture in my son’s case. He never had to go to the trial. I pray to God you get him out of here, Nick,” she said, putting her hand lightly on his arm, eyes searching his in sincerity. “He’s a dangerous boy. I don’t want anything to happen to your family.”
“I’ll do my best,” Nick said, patting her hand.
***
Nora hung up the phone with a sigh after speaking with Clara, who was upset that Isaac had spilled apple juice on her outfit. She had slept well, thanks to a heavy dose of sleeping medication, but when she had awakened the world had stayed just as it had been, intruded upon by dishonest people.
By the time she had woken up, Nick had left for the day. He had left her a note only to say that Sarah was in the house and to remember to lock their bedroom door before she left for work. Nora wasn’t sure she wanted to go to work, until this problem was resolved. Of that, Nick had been inexplicably vague. He left no word as to whether he had called the lawyer, or was going to, or about anything.
She checked her cellphone, and then threw it back on the bed. Tempted to crawl in after it, she resisted. She had to be strong, for Colin and Clara. She got dressed, taking her time, peeking out the window at the driveway below. The squatters’ car still sat, untouched, from its position in front of the house. She had parked her own car as far away as possible in the driveway, despite what the neighbors might have thought. She didn’t want those kids breaking into her car, in addition to her house.
Her phone rang as she pulled on her pantyhose, frowning at the run that had formed on the calf. She strode over to the bed, tugging at the blankets until the phone slid toward her.
“Hello?” she answered. She hadn’t recognized the number that had popped up on her phone screen.
“Nora? Oh, hello!” the voice on the other end said, sounding breezy.
“Who is this?” Nora asked, sincerely confused.
“Oh, silly! It’s Millie Parker, from next door,” the voice said.
“Oh, sorry, Millie,” Nora said, half-heartedly. “I got a new phone recently and didn’t have a chance to add in my contacts yet.”
That wasn’t necessarily true. In all honesty, Nora didn’t exactly like Millie Parker, especially after the rumor she had allegedly spread about Nora’s relationship with her boss, Alfred Jones, when she had first moved in. The Parkers had lived in this neighborhood for four generations, and they didn’t always take kindly to strangers who moved in on their turf. Although Millie had discovered the untruth of her words and tried to smooth things over with Nora multiple times, Nora had never really considered her anything but a mouthy, nosy gossip-minded woman.
“Are you okay, dear?” Millie asked. “We saw that strange car in your driveway and we thought we’d check up on you.”
Today, Nora felt grateful that at least somebody had noticed the strange car in their driveway.
“Oh, Millie,” she said, sighing and sitting down on her bed. She had to vent to someone, and Nick wasn’t around.
She began the horrible story.
***
Pancakes, bacon, and eggs. Harper had smelled those smells plenty of times when she had walked to the supermarket to restock Bradford’s fridge on occasion. They usually came from the restaurant near the store. She had watched people walk in and out of the
Nick shrugged. “I only know what you know. I came home last night to find him and his supposedly pregnant girlfriend taking over our house.”
He explained the situation in detail to her. He felt somewhat vindicated of what he had originally thought about Bradford--he truly was a low-life, trying to make a quick buck and getting a house without lifting a finger.
“I’m calling my lawyer today, Sarah. You don’t think he recognized you?”
Sarah shook her head no. “No, no, he couldn’t have. I only saw his picture in my son’s case. He never had to go to the trial. I pray to God you get him out of here, Nick,” she said, putting her hand lightly on his arm, eyes searching his in sincerity. “He’s a dangerous boy. I don’t want anything to happen to your family.”
“I’ll do my best,” Nick said, patting her hand.
***
Nora hung up the phone with a sigh after speaking with Clara, who was upset that Isaac had spilled apple juice on her outfit. She had slept well, thanks to a heavy dose of sleeping medication, but when she had awakened the world had stayed just as it had been, intruded upon by dishonest people.
By the time she had woken up, Nick had left for the day. He had left her a note only to say that Sarah was in the house and to remember to lock their bedroom door before she left for work. Nora wasn’t sure she wanted to go to work, until this problem was resolved. Of that, Nick had been inexplicably vague. He left no word as to whether he had called the lawyer, or was going to, or about anything.
She checked her cellphone, and then threw it back on the bed. Tempted to crawl in after it, she resisted. She had to be strong, for Colin and Clara. She got dressed, taking her time, peeking out the window at the driveway below. The squatters’ car still sat, untouched, from its position in front of the house. She had parked her own car as far away as possible in the driveway, despite what the neighbors might have thought. She didn’t want those kids breaking into her car, in addition to her house.
Her phone rang as she pulled on her pantyhose, frowning at the run that had formed on the calf. She strode over to the bed, tugging at the blankets until the phone slid toward her.
“Hello?” she answered. She hadn’t recognized the number that had popped up on her phone screen.
“Nora? Oh, hello!” the voice on the other end said, sounding breezy.
“Who is this?” Nora asked, sincerely confused.
“Oh, silly! It’s Millie Parker, from next door,” the voice said.
“Oh, sorry, Millie,” Nora said, half-heartedly. “I got a new phone recently and didn’t have a chance to add in my contacts yet.”
That wasn’t necessarily true. In all honesty, Nora didn’t exactly like Millie Parker, especially after the rumor she had allegedly spread about Nora’s relationship with her boss, Alfred Jones, when she had first moved in. The Parkers had lived in this neighborhood for four generations, and they didn’t always take kindly to strangers who moved in on their turf. Although Millie had discovered the untruth of her words and tried to smooth things over with Nora multiple times, Nora had never really considered her anything but a mouthy, nosy gossip-minded woman.
“Are you okay, dear?” Millie asked. “We saw that strange car in your driveway and we thought we’d check up on you.”
Today, Nora felt grateful that at least somebody had noticed the strange car in their driveway.
“Oh, Millie,” she said, sighing and sitting down on her bed. She had to vent to someone, and Nick wasn’t around.
She began the horrible story.
***
Pancakes, bacon, and eggs. Harper had smelled those smells plenty of times when she had walked to the supermarket to restock Bradford’s fridge on occasion. They usually came from the restaurant near the store. She had watched people walk in and out of the
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