Don't Tell a Soul

by Travis Szablewski

  "Do you want some breakfast? There's plenty!" Kyle said as she flashed a bright, pearly smile. Harper smiled softly as she looked to Rosie and Elena, stuffing their faces; shoveling in the pieces of bacon and egg on their forks into their mouths.

  "No, I'm fine. I ate already. It smells amazing, though!" Harper said as she sat her purse down and leaned against the island across from Elena and Rosie.

  "I'm still trying to figure out when the hell she learned how to cook!" Elena giggled as she covered her full mouth bashfully. Kyle glared at Elena over her shoulder playfully as she cracked an egg into a separate frying pan.

  "My boyfriend is a chef! He taught me a thing or two," Kyle said.

  "Yeah, which one? Tom, Dick, or Harry?" Elena giggled. Kyle held up her middle finger as Elena quickly covered Rosie's eyes. "Stop!" Elena snapped as she tried to shield her smile.

  "Actually, their names are Chris, Mark, and Ryan! Thank you very much!" Kyle giggled as she turned from the stove, chewing on a piece of bacon between two polished fingers. "Are you sure you don't want any?" Kyle asked as she sat down beside Elena at the kitchen island.

  "No, I really am OK. Thank you though," Harper smiled. Her eyes drifted to Rosie. She couldn't believe Elena was actually next to her little girl. Since Harper had taken this job a few days ago, she never saw the two of them interact...not even at bed time to say goodnight or "I love you". She could see it, though. An invisible wall between the two of them. Rosie's eyes, not leaving her plate. Elena, more focused on her sister than her own daughter sitting mere inches from her. Maybe they didn't need Harper today. Maybe Elena was going to spend some quality time with her daughter.

  "Kyle and I are going to go shopping in the city. Would you care to stay a little later tonight if you can? Grayson has dinner with a client tonight and I think we might be out a little late. If you don't already have plans, that is!" Elena said as she smiled up to Harper.

  There it was...

  “No, it's fine! You two go have fun. Me and Rosie will go to the park or maybe go see a movie. How does that sound?" Harper asked as she smiled down at Rosie. Rosie's eyes lit up as she smiled, small chunks of egg plastered to her tongue.

  "Actually, I already set up a play date with the Ramsey's little girl across the street. They have a pool and I figured since it was so hot outside today, you guys could do that," Elena nodded as she smiled to her daughter.

  "I don't want to. I want to see a movie," Rosie said sadly as she stared down at her plate.

  "Oh, honey. I already talked to Vera this morning. Grace is really looking forward to playing with you! They have a water slide and everything!" Elena said as she struggled to raise her daughter's spirit.

  "I guess..." Rosie said as she slowly stepped off the bar stool and shuffled out of the kitchen.

  "Who's Vera and Grace?" Harper asked, confused.

  "Oh, Vera is the Ramsey's nanny. She is super sweet. Grace is their little girl, the one Vera watches after. I think you two will get along pretty great," Elena said. "And you can get a tan! The sun is out today! Get yourself a little color!" Elena said as she stood and carried her empty plate to the sink.

  "Oh, I don't have a swimsuit," Harper said.

  "You can borrow one of mine!" Kyle offered as she walked back to the stove and flipped the egg as it crackled in the pan.

  "I'm pretty sure she doesn't want to parade around in a G-string bikini, Kyle," Elena smirked.

  "Well, I was just offering!" Kyle giggled.

  "I won't get in. I'll probably just put my feet in the water at the most," Harper said. Like she could even fit into one of Kyle's bathing suits. Kyle was at least three sizes smaller than Harper. She would be lucky enough to get one of her ass cheeks into one of Kyle's bikini bottoms, thong or not.

  "If you say so," Elena said as she grabbed the plates from the island and carried them to the sink.

  Harper slowly made her way down the sidewalk and towards the Ramsey's house, Rosie's tiny hand wrapped tightly around hers. Rosie was wearing a yellow one piece covered in flowers and butterflies. A beach ball tucked under her arm and her doll, Jenny, under the other.

