PART 6:

You deserve someone who sees how amazing you are. It’s just a second date, Lena cautioned. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Honey, the man invited you to his house. He wants you to meet his daughter. That’s not just anything. I know. That’s what scares me. Sarah’s voice softened. What are you most afraid of? Lena looked at Maya, who was making a mess of her oatmeal and singing to herself.

That he’ll find out the truth and change his mind. That I’ll let myself believe in this and it’ll fall apart. that Maya will get attached and lose someone else she loves. Or Sarah said gently, maybe he’ll find out the truth and love you more for it. Maybe this won’t fall apart. Maybe Mia will gain someone who loves her.

You’re an optimist. I’m a realist who happens to know both of you. Evan is one of the good ones, Lena. He’s been through hell and he came out of it still believing in love. Give him a chance. Give yourself a chance. After they hung up, Lena sat with those words. Give yourself a chance. It sounded so easy.

Why did it feel so impossible? Friday evening, Lena took Maya to the grocery store to pick up ingredients for the dessert she’d promised. She decided on a berry tart. Impressive enough to show effort, but not so complicated she’d stress herself out making it. Maya wrote in the cart, pointing at everything they passed.

What, dad? What, dad? What that? Those are apples, baby. And those are oranges. And those are cookies. Maya shrieked, pointing at the bakery section with both hands. Inside voice, please. Lena steered them toward the berries. We’re making our own dessert. Remember, cookies? Mia said again, quieter, but no less insistent. How about we get cookies for you and we make the tart for Evan and Sophie? Mia considered this. Okay.

They loaded up on strawberries, blueberries, cream, and all the other necessary ingredients. At the checkout, the cashier smiled at Maya. How old are you, sweetie? Mia held up two fingers. Almost free. Three. Lena corrected automatically. That’s a big girl, the cashier said. Are you excited about your birthday? Maya nodded enthusiastically. Cake? Of course, cake.

The cashier winked at Lena. They’ve got their priorities straight at this age. Driving home, Lena thought about Maya’s birthday. It would be in March, just a few months away. Last year, they’d celebrated with just the two of them. A small cake, a few presents, a quiet day at home.

Lena had cried herself to sleep that night, thinking about everything Maya’s mother was missing, thinking about the birthday parties her sister would never throw, the candles she’d never help blow out, the memories that would never be made. This year could be different. This year, Maya could have friends at her party. Sophie maybe, and Evan, if they made it that far, Lena shook her head, forcing herself to focus on the present.

One step at a time, Saturday first. Everything else could wait. That night, after Maya was asleep, Lena made the tart. She lost herself in the ritual of it. The precise measurements, the careful arrangement of berries, the glossy glaze that made everything shine. Cooking had always been meditative for her, a way to quiet the anxious chatter of her mind.

Her phone buzzed while she was washing dishes. Another text from Evan. Sophie just asked if Maya likes princesses or dinosaurs better. Apparently, this is very important information. Lena smiled, typing back, “Maya is firmly team dinosaur, specifically the purple one from her favorite book.” Perfect. Sophie is also team dinosaur.

This is going to work out great. You sound confident. I am. They’re going to be best friends. And we’re going to spend the next 14 years carpooling to playdates and coordinating birthday parties. Lena’s breath caught. 14 years. He was thinking in years, not weeks or months. The magnitude of that hit her square in the chest. That’s a long time.

She texted back carefully. Is it too much? I’m sorry. I have a tendency to get ahead of myself. No, it’s not too much. It’s just new. New can be good. New can be terrifying. That, too. But we’re doing it anyway, right? Lena looked at the tart cooling on her counter. Thought about the aquarium tomorrow. About Sophie and Maya meeting for the first time.

Thought about Evan’s house and lunch and all the ways this could go wrong. Yeah, she typed. We’re doing it anyway. Saturday morning arrived too quickly. Lena changed her outfit four times before settling on jeans and a soft blue sweater. Casual, but not too casual. Comfortable, but not frumpy. She was being ridiculous, and she knew it. “Mama pretty,” Maya announced from her position on Lena’s bed, where she was supposed to be getting dressed, but was instead playing with her dinosaurs.

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