“It was great,” Holly told Emily. “Logan and I took the kids to Vancouver to visit family.”
“And…” Yvonne prompted.
Emily frowned, looking from one woman to the other.
“And…” Holly said, her blush deepening. “We’re pregnant.”
Emily’s eyes pinged open. “You’re kidding!” she exclaimed.
Holly shook her head. She looked shy, but thrilled.
“I’m so happy for you,” Emily cried, hugging her again. “Our babies will be able to have playdates.”
“With Robin,” Holly added, referring to Suzanna’s new son who was just two months old.
“They can be a little gang,” Emily added with a laugh.
Yvonne pouted then. “Ugh, I’m jealous. I wish I was having another.”
“Was it planned?” Emily asked Holly. “You’re blushing like it wasn’t!”
“No,” Holly told her. “It was a surprise. A welcome one, but Minnie’s not even one yet so we didn’t think anything was possible! But in Vancouver the kids were doted on by relatives and we were able to get rest and go on dates and, well, one thing led to another.”
Everyone laughed. Emily felt happy to be back in the company of some of her other school parent friends. Though Yvonne was very much one of her best friends, and Suzanna to a lesser extent, the wider circle of parent friends was very much context dependent. She realized then that she’d missed their company, she’d missed having people to share the trials and tribulations of parenthood with.
“Look at my little Bailey,” Yvonne said then, glancing over at the playground. “She’s taken the new girl under her wing.”
Emily looked over and saw the two of them zipping around the playground. Chantelle, she noticed, was not playing with them. Instead, she was with the boys, Toby, Levi, and Ryan, engaging in a much more rough and tumble kind of game. She wondered why they weren’t all playing together.
Under her breath, Yvonne whispered, “I hope she doesn’t invite her over for playdates though. I met the mom this morning. She’s as sour-faced as her daughter. And the kid’s name is Laverne.”
Emily couldn’t help but giggle. It felt so good to be back with her parent friends, back at the school gates. Last time she’d done this it had all been new and strange. Chantelle had appeared out of nowhere and knocked Emily’s life for six. But she wouldn’t change a thing now. Becoming a mom had been the best experience of her life, and she loved the feeling, the opportunities it had given her, and the people she’d met because of it.
She looked over and saw Suzanna approaching, baby Robin strapped to her chest, his little feet bobbing along with each step she took. That would be Emily soon, she realized, her heart swelling at the thought – both from excitement but also anxiety. Charlotte was going to change everything again, just like Chantelle had. And Roy would not be there to support her through it all. But as she looked from Suzanna to Yvonne to Holly, she knew that she had the best people in the world beside her, watching her back. She could do it. She could do anything with her friends supporting her.
She realized then that she’d gotten so absorbed in catching up with all her friends that she’d lost track of the time.
“I’d better go and meet the new teacher,” she told them, turning to head toward the steps.
But at the same moment she did so, she noticed Daniel approaching. He was looking at his watch with an expression of alarm.
“Daniel!” Yvonne cried enthusiastically.
“Hello, everyone,” he said, sidling up to the group of moms. “I’m afraid I can’t stop to chat, I have to get to work.” He turned to Emily. “Am I still dropping you at Joe’s?”
“Can I introduce myself to the teacher first?” Emily asked.
Daniel looked tensely at his watch. “Um… well…” he said, sounding a bit flustered.
Emily could sense he was clearly eager to make a good impression in his new elevated position at work. She decided to drop it and not cause a fuss.
“Don’t worry,” she told him, relenting. “I can meet the new teacher at pickup.”
She said goodbye to each of her friends, sad to be torn from their wonderful company, and headed toward the pickup truck with Daniel.
“We’ll catch up soon,” she called over her shoulder, waving as they climbed back inside.
Slamming the car door, Emily turned to Daniel. “Remind me not to do coffee dates with Amy on school days. At least not until I’m back in the driving seat of my own car!”
She missed the freedom she’d had before her pregnancy. Missing out on meeting the teacher made her feel terrible. She hoped she hadn’t made a bad impression because of it. She didn’t want to look like an uninterested parent, distracted and self-centered.
Daniel drove out the lot, heading toward town.
“So how was the teacher?” Emily asked him.
“Miss Butler,” Daniel informed her. He shrugged, as though he hadn’t been paying much attention. “She seemed a bit more stern compared to Miss Glass. A little older, a little less soft around the edges.”
“I wonder how Chantelle will take to her,” Emily mused. The little girl struggled at times with authority figures. The soft approach worked well with her, but the main thing for Chantelle really was boundaries. As long as she knew what was expected of her she could excel. She just hoped this new, sterner teacher had the patience needed to reach that point.
“Gail was there as well,” Daniel said. “She’s going to be Chantelle’s counselor again this year.”
“That’s a relief,” Emily replied, thinking again of her father. Chantelle would need Gail’s help more this year than ever. Not only because of the consistency Gail gave her, but because of the life experiences she’d need to be guided through this year.
“So what are you and Amy chatting about today?” Daniel asked.
His question jolted Emily out of her anguished reverie. “I’m not sure, but I think Harry. Did you notice anything odd between them on the island?”
“Not at all,” Daniel said, bemused.
It didn’t really surprise Emily that Daniel wouldn’t have picked up on the nuances of Amy’s behavior. Amy was her best friend after all; she knew her inside and out and could read the smallest signs in her expression.
“They’d better not be breaking up,” Daniel said sternly as he turned into a side road. “We’re about to open the restaurant. I don’t want Harry over-salting the soup with his tears!”
Emily chuckled. “I’m sure it’s not that. It’s probably the opposite, I think. Amy’s ready to marry him but wants me to tell her she’s not moving too fast. You remember what happened with Fraser?”
“How could I forget,” Daniel said with a wince.
They made it to Joe’s diner, and Daniel pulled over. He kissed Emily, and she slid from her seat out of the truck, no longer able to hop sprightly like she’d done before gaining fifteen pounds of pregnancy weight.
“Have a good day at work,” she told him.
He smiled and waved, then drove away. Emily headed inside the diner.
“Well, if it isn’t Emily Mitchell,” Joe exclaimed as she entered. “I haven’t seen you in a long time!”
She hugged him hello. “It’s Emily Morey now, don’t forget,” she told him.
“Of course,” Joe laughed. “And to think you had your first date here.” He beamed. “Coffee?”
Emily