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“I can come back when you’re not busy.”
“When would that be?” She looked up and motioned for me to come in.
I pushed my shoulders back and stuck out my chest, trying to radiate confidence as I crossed the carpet to Elizabeth’s guest chair. She could refuse to let me take time off. State law didn’t require employers to provide parenting leave, and the magazine was too small for the Family and Medical Leave Act to apply.
As I sat, Elizabeth slid her top desk drawer open and pulled out a bottle of ibuprofen. She popped two in her mouth and swallowed them with a large gulp of water. “I hiked to Lydia’s Falls with the kids yesterday,” she said. “I carried Danvers and am paying for it today.”
This time of year, looking down on Stapleton from high on the mountain was like watching a fireworks show. The leaves on the treeswere brilliant shades of red, orange, and yellow. “At least the view from the top made it worthwhile.”
Elizabeth gave me a sheepish grin. “We didn’t make it to the top. Danvers got too heavy for me with the steep inclines.”
An image of my boss cradling her son against her chest while holding her daughter’s hand as they climbed to the waterfall popped into my head. A heavy backpack hung from Elizabeth’s shoulder. Of course she needed help. “If you decide to try again, I can come along and help with the kids.” The words came out before I had time to think about what I was saying. I wished I hadn’t said them, because once I asked for time off, she might think my offer had been a way to butter her up.
She smiled. “I might take you up on that.”
The phone on her desk rang. I looked at it and started to stand.
“Voice mail can get it. What did you need?”
I took a deep breath. Maybe I should wait until after the baby was born to broach this subject. After all, there was still a chance Casey would change her mind about giving her up. Then again, I had to know what my options were. “I’d like to take an extended leave after Casey has the baby.”
Elizabeth’s face tensed. She picked up the bottle of Motrin and rolled it between her hands. The rattling of the pills frayed my nerves. “What exactly do you mean by ‘extended’?”
Sharon had told me to ask for six months so that I would have room to negotiate. I couldn’t ask for that much time. Elizabeth was the poster child for a single mom with a thriving career. She would laugh me out of the room. “How much time did you take after you had Hallie and Danvers?”
“I returned to work exactly one month after Hallie was born.” She said it with pride, as if it were one of her greatest accomplishments.
I swallowed hard. “One month?” I prayed my voice didn’t sound as disgusted out loud as it did in my head.
She leaned back in her chair. “Well, the truth is I was diagnosed with preeclampsia and confined to bed rest for several weeks before she was born, so I couldn’t wait to get back.”
“And with Danvers?”
“Different circumstances. My life was falling apart when I was pregnant with him. After he was born, I focused on moving away from New York.”
“Are you glad you came here?”
She sighed. “I miss the city, but this is a great place for my kids to grow up.”
Staying in Stapleton for her children, comforting me when she’d found out about Kyle and Casey, and connecting Casey with an attorney to talk through her options. Elizabeth might be a difficult boss, but she was a good person. She would understand that I needed time. “Five months.”
She smiled. “Four. I’ll talk to Andrew about making sure you’re paid for some of it, but you have to promise you’re coming back.”
“Not coming back isn’t an option,” I said.
“Who will take care of the baby when you return?”
I smiled. “My aunt said she would watch her a few days, and believe it or not, Hank and Arianna also volunteered. What will you do if Casey leaves?”
Elizabeth reached across the desk and patted my hand. The gesture was so unexpected that I flinched. “Casey is leaving. By herself.” Her voice was as gentle as I had ever heard it. “She already rented a place in Nashville, found a job, and lined up gigs. She’s not going to change her mind.”
I blinked back tears. Casey and Kyle had repeatedly told me the same thing, but still I wasn’t convinced. Elizabeth’s effort to reassure me made me warm to her further. “I hope you’re right.”
“I am. I’ve been interviewing nannies and have it narrowed down to two. I’m meeting with them both again later this week.”
Her phone rang again. This time when I stood, she didn’t stop me. When I reached her doorframe, I turned back toward her. “Thanks for agreeing to the time off, and good luck choosing Casey’s replacement.”
“Your baby will be close in age to Danvers,” she said. “Maybe they’ll be friends.”