  "Are you excited to see Grace?" Harper asked as she grinned down at Rosie.

  "No, she's gross. She eats her boogers. One time she even wiped one in my hair," Rosie said as she stuck her tongue out in in disgust.

  "Well, I won't let that happen! I'm the booger cop! If she even so much as sticks a finger up her nose, I'll stop her, OK!" Harper giggled as Rosie busted into laughter.

  "Booger cop! Booger cop!" Rosie giggled as they stepped onto the walkway that lead towards the privacy fence door that entered into the back lawn. Harper slowly pushed the tall wooden gate door open and stepped into the back lawn with Rosie tight by her side...her small, sweaty hand squeezing tighter and tighter onto Harper's.

  What laid in front of them looked like a private getaway. A large, in-group pool was stretched across the large, concrete patio. The clear, blue water shimmered and sparkled as the bright sunlight danced along the glassy surface. A tall waterfall stood along the edge of the pool. Harper watched in amazement as the water splashed over the edge of the rocks of the bluff and slammed into the crystal water. Six matching patio furniture sets were scattered all along the patio, from a sectional to lounge chairs to a large table with eight chairs seated around it. A hot tub stood in the corner as steam rose from the surface as it bubbled and swirled. Three lounge chairs placed along the pools edge...and one of them taken...by Vera Hayworth...the Ramsey nanny.

  Harper made her way along the patio as Rosie slowly inched behind her shyly. Harper smiled down at the tan goddess laying along the lounge chair in front of her.

  "Hey! You must be Harper! I'm Vera!" the young woman said as she smiled and held out her tan hand. Vera was gorgeous. Tan, dark, glowing skin. Long, wavy brown hair. A pair of glittering Armani sunglasses shielded her green eyes that matched her skimpy little bikini. No wonder Mr. Ramsey hired her...

  "Yes, it's a pleasure to meet you!" Harper said with a smile as she shook her hand.

  "Where's your bathing suit? I thought we could get some sun while the girls played!" Vera said as she sat up in the lounge chair and grabbed a bottle of tanning lotion from the concrete below.

  "Oh, God no! I burn to easy!" Harper giggled as she stared back at Rosie who still hid behind her.

  "Awe, hi Rosie! I see you're still as shy as ever!" Vera smiled as she eyed Rosie.

  "Where's Grace?" Harper asked as she slowly sat down onto the lounger beside Vera. Rosie quickly walked to the edge of the pool and stuck her toes into the warm, clear water.

  "She should be down in a minute. She couldn't decide which suit she wanted to wear. Classic case of Dora the Explorer or The Little Mermaid," Vera smirked as she began to rub the dark tanning lotion onto her long legs.

  "What do you think Rosie? Is it warm enough for you?" Harper said as she eyed Rosie along the edge of the pool.

  "I wish you'd get in with me," Rosie said as her bottom lip stuck out.

  "I already told you I can't swim and I don't think Vera here wants to play lifeguard," Harper said as Vera giggled. Rosie sighed as she slowly sat onto the edge of the pool and let her legs sway beneath the surface.

  "So how long have you been working for the Livingston's?" Vera asked as she slowly laid back into the lounge chair.

  "About a week," Harper said as she looked at the waterfall along the edge of the pool.

  "I'm shocked they found someone," Vera smirked as she glanced to Harper.

  "Why?" Harper asked as her eyes narrowed on Vera.

  "With Delilah disappearing. I figured it scared every nanny in town away," Vera said as her smile slowly faded.

  "Did you know her? Delilah?" Harper asked. She swore to herself she wouldn't think about this anymore. But she couldn't help but ask. Maybe...just maybe Vera had answers.

  "Yeah, we were actually getting pretty close before she disappeared. She was really cool, really chill. She was sup
er into art. She was an awesome painter," Vera said. "But she changed," Vera added softly, almost a whisper.

  "How so? Like, before she disappeared?" Harper asked. She could feel the answers right in front of her. She just had to approach with caution...

  "Yeah. She got super paranoid. She kept telling me how she thought someone was following her; watching her. She felt like...I don't know...someone was after her, I guess," Vera said.

