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“It’s a real—”
The door that separated the preparation room from the bakeshop swung open.
“It’s final. Noah is not coming. Darian is crushed.” Linda walked in and plopped her phone into her apron’s pocket with such force that Anne was surprised it didn’t tear right through it and land on the floor.
Bert looked at his wife. “Because of his fight with Avery?”
Anne’s heart accelerated in her chest. “What fight with Avery?” she asked without raising her eyes from her work.
“They’re going to Jill’s parents’ instead,” Linda said.
“What fight?” Anne asked again.
“Noah and Jill are thinking of leaving L.A. and coming back here,” Linda said.
“Thinking? They’re already looking for jobs,” Bert cut in. “The prices are soaring in L.A., and with the kids and all, they prefer living here.”
“Yes, well, Noah can work from anywhere. Jill is looking at jobs here, and one opened at Avery’s school, and Jill immediately applied, and Noah called Avery to tell her so they’d at least look at it and maybe invite her for an interview,” Linda spoke fast, with no breaks to breathe, her tone indicating that she wasn’t comfortable with the tale.
“And Avery said she couldn’t because she’s not allowing nepotism in her school, and that they pretty much already have a candidate they want,” Bert finished. “But Noah wasn’t asking her to give his wife preferential treatment, just to make sure her resume is considered.”
“So, now Noah says he won’t be coming to Thanksgiving if Avery is there.” Linda sounded on the verge of tears.
“Why wouldn’t Avery want Jill there? That’s what I don’t understand,” Bert said.
Because Noah being here with his three kids means he’ll compete with her on their parents’ time and attention, because he’ll be outshining her with his programming job and his marriage, and because his wife will be another person for her to one-sidedly compete with. Anne didn’t say any of it out loud.
“Anne, honey, we’ll be so few there, and the mood isn’t going to be great. How about if you and Bella and her family all join us?”
“I don’t think Bella can. It’s not simple, and it’s last minute, and she’s having …”She didn’t want to lie like that, and now the lie was becoming worse. Her parents had enough holidays without their only child, but she couldn’t give in to this pressure.
“So, just you,” Linda said. “The more, the merrier. Family, you know, and in such times, it’s truer than ever.”
Having to alleviate the family’s bickering was something Anne remembered her and her parents doing several times when Avery and Noah made things difficult for their parents.
“I can’t. I’m sorry.” She wouldn’t give up her plans just because they needed a buffer.
“Give it a thought. Maybe you could join Bella after.” Linda grabbed a tray of warm pretzels and turned toward the doors. “Connie is out there, alone, and there’s a bit of a crowd. Think about it, dear.”
“Think about it, Anne, for your mother,” Bert said as soon as Linda was out of earshot.
She exhaled and looked at him. “Dad, I love you both, but—”
“I trust you, Annie. You always know what’s right.”
Yeah, she always did. So much so that it had become the bane of her existence.
“I have the food rounds, too, I don’t know.”
“Did you know that Avery fought with Noah?” she texted Finn.
“Heard about it from Max. I’m not getting into this. Had enough of that shit when we were married.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“You look so pretty, Janey. Your dad will be so pleased you dropped by,” Linda said enthusiastically when she opened Darian and Fernando’s door to Anne.
She had gotten dressed in her long, red wrap-dress before going on the food rounds so she wouldn’t have to waste time changing when Finn arrived to pick her up. Passing by her aunt and uncle’s house, she had decided to come in for a few minutes to lighten up the atmosphere and appease her own guilt.
