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“You mean me?”
“Apparently.” I look around, not seeing anyone else. “Why didn’t you tell me you were home?”
“I didn’t know you were in freak-out mode. What’s going on?”
I drop the bat to my side. “I heard someone in the house.”
“Again, that was me.”
“I didn’t know that.”
She takes the weapon from me. “You should’ve known with all the new security codes you’ve made me and Dakota memorize. This place is like a fortress.”
“I wish it was. We should add a few more measures, now that I think about it.”
“Totally unnecessary.”
Nadia doesn’t know the half of it, and I don’t want to tell her. She deserves the childhood innocence of thinking everything is okay. Besides, it isn’t like my evil twin is trying to harm my kids. If she wanted to do that, she’d have hurt Sophie and Owen when she abducted them that one afternoon.
“Do you want me to pour you some wine?” Nadia asks.
“What?”
“Wine. You know.” She pretends to drink from an imaginary wine glass. “Like Peter always gives you when you’re stressed.”
The last thing I need is my teenage daughter pouring me alcohol. What kind of a mother would that make me? I shake my head. “No. Stay here while I check the rest of the house.”
“There isn’t anyone here.”
“Have you checked everywhere? Behind the washer and dryer?”
“Nobody could fit back there.”
“You’d be surprised. Stay here.” I take the bat from her, hurry from the room, then check every inch of the downstairs.
We’re safe.
I rest the bat against the stove before pouring my own wine.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Nadia asks.
“We’re all fine.”
“Obviously. As long as you don’t hit anyone with my softball bat.”
“Only an intruder.” Or a woman with the same face as me. “Do you need something to eat?”
“I ate at Lucy’s.”
“Wasn’t there a party you were supposed to go to?”
Nadia shakes her head no. “We bailed and went to her place.”
“You’d rather go to her house than a party?”
“It’s a party put on by the school. Those are always lame. Lucy’s brother had a birthday party while we were at the football game, and his leftovers were the perfect snack while we streamed that new rom-com about the klutzy yoga instructor.”
“Next time let me know when your plans change, okay?” I take a deep breath. My heart rate still hasn’t returned to normal.
