Hayley sat there behind the desk of the Sports Authority at the Orlando Mall. She was reading a magazine when she heard a gasp.

      “Hayley?” someone asked. Hayley looked up and saw AJ from the Backstreet Boys.

      “Can I help you?” Hayley asked.

      “It’s AJ,” AJ said.

      “Do I know you?” Hayley asked confused.

      “You don’t know me?” AJ asked.

      “Sorry, I haven’t met you before, I just moved down here a month ago,” Hayley said.

      “But your name is Hayley, right?” AJ asked.

      “Yes, it is,” Hayley said.

      “You look exactly like someone I knew,” AJ asked.

      “Knew?” Hayley asked.

      “Yeah, Nick was married to a girl named Hayley, she was killed two months ago in a shooting here in the mall, a guy ran through the mall with a gun shooting at this other guy and a shot bounced off something and hit her in the chest,” AJ said.

      “I heard about that, but her name was Hayley?” Hayley asked.

      “Yeah, Kevin and Nick met her in Missouri at this grocery store she worked at and they asked her to join them on tour,” AJ said.

      “What was her full name?” Hayley asked.

      “Hayley Hardin,” AJ said. Hayley’s eyes widened.

      “Oh my god,” Hayley said.

      “What,” AJ said.

      “Um, that is my name,” Hayley said.

      “Huh,” AJ said.

      “I noticed something funny, someone had a credit card in my name, because the bills kept coming to me, I never signed up for a credit card, I reported it to the credit card people,” Hayley said.

      “So you are saying that that other girl, Nick’s wife, stole your identity,” AJ said.

      “She had to have stolen it, because I never had a credit card, and I have the birth certificate to prove that I am Hayley Hardin,” Hayley said.  Nick came into the store and saw Hayley and froze.

      “Nick, man, you won’t believe this,” AJ said.

      “Hayley?” Nick asked.

      “I think there was a case of identity theft because this is the real Hayley Hardin,” AJ said.

      “I just moved here a month ago,” Hayley said.

      “So you are saying that the girl who was my wife was a fake,” Nick said.

      “I don’t know, I never owned a credit card and bills kept coming to my address, I have a birth certificate here,” Hayley said.

      “When do you get off work?” Nick asked.

      “Now,” Hayley asked as a girl came up to the desk. Nick looked at her.

      “Hey Hayley, do you need me to take over so you can leave?” she asked.

      “No thanks, Gina, they are here for me,” Hayley said. She grabbed her purse. Nick and AJ took her to the hospital. Nick talked to the doctor who took care of Nick’s wife the night she died.

      “So you are saying that she is Hayley Hardin and you want me to run a blood test with the blood from your wife to see who she really was,” the doctor said. Nick nodded.

      “If you could, please, she said she’s Hayley Hardin and has a birth certificate and credit card bills that she never had because she said she never owned a credit card, I need to know the truth, on who was I really married to,” Nick said. The doctor nodded and went to run the test. Nick walked over to Hayley and AJ.

      “He’s running the test,” Nick said. They sat down. An hour later, the doctor came back.

      “The test came back, we ran a check, the person you were married to was not Hayley Hardin, her name came up as Emily James, from Kansas City, Missouri, here’s her picture,” the doctor said. They looked at the picture.

      “She doesn’t look like her,” Nick said pointing to Hayley.

      “Records from the hospital up there said that she was in a car accident and had to have reconstructive surgery, I guess she saw a picture of Ms. Hardin here and wanted to look like her,” the doctor said.

      “Now are you sure about this?” Nick asked.

      “I ran the test three times, I did it myself,” the doctor said.

      “Thank you, doctor,” Nick said. They went to the courthouse and talked to them.

      “Well, from what I can tell you, Ms. Hardin, by the papers here, since she used your name, you are legally married to Mr. Carter, can I have you write your name,” the lady said. Hayley wrote her name. The lady compared the signatures.

      “They match, so by using your name, you are married to Mr. Carter,” the lady said. (I know that probably can’t happen but this is FICTION!)

Hayley, Nick, and AJ left the courthouse and went to Nick’s house. Hayley looked around.

      “Wow,” Hayley said.

      “Yeah, this is home,” Nick said.

      “Since we are married, what happens now,” Hayley said. Nick shrugged.

      “I guess make it work,” Nick said.

      “You sure?” Hayley asked.

      “We could, if you want,” Nick said.

      “Well, we are married, although I don’t know what the ceremony was like,” Hayley said.

      “Beach, immediate family, the guys, Leighanne,” Nick said. Hayley looked at him.

Chapter 2

Hayley looked at Nick and sat down. Nick sat down beside her.

      “What is it?” Nick asked.

      “Family is one thing I don’t have, my parents died two years ago, in a car accident, my grandparents have been taking care of me ever since, but I decided a month ago that I should go out on my own, they helped me get a place down here, they are paying my rent, but I pay everything else with my job at the mall,” Hayley said.

      “I’m sorry,” Nick said.

