Melanie wanted to object. She wanted to tell Becky that this wasn’t the right decision to make, but she couldn’t. This was Becky’s life, and she couldn’t be a thorn in the relationship. Melanie nodded and held her arms open. Becky walked into her embrace and hugged her tightly.

  “I’m so scared, Mom.”

  “I know, baby. Just…take it slow and make sure you’re doing this for the right reasons, okay? I don’t want you going back because you think you can’t do anything else.”

  “I’ve thought about it a lot this weekend. It’s all I’ve been able to think about, but I do want to see where we stand. At the very least, it’ll help us figure out how to co-parent. Right?”

  “Yeah, that’s a good way to look at it.” Melanie squeezed her tightly again and then let go.

  Becky packed up and left in her blue minivan that hadn’t budged since she’d parked it there. Melanie’s heart was in her throat as she watched the empty street after her. She wasn’t sure she could stand to watch her daughter go through that again. The whirlwind that was Becky was gone, and Melanie was left in the wake. To go from devastation to hope like that was tough, and she wished Becky the best. More lost than she had been when Esther drove