If I Were Her

Chapter 13

Thomas leaned back in his chair, letting the stiffness of the day settle into the leather. The office was quiet, sunlight spilling over the edge of the blinds, catching dust motes that floated lazily in the air. He had just finished reviewing the final drafts for next week’s presentation when there was a soft knock at the door.

“Come in,” he said without looking up.

The door opened, and she stepped inside — calm, efficient, precise. His secretary. Always the first to arrive, the last to leave, and somehow, always perfectly timed. She carried a folder with documents he hadn’t asked for yet, but clearly needed.

“Mr. Thomas,” she said, voice even, polished. “I organized the schedules for next week’s board meetings. I also flagged a few items that might require your attention before the afternoon session.”

He glanced at her, letting his eyes linger a fraction longer than necessary on the neat stack in her hands. “Thank you,” he said, voice calm. “That’s… helpful.”

She gave the tiniest smile — professional, warm, just enough to make the office feel less lonely — and set the folder down. “I thought it might save you some time. You always seem to have so much on your plate.”

“Much appreciated,” he murmured, straightening in his chair. “Always efficient.”

She nodded once and stepped closer, leaning just slightly over the desk to arrange the papers. For a moment, Thomas noticed the light brushing against her hair, the way she moved naturally around his space, the ease of her presence. He shook his head lightly. Stop noticing that.

The secretary straightened, leaving the papers perfectly aligned, and gave a polite, almost knowing glance. “I’ll leave you to it, then. Let me know if anything else comes up.”

As the door clicked shut, Thomas exhaled. He rubbed his temples, forcing his mind back to contracts, deadlines, meetings. And yet, the faintest trace of unease remained, not from her, but from somewhere else — somewhere he couldn’t quite place.

—————————-

Iris practically bounced up the steps, clutching her phone. The email was still open, unreadable to anyone else, but to her it glowed like a tiny promise: she and Marissa had both been accepted as volunteer student nurses at the school’s teaching hospital, starting tomorrow.

She stepped into the sitting room to tell her mom, only to freeze mid-word. There, on the couch, were her mother and another woman she didn’t recognize. Her mother looked up, smiling warmly — a smile that seemed just a little too practiced.

“Iris!” her mom said. “You’re home early.”

“Mom… I got it!” Iris blurted, holding up her phone. “Marissa too — we both got the volunteer positions!”

Her mother’s smile faltered just a fraction, but she quickly recovered. “That’s wonderful, honey,” she said, reaching to squeeze Iris’s shoulder.

The other woman looked at her with a calm, appraising smile. Iris hesitated, then said, “Uh… hi.”

“Hello, Iris,” the woman replied smoothly. “My… my, you’ve grown.” She paused, almost laughing lightly, then added, “I mean… you look bigger than Ava now. Taller, older… I didn’t mean it the other way.”

“Oh… thanks,” Iris said, unsure what else to say.

The woman’s gaze lingered on her briefly — quiet, measured, like she was noticing everything at once — before she turned slightly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “By the way, I’m Evelyn,” she said lightly, as if introducing herself were merely an afterthought.

Iris nodded politely, filing the name away. Evelyn looked about her mother’s age, but there was something about the quiet, observant way she moved that made Iris aware of her in a way she couldn’t quite explain.

“I’m going to tell Ava,” Iris said finally, nodding toward the hallway, and hurried off before Evelyn could respond further.

Iris headed down the hallway, her excitement from the email still buzzing in her chest. But as she neared her sister’s room, she heard muffled sobs. The door was slightly ajar.

Peeking in, she saw Ava sitting on her bed, hunched over, shoulders shaking, face buried in her hands. Her phone was clutched tightly in one hand, the other wiping at tears.

“I… Ava?” Iris said softly. “Are you okay?”

Ava didn’t look up. “I’ve been calling him for over twenty-four hours, Iris! Twenty-four hours! And he won’t pick up. Jobs, school, life… couldn’t he even tell I was upset? Is he really planning on breaking up with me?”

Iris froze for a moment, then said gently, “Ava… you were the one who gave him the ultimatum. You told him if he walked away, it was over. And besides he called, you didn’t pick you..”

Ava’s head shot up, eyes blazing. “Get out!” she snapped, voice sharp, raw.

Iris blinked, stunned. “I… I’m just trying—”

“Get the hell out of my room!” Ava yelled, her voice breaking as tears streamed down her face.

Iris recoiled, hurt and shocked, and quietly stepped back into the hallway. She lingered for a second, looking at her sister, then turned and walked away, leaving Ava to her grief.

From the living room, she could hear her mother’s soft voice and the quiet, measured tones of Evelyn. Evelyn’s calm, observant presence lingered at the edge of Iris’ mind — casual, harmless, yet strangely memorable, like a shadow she couldn’t quite place.

Iris exhaled and sank onto her bed, letting the quiet of her room settle around her. She thought about the volunteer work starting tomorrow, about Ava’s heartbreak, and even about Evelyn — the woman in the sitting room who had watched her with that calm, careful gaze. Somehow, all of it felt heavier than usual, but she shoved the weight aside, telling herself she’d figure it out tomorrow.