      “I have moved on, I know they are watching over me,” Hayley said. Brian, Leighanne, Kevin, Cheryl, and AJ came in. They saw Hayley and froze.

      “AJ told us but we didn’t think it was true,” Brian said.

      “This is the real Hayley, the one we knew was someone who stole her identity, the one we knew, her real name was Emily James,” Nick said.

      “So the courthouse said you two are married,” Brian said.

      “Yeah, since the signatures matched,” Nick said.

      “Nick and I both watched her sign her name,” AJ said.

      “She even took a lie detector test, she passed,” Nick said.

      “Can you sing?” Kevin asked.

      “I love singing, but I just do it for fun, I am not looking to do it professionally,” Hayley said.

      “I can’t believe this,” Leighanne said.

      “I didn’t believe it either, when AJ said my name and I don’t recall meeting him,” Hayley said.

      “The press will have a field day with this information, you look exactly like her,” Kevin said.

      “We have to tell the truth,” Brian said.

The next day, the guys held a press conference. Leighanne and Hayley watched at Nick’s house. Nick and Kevin told the press everything that has happened. After the press conference was over, Leighanne turned off the TV.

      “So, are you going to keep your job at the mall?” Leighanne said.

      “Well, yeah,” Hayley said.

      “Nick told you that you didn’t need to work,” Leighanne said.

      “I know, but I want to make my own money,” Hayley said. Leighanne nodded.

      “But when a tour comes up, he’ll want you to go with him,” Leighanne said.

      “He hardly knows me,” Hayley said.

      “So, he’ll still want you to go, you are his wife, the real one,” Leighanne said.

      “Yeah, but I didn’t share any love with him,” Hayley said. Leighanne looked at her.

      “How do you feel about him?” Leighanne asked.

      “Too early to say, but I like him,” Hayley said. Leighanne smiled.

      “I think things will work out,” Leighanne said.

      “I better get to work,” Hayley said. Leighanne took her to work.

Nick came home to a quiet house. He looked around and saw Hayley gone.

      “Hayley!” Nick called. He picked up the phone and called Leighanne.

      “Hello,” Leighanne said.

      “Leighanne, where’s Hayley?” Nick asked.

      “I just dropped her off at the mall, she had to work,” Leighanne said.

      “Oh, okay, what time will she be done?” Nick asked.

      “Ten o’clock,” Leighanne said.

      “Thanks, bye,” Nick said. He hung up and sat down on the couch.

Chapter 3

Nick was sitting there watching TV when Brian came running in with Kevin behind him.

      “Nick, where’s Hayley,” Brian said.

      “At work,” Nick said.

      “What time does she get off work?” Brian asked.

      “Ten o’clock, why,” Nick said.

      “We are coming with you to pick her up, we need to get to the hospital for a blood test,” Brian said.

      “Why,” Nick said.

      “I talked to my mom, you know that I had a sister, who was kidnapped when she was a baby,” Brian said.

      “Yeah, you told me,” Nick said.

      “We think Hayley’s her,” Brian said.

      “Huh,” Nick said.

      “We think Hayley is Brian’s sister, she’s the same age that his sister would be now and she has the Littrell looks,” Kevin said.

      “So you think my wife is your sister?” Nick asked.

      “Yes, my sister’s birth name was Alicia Marie Littrell,” Brian said.

      “Let’s go talk to her,” Nick said. They went to the mall and went to Sports Authority. They saw Hayley sitting there reading a magazine. She looked up and saw them.

      “Hey guys, what brings you by, Nick, I don’t get off work until ten,” Hayley said.

      “Leighanne told me, these two wanted to talk to you,” Nick said.

      “What’s up,” Hayley said.

      “Hayley, can you get a blood test?” Brian asked.

      “You don’t think I’m really Hayley, do you,” Hayley said. She looked at them.

      “It’s not that, we think you are my sister, you are the same age my sister would be now and you have the looks of my family,” Brian said.

      “Well, my parents said I was adopted, they said I was left on their doorstep,” Hayley said.

      “Well, we will go after you get off work,” Brian said.

      “Tonight?” Hayley asked.

      “Yeah, my mom wants to know as soon as possible,” Brian said.

      “Okay, but if I get grouchy, it will be your fault,” Hayley said.

The next day, they were waiting for the results. Nick sat beside Hayley.

      “Nervous?” Nick asked.

      “What if I am Brian’s sister?” Hayley asked

      “Then I would be Brian’s brother-in-law and Kevin’s cousin-in-law,” Nick said.

      “If I am Brian’s sister, I’m thinking of changing my name to Alicia, since it was my birth name, Hayley Hardin has been trashed by that Emily James,” Hayley said.

      “Yeah,” Nick said.

      “Nick, I’m sorry,” Hayley said.

      “It’s okay, it doesn’t bother me, she lied about who she was and now we can’t find out why,” Nick said. Hayley nodded.

      “Yeah,” Hayley said.

      “But somehow, I know you are truthful and honest, honesty is what I like about girls,” Nick said.

      “Do you like me?” Hayley asked.

