“We just found out. First week of August.”
“Well, it’s a good thing we built a big house. We’ll need the room when you all visit.”
Jeff nodded.
“I see what you’re thinking,” Addison said. “Just like Tam. It’s not goodbye.”
“It kind of is, Addison.”
Addison sighed. “No. It isn’t. It’ll be different.”
Jeff nodded again.
Addison’s heart lodged in her throat. It was strange; everyone seemed to be on the same path and now, she and Emma were ready to leave. It gave her pause—for about three seconds. They had managed to remain close to Emma’s family. For a couple of years, Tamara had been in Vancouver. That hadn’t diminished the friendship they shared. Jeff’s news eased some of Addison’s worry. Sandra had been through hell during her pregnancy with Brody. This time, she would get to approach her pregnancy with genuine excitement, and she would be a tremendous support for Tamara. “We’ll just have to make a point to schedule long weekends together,” Addison said.
“I hope so.”
“We will.” Addison decided to change the subject for the time being. “So? Where are we at with the season finale?”
***
“Mommy?”
Emma closed her eyes and silently counted to three. Three. How on earth am I going to handle three? “Yes, Vicki?”
“Where’s Momma?”
“Momma is at work.”
“When is she coming home?”
“I don’t know,” Emma replied. “Why do you need Momma?”
Vicki huffed.
“Vicki?” Emma questioned.
Vicki looked up at Emma with a frustrated gaze. Emma had to force herself not to laugh. There were moments when Vicki thought she was forty, not four and a half. Emma was sure of it. She raised her brow a tad and waited for her daughter to explain why Addison’s absences seemed to equate to some type of crisis.
Vicki huffed again. “Momma said we get a special dinner.”
“Well, we are planning on having your favorite dinner tonight.”
Vicki raised her eyebrow just as her mother often did. “Is Momma leaving?”
“Is Momma leaving?” Emma tried to understand that question. “Why would you think that?”
“Are we leaving?”
“Vicki, why do you think someone is leaving?”
“Cause we have special dinners when you take us to Grandma’s or Momma leaves.”
Emma sighed. Shit. She’s got me there. Emma smiled warmly. “No one is leaving, Sprout.” Vicki remained doubtful. “You know, we have special dinners for lots of reasons. We had a special dinner when we told you Grandpa Blake was going to visit, and when we told you that Aunt Tam was getting married too.”
Vicki considered the information. As far as she knew, everyone that mattered was married. That couldn’t be the reason. “Is Grandpa coming?”
Emma groaned inwardly. Vicki wasn’t curious; she was worried. Emma led her daughter to the couch and sat beside her. “You’re right. Momma and I have something we want to tell you.”
“Are you sick?”
“What? Vicki, no one is sick, honey. Where would you get that idea?”
Vicki shrugged.
Emma wasn’t sure what to do. She wanted to tell Vicki about the baby with Addison, and she wanted Addison’s support when they explained that home would be Kansas before Vicki started school. Vicki was persistent. Persistence was a trait she shared with Emma. Emma was positive that her daughter was not going to accept anything less than the truth. “I don’t want you to worry, sweetheart. We wanted tonight to be special. We don’t want you to worry.” Emma smiled.
Vicki’s eyes grew wide, and she grinned. “Disney! Are we going to Disney?”
Oh, sweet Jesus. Maybe we should give up and go to Disney. Emma chuckled and answered lightly. At least, Vicki wasn’t thinking their evening would bring dire news. She wondered if a baby could compete with Disney. “You’ll just have to wait a few more hours,” she told Vicki.
Vicki nodded. “It’s Disney.” She hopped off the couch and ran toward the bedroom. “Hannah!”
Emma covered her face. “Why do I think I can handle three?”
***
“I think we should.”
Tamara looked at her wife and sighed.
“Why not?” Christie asked. “Emma and Addy’s house is perfect for us.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Is there some reason you wouldn’t want to accept their offer to buy the house? You love that house. For heaven’s sake, you wanted us to get married there.”
“Yeah, but that’s because it’s like home.”
