Page 4 of Honey Trapped

“What’s the big deal? She has a kid and pet. It’s not the end of the world and besides looking at her history she moves a lot.”

“What do you mean she moves a lot?”

“Her references all checked out, but she’s changed her address I don’t know like ten times in the past three years.”

“Fucking hell. Do you even know if the kid is hers? Don’t you think that’s strange or cause for concern?”

“It didn’t cross my mind. You don’t think she kidnapped the little girl, do you?”

“Thought you said you didn’t ask about kids? Jesus. Played by my own blood.”

“Stop being dramatic. I’m sure she’s just a roamer. Some people are like that. Not everyone is sketchy like the bitch who won’t be named.”

“Speaking of...got a bill in the mail today. Cunt put Angie down.”

Tish drops her cigarette and snuffs it out before she bends to pick it up and discard it in the trash. “I’m sorry. I know what she meant to ya.”

“Is what it is.”

“I gotta get back in there. You coming to dinner tonight?”

“Nope.”

“We cool?”

“Nope.”

“Whatever.” She rolls her eyes at me. “One day you’ll thank me.”

“You have her application handy?”

“Nope, but you come to dinner tonight I might bring it home with me.”

“Pain in my ass,” I mutter and ride out.

Chapter Three

Norah

I picked up Lennon and Gianna gave me her number. I put my daughter in daycare for socialization on top of my needing help when I do find a job. I want Lennon to have friends and be social. Maybe it’s time I stop existing in the shadows and we get on with our lives. I like it here. The town is small. The people are friendly. Well except for my neighbor. He takes grumpy to a whole other level. Tina seems nice and she is around my daughter already. Going shopping and out for drinks with her friends sounds like heaven. It’s been so long since I’ve allowed myself to cut loose.

“You want to sit up here or down in the buggy?”

Lennon puts a hand to a hip and cocks her head to the side as she puckers her lips. She moves toward the lower end with her arms outstretched. “Up. Pick me up, Mommy.”

I get my girl in the shopping cart and grab this week’s sales paper. I keep the lights on but still have to budget every dollar. The supermarket isn’t a chain. Its local. Family owned. The products though are name brand. Every aisle I push the cart down people are stopped having a gab as though they are having some kind of reunion.

They either give me a weak smile or pretend not to notice Lennon and me at all. Part of me is envious. I’ve never had that, bumping into everyone you know at the store encounter. That was a rarity and yet I miss human interaction. Feeling as though I belong. I’ve gotten used to blending into the background so when someone calls my name in the middle of the grocery store it takes me hearing it a third time to realize that the person is speaking to me.

“Norah? You who.” I see a woman waving her arm over her head and wearing the biggest grin. She starts pushing her cart toward us, and I recognize her big blonde hair and red lipstick. Patricia. The realtor who handled my application. She’s still smiling when she reaches Lennon and me. “Hey there,sweetie,” she greets my daughter first. “You two settling in all right?”

“So far so good. I met my neighbor today.”

There’s an expression on her face I can’t quite read. “Oh. How nice.”

Not nice, I think to myself but keep my mouth closed.

“I’m glad I ran into you. You’ve got to come to dinner tonight, and I’m not taking no for an answer. Don’t try to tell me you have plans.” She eyes my frozen bag of veggies, chicken, and pasta.

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