Vanessa
I’ve never been the mom that all the other moms love.
I’m not super organized or adept at running things.I’m not exceptionally crafty.I don’t dress in the trendiest stuff, and I’m not great at planning things.I can barely manage to keep the right food in the house so my kids can make lunches.
I’ve always worked, at least part time, but usually full time, and I’m just not Natalie.So I’m not at all surprised when I show up for the Fall Showcase and discover that Natalie knows everyone’s name and they all know hers.The mothers at the Blackwater Community Schoolloveher already, and we’ve been here two months and change.
Meanwhile, all the moms who should be my friends hate me.
“Hey, you.”Natalie hooks her arm through mine.“Trina’s bird painting was far and away the best.”
They looked more like Franken-birds than real birds, but it’s nice of her to say.“You saw it?”
“It was the closest to a parrot, with the rainbow feathers, and that made it the best.”
“It was supposed to be a painting of a local bird.”
“You know, back home, there was a little flock of parrots who always flew around the park.Apparently people bought them and then somehow lost them, and they all banded together to keep from getting eaten by hawks.”
“Did that work?”I can’t help smiling.“I can almost picture it.Parrots in leather jackets with spikes.”
“I mean, they still got eaten, but not as fast, anyway.”She’s smiling.“I think if they’d put on little jackets, that might have dissuaded the hawks.”
“Birds of prey are amazing.”Trace drops into step beside me.He takes care of our owl, Niamh, every single day like he promised.She likes him as much as she likes me.“But you know what’s not?”
Bryce falls into step on Natalie’s other side.“School showcases.”
I love that they’re getting along so much better than they ever did back in Colorado.“I don’t know,” I say.“This has been pretty neat so far.”
“That’s because you went to the elementary side first,” Trace says.“Trust me, no one wants to read my lame essay on the history of the Protestant church in Ireland.”
“Wait, did you write that?”I’m actually impressed.
“More like ChatGPT wrote it,” Bryce coughs.
Trace throws something at him, but I can’t tell what it is.It’s small, and it bounces off Bryce’s shoulder and careens into the wall.Before I can try and pick it up, Trace tugs on my arm, pulling me right up next to the fire escape doors.“C’mon, Mom.If we go home now, I’ll do all my homework.”
I glare.
“Without using ChatGPT to do it.”He grins.
And I cringe.If I was trying to convince Natalie that he’s not a horrible match for Clara, this wouldnotbe anywhere on my list of the best ways to do it.
“Hey, I’m headed over here to check on the twins.”Natalie points.“But I’ll catch you over on the high school side in a bit.”
“No, she won’t,” Trace says.“Right?”
Just then, I see Naomi, Maeve, and Ciara whispering in the main hall.“Fine,” I say.“Sure, let’s bail.We just need to grab Trina.”
As if he had been hiding her in his pocket, Trina springs out from behind Bryce.“Boo.”
“Where did you come from?”I press my hand to my heart.“I swear, you were not there four seconds ago.”
“It was her idea,” Trace says.“She wanted to see if she could surprise you.”
My phone buzzes with a text from Jack.
Hey, just finishing up with the kids.Meet me in the main hallway?
