Imposter

Prologue

Ten years ago...

March 14, 2006

Helen hadn't been out of bed a whole fifteen minutes before she'd wiped up spilled milk, made frozen waffles for the kids, brewed coffee for Sam and herself, ran the dryer and separated two bickering sisters. Some days were just like that, though. From the moment she opened her eyes, it was go, go, go—until she'd lie down at night.

Their English setter, Bear, had passed away the morning before, making Sam's mood even worse than normal during this tax season. Helen had tended to the crying children while Sam carried the thirteen year-old family pet to a private, far corner of the yard—the dog's favorite spot—dug a grave, and buried the dog. As a family, they'd had a small memorial service, and her youngest, Sophie, marked the site with Bear's favorite tennis ball. Sniffling kids and freezing rain had set the mood for the rest of the day. Helen was thankful that today's chaos couldn't top yesterday's.

"Soph!" she called from the front porch. As always her baby girl was swinging from the swing in the front yard. "It's cold out. You need a coat if you're going to swing."

Sophie jumped from the swing and darted to the front door.

"But I'm not cold."

Helen chuckled. "You never are but you still need to wear a coat. It's March, it's cold. Wear a coat." Sophie stared at Helen blankly. "You're all packed," she told Sophie. "Don't forget your backpack when you and Daddy leave later, okay?"

Sophie smiled her wide, easy smile and nodded her head.

"I love you, baby girl. Have fun and listen to Mr. and Mrs. Kenney."

The Kenney's were a Godsend. Between a daughter Cora's age and a son Sophie's, there were numerous play dates and babysitting between the two families. Kim Kenney had become a good friend to Helen over the years, as well.

"Promise, Mom," Sophie said.

Helen squeezed her daughter to her chest and kissed her head. Sophie squeezed back as hard as she could.

She tucked an errant strand of blonde behind Sophie's ear before her youngest grinned and darted off. "Love you, Mom! Good luck, Cora Dora!" Sophie called.

As Helen and Cora exited the entryway, Cora rolled her eyes, but Helen knew Cora secretly didn't mind the nickname.

"Sam, I'm leaving!" Helen shouted into the house as she ushered Cora down the front steps of their Craftsman style bungalow. "Sophie, shut the door."

As they walked toward the car, Helen heard the front door click shut. Good girl, she thought.

***

Helen sat in the crowded gymnasium and thought about all the ways she could be spending her day but wasn't. That was a parent's life though, right? The meet had gone well for Cora, even though it lasted until 4:30. While Helen waited for her daughter to emerge from the locker room, she rolled her shoulders and stretched. Sitting on bleachers wrecked her posture. Cora had placed third on the uneven bars. The smile plastered on Cora's face told Helen her coach had let her know how proud of her he was for all the hard work and training. Helen decided to take her out for ice cream before they headed home. She called Sam at the end of the meet to invite him and Shane, too, but he hadn't answered, which wasn't strange. Her husband wasn't one to dash to the phone every time it rang. It was one of the things she appreciated about him. Some people were tethered to their phones, and that trait annoyed her.

Cora lugged her gym bag on her shoulder, and Helen waved. Cora was lanky at eleven; in the midst of the awkward years. Maybe they could hit the shoe store after ice cream. It wasn't often that Helen got to spend alone time with Cora.