Page 34 of Twisted Fate

“Oh, I didn’t know that.” Keily blinked at the older woman. “I guess I just left it all up to Logan and assumed he’d make the best decision. It seems he did.”

“Yes, the interview was very stringent, and I have to say, he’d done his homework because he knew all the right questions to ask me.” Avery cleared her throat a little with a whisper of a smile on her face. “He was most professional.”

“Good. Well, if you think you can handle all three then I guess I won’t have to hunt down a daycare. Or Logan won’t, that is.” Keily felt bad that she’d never thought to ask Avery anything about her life and decided she would, later, when Rosa and Violet left.

“How’s Zara doing over there, Rosa?” Keily darted her eyes over to see Rosa seemed relaxed, but there was tension around her eyes and in the set of her mouth. Her mouth always flattened out when she was thinking about something that upset her, Keily had learned. “What’s wrong?”

“Just a little trouble in paradise.” Rosa dismissed her own problems and cleared her face before she looked up at Keily. “Nothing to worry about.”

“You’re my BFF, Rosa, of course I’m worried.” Keily stood up to go and sit on the floor with Zoe in her arms. “What’s wrong?”

“Just a disagreement about vacation plans and things like that,” Rosa sighed. “I don’t want to go to Mexico. I’ve been. It’s hot. I want to go somewhere cool, before the weather turns South Carolina into a humid oven.” She rolled her eyes and looked down at her friend. “Does that make sense?”

“It does. But compromise is important.” Keily said thoughtfully, remembering her marriage and how she’d always been the one to compromise. “Just so long as you aren’t always the one giving in. It has to be fair.”

“You’re right. I can take a vacation on my own to somewhere cooler, later in the summer.”

“Logan will give you more time off if you need it.” Keily volunteered, knowing she’d glare him into submission if she had to do it. She’d do anything for her best friend.

“I love how much you two love each other. I never thought I’d see the day when you had a best friend, Keily. And a female best friend at that.” Violet stared at them in awe, her eyes big and round.

“It’s gross isn’t it?” Keily asked in a stage-whisper. “I mean, women are horrible creatures.”

“And they’re always trying to butt in,” Rosa responded immediately.

“Always trying to outdo each other.” Keily went on but leaned her head towards Rosa, as if to draw her closer.

“Women are horrible creatures,” Rosa repeated and put one hand out to stroke Keily’s hair before she put the hand back on Zara’s head.

“You two are silly,” Violet answered them both, but she couldn’t hide how pleased she was. “Anyway, I have to get to work, so I’m off.”

“You’re on evening shifts again?” Keily frowned, knowing her sister hated that shift.

“Yes, and it’s killing me, but it’s only for this week. That’s another good thing about Alice’s daycare, they work with our schedules. I would be out of luck if it wasn’t for that.” Violet handed Zinnia off to Avery and stroked her face before she turned away. “I’ll see you two tomorrow?”

“You will.” Keily agreed and looked over at Rosa who nodded in agreement. Keily wasn’t sure if Rosa and Violet were close but they did seem to get along well.

“See you then.” Violet left with a wave and Avery followed her to leave for an appointment she had.

“We’re alone at last,” Rosa whispered with a grin.

“I know.” Keily waggled her eyebrows and stood up to put Zoe in her crib. “Are you going to tell me about what’s wrong or are you going to make me talk about myself?”

“I think your problems are bigger than mine, don’t you?” Rosa continued to rock Zinnia, content to talk about Keily and her life. Keily got the hint that Rosa didn’t want to talk about her own problems and let it go.

“I think I’m going to give Logan another chance. I know he broke my heart, before you say anything, but I can’t ask people to accept that I’ve changed if I don’t give Logan that same chance. I’m not the Keily that walked into his office all those months ago. I’m a totally different person now. And I think he is too.”

“I think you’re right.” Rosa conceded after a moment’s hesitation. “I’ve seen him with the babies, and you, and how he is at the office now, for that matter. When he’s there.”

“That’s something else, isn’t it? He spends more time here than he does at the office.” Keily made the point and then went quiet. She wanted to know what Rosa thought.

“I think parenthood has made you both see the world differently. If you’re both on the same page about things, then I guess it’s not a bad idea to give it a chance. It’s obvious he cares about you.” She paused, her eyes on the wall beyond her before she looked back up at Keily. “I just don’t want to see you broken like you were before ever again. I worry about that.”

“I know, I do too, but I don’t think it will happen again. He’s so…different. He even talks now. He never really did that before.” Keily knew the house was empty now except for her, the babies, and Rosa, and the babies weren’t talking so it was safe for her to discuss these things. “He’s not an open book like I am with you, but he’s trying.”

“Then it sounds like he really wants a relationship and not whatever the hell you were before.” Rosa nodded in satisfaction. “It sounds like maybe you have a chance at real happiness, Keily, you should take that chance.”

“I hope so. I don’t want to fail the girls, or him, or me. I just want what everyone else seems to have so easily.”