Page 15 of The One Who Changed Everything

"Hey, Samantha!" Gladys Pinkman waved, her cat-eye glasses slipping down her nose. "Great day for a parade, huh?"

"Absolutely, beautiful as always," I replied, the words mechanically cheerful while my insides churned like butter. I flashed her what I hoped was a convincing smile before continuing on.

I pressed a hand to my chest where my heartbeat still tapped out an SOS. It was just another day in charming Minden; no need to let on that my world threatened to unravel with the mere presence of one man from a spring break long past.

I stress-cleaned our apartment for several hours, even scrubbing the cabinet doors and the baseboards. When the call from Ella’s mom came, I carefully scanned the parking lot for any sign of Evan before I went to pick her up.

"Come on, let's get you home," I said, taking Sophia's hand as we left Ella's. Sophia’s lips were stained blue from popsicles and her hair was still wet from swimming. The drive home was short, but my mind was far away, every mile chased by thoughts of Evan and his possible suspicions.

"Mom, what are we having for dinner?" Sophia's question pulled me back to reality, even as I felt a rush of gratitude for the mundane task ahead.

"Burgers and chips." I forced cheer into my voice, hoping it sounded more convincing than it felt.

Once inside our kitchen, with its familiar yellow walls and the refrigerator covered in Sophia's school projects, I set about forming the burger patties. Cooking was supposed to be therapeutic, wasn’t it? But as I seasoned the burgers and the baked beans began to simmer, my heart refused to settle.

"Can you grab the ketchup, honey?" I asked Sophia, who was setting the table.

"Sure, Mom." She opened the fridge, then paused, her back still to me. "Hey, who was that hot firefighter you were talking to earlier? At the parade?"

The salt shaker slipped from my hand, clattering against the countertop. "Oh, him?" I laughed, a little too loudly. "Just someone from town. I met him when we had that fire at the library I told you about."

"Seemed like he knew you," Sophia persisted, her curiosity as innocent as it was unnerving.

"Knew me?" I repeated, feigning confusion while pressing the George Foreman grill down extra firmly. "Minden's small, sweetheart. Everyone knows everyone."

Sophia seemed to accept this, thankfully moving on to tell me about her day with Ella. She chattered away, filled with a simple joy I envied. If only my own narrative could be rewritten with such ease—free from the hidden chapters that threatened to surface with every mention of Evan Mercer.

We ate dinner and then set up outside on the balcony. The evening sky turned into a canvas of vibrant hues—purples and pinks eventually bleeding into the deepening blue as night fell. Sophia and I settled into our chairs as the citizens of Minden prepared their grand salute to summer and patriotism.

"Look, Mom!" Sophia's delight sliced through my web of worries as the first firework burst into life, a shower of golden sparks raining down upon the town. The air thrummed with the boom that followed, a sound that seemed to echo the persistent pounding in my chest.

"Beautiful," I murmured. As more fireworks arched skyward, exploding into dazzling arrays of color, my mind betrayed me, spiraling back to spring break in Florida—Evan and I laughing amidst the salty breeze, the sun bronzing our carefree faces, and nights that promised endless possibilities.

"Mom?"

Sophia's voice tugged me back, but not before a wave of resentment washed over me, colliding with the sweet nostalgia of Evan's smile. How easily affection could turn to acrimony.

"Sorry, sweetheart, just lost in thought." A small laugh escaped me, hollow as the flicker of the affection I once felt for Evan. It was there, somewhere, buried under years of self-preservation.

"Are you okay?" Her perceptive eyes searched mine, reflecting the firework-lit sky.

"Of course, just enjoying the show with you." My smile was genuine this time because, despite the turmoil, these moments with her were my sanctuary.

A shiver ran through Sophia, and without a word, I drew her closer to me on the outdoor loveseat. Her small frame leaned back against my chest as the night sky erupted.

"Wow," she breathed out, her voice filled with that pure, untainted wonder only a child can possess. “They’re so cool. How come we don’t light any fireworks?”

“Well, mostly because they’re expensive. And I’m pretty sure it’s against the rules to light them at the apartment complex.” I wasn’t entirely confident in that, and I could hear someone on the other side of the building shooting some off. But the money thing? Yeah, that was true. Obviously, some people had extra money to literally light on fire and send into the sky, but not us.

“Oh. Okay. At least we can watch everyone else’s.”

I chuckled lightly, the warmth of her head against my shoulder thawing the cold tendrils of anxiety that had wound around my heart. I was grateful for her easy acceptance of my answer. My arms tightened around her protectively, the action instinctual, as if by holding her close I could shield her from life's harsher realities.

Sophia, my brave girl. At thirteen, she'd already faced more than most adults. It was these moments—the laughter, her curiosity—that fueled my determination to keep her safe, to give her a life as full and vibrant as the fireworks.

The fireworks continued, sporadic across the skyscape as various houses around town lit their own. The lights cast a rainbow glow on Sophia's awestruck face. "Ooh, that one was pretty," she whispered, her small hand gripping mine a little more tightly with each explosion.

I could feel the weight of Evan's gaze from earlier, heavy with questions he hadn't yet asked. What if he put it together? The Mercer family had resources that could easily unearth the secret I'd kept buried for so long, and then rip her from my arms.

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