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“Everything okay?” Kennedy asked quietly.
“Yes. Just a little bit of a power struggle going on.”
We wandered to another house. The kids were going hard, and Riley was half a block away from being carried by Holden. I didn’t know why I kept talking, but I did. The kids couldn’t hear. The guys were busy with them, and I had someone who seemed like she’d listen. When I was going through Henry’s affair and then the divorce, I hadn’t been able to be open about it. Sure, some of my coworkers were friends. But they were also in the same hospital as Henry. They were still his coworkers of sorts. Just like I didn’t rant about Henry around the kids, I hadn’t been able to do it around them.
“He started off by being almost negligent of the kids after we split. But once I started having a decent life without him, he’s gotten more difficult.”
She gave a sympathetic hum. “And a guy like Holden would only make it worse for an insecure ex.”
“Exactly. It’s like it accelerated what was probably coming in the first place.”
“So…confession. I kind of hate the saying ‘let us know if you need anything.’ If I’m not already the type to reach out if I need help, I’m not going to do it. But I’m serious. Liam and I are here if you need anything. If you need help with babysitting, if you need an ear to rant to, if you need someone to drive with you to Bismarck. I know Holden will be first in line, but Liam and I will be second and third.”
“Thank you.”
She smiled, and the streetlight caught the glitter around her eyes. Her brown stocking hat and thermals blended in with the shadows. She looked like my own Fairy Godfriend.
Afton ran to me to throw her gloves in the stroller and sprint away. As we walked up and down the streets of the neighborhood, Liam and Holden stopped and chatted with other adults. People they’d gone to school with or they knew from the businesses in town. Kids would excitedly wave and greet Kennedy. Some kids who were Avery’s age would swing by and give her hugs.
Another mom passed me, herding three kids ahead of her. She looked vaguely familiar, and then she reached out to tap my sweater. “Hi, Emery.”
I blinked. She was the X-ray tech at the clinic, but she only worked part-time. “Nisha, hi.”
“You working tomorrow?” She did thehalf-turn, sort of walking backward to keep up with kids who weren’t stopping for their momto chat.
“Yes. See you there?”
“You bet.” She turned back to her kids and trotted to keep up.
I hadn’t thought I’d know anyone. But I had plans for next weekend. I had a Thanksgiving invitation. And I could walk along the street and greet people.
Months ago, when I’d reconciled my time and expenses and realized I had to make a change, I never imagined the shift would lead me here. When I’d interviewed, I hadn’t felt like a part of Coal Haven. It would be my new home, but it was where I would help just my kids have a life.
In such a short time, however, Coal Haven had woven itself into the fabric of my being. The town had taken a lost mom and four wandering kids and given us a place. If I could go back in time and tell Mom that her move here would help me and the kids more than anything in our lives, I’d do it. I’d tell her that this move would help me in ways neither of us would see coming. I could still tell her, but I thought she knew.
I’d gone from wondering what the rest of my life was going to be like to being excited to live out my life in this place.
