“You'll be living with people you barely know.”
“I know Beth and Gabriel and I’m sure his father is very nice.”
“But you haven't lived with them. Living with people is different from visiting. Sweetheart, I'm not saying no. I would never say no to something you wanted this much. I just want to make sure you've thought it through.”
“I've thought about little else for two days.”
“I know you have. That's not what I mean.” Eve paused, choosing her words carefully. “You process the world differently than most people. That's not a flaw, it's just a fact. But it means that transitions are harder for you. New environments, new routines, new people. Are you sure you're ready for all of that at once?”
“No,” Emily admitted. “I'm not sure. But I don't think I'll everbe sure. And if I wait until I'm sure, I'll never do anything. You’ve been the best mother any child could ask for, but I’m grown up now. I need to get out in the world and find where I belong. It means everything to me to know I have your support.”
They talked for another hour, working through the logistics, the concerns, the what-ifs. By the end, Eve gave her blessing, though Emily could tell that it cost her something to do so.
“I'll call Beth,” Eve said. “Not to interfere. Just to...talk. Mother to mother, in a way.”
“Beth isn't my mother.”
“No. But she’s your half-sister, and that's close enough. Let me do this, Emily. Let me make sure you're going somewhere safe. It's the only way I'll be able to let you go.”
Emily agreed, because she understood. Her mother needed to know that the people receiving her daughter would value her, protect her, understand her. It was the same thing any mother would need.
Now, driving south through the late morning light, Emily wondered if she had made that call yet. Wondered what Beth had said, what promises had been made, what concerns had been raised and addressed.
She would find out soon enough.
Eve Wheeler sat at her kitchen table, staring at her phone, trying to work up the courage to dial.
Although Emily agreed to let her mother talk to Beth, she wasn’t thrilled about it. This was what parents wanted, Eve reminded herself. For their children to grow up, to become independent, to find their own paths. She had raised Emily for exactly this moment, had prepared her as best she could for a world that didn't always understand her.
But knowing that didn't make it easier.
At least she isn’t leaving the state,she told herself trying to find comfort in that reality.
She picked up the phone and found Beth's number in her contacts. They had exchanged numbers years ago, when Emily first connected with the Wheeler family, but they had rarely spoken directly. Their relationship existed mostly through Emily, through the stories each told the other about this strange, blended family they had all become part of.
Eve pressed the call button before she could talk herself out of it.
Beth answered on the third ring, sounding slightly out of breath. “Eve? Is everything okay? Is Emily okay?”
“She's fine. She should be there in a couple of hours.” Eve paused. “I'm sorry to call out of the blue. I just wanted to talk to you. About Emily. About this arrangement.”
“Of course.” There was a rustling sound, like Beth was settling into a chair. “I've been meaning to call you, actually. I know this must be strange for you.”
“Strange is one word for it.” Eve laughed, a nervous sound. “My daughter is moving in with people I've barely met, to help raise babies that aren’t born yet on a farm I've never seen. It's a lot to process.”
“It is. I understand that.” Beth's voice was warm, patient. “What can I tell you that would help?”
Eve considered the question. There were so many things she wanted to know, so many reassurances she needed. But one concern rose above the others.
“Emily is different,” she said carefully. “I'm sure you know that. She sees the world in ways that most people don't. She's direct, sometimes painfully so. She doesn't always understand social cues, and she can be...intense when she's focused on something.”
“I know. It's one of the things I love about her.”
“Not everyone loves it. Not everyone understands.” Eve'svoice tightened. “She's been hurt before. Jobs that didn't work out because people thought she was rude or difficult. Friendships that fell apart because she didn't know the unspoken rules. I've watched her try so hard to fit in, to be normal, and fail again and again.”
“Eve.” Beth's voice was gentle but firm. “I'm not going to ask Emily to be anything other than who she is. I invited her here because I love her, and because I think she has something valuable to offer. Not despite her differences, but because of them.”
Eve felt tears prick at her eyes. “You really mean that.”
