Love felt so simple back then. So certain.
And that had everything to do with the man that she’d pledged hers to.
She still thought of him every day.
Some people said time made things easier, and in many ways, that was true. But it also made other things more difficult. Like pulling back specific memories. Recalling the scent of his favorite cologne. His laughter. Thankfully, she could still bring to mind his hearty belly laugh, the one that made everyone around him join in.
And she could still see pieces of him in Hannah. She had his eyes, his coloring, and his tenacious spirit.
She wondered if this little baby would have some of its grandfather’s traits, too. What a gift that would be.
When the coffee pot beeped, she returned the photo album to its place for safekeeping and made her way back to the kitchen to indulge in a mug of the caffeinated drink. Over the last few days, she’d grown to enjoy hot coffee more than iced, which was unusual for her. Maybe it was something to do with the weather. Maybe she was just trying something new. Either way, she settled into an armchair near the beach house’s back windows with a steaming mug cradled gently in her palms.
Edie was blessed, no way around it. Not everyone got to wake up to a view like this; the ocean stretched big and wide outside her windows. She’d always loved the ocean for its deep blue depths and the power it contained in a single wave. But she also cherished the way it made her feel: small to the point of insignificance. It was a humbling event just to look out at it. To realize one’s place in the world.
It provided perspective. On days when her problems seemed too large or her worries too intrusive, all she had to do was casther gaze on the sands and the seas to know there was something bigger at work.
As she sipped slowly from her mug, her thoughts traveled back to the day at the coffee shop with Cal and Josh. Whathadthey been talking about? Did it even matter? They’d obviously called some sort of truce, which had always been Edie’s hope.
But it definitely muddled things. Made something that was already confusing even more so.
Because when the men were at war, it made her warring feelings seem more justified in some inexplicable way. But if they were friendly? Comrades? How could she continue to pursue things with either man knowing they were friends?
There had to be an answer somewhere in there, but she couldn’t find it.
And by the time she’d finished two cups of coffee, she hadn’t made any progress.
If anything, she was only more confused about it all. Stuck in a way that she couldn’t move forward from.
Thankfully, Casey and Hannah texted while her brain had taken her on a ride. Was it okay if they stopped by for an early lunch? They would pick up some bagel sandwiches from a little deli in town and head over if so.
It wasmorethan okay with Edie. She couldn’t wait to see them, to hear all about the appointment. So many people said being a grandparent was even better than being a parent, and Edie could easily see how this might be the case. She couldn’t wait to spoil that little one with love, attention, and of course, sweet treats and goodies. That was her job, after all.
She hadn’t even considered thatgrandmotherwould be something she would add to her resume so soon, but she wasn’t mad about it. Not even a little bit.
The kids arrived a little later, and together they unpacked the sandwiches and sides while Edie waited on them to unpackthe details of the prenatal appointment. She didn’t want to pry, didn’t want to ask if they’d decided to find out the gender because, at the end of the day, it was none of her business. She never wanted to be one of those mothers that demanded information that wasn’t hers to have.
So the three of them sat at the kitchen table enjoying the spread that the kids treated her to. Hannah had ordered Edie her favorite, The Farmhouse bagel. It was an everything bagel with an over-easy egg, two strips of fatty bacon, arugula, tomato, and a heavy spread of cream cheese. Every bite was delicious, but Edie quickly noted she was the only one diving in. The kids seemed to hang back, almost picking at their meals. Maybe Hannah had another bout of nausea that was keeping her from enjoying her food. But what was Casey’s reasoning? Goodness, Edie had seen the young man put away an entire rotisserie chicken back when he was a teenager.
“Everything okay?” Edie settled the last bit of her bagel onto the brown parchment wrapper. She lifted her eyes to Hannah, and then passed a look over to Casey. “The appointment was okay? Nothing to worry about?”
“Oh.” Hannah snapped her head. “No, no. Everything’s fine there. I’m sorry. I should have started with that.”
It was a relief. She knew Hannah and Casey were out of sorts over something, and she’d hoped to God it wasn’t over the health of the baby.
“There’s something we’d like to ask you.” Casey’s eyes found Hannah’s, and she gave him a nod.
“Go right ahead and ask.”
Edie couldn’t think of what it could possibly be. It wasn’t like she was in the running to be a godmother—her title of grandma outdid that. Plus, she assumed that honor would go to Camille. What other question might they have for her? To watch the baby a few days a week once it was born, maybe? She had the roomand would gladly turn that spare bedroom into a nursery. That had been her plan upon hearing the exciting news, anyway.
“Mom.” Hannah paused to swallow.
Edie didn’t like this. The kids shouldn’t be this nervous to ask her a question. She’d hoped she’d done a better job of putting them at ease.
“You two know you can ask meanything, right? Nothing is off-limits.”
“Mom,” Hannah started again. “We wanted your blessing on something.”