      “Yes, I do, and don’t tell me that just because we are married that I have to like you, that’s not the truth, just by spending time with you, getting to know you, I think we make this work,” Nick said.

      “I think so, too,” Hayley said smiling at him. The phone rang. Nick looked at it.

      “It’s the doctor,” Nick said. Hayley picked up the phone and listened to the doctor.

Chapter 4

Hayley sat down and talked to the doctor. She hung up and looked at Nick.

      “Call Brian and Kevin over here,” Hayley said. Nick called them.

      “Hayley, what is it?” Nick asked.

      “The tests came back, Brian and Kevin were right, I’m Brian’s sister,” Hayley said. Nick hugged her.

      “Hello, Alicia,” Nick said. Hayley rested her head against him. Brian and Kevin came in.

      “What’s up,” Brian said.

      “The doctor called with the test results,” Hayley said.

      “And?” Brian asked.

      “Tell your mom that you have found your sister,” Hayley said.

      “You mean, the tests came back saying that you are my sister?” Brian asked.

      “Yes, I’m a Littrell,” Hayley said.

      “And she wants to change her name back to Alicia,” Nick said.

      “Won’t that mess up your marriage?” Kevin asked.

      “You don’t have to, we can see if your maiden name can be changed to Littrell,” Brian said. Hayley looked at Nick.

      “Let’s go,” Hayley said. They went to the courthouse and they changed her maiden name on the marriage license to Littrell. They got everything changed to the way it should be and went home. Hayley sat down with Nick beside her.

      “Wow,” Nick said.

      “Yeah,” Hayley said.

      “How about a movie?” Nick asked.

      “Sure,” Hayley said. They went to the movies. Nick was in his disguise. Hayley wore fake eyeglasses. They sat together and watched the movie. They were sitting in the very back of the theater. They were sharing a tub of popcorn and went for some popcorn at the same time. Their hands brushed together and they looked at each other. They blushed and they continued watching the movie. After it was over, they went home. Hayley was getting ready to shower when Nick came upstairs. He came over to her.

      “Hayley, did you feel it?” Nick asked.

      “What,” Hayley said.

      “Did you feel anything when our hands brushed together?” Nick asked.

      “Yeah, your skin brushing against mine,” Hayley said. Nick cupped her face in his hands and kissed her softly. The kiss deepened and he pulled her close to him.

Chapter 5

Hayley woke up and looked at Nick. She laid there looking at him. He woke up and looked at her.

      “Hey beautiful,” Nick said kissing her forehead.

      “Am I dreaming?” Hayley asked.

      “No,” Nick said holding her close.

      “It’s official, our marriage,” Hayley said.

      “Yes, it is,” Nick said stroking her bare back.

      “I know one thing,” Hayley said.

      “What’s that,” Nick said.

      “I am in love with you,” Hayley said.

      “Well, I’m in love with you,” Nick said.

      “I just can’t believe this,” Hayley said.

      “What,” Nick said.

      “I’m married to you, I’m Brian’s sister, Kevin’s cousin, and you and I made love, now I’m in love with you, could things get any better,” Hayley said.

      “Our own little family,” Nick said. Hayley looked up at him.

      “A baby?” Hayley asked.

      “You said could things get any better, a baby would do that,” Nick said.

      “Sooner or later, it will happen, just being with you is heaven,” Hayley said. Nick smiled and rolled them over to where he was on top of her. They kissed deeply and he made love to her again. They were laying there afterwards, kissing, when the doorbell rang. Nick groaned and got up and got dressed. Hayley got dressed. Nick went downstairs and opened the door and saw his dead wife’s mother standing there.

      “Hello, Mrs. James,” Nick said.

      “You know the truth,” Mrs. James said.

      “Yeah, I do,” Nick said. Hayley came downstairs.

      “Oh my gosh,” Mrs. James said.

      “This is the real Hayley Hardin, the woman whose identity was stolen by your daughter,” Nick said. Hayley looked at her.

      “What kind of person are you to raise a daughter who steals other people’s identities,” Hayley said.

      “Hayley,” Nick said.

      “I didn’t raise her like that,” Mrs. James said.

      “Obviously you went along with her, Nick told me that you went along with her and used my mother’s name, well, my adoptive mother’s name,” Hayley said.

      “Adoptive?” Mrs. James asked.

      “Yeah, I was adopted by the Hardin family, well, stolen by the Hardin family from the hospital in Kentucky, I have found my real family,” Hayley said.

      “Real family?” Mrs. James asked.

      “I’m Hayley Marie Littrell Carter,” Hayley said.

      “You are Brian’s sister,” Mrs. James said.

      “Yes, I am, I didn’t want to go by the last name Hardin anymore since it was trashed by your daughter and I wanted to go by the last name I was born with, I hope you don’t have any ideas like your daughter and steal my identity,” Hayley said.

      “No, I don’t,” Mrs. James said.

      “I would appreciate if you would leave now and move on, because I have, goodbye,” Nick said. He closed the door.