Valerie sat in horror as Penny read out her mother’s unlisted number. This was a disaster. Nico pulled off to the side of the road and they stared at each other over the outstretched phone.
Hang up,he mouthed.
She’ll call back, replied Valerie silently.
“Valerie, is that correct?”
She tried to buy some time. “That’s so funny! People always get that number wrong.”
“Then what’s the correct number?”
More dual wide-eyed stares were shared across the car.
“Valerie? Surely you know your own mother’s phone number.”
“Well, we usually text,” said Valerie weakly. Nico closed his eyes.
“I see. Then look it up. And give me the number. Or perhaps I should try your father?”
Valerie was helpless in the face of a direct request. She gave Penny a number.
“Thank you.”
Penny hung up and Nico stared at her. “Was that actually your mom’s number?” he asked.
“No.” She was dialing frantically. “It’s Ruth’s. My old boss.”
“What?”
Luckily, Ruth answered on the second ring. “Ruth Leacock.”
“It’s Valerie. I need a Rule Eight.”
“Hit me,” said Ruth.
“First, I’m sorry.”
“Get to the point. Rule Eight means time is of the essence.”
“Penny Badgerton-Willis will be calling you because she thinks you’re my mother. The reason she thinks that is because she has my mother’s actual number and I lied and said it was wrong because I don’t want them to talk. I gave her your number instead.”
“I understand,” said Ruth, eternally unflappable.
“She’s going to ask about me, and possibly about my adoption. She’s going to ask you to come to the Mariposas so she can get to know you better, since she thinks you’re my adopted mother. I mean, not you. My mom. Who she will believe is you.”
“Continue.”
“I need you to pretend to be my mother and refuse in a devastatingly polite way that will stop her from trying to contact my family again and also continue her belief I was adopted. I was not.”
“Is that it?”
“As background, my parents are long divorced and never talk. Mom’s new husband is Matt. My father is Scott, in case it comes up. My fake biological father is Roger Badgerton, Penny’s youngest brother. This is all confidential.”
“What’s my name as your mother?”
“God, sorry. Anna Peng. You are Chinese.”
“Then I should avoid a video call. Do I have an accent?”
