Chapter 1

If I had known this Tuesday would be the last normal day of my life, I might have never answered that call.

Rain poured down against the roof, beating droplets into the creaky floor of the jewelry store I worked part time. I sighed. I hated spring. It came with little or no patrons.

My cell phone rang, I leaned against the glass case and dragged my bag closer, digging through it. Picking it out, the caller ID was mom.

“Hi mom.” I pushed my bag to the side, clicking my nails on the display case.

“Poppy.” She giggled then must have entered a room because a door creaked close before her next words came in an echo. “Guess what!”

I shifted the phone from my ear. A drop of rain tapped on the case, I glanced up and shook my head, taking up the gold necklace on the velvet pad. “You’re not returning to Texas again?” The key jingled as I slid the drawer open and dropped the necklace.

“C’mon.” Her laugh trilled through the speaker, and I laughed too. It was infectious. “I just got married.”

Wait, what? My stomach lurched, my face squeezing into a frown. I sat back on my desk and pulled the phone closer to my ear. “You got married? In another town? To who?”

“Eugene.” She sighed. “Didn’t I tell you about him? I thought I did.”

“Mom, you told me you were going out of town with your new boyfriend. You never said you were getting married.” This woman had to be joking. Heat boiled my insides. “You just met this man. I’ve never even seen him. What happened to your rules of not marrying a con?”

She stayed quiet for a while then blew out breath. “This one is different, Poppy.” A door opened from her end. “I have to go. I’ll fill you in once I’m back.”

“Mom—” she ended the call. A gasp made its way through my mouth. Who the fuck marries at forty six, with a twenty year old daughter.

I slouched back against my seat, moving my gaze to the chiming wall clock. The rain wasn’t planning on reducing, but it won’t stop me from going home. A notification buzzed into my phone, I leaned up and glanced at it only to see a picture of mom’s finger with a ten carat ring.

My heart squeezed. She truly was re-married. I dragged my lazy legs up the seat and walked to the window, clutching my fingers around each one before I slammed it shut. I was supposed to be happy for mom. Marriage was a thing for celebration. But not when it happened without my knowledge. I was her only child. Her world for crying out loud.

The entrance door flung open and I jerked around, my heart nearly bursting out of my chest. Ramon, my boyfriend. I relaxed, releasing a steady breath with a slow smile forming around my lips. He took off his rain coat, hung it by the door handle then crossed over to meet me.

I hugged him, rubbing his back with my cold hands. “Ramon, I was just planning on coming over. You won’t believe mom just—“

“We need to talk, Poppy.” He blew out breathe without reciprocating the hug. Pulling away, I frowned. “About?”

“Us,” he said. “We need to break up.”

My skin bristled. “What?” I took a step backward and scrunched my eyebrows, my head tilting sideways.

His face had no expression, just a flicker of something I couldn’t read. He shook his head continuously and sighed, running his fingers over his ginger hair. “I quit my job.”

Oh god! First mom, now this…?

“You said you were up for a promotion last week.” I propped my hand to my waist as I tried to make out what was really going on. “What the hell happened?”

“I can’t work there anymore. I also shouldn’t be here.”

“Ramon, I care about you, not your job. I don’t care if you have a job or not!” I yanked my hands down from my waist.

“You don’t get it Poppy.” He broke out in a cold sweat, despite his grey sweatshirt. Two steps forward, he grabbed my arm, his fingers moist against mine then he continued in a dry voice, “I..I just need you to forget me. You deserve better.”

“I should forget you Ramon?” My pulse quickened. I glared at him, and jerked my hand away, shuffling backwards as I wiped the spot he touched on my purple wrap round skirt. “I should forget my boyfriend of one year and nine months in one minute because he asked me to?” Tears were starting to choke my throat. Just one wrong move, it’ll spill down my cheek.

He tilted his head and gazed at the door, then turned back at me, his hand tapping against his pants. “Babe—”

“Don’t! Don’t fucking babe me,” I yelled. “Let me get this straight, You mean to tell me that meeting my mom meant nothing to you? You promised me forever.”

“I know. But I have to leave town. If I stay I’ll die and if you stay with me you’ll die too.” He wiped a bead of sweat off his face.

My skin crawled. I clutched my skirt, taking slow steps back until I bumped against the display case, a splash of water staining my white blouse. A few pieces of jewelry fell, clicking against the floor. I ignored it. “Stop trying to scare me.”

“I’m trying to save you not scare you.” He remained rooted in the spot. Thank god. He shut his eyes and exhaled, like he’s been holding that breath for so long. “I’m sorry it ended this way.” He turned, heading towards the exits.

Don’t. Don’t. Don’t leave me like this Ramon.

He grabbed his raincoat from the door, stepping on the water that dropped from it. “You’re not safe Poppy.”

Of course that’s what you’d say. I laughed. Bitterly. Those tears finally spilled from my eyes. With the little energy I had, I muttered, “I hate you Ramon.” I wish I meant it.

He paused, hands wrapped around the door handle and before he left, he said, “Ask your mom if she’s hiding anything from you..about your real identity.”