Page 1 of The Biggest Secret
Prologue
FARRAH
I glance out the window to my kids on the playground while I tidy up the classroom. Spilled paint, sticky glue, and crayons litter the floor. How do little people create such big messes? Finishing off the coffee Tommy brought me this morning, I toss the cup in the trash just as I hear a light knocking on my door.
“Miss DeAngelo, I have someone I want you to meet. A new little person for your class,” Mrs. Martins, the Principal of Kandy Kane Kids, the daycare here in town, tells me with a smile.
Returning her smile, I walk towards the door just as a woman with auburn hair enters, a little boy hanging on her hip.
“Hi, welcome!” I extend my hand to shake hers but stop short when I look into the woman’s face with recognition. “Chelsea?”
Her eyes grow wide, and the little boy snuggles in closer to her. “Hi, Farrah,” she says quietly.
“Oh, how wonderful, you both know each other! Okay I’ll let youcatch up and go over the classroom details. Miss Sutton when you’re ready, come back into the office, I have some forms for you to fill out.” She turns and leaves, closing the door slightly behind her.
I study the friend I haven’t seen in over two years, unsure what to say. She left rather abruptly, and from what I heard from Chess, she never gave Adam an explanation.
The little boy on her hip would suggest a huge explanation is needed.
Rubbing the little boys back, he peeks at me from under his lashes. “What’s your name, bud?” He picks up his face now and turns to me, displaying dirty blond hair and ice blue eyes. I gasp and look back and forth between his face and Chelsea’s.
“Oh my God…” The words linger. “Chelsea, does he know?”
“That obvious, huh?” she half laughs to herself, in guilt? Shame? I’m not sure.
“Um, yeah. He's the spitting image of him. What? How?” I swallow down a hard lump, “Where have you been?”
She moves the boy to her other hip, and he hides his face again in her neck. “I went back to my sister’s house. I-I couldn’t tell him. I mean, I-I tried but,” she seems to grow agitated and then a hard look is plastered onto her face. “He was always too busy and the few nights I did try to tell him, something would come up. Somethingalwayscame up.”
I guide her to a small table. We barely fit in the chairs, but I have her sit down and encourage the little boy to sit next to his mom. Pulling out a cup of crayons and some paper, I slide it in front of him for him to scrawl on.
“Listen, I don’t want to overstep here, and I don’t want to tell you what to do.”
“Then don’t,” she snaps. I furrow my brows.
“Chels—”
“No, Farrah. I just-I need to enroll Dominic here for now so I can get myself back on track. I’ll tell him, I will, I just need to do it on my own time.”
“Your time is limited if you’re walking around town with him. It’s very clear who his father is,” I semi-whisper. I feel like I am lying to mybest friend and her brother by knowing this secret. “Chelsea, you have to do it soon, I don’t want to lie about this to anyone.”
“You’re not lying, just don’t say anything. I’ll handle it.”
She stands, and I reluctantly follow. I don’t want to let go of this conversation just yet. I have so many questions, but I have to respect her boundaries, “Of course, whatever you need. I’m glad you came home, Chelsea. Let me help you with anything that comes up.”
She nods, gathers up Dominic and we both head for the classroom door.
“Can I just ask one thing? It’s been almost two years, why come back now? I mean, I’m glad you did,” I hurriedly say. “But I guess I just don’t know why you’d leave in the first place.”
Chelsea takes a breath. Starts speaking then stalls again. Finally, she says, “I don’t have to be his first priority, but his son does. Dominic deserves that.” With that, she turns and walks out of my classroom.
I sag against the doorframe, gazing into the same blue eyes of my best friend's brother as they walk down the hall.
Adam’s life is about to change. Hopefully he gets on board sooner rather than later.
Chapter One
ADAM