“It will be home if we buy it,” Christie pointed out with a smile.
“Yeah, but it’s kind of creepy.”
“Creepy?”
“Yeah! You know they’ve had sex in every room. You know they have.”
Christie burst out laughing.
“It’s not funny!”
“No.” Christie made a futile attempt to be serious. “It’s hysterical.”
“Chris!”
“Oh, come on, you can’t seriously tell me that the reason you’re hesitant to buy that house is the fact that Addy and Emma had sex in it. We’ve had sex in—”
Tamara’s hand covered Christie’s mouth. “We agreed never to talk about that.”
Christie looked at Tamara and started laughing again.
Tamara removed her hand and shook her head. “I can’t believe you’re laughing at me.”
“I can’t help it. I also know you,” Christie said. “You’re not telling me the truth, Tamara. So, let’s have it.”
“What if it makes me miss them more?”
Christie smiled. “What if it makes you feel just a little closer to them?”
“I don’t know. I can’t believe they’re leaving.”
“They aren’t leaving. You heard Addison. They’re still looking for something here in SoCal.”
“They could just keep the house.”
“I think they need something new, babe.”
“Why?” Tamara asked.
“If I had to guess, because this has been home. If they come back here, there will always be that part of them that is tempted to stay.”
“And, that’s bad?”
“Not bad,” Christie said. “I think they want one place to call home right now. It’s not easy for either of them.”
“Then why?”
“You know that answer.”
Tamara did know the answer. It scared her—just a little bit.
“Talk to me,” Christie said.
“What if you want that too—what if after this baby comes—”
“Tamara, we are not Emma and Addy. I would have been happy to spend most of the year in Vancouver. I am equally happy to live here in Los Angeles. I would not choose to make my home in Kansas. Neither would you.”
“Sometimes, I think it would be nice. You know, to be away from the city.”
“We lived away from the city in Canada.”
“Yeah, but it was still a city.”
Christie nodded. “Tam, we can look for a place that is outside of the LA madness if that’s what you want.”
“It isn’t. Sometimes, I wish I was more like Addy.”
“Sometimes, we all wish we were a little bit like someone we love.”
“What if they regret it?” Tamara asked. “Selling us the house. What if they end up resenting us for—"
“What if you stopped creating a crisis in your head?” Christie challenged. “What if you let yourself be happy?”
“I’m happy.”
Christie smiled. “You’re scared. I know. I know how much you love them, Tam. I know that this baby is—”
Tamara shook her head. “I can’t wait to have this baby.”
Christie was surprised at the assuredness in Tamara’s voice.
“I can’t wait to meet him or her,” Tamara said. “I can wait f
or that whole labor thing.”
Christie smiled.
“I know everyone thinks I’m impulsive. Everyone thinks that I’m the goofy friend who—”
Christie leaned in and kissed Tamara. “You are goofy sometimes,” she said. “You’re also the sweetest, most honest person I have ever known. And you’re the most sensitive. I can’t wait either. That doesn’t mean I’m not scared.”
“You are?”
“Of course, I am. What if I’m not a good parent? What if I’m too regimented or my career causes—”
“No. Chris, you and Emma are a lot alike. You were meant to be somebody’s mom.”
“I don’t care where we live. If it were up to me, I would buy the house.”
“It’ll be weird.”
“Having sex there?”
“Nah, we both know I got over that a long time ago,” Tamara admitted.
Christie chuckled.
“Not seeing their stuff, I guess. I worry that it will be hard for them.”
“I imagine it will be—for a little while. You know Emma. She would never have made the offer if she hadn’t thought it through.”
“Are you sure this is what you want?”
“I have what I want,” Christie said. “I want you to be sure.”
Tamara nodded. “I just need a little—”
“Take the time you need.” Christie planted a kiss on Tamara’s cheek and got up from her seat on the sofa.
“Where are you going?”
“I just realized that we haven’t had sex in every room of this house—yet.”
Tamara grinned.
“I thought I’d start dinner.”
“It’s only three o’clock.”
“Mm.” Christie flashed a flirtatious grin. “It might take hours to prep.”
