Chapter 7: Woman to Woman

Abraham stood at the corner of the porch, six feet away, with his arms folded.

He didn't speak, and he didn't leave.

"Abraham, this is fine," I said, and he nodded and stayed exactly where he was.

Brynn looked at him, and then at me, and her smile got wider.

"Oh, you've already got a friend," she said. "Good. I'm glad."

"What do you want, Brynn?"

"I wanted to apologize in person." She held the box up in both hands.

"Maple pumpkin cupcakes," she said. "Pippa says they're your favorite to make."

"Pippa said that?"

"She helped me with the frosting. She's so sweet about it."

I did not take the box.

Brynn set it on the step between us and smoothed her cardigan.

"Connor told me you two were separated," she said. "For a year, he said."

"He said you'd agreed to keep it quiet for Pippa."

"Did he."

"I wouldn't have come into this if I'd known it was messy."

Her voice was soft, and her eyes were sad, and her right hand stayed in her cardigan pocket.

I looked at the pocket.

There was a small red light glowing through the knit.

I said, quite gently, "You're recording me."

Brynn's face didn't move.

"I'm not."

"Then take your phone out and show me." I waited. "Show me, Brynn."

She didn't.