A few days before the fall carnival, I’m driving home from my morning kickboxing class when I see a young woman on the Mastersons’ doorstep.
She’s in her twenties, with blond hair similar in color to April’s. Actually, she looks a lot like April—same build, height, and even similar facial features from afar. For a moment, I thought she was April. They could be sisters, except April is an only child. Perhaps a long lost sister?
I pull into my driveway and watch her from the car for a little while. I’m not quite sure what to make of it until I see her peering through the dark windows into the Masterson house. As the block captain, I recognize this is unacceptable behavior. I could call the police, but she looks harmless. So I go outside to talk to her.
“Excuse me.” I clear my throat. “May I help you?”
The young woman jumps away from the window. She’s only about ten or fifteen years younger than me, but somehow she seems decades younger. She blinks a few times. “Oh, I… I was just looking for Elliot.”
Somehow, I’m reminded of Courtney. I saw Courtney’s photo in the paper, and this woman is a dead ringer. Of course, they both look a lot like April.
“I’m his assistant,” the woman explains hurriedly. “And I came to bring him…” She looks down at her bare hands. “I have some papers in my car.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.” She nods vigorously. “I just need to… to…” And then she bursts into tears.
Of course, I invite her inside. I sit her down at her kitchen table and make her a cup of tea while the story unfolds. Her name is Brianna Anderson. She is, as she said, Elliot’s assistant. She is also pregnant. And it is his.
Oh, and she’s keeping it.
By the end of the story, my mouth is hanging open. I’ve forgotten about the tea sitting in front of me. I can’t even believe what I’m hearing.
“Does Elliot know?” I manage.
She shakes her head miserably. “He’ll flip. I mean, this was supposed to be a casual thing. Fun, you know? A break from that evil witch he’s married to.”
“Right…” I chew on my lip. “But you have to tell him. If you’re keeping the baby.”
“Yes, but…” She frowns. “He’s just going to insist I get rid of it.” “I don’t think it’s up to him.”
“He won’t leave April.”
I wonder about that part. Despite everything, Elliot does seem devoted to his family. But he has to know what April is like. Maybe he’s looking for a way out. “I wouldn’t be so sure.”
Brianna takes a sip from her tea. “This is really good, Julie. Thank you for listening to me.”
“Of course.” I take a drink from my own cup. This is the special Thai milk tea that I ordered from overseas. “I’m happy to do whatever I can to help.”
“So…” She lifts an eyebrow. “You’re not friends with April, I take it.” “No,” I say. “I wouldn’t say so.”
I study Brianna sitting across the table. She looks so young. I think about what happened to Courtney all those years ago. April wouldn’t dare try something like that again, would she? Two assistants in a row? She has to know that would look very suspicious. Even so…
I get up and find my purse. I fish around inside until I come up with what I was looking for.
“Take this, Brianna,” I say.
She stares at the bottle of pepper spray. “What is it?”
“It’s pepper spray. Just in case. Keep it with you at all times.”
She cringes as I lay it down on the kitchen table beside her. “You’re scaring me. What do you think is going to happen?”
“I just… I think it’s good to be prepared.” And then I scribble down my phone number on a piece of paper. “Call me anytime. I want to help you.”
She manages a smile. “I may need help finding a good lawyer. One who isn’t too expensive.”
“You’re in luck. I’m a lawyer. And I’m not too expensive.”
I want to help this girl. And I know exactly how to do it. Enough messing around. I have that photo of April with Mark Tanner. All I had to do is show it to Elliot—that will be the end of their marriage. He won’t understand about her cheating, even if he has done it himself.
I can stick it to April and give Brianna a happy ending.
