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Ella shook her head. “He wasn’t free. He was in a relationship with someone.”
“No. That’s not so. He and Fiona had broken up at the beginning of the summer. Originally, she was supposed to come to the wedding with him, but he told us in July that he would be going on his own.”
Ella shouldn’t ask about Fiona. She shouldn’t care about Baird’s past, but her curiosity was too strong. She removed her arm and looked up at Cara. “Who is Fiona?”
“His girlfriend. They’d been together for years. Alec doesn’t know why they broke up. Baird never said, but Alec was pretty sure they were going to marry. They were very committed, very serious.” Cara’s hand stilled, her palm on Ella’s forehead. “But the breakup was two months before the wedding. Can’t imagine why Baird wasn’t free.”
“I don’t know. It doesn’t matter,” Ella said, soothed by Cara’s touch. “We’re doing our best to navigate a tricky past so that we can keep the drama down around you and Alec. We’re not children. There’s no need for us to have friction or tension.”
“That’s very mature of you.” Cara leaned over Ella and smiled into her eyes. “My little sister is growing up so fast!”
Ella laughed and rolled into a sitting position. “And you’re going to be a mom!
A knock sounded on the door and Cara called to come in. Mrs. Johnson entered the with a tray laden with soup and sandwiches, along with a plate of cookies and sweets. “Everyone downstairs has been fed, and I’m going to be going soon, but thought you girls might need something to snack on while you plot to take over the world.”
The cook positioned the tray on the foot of the bed. “Is there anything I can do before I go?”
Cara happily eyed the tray. “This is perfect, Mrs. Johnson You always know exactly what I’m craving.”
“Alright then. Sleep well and I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Good night,” Cara said. “And thank you so much.”
There was a chorus of goodnights and after the door closed behind the cook, Cara reached for the television’s remote control. “Do you want a classic Christmas movie, or should we look for a romance?”
“Not a romance,” Ella said, making a face. “I can do anything but that.”
“Okay, let’s see what we can find then.”
Ella focused on a quarter sandwich while Cara scrolled through the channels, and then paused on the 2019 version ofLittle Womenstarring Emma Watson and Florence Pugh.
“What about this one?” Cara asked. “Or does being a Louisa May Alcott expert ruin the movies for you?”
“I haven’t seen it since it came out in the theater. Would love to watch it again.”
“You were exasperated by it the first time,” Cara reminded her. “I don’t want you to get exasperated tonight.”
“I won’t. I’m prepared for disappointment.”
Cara laughed and pressed start on the movie before positioning pillows so they could sit side by side against the headboard. As the music swelled Cara smiled happily at Ella. “This is fun.”
Ella smiled back. “It’s exactly what I hoped we’d do.”
*
Baird had hiswork spread around him on the cottage table, files for clients, cases coming up, depositions to be reviewed. There was never a slow season in his field. If anything, the holidays only heightened discord, and every January there was an uptick in cases. More divorces, more acrimonious settlements, more custody battles. He used to find the sheer number of clients, along with their unhappiness, depressing. Now, he merely saw it was a fact of life, and a job he was paid well to do. It was a lucrative profession if you could keep the stories of betrayal and hostility from getting under your skin.
For the most part, Baird was good at separating work and his home life. He didn’t take work home, and he never discussed his clients or cases.
But he’d be lying if his work hadn’t influenced him. Damaged was the word Fiona liked to use during their last month together. Practicing family law had damaged him, making him cynical, and bitter, unable to love.
Yes, he’d become cynical, but he could still love. He could feel. He desired. He didn’t desire marriage, though. He wasn’t interested in having children. It wasn’t a game, or a ploy; it wasn’t his attempt to keep women away. He just knew himself, and knew he’d be happier not marrying.
He’d always thought Fiona felt that way. They’d met each other when she was in med school, and he was in law school. They were both ambitious and shared similar values, and over the years as their friendship grew, they grew closer, until one day they shifted from friends to lovers.
Because they both worked long hours, they understood the demands of each other’s career. While Fiona was locked down at the hospital as a surgeon, his law practice had him traveling all over the world. He wasn’t interested in other women. Fiona was beautiful and brilliant, and the ideal companion. She never asked for too much, and he never expected anything from her—expectations always lead to disappointment and conflict. It worked for them. They were happy.
Until the day Fiona asked about the future, their future, and how he saw it playing out.
