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Chapter One

LAUREN

Beep, Beep, BeepMy hand snakes out froit under the blankets with me Seven minutes later, I feel it vibrate under my pilloeen my hands

Pulling s out of the bed, I walk downstairs, going straight for the coffee rammed machine, because the coffee is ready for me to drink

I blink ht over the stove With it lightly diainst the counter and look at the clock Five-thirty on the nose Sue My brain jolts awake as the hot, strong brew rolls over ue

It’s the calet the kids up and get them ready for the bus that is always here at exactly seven-ten

I look into the dining roo in the hurricane that is er on the floor near the chairs, papers are tossed on the table, homework they finished but haven’t put away No matter how o to sleep, Gabriel, who is ten, and Rachel, who is six and a half going on twenty, always leave it until the lastthey inherited from their father

I look around the house—the open concept floor planin the changes that the house has gone through in the last six months Noon the back of the chair at the table blending in with the backpacks

Nope Nothing Nada Taking another sip of the coffee, I let ed

Walking up to the children’s school for the parent/teacher interview, I a late, of course I had to pick up Gabriel froyrabbed McDonald’s in the car on the way hoer in the car is why I now have aa scarf that I find init covers the stain

Once in the school, I make my way to the classroos that I need to get done when I get ho about the birthday parties that the kids are invited to this weekend The gifts are already sitting in the trunk waiting to be wrapped I hope that Jake will at least be available on Sunday

Stay-at-home mom That is my job, and I love it Sometimes Most times More days than not My husband, Jake, is an ad executive in the biggest ht years working his way up the ladder His long work hours are our sacrifice until he gets that corner office, then he can cut back a bit At least, that’s what he keeps saying I still stand by my conclusion he is a workaholic

We e; I had just started working at the saency he worked at after college I was hired as the office temp assistant Since it was a small office of only five, it was norether resulted in us beco a couple was the natural next step I don’t think it surprised anyone alked in on a Mondayat each other with our hearts in our eyes

Getting to Ms Alvarez’s door, I knock once and then walk in Looking around, I’ in one of the chairs in front of the desk, while Ms Alvarez sits in hers

Walking up to him, I lean down and kiss him on the lips “Hey, I didn’t know you would be here,” I say, sitting down in the chair next to him

He nods at me and then looks down at his shoes I don’t kno to describe what came next, except to say that my world crashed around me It’s like o into protection mode

“Lauren,” he says, still looking at his shoes I look down at theet theht brown laces Stain free, scuff free Clean