Simone.

He did it again!

I slam the door to my two-month-old SUV and step on the clean pavement. The heels of my stilettos are harshly breaking stones beneath them but that doesn't bother me. If anything, I'm fighting so hard to blink away the tears threatening to stream down my face.

He did it again.

My clutch on the glass bowl, balanced between my right hand and hip, intensifies as I make my way to the door. The sandwiches are probably laughing at me for trying hard and ending up exactly where I started in the first place.

I shouldn't have gone there, I know, but today, for once I thought I would surprise him. I guess he surprised me, to say the least, when I found his auburn heard flirting mercilessly with his busty secretary —- a sight I have seen more than once and haunts me in my sleep every night.

Zack would never admit this. I never dared to ask him before, but right now, I feel like I can scream at the top of my lungs and just hit him.

I need to hit something.

I look to my left, where Mr Mickman mows the lawn with headphones plugged into his ears. The next house is Ms. Daphne’s, the sweet old who never missed a chance to put a smile on my face with her warm boba tea and Japanese recipes. She is currently bent over in her front yard with players in hand, seemingly trimming the tulips in her loan.

On any other day, I would wave or greet them both but I get the feeling my voice will fail me. So, I throw my eyes back to the pavement, refusing to lift them for anything. They can't see me like this, they can't see me all sad and broken when I'm usually chatty and bubbly. Ms Daphne will be extremely concerned it might raise her Blood Pressure.

When I get to the balcony, I look up, readying myself to scurry through my purse for keys, but I'm met with two pairs of sparkling green eyes. I stumble back, almost tripping on my stilettos before regaining my balance.

“Ex–excuse me?” My voice breaks as the creases on my face deepen.

The two boys seated on the steps leading up to my balcony only smile but don't say a word. I don't need a microscope to deduce that they're twins —- identical at that. From their dark blond hair, their tiny green eyes, their round, long noses, and, lips. To make everything so obvious, they're both spotting the same blue shirts, green trousers, and little brown sneakers. They deserve better than this mismatched —-

“I'm sorry, do you live here?” A voice emerges from behind me.

Reflexively, I turn around, my eyes immediately landing on a pair of round green eyes, but this time on a full-grown woman.

She is tall, even more so, with green heels that are inches longer than mine. Despite her glossy, light skin, she seems like she is having a shitty day.

Me too sis

Slowly, I nod. “I do…and you're?” I ask, my eyes traveling from her skin to her chopped blond hair that touches just above her shoulders.

The woman's thick, neatly shaped eyebrows incline a little before she speaks.

“Abby,” she mutters and I don't miss her irritated tone. “I'm looking for Beth's residence. I've been trying to contact her, but service here isn't that great either.”

My eyes move to the silver nose ring —making sure to not judge because it looks great on her. I always think about getting a nose piercing but the pain I have to go through is a major setback. There's a shade of faded red on her pouty, thick lips that looks like it had been perfect a while ago but now chewed on and chapped by frustration.

“Oh, yeah, we have a little problem with the service at the moment,” I say, somehow still stunned by this random woman who seems to have everything all together by the white and green dress she is wearing but at the same time looks like basic chaos.

“I used GPS and it led me to this house.” Abby shrugs, tapping the screen of her phone, effortlessly making me notice the dark green stiletto nails —- nothing out of place. I tuck mine in my palm, feeling suddenly self-conscious.

This woman must really like the color green.

“I know a certain Beth,” I say, my eyes roaming over her face once more to be sure. The green eyes are different but there's still something that looks familiar on this stranger's face. “I think she's the one you're looking for. She stays right next to me but she isn't home right now.”

“Where is she?” All hope seems to drain from Abby's voice as she lets out a sigh. Her hands flop to her sides.

“She works at the local gym in town, so I bet you will find her there,” I say, then glance at the huge black suitcase on my lawn and then to the pairs of green eyes on the balcony  keenly watching my glass bowl. So, like a well-mannered person that I believe I am, I plaster a smile on my face.

All the hurt from Zack's flirting earlier getting pushed to the back of my head as I turn back to Abby.

“Would you like to come in and wait for her inside?”

Abby looks between the boys and me before hesitantly responding, “I don't want to bother you.”

I shake my head dismissively. “No, no, please.”

There's a low sound that erupts from Abby's throat, something between uncertainty and why not.

“I insist,” I grumble. My fingers reach to pop the lid off the bowl before I present its contents to the boys. “Would you guys like a sandwich?”

There's a moment of hesitation as the toddlers look at Abby, desperately waiting for her to give permission, I guess.

“Just wash your hands first,” the woman declares, but that's all it takes for those little hands to dive into my bowl, each one coming out with a handful of bread, bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes.

“Wow.” I breathe without meaning for it to be said out loud.

“Oh, I'm sorry they just…they had a long ride and it was all junk food, so–” Abby starts but I'm quick to cut in as I turn back to her.

“Please, don't apologize.” I smile, extending the bowl to Abby. There's a sandwich left and the woman only gives a small smile before grabbing it.

“Thank you.”

“Come in. I'm Simone by the way.” I fumble with my keys for a moment but finally unlock the door. Abby drags the huge suitcase with one hand while the other holds the sandwich together. “Is there anything I can get—”

“Guy, shoes off!” Abby's voice erupts in the room and I jolt, taken aback by how loud it is. The toddlers are giggling and running around, excitedly touching everything that they find attractive.

“I'm so sorry, oh my god, you shouldn't have let us in. They're going to break everything,” Abby says as she rushes behind the boys to fix what they have moved out of place.

For a moment I watch, amazed by the scene. So, this is what it would feel like to have kids around. The noise, the giggles, the restlessness… all of it.

What would I give to have this? All of it?

+++

Mmmmmh. I don't know what to say, I'm just so excited for you guys to read this book. Anyway, I hope you have fun. Love you and see you in the next chapterrrrrrrrr!!