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“A real pwince?” Regan asked but in the same hushed whisper.
“Yep.” She nods and I sneak a glance at Jay to find him smiling at my daughters. There is something about the way he is watching them.
“Where’s your pwincess?” Regan asks, and Jay locks eyes with me but answers her question. “I found her, she’s right here in Magnolia Grove.”
I look away, my chest feeling tight.
“We are on our way to Sugar Rush,” I interrupt the princess talk. It’s a little too much for this early in the day, in my opinion. Plus I’m not sure a wine-down brunch is a good idea. Though we’ve definitely had one or two of them before. Mimosas during one of the many meltdowns, and no those weren’t mine. I’m not the only one in our small group who has issues; Lucy and Emma have had their share too. Though theirs didn’t involve a cheating pig of an ex-husband.
“Aunt Sarah,” Jay chuckles, his grin spreading wide. “Still sporting her infamous leopard prints pants and heels.”
“Of course.”
“I’ve heard a few stories from Mattie about her waiting on her dock for the mail.” He tries not to laugh, but I can see his struggle.
“I can just imagine.” Bikinis, tube tops, and/or her robe. Just a robe, with nothing beneath because she has no shame, not an ounce.
“How’s the last few nights been?” he asks and for a few seconds I simply look at him. Then I realize why he is asking me and the shame of my meltdown resurfaces.
“I am so sorry about that.” Heat fills my cheeks. I should have driven an hour to the city to see a different doctor. “It was a low point and I’m?—”
“If you say embarrassed, I’m gonna have to remind you I’ve witnessed more than one Zoey meltdown in our history. You tend to let it build and then it overflows at an uncontrollable speed.”
He’s not wrong.
“We all get overwhelmed,” he adds. “You have every right to break, Zoey.”
“I can’t.” I glance down at the girls who appear to be entertaining themselves with their giraffes on the sidewalk. “They need me to be whole.”
“Are you?” He asks. “Whole I mean?”
“I’m working on it, but I also know it’ll take time. That experience,” I mouth the words marriage and divorce. “It changed me. It all made me see things differently and I’m not so sure it’s a great thing,” I shrug and his brows furrow.
“Momma.” I look over to see Regan standing next to me holding her giraffe tightly to her chest. “I’m hungry.”
“I should get going,” I motion over my shoulder with my thumb. “Aunt Sarah promised them treats, but I need to get them to eat their packed lunches first.” I smile, but it feels wrong.
I’m twenty-nine, recently divorced, mother of two, living in a property owned by my parents. It’s not where I pictured myself. I know I’m overanalyzing things. I know I’m only digging when I should let things settle, but it’s almost like I can’t control it.
“Girls, can you tell Dr. Jay goodbye?” I gather their hands and they both offer him a wave only Riley takes it one step further as she leans in and wraps her free arm around his leg. Hugging him in close she looks up at him.
“You’re invited to our party,” she announces proudly. “It’s a pwincess sewabration.”
“Oh really?” His smile makes my entire body feel warm. “If it’s okay with your mom, I’d love to come to your party.”
“Will you wear your crown?”
“Riley—,”
“Of course I will,” and so its settled. Even if I wanted to say no I couldn’t. Because saying no would disappoint Riley and the ideal of her sadness is one thing I refuse to cause.
“Two o’clock next Saturday at my parents’ house,” I tell him. “You remember where that is?”
A smirk tugs at his lips. “I do,” he nods. “Does Mr. Porter still stand guard in his front window every night watching over the street?”
He’s referring to all the times he showed up late at night and I snuck out to meet him.
“He does,” I tell him, “he should remember you.”