  "Did she say who?" Harper asked.

  "No, she didn't go into detail. It was like she was too scared to. It was almost like she already knew it was too late. I don't know, maybe I'm crazy. Maybe I just read too much into things," Vera smirked.

  "I just don't understand how someone could just disappear," Harper said softly as she watched Rosie slowly glance back at her...as if she almost knew they were talking about Delilah. "Nobody just disappears. Something happened. Everybody was talking about it. It was all over the neighborhood. Some people thought it was Grayson. But you know how rumors are. They come and they go," Vera said as she rolled her eyes.

  "Do you think he did it?" Harped asked. Come on, Vera. Say something. Say anything...

  "At first...but the police found nothing. No evidence. Not a damn thing. I just know her brother took it really hard," Vera said as she shook her head. Sadness lingered through her words. As if she knew him personally. As if she felt his pain...his lingering suffering due to his sister's disappearance.

  "Do you know him?" Harper asked.

  "Why all these questions? What are you? A reporter?" Vera asked with a smirk.

  Shit. Maybe she went too far...she was so close.

  "No, just...I want to know what I've gotten myself into here," Harper said as she tried to recover.

  "Well, you know her brother, too, I'm sure," Vera said. "You'd have to by now," she added. Harper felt lost. Did she miss something? Was the answer to this whole mess right in front of her this entire time? Was the answer to Delilah's disappearance right in this very neighborhood?

  "How would I know him? The only people I know here are you and the Livingstons," Harper said as she tried to clear the confusion that circled through her head.

  "The security guy at the gate," Vera said with a coy smile.

  Patrick.

  Patrick was Delilah's brother...

  Girl Talk

  "No...fucking...way," Nicole Morris said as she stared back at Harper across the table in the center of The Hideaway Steak House. Her mouth hanged wide open as she stared forward at Harper in shock, her green eyes widened with shock.

  "And that's the just the beginning," Harper said as she shook her head and glanced around the large, dim restaurant.

  "So that guy...the one you took home..." Nicole continues, still in disbelief.

  "He's Rosie's father and Elena's husband," Harper said, the words eating her alive inside. She hated talking about it. But she had to tell Nicole...

  Harper and Nicole had only been best friends for about four months, but it seemed like years to Harper. She had never had a best friend. She was always a loner, more misunderstood than anything. She just never quite connected with people as easily, especially girls. It was hard for her to trust anyone because she had been burned so many times before by her peers in high school. Always taunting her and teasing her. She grew up to see women as catty, conniving individuals. Harper always had more guy friends than girlfriends. But Nicole was different. She knew that right away on New Year’s Eve. Harper had agreed to meet up with Hunter Gram, a guy she had connected with on Tinder. It was supposed to be a quiet evening at his house; cook dinner, drink some champagne, watch the ball drop. But when Harper showed up, a cozy night in with just the two of them had suddenly turned into a huge house party. To this day, Harper doesn't know what would have happened to her had Nicole not been there.

  She still remembered it so clearly. The feeling of the falling confetti dancing along the surface of her skin as it shimmered and glistened through the air all around her. The smell of whiskey on Hunter's breath as he pulled her into the corner of the crowded living room, every inch of the place reserved as every one of them danced and cheered as their glasses clinked together. All too busy to notice Harper being dragged into the dark corner and into the hallway. He tried to cover her mouth. He tried to hold her wrists. She jerked and kicked as he pulled her around the corner and into a dark and vacant bedroom. Harper could still feel Hunter's hands now; slamming into her chest and pinning her onto the messy bed. His hot lips traveling down her neck as she begged and pleaded for him to stop.

  And that's when Nicole came out of the bathroom across the hall. Harper still remembered the anger that burned through Nicole's eyes as she charged into the bedroom and punched Hunter in the back of his head, knocking him unconscious. Anybody else would have just walked away. Anybody else would have not gotten involved. It's sad to think that's how the world is today, but it's the ugly, honest to God truth. But Nicole...she stood up. She helped a poor soul like Harper. A stupid girl who believed in a boy's stupid lies. And she didn't have to help...she chose to help. Ever since that night...they've been practically inseparable ever since.