Tamara swallowed hard. “Need some help?”
Christie held out her hand.
“Just don’t get any ideas about that KitchenAid that Em bought you. That shit scares me,” Tamara said.
“Damn, and I was so looking forward to being kneaded.”
“Oh, you’ll be needed.”
Christie laughed. And, this is why I love you so much.
***
Addison opened the front door with a pizza box in her hand. She nearly dropped it at the piercing sound of Vicki’s voice.
“Momma!”
Emma laughed at the expression on Addison’s face as Vicki barreled toward her. Hannah toddled behind, making a valiant effort to keep up with her sister. Halfway to the door, Hannah fell on her butt. Emma scooped her up.
“Are we going to Disney?” Vicki asked.
Addison looked at Emma, who shrugged. “Ummm… You’ve been to Disney,” she pointed out.
“Not that one,” Vicki corrected Addison. “the big one with the animals!”
“Hello to you too,” Addison finally managed a response. “How about you go wash up, and then we can have our pizza.”
Vicki stood in place. She frowned and put her hands on her hips. “Mommy said no one is leaving.”
Addison had spoken with Emma briefly. They had made what Addison hoped would be a good plan for the evening. “No one is leaving,” Addison said. “And, no one is eating until you go wash your hands.”
Vicki huffed slightly. She turned and looked at her sister. “Come on, Hannah. We need to get the show on the road.”
Hannah giggled, accepted her sister’s hand, and dutifully went off with Vicki leading the way.
“Tell me again why I wanted to have three?” Emma asked Addison.
“Well, she certainly has enough personality for three.”
“She has enough personality to placate the Duggars.”
Addison snorted. She accepted a kiss from Emma and followed her to the kitchen. “Are you sure about this, Em?”
“Yeah, I am. It’s the right time. And, maybe it will—”
“Soften the news about Kansas?” Addison guessed. Emma nodded. “I thought our news about Noah would do that.”
“I’m not sure even a baby brother can compete with Disneyworld to a four-year-old.”
“Mm. Do you think you’ll be up to it?”
Vicki appeared in the doorway, holding her sister’s hand. “Mommy, Hannah bumped her head.”
Emma looked down at a sniffling toddler. She lifted Hannah onto her hip and brushed her bangs aside. “What happened, Bean?”
“Boom, Momma.”
Addison snickered.
“You went boom?” Emma asked. Hannah nodded and rested her head on Emma’s shoulder.
“She tripped on her stool,” Hannah explained.
Emma could see the small red mark on Hannah’s forehead. She doubted it would amount to much more than a tiny bruise. She kissed the spot and made her way to the table. “Momma brought home pizza,” she whispered to Hannah. “Think you can eat a little?” Hannah nodded. “Good.”
Addison took her seat. Vicki climbed up into her chair. She refused to use a booster seat because she was “almost five, after all.”
Emma cut a slice of pizza into pieces for Hannah and waited for Vicki’s question.
“Are we going to Disney?’
And, there it is.
Addison took a bite of her pizza and chewed slowly. She nearly choked when she looked at Vicki. Patience is not your virtue, Sprout. You might have a little of Tam in there somewhere.
“Momma?”
Addison swallowed and looked at Emma to answer.
“We have something else that we want to talk to you about.”
Vicki frowned.
Addison took over. “Mommy and I are super excited,” she said. “Because you and Hannah are going to have a little brother.”
Vicki stared at Addison for a minute then turned to Emma. Emma nodded. “I get a brother?”
“You do,” Emma said. “Probably a few weeks after your birthday.”
Vicki jumped out of her chair. “Hannah! We get one! We get a brother!”
Emma and Addison laughed. Maybe a brother could compete with Disneyworld.
“Does he get to come too?” Vicki asked. “Can he come with us?”
Emma wanted to chime, “Oh, he’ll be coming with us. And, I will likely spend half the time in the bathroom.” She smiled instead.
“Vicki,” Addison said firmly. “Sit down, and we will talk about everything.”
“But can he?” Vicki asked.
“Victoria,” Emma warned.
