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“You were great though. Did Dolly proud.”
“To Dolly.” We cheers and take a sip. Ramon wanders away, and I breathe in and out deeply. Sometimes when I feel uncomfortable in a social setting, I just take deep breaths and sit in the uncomfortable. Most of the time, it goes away, and I can be present. Smiling helps.
Emily walks toward me with a big smile. Out of the all the Finch siblings, she’s my favorite. I admire the heck out of her.
She has raised her eight-year-old daughter, Olive, all by herself. Her daughter couldn’t be sweeter. Alongside doing some of the human resources and employee training, Emily also has a jewelry side business that does well, but she doesn’t brag. According to Ramon and other employees, she’s the only sibling who owns her own property. Cameron parks his tiny home on it.
“Hey Shiloh, how are you? You were super good up there,” Emily compliments.
I try not to blush. “Thank you. I love to sing.”
I pause because I want to ask about him so bad. Something about Jackson stings me, inspires the tiny voice in me not to give up. To keep trying. “Is Jackson coming?”
Emily looks toward the entrance. “I think Reid is trying to convince him over the phone. But my gut tells me probably not.”
I bite my lip. I’ve said too much. I can’t explain why I want to see him, why I want him to participate.
“You don’t know what happened to Jackson, do you?” she asks.
I wave my hand. “I want Jackson to tell me himself. It’s only fair. I hate gossip.”
Emily nods. “That is fair. It just may be a while until he does. Like, never.”
“I’m willing to wait,” I say.
“Are you dating anyone?”
I shake my head. “Single. You?”
She laughs out one-note. “Verysingle.”
I almost ask why, but I clamp my mouth shut. Emily’s beautiful, with rosy cheeks and eyes the color of clover, and she’s funny and personable. Any man would be lucky to have her.
“Where is Olive’s dad?” I ask.
She shrugs one shoulder to her ear. “He didn’t want us.”
I can feel how uncomfortable this makes her, so I blurt, “I’m sorry I asked.”
“No, it’s fine,” she says. “I can’t be mad at him. He gave me the best girl in the world.”
“I want to be a mom. You know, someday.” I want that most of all. I want my family to come from everywhere—me and my husband’s genes and foster care. It’s scary how close I was to foster care so many times.
“I recommend doing parenting with someone. Definitely. I think she’s turning out alright, though.”
“She is. You know, I was raised by a single mom, and I turned out okay. Olive has such a strong family there for her.”
“Thanks, Shiloh. That makes me feel good.”
“You’re doing a great job.” I pull her in for a hug and she returns it, wrapping her arms around me. “He’s not coming, is he?”
“Probably not,” Emily says.
“Too bad he’s missing all of this. The food and decorations and themusic.”
Cameron steps on the stage again, motioning for Annie to join him. He twirls his finger to start the opening bars of “I Got You, Babe” by Sonny and Cher.
“It’s probably for the best he’s missing this.” Cameron starts singing off-key.
