Agent Summerfield went through the safe house closets and found a long green skirt and a cream-colored, high-necked blouse that fit Georgia. She kept her sneakers on as well as the blazer that hid her Glock. She also made sure to have a Covid mask that covered her mouth and chin, since that was the only facial feature that was noticeably different between herself and Eden. As long as she kept it on, she had a reasonable chance of passing.
“Before I leave, I need to ask you some questions. What endearments do you use with your children? Are they the same for them all?”
“Good question. Teagan—he’s the oldest and has blond hair—is always ‘my dearest boy.’ Sariah is “Sister Sadie.”
“Sadie? But her name is Sariah.”
“You know the Beatles song ‘Sexy Sadie’?”
“Of course.”
“Well, I could never get away with the word ‘sexy.’ So I call her ‘sister’ instead. It’s my little secret.”
“Did she ever ask you where you got that from?”
Eden nodded. “I told her the truth. Kind of. I told her it was from an old song I loved before I converted. I didn’t tell her it was the Beatles.” She grinned, then the smile disappeared. “When she’s misbehaving, however, she’s ‘Sister Sariah.’ Some of the women here still use ‘brother’ and ‘sister’ with first names, anyway.”
“And Elijah?”
“He’s ‘my little man.’”
“Do they call you Mom or Mommy?”
“They usually call me Mama.”
“Good.” Georgia buttoned her blouse up to her chin and caught her reflection in the mirror. “What do you think?” She pulled on the mask.
Agent Summerfield’s face brightened. “I can’t tell you apart. You look like identical twins. You sure you’re not related?”
“Not that I know of,” Georgia said.
“Same here,” Eden replied.
“You think I can pull it off with your kids?” Georgia worried. The stakes were sky high.
“The only one who might give you trouble is Sariah,” Eden said. “She’s very observant. And she lets you know. If there’s a false note anywhere, she’ll pick it up and call you on it.”
“Do you ever call them ‘sweetheart’ or just ‘sweetie’?”
Eden thought about it. “Rarely. It’s mostly what I told you.” She bit her lip. “Oh, there’s one other thing. A few years ago, there was a push to get rid of saying the words ‘Mormon’ or ‘LDS.’ We’re supposed to say we’re members of ‘The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints’ or ‘Latter-day Saints,’ not ‘Mormons.’ It hasn’t worked very well, but you should be aware of it.”
“Good point. What about your hair? I know you cut and dyed it, but how should I wear mine?”
“Wear it up in a bun. That’s what I usually do—did.”
“Okay.” Georgia looked at Eden. “Walk around for me, will you? I want to see your gait.”
“Wow. You’re really thorough.”
“It might save my life. Yours, too.”
Eden walked the length of the room and back again.
“Not so different from mine.”
“I was reminded about having better posture all the time,” Eden said. “Porter complained I was a slob.”
“Well, then, I’ll fit right in.” Georgia smiled and arched her back. “Do you stoop down to your kids’ level when you talk to them?”
“I do. Especially if it’s serious.”
“Great. Can you think of anything else I should know?”
“There’s a lot of things, but it would take us a month to get through them all.”
“I mean with the kids. Any special teddy bears? Toys? Things like that?”
“Let me think. Elijah sleeps with a stuffed bear.” She got a faraway look. “And Sariah wanted to be a ballet dancer last year. She hasn’t talked about it in a while, though. I have a feeling someone talked her out of it.”
“What about Teagan?”
Eden’s face lit up. “He’s an angel. Oh. Sometimes I do call him ‘My Angel.’ I almost forgot.”
“Is there sibling rivalry between him and Sariah?”
“Not really. Teagan is more my child, and Sariah is Porter’s. That’s why you need to watch out for her.”
“Thanks, Eden. This has been really helpful.”
Georgia left the safehouse, thinking about the irony of her situation. In the past she’d been reprimanded for impersonating people; now, her and Eden’s life depended on it.