Vicki sighed and followed her mothers’ direction. She might keep up her questioning if it were just her Momma. When her Mommy called her by her full name, it meant it was time to sit down.
“We wanted to talk to you about something else,” Addison said.
“Yeah! Disney!”
“No, not Disney,” Addison told her. “Mommy and I have decided that we’re going to stay at the new house in Kansas. That means you will go to the same school as your cousin, Evan.”
“What about my pool?” Vicki asked. “What about King?”
“King will be living in Kansas too,” Addison assured her daughter. “And, you will have the lake to enjoy instead of the pool.”
Emma could have laughed. Four-year-old logic amused her. Vicki’s great concern was her pool. Emma was tempted to point out that it had been her pool long before Sprout had been a seed.
“Do we still get to go to Disney?”
Addison took a deep breath. Emma had suggested they bite the bullet and make the trip in March. They had talked about it for over a year. Addison was reluctant. Emma would be entering her third trimester, and she also didn’t want Vicki to think that she was going to get her every wish. It was odd. Emma was usually the one who tempered Addison’s tendency to spoil the girls. Emma argued that if they waited, it would be at least another year before she would think about making the trip. Disney with a baby was not her idea of fun. Maybe that made other people tick. Emma was not that person. Theme parks were never her favorite place. Addison loved them, and so did Vicki. Sh
e told Addison it seemed the right time—a little celebration together before they would welcome a new person into their family in a new home.
“You can thank Mommy,” Addison told Vicki. “We didn’t have plans to go to Disney. Mommy called me this afternoon and said that she thought it would be fun to take you and Hannah for a week.”
Vicki hopped out of her chair and sprinted to Emma. Emma laughed and slid out of her chair to accept an enthusiastic hug. “Momma will be the one taking you on rides,” she said. “Noah and I will be sitting those out this time.”
Vicki looked at Emma curiously.
“Noah is your little brother’s name,” Addison explained.
“Oh!” Vicki clapped. “We can show him all the animals!”
Emma lost it and fell into a fit of laughter. One of Vicki’s favorite books was about Noah and his ark full of animals. Emma’s mother read it to Vicki whenever they visited. Addison shook her head affectionately. There was no point in trying to explain to Vicki that Noah wouldn’t be able to see all the animals.
“Yes, you can,” Emma told Vicki. “But no one is going anywhere until we finish dinner.”
Vicki grinned and climbed back into her chair. Hannah seemed uninterested in all the conversation. She was immersed in her pizza, and so was her shirt. Emma and Addison exchanged an amused glance.
“They have pizza at Disney,” Vicki told Hannah. “And tigers!”
Hannah flashed a saucy grin. “Waf’s!” Hannah squealed.
“They do have giraffe’s,” Addison agreed. “How did you know that?”
Hannah pointed across the table. “Bicki,” she said.
Vicki nodded. “Yep. Lots of giraffes. Hannah loves them,” she told Addison.
Emma rolled her eyes. She remembered conversations, or rather plotting a plan to get their parents to agree to any number of things. Plotting at two and four. God help us.
CHAPTER FOUR
Emma looked on as Addison washed her hair behind the shower door. Her heart ached—not with sadness. It ached with the weight of the truth she’d understood from the moment she met Addison Blake. Addison had lured her with little more than a smile. Emma couldn’t walk away from the writer. She recalled their first collision, the way Addison had greeted Emma with humor, seemingly unaffected by Emma’s notoriety. Emma had struggled to make her way to the stage that afternoon. Throughout the conversation on women in media, her eyes had drifted to find Addison in the audience. Her mind wound through endless questions about the attractive woman. Who was she? What had brought her to the event? What was Addison thinking? When would the boring conversation end so that she could sit down and share a cup of coffee with Addison? She thought about that day often. Looking back, some part of her knew that day—the second her coffee cup collided with Addison’s chest—Addison would capture her heart. Emma’s mother once told her that two things made a successful marriage: marry your best friend and find ways to fall in love over and over again. Emma smiled. Little things made her fall in love with Addy each day. She slid the door open and stepped into the shower.
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