When Aaron returned to the dining room, I was sitting at the table pretending everything was normal.
My heart was beating so loud that I thought I could hear it.
But he smiled like nothing had happened.
“All right?” He asked.
“Perfect.”
The lie knew bitter.
Dinner went on.
He chatted casually.
I barely heard a word.
My thoughts kept repeating their conversation.
Deceiving the wool.
From school.
I’ll finally do what I planned tonight.
The more I thought about it, the worse it sounded.
Finally, Aaron got up.
“I have something for you.”
Behind his back, he was hiding something.
My stomach turned.
This was it.
Whatever he was planning.
Any secrets I would have hidden for fifteen years.
Then the headlights flashed through the window.
A car entered the entrance.
A moment later they knocked on the front door.
Aaron smiled.
A strange smile.
One I’ve never seen before.
“Wow, wow,” he said.
“Did you really think I was with you for love?”
The words hit me like a punch.
Every fear became real instantly.
I looked at him stunned.
Aaron opened the front door.
And a man came in.
I’ve never seen him before.
She seemed to be about sixty, wearing a navy blue suit and wearing a leather folding machine.
He looked at me straight.
Then he smiled.
“Hi, Emily.”
I got up.
“Who are you?”
