Page 12 of Want to Know a Secret?

I don’t want to tell these two women about the slew of horrible comments on my latest video. They would just laugh it off. You have to have thick skin if you’re going to be on the Internet, April. But it isn’t just about having thick skin. There was something incredibly disturbing about that final comment. Like it could have come from someone close to me.

April’s secret is that she is a terrible cook and a worse person. Trust me—I know.

Who would write something like that?

“Bella makes her own breakfast every morning and is ready to go when I get downstairs,” Kathy volunteers. “She is such an angel.”

“Mmm,” I say. “Bobby isn’t quite there, I guess.”

“Good thing your show is about cooking secrets and not child behavior secrets!” Kathy laughs.

I shoot Kathy a look. She smiles at me, but her eyes are cold. If I ever call her on her nonstop jabs, she insists she’s just teasing me and I’m too sensitive. It’s exhausting.

Is it possible Kathy could have been the one who left those nasty comments? I wouldn’t put it past her.

“By the way,” Julie says, “we wanted to get your opinion on something, April. Don’t you think there should be a dress code for drop off and pick up?”

Kathy nods eagerly. “Look at all these mothers standing around in pajamas! It’s such a disgrace. Honestly, it’s embarrassing.”

I look around at the scattered mothers gathered around the school entrance for drop off. I do see one woman carrying an infant in her arms and a toddler is attached to her left hand, and she does appear to be wearing pajama pants and slippers.

I look down at my own outfit. Yoga pants. A tank top. A hoodie sweatshirt. Ballet flats again. I wonder if they’re trying to tell me something.

“I mean,” Julie goes on, “it’s a terrible example for the children. We wouldn’t allow them to go to school in pajamas, would we?”

“No,” I say. “Well, except on pajama day.”

“I’m going to bring it up at the PTA meeting tomorrow,” Julie says. “Would you add that to the agenda, April? You’re coming, right?”

Before I can answer in the affirmative, the early bell sounds off. The kids all pile into the front entrance. I wave to Bobby, but I’m not sure he notices. When he’s around his friends, I might as well not exist.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Maria Cooper and her son Owen hurrying toward the entrance. After Maria shared her concerns about Owen not having any friends at the new school, I had a talk with Bobby about being kind to him. Hopefully, Bobby will listen. Sometimes he does things without thinking and he’s slow as molasses in the morning, but my son has a good heart.

After Maria deposits her son at the school entrance, I wave her over. After all, Owen Cooper isn’t the only one who is new to town and needs friends. What kind of neighbor would I be if I didn’t introduce Maria to all the other mothers?

“Maria!” I call. “Hi!”

Julie furrows her brow. “Who is that?”

“Our new neighbor.”

“Oh.” She frowns. “Those people are never home. I’ve stopped by at least five times to welcome her. And I left her two copies of the guidelines for the block, but she still keeps parking wrong.”

Maria looks nice today. Her dark brown hair is tucked behind her ears and she’s wearing these adorable dangly earrings that I saw once at Helena’s. (I must take her up on that thirty percent discount!) She offers me a big smile as she walks over which makes her dimples pop.

“I was so worried I was going to be late,” Maria sighs. “Owen is just so slow in the morning!”

“Bobby too!” I say. Finally—one other person who doesn’t have a perfect child.

Julie sticks out her right hand. “I’m Julie Bressler. I’m your new next-door neighbor. And this is Kathy Tanner.”

Maria takes Julie’s hand, and I can see her wince. Julie has one hell of a handshake—she never holds back. I guess it’s a holdover from her lawyer days. “Nice to meet you both,” Maria says. “I’m Maria Cooper.”

“I hope you’re coming to the PTA meeting tomorrow.” Julie gives her a pointed look. “You got the flyer, right?”

“Um…” Maria chews on her lip. “Sure. I think I can make it.”

“I’ve been trying to stop in,” Julie says, “but I can never find you. I’m impressed April managed to catch you.”