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“Excuse me?” Steph’s hand on the front door tightened as she held it slightly closed.
“This is awkward,” The woman said, and Steph didn’t see anything to indicate the woman felt awkward or even slightly embarrassed to be talking to Steph after implying what she was. “I wanted to give these chocolates to Max as he came to my rescue the other night, and after that, we met for ice cream. While strolling along the beach, I got wet, and he loaned me his shirt.” She shoved the items at Steph.
“Oh?” Steph’s eyebrows rose in disbelief as she stared at the woman. “Are you the woman he changed the flat tire for?”
“Yes.” The woman nodded. “And he gave me his number and called me a few nights ago to meet for an ice cream.”
“Really?” Steph let go of the door and folded her arms. Her heart was hammering in her chest. “What night was this?”
“Friday night.” The woman said unapologetically.
She seemed utterly unphased that she was telling Max’s wife they’d met for a date. Steph actually thought the woman was enjoying the upset she thought she was causing.
What kind of person is she?Steph thought, dumbfounded by the woman’s audacity.
Then, another thought struck Steph. Max was at work on Friday night, and they had a bush fire on the outskirts of town that the fire department had attended, which took nearly the entire shift to get under control.
“Are you sure it was Friday?” Steph didn’t know what game the woman was playing but refused to be drawn into it.
Steph threw the chocolates in the trash can beside the front door, ensuring the woman saw what she’d done before holding up the T-shirt. Steph noticed it looked brand new and was about two sizes too small for Max. Plus, he never wore brown.
“Of course I am.” The woman’s eyes narrowed, and a flash of anger flitted through them when she watched Steph throw away the chocolates. “You can’t do that. Those are for Max.”
“Myhusbanddoesn’t eat chocolates,” Steph pointed out. “Even if he did eat ice cream, which Max doesn’t as he has a dairy intolerance, I know he was attending to a fire outside of town on Friday night.” She shook her head as her own anger sparked. “I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing here.” She shoved the shirt back at the woman. “But this is not Max’s shirt, and please don’t darken our doorstep again.”
Steph went to push the door shut, but the woman put her foot through it, stopping her.
“Max lied to you about where he was on Friday night.” The woman’s voice resonated with anger. “He wants you out of his life so we can be together.”
“What?” Steph gaped at the woman in utter disbelief. “Are you delusional?”
“No, but you are!” The woman stepped up to Steph, looming in the doorway so Steph couldn’t shut the door in her face. “I’m warning you to back off and leave so Max and I can be together.”
Steph pulled her phone from her pocket. She tried to steady her shaking hands as she dialed 9-1-1. The woman was clearly unstable, and Steph was feeling unsafe with her standing in her doorway.
“Yes, call Max,” the woman challenged. “If he doesn’t know how to get rid of you, I’ll show I can.”
“What is wrong with you?” Steph breathed as emergency services answered. “Hello.” She tried to keep her voice steady while never taking her eyes off the angry woman in her doorway. “Please, can you send a police car to my address as I have an intruder?”
“You called the police?” The woman’s eyes widened, and her anger turned to fear. “Please, hang up. I’ll leave.”
Steph ignored the woman and gave the emergency services her address. The operator stayed on the line with Steph as she explained what was happening.
“She’s lying,” the woman screeched when Steph told the operator that the woman was delusional and was stalking Max.
The woman tried to grab the phone from Steph, but Steph managed to dodge her and was about to run into the living room to lock herself in when a siren sounded in her driveway, and flashing lights lit up the hallway.
“You’re going to pay for this!” the woman hissed as two officers rushed inside.
“Miss James?” The police officer looked at the intruder in surprise.
“This is all a terrible misunderstanding!” Miss James told the officers, but the senior one didn’t seem to care who Miss James was and cuffed her.
The senior office watched the other one lead Miss James from the house.
“You’re going to pay for this!” Miss James shouted at Steph.
“I’m sorry about this,” the office told Steph before taking her statement. “Look, I’m not going to lie to you. Kendal James won’t even make it to lock up, and her father will have her bailed out.”