  "So, what about this Delilah chick? Who the hell is she? And who is Patrick? I'm sorry, I got lost after the whole sleeping with the husband bit," Nicole said as she smirked softly and shook her head in confusion.

  "Delilah...she was their nanny a year ago. She disappeared," Harper said in a whisper.

  "Disappeared? Do you think something happened to her?" Nicole asked as she ran her hand through her curly blond hair.

  "I don't know. All I know is I saw something that looked a whole lot like blood in the basement. It fit with Rosie's story so well. I don't know...I feel like I'm going crazy," Harper said as she shook her head and looked down at the garden salad that she barely picked through.

  "And this Patrick guy...is Delilah's sister? Is that right?" Nicole asked as she squinted her eyes, as if she was hoping she was finally caught up to speed.

  "Yes. He's works at the gate. Vera, the nanny next door told me that he's Delilah's brother. But why...why would he not tell that?" Harper asked as she took a long sip of the red wine in front of her.

  "I don't see why he wouldn't unless he had something to hide," Nicole said as she ran her thin finger along the rim of her wine glass. "Have you thought about maybe getting the police involved?" Nicole asked.

  "I can't," Harper said as she shook her head and leaned back into her chair. She rubbed her head as she could feel a migraine coming, creeping up through her head and towards her eyes.

  "Why not? Do you really want your life to practically be a remake of Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead?" Nicole asked. Harper couldn't help but giggle as she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table.

  "I have nothing other than an eight-year old's account of what probably didn't happen and a stain on the basement floor that could or could not be blood," Harper said. "I don't want to ruin this opportunity over nothing," she added.

  "But what if it is something, Harper? What if something did happen to her? I don't want anything to happen to you," Nicole said as her worried eyes narrowed onto her.

  "I just think I need to figure everything out before I say anything to anyone. I want to have all the facts," Harper said as she took another long sip of her wine.

  "Then you know exactly what you need to do," Nicole said sternly, as if she was giving Harper no other choice. She was right. Harper couldn't deny it.

  She had to talk to Patrick.

  Nothing but The Truth

  Harper stared forward through the windshield as she slowly pulled in through the security gate and into Tiger Lily Estates. The rain pounded onto her windshield as her wipers swayed back and forth; the tiny water streams swirling down the glassy surface. Her sweaty hands were gripped tightly around the steering wheel. She knew that the tighter she held it, the harder it would be for Patrick to notice that they were trembling uncontrollably. She was terrified to ask him the question
that had kept her up all night; why did he not tell her that he was Delilah's brother?

  Harper quickly stepped out of the car as she watched Patrick's smiling face stare back at her through the window of the small security box. The tall, black iron gate slowly closed behind her car as she ran towards the door. Her hand jerked on the handle but the door refused to budge.

  Harper looked up at the small window of the door to see Patrick smiling at her coyly. The rain, falling down onto her. The large drops plastering the hood of her purple raincoat.

  "Let me in!" Harper yelled as she glared at Patrick through the door window.

  "Do you bring my cookies like you promised?" Patrick asked as his eyes narrowed onto her, a grin across his face.

  "Just open the door! I'm getting soaked, damn it!" Harper snapped as she jiggled the metal door handle. Patrick sighed behind the window as the heat of his breath plastered against the glass.

  Harper heard the lock turn and pushed the door open. Her eyes burned into him as she stepped inside and threw her soaked hood off her head.

  "Was that really necessary?" Harper asked angrily as she watched Patrick plop down into his desk chair and smile at her sarcastically.

  "You do know I technically didn't have to open the door, right?" Patrick said as he nodded.

  "I'm just going to spit this out because if I don't just say it now then I'll never ever say it," Harper said nervously. Her voice quivered as she picked at her nails nervously, a terrible habit that she wished she could break. "Why did you lie to me?" Harper spat out after a long pause.

  "Lie to you? About what?" Patrick asked with a smirk as his forehead wrinkled with confusion.