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Shirlene
When Hattie hears Arlene had a temperature last night, she’s over here in a flash.
“I promise you...” I pause. “We need to define your position in Arlene’s life. You’re aware I’m more spiritual than religious, but would you be her godmother? I’m sure Cam would approve.”
Hattie beams. “I’d be honored, but let’s ask Cameron.” She sits at the kitchen table with the baby in her arms.
“I promise you your goddaughter is fine.”
“I know, but I don’t need an excuse to visit my sweet girl.” She kisses Arlene’s head. “Where’s Cam?”
“He had to go into school to take care of some things with his substitute teacher.” My mind wanders to last night, and I find myself smiling.
“What’s going on?” Hattie asks.
I lean against the counter. “I saw a little chink in the armor.”
“Tell me the details.” Hattie’s dark eyes dance with delight.
“Well, the old spark was there. We were in close proximity, checking the baby’s temperature in the middle of the night, and I could feel it. He smiled a tiny bit.”
“Progress.”
“He was definitely turned on by Aimee’s body.”
Hattie shifts her chin back. “Well, that’s a little weird. It’s practically a ménage à trois.”
“Hattie! That really bothers me.”
“That I said it or that it’s true?”
“Both.” I fold a dish towel. “I need Cam to love me.”
“Explain to me how it’s different from him falling in love with you in Rain’s body. You’re still you. You’re just in Aimee’s body.”
“Because he never loved Rain. In fact, he disliked her until I took over. I transformed her into me. But now, there’s so much more confusion because he loves Aimee. She’s dead, but because I look exactly like her, who is he falling for—me or Aimee?”
Hattie laughs. “It’s absurd, but you make perfect sense.”
My house phone rings.
“Aren’t you going to answer it?” Hattie asks.
“Since it’s not you or Cam calling, no.”
“How do you know it’s not Cameron?”
“Because he’s in a meeting at school at this moment.”
It keeps ringing.
Hattie hands Arlene off to me. “I’ll answer it. Hello?” She listens. “Yes, Aimee is here.” Hattie cover the phone. “It’s Mrs. Haddad. Apparently, Cameron gave her this number.”
“You talk to her. I don’t feel like pretending to be Aimee right now.”
Hattie rolls her eyes. “Mrs. Haddad, although Aimee’s speech has improved, she’s not comfortable speaking on the phone, but I’m her friend Hattie. Can I take a message?” Hattie’s jaw drops. “He said he was who?”
Mrs. Haddad’s voice goes a mile a minute, but I can’t make out what she’s saying.
“Okay. Yes, you did the right thing. I’ll tell Aimee. Thanks for calling. Goodbye.”
She hangs up the phone.
“What is it?” I’m going to jump out of my skin.
“Hold onto your hat, Shirlene. Supposedly, Aimee is engaged.”
“What?”
“Her fiancé came searching for her. He went to her apartment, and the woman subletting Aimee’s gave him Mrs. Haddad’s address.”
“Where has he been all this time?”
“On tour. He claims it’s where they met.” Hattie takes Arlene and sits down.
“Is he aware of her stroke?”
“I have no idea. But Mrs. Haddad said he left very angry that Aimee wasn’t there.”
“Well, he can’t find me here.”
“Unfortunately, Mrs. Haddad let it slip that Aimee was in Haddon Heights, New Jersey. That’s why she called. To warn you. She refused to give him the exact address, but he’s going to be looking for her—you.”
I crumple into a kitchen chair. “You can’t be serious. How can Aimee be engaged? Cam and she were best friends. Surely, she would have told him she was engaged, but he’s never mentioned it. Also Cam said that with her depression Aimee couldn’t handle marriage. That’s why she called it off with him.”
Hattie tickles Arlene’s belly. She giggles. “Cam wants children. Possibly, this guy doesn’t, and she thought she could manage only a husband.”
“It was her career and nothing more. And that became too much because she left the tour early due to depression. How does a fiancé fit in with all this?”
“It could be he’s the reason she got so depressed.” Hattie winks. “Some men can be a pain in the ass.”
“Tell me about it.”
Arlene starts yawning.
“We should put her down.”
I follow Hattie up to the nursery. I glance out the window to check the street for strange cars.
“That’s my girl.” Hattie settles the baby into her crib.
We tiptoe out and close the door.
I go across to the guest room and lie down on the bed. “I wish I could hide under these covers.”
“That’s not like you, Shirlene.”
“Lately, I just long to stay in bed.”
Hattie lies down next to me as she did when we were young and when Stan died. “What are you going to tell Cameron?”
I stare at the ceiling. “After the improvement last night, I’m not looking forward to telling him Aimee agreed to marry someone else after ending her engagement with him. He’s so fragile right now.”
She sits up. “But if you don’t tell him...”
“Oh, I must tell him. I’m just earning his trust again. There can’t be any secrets. Cam needs some warning before this fiancé shows up.”
“If he finds you.” Hattie lowers her head onto the pillow next to mine.
“I have a bad feeling he will.”
“Mrs. Haddad said he was a very determined guy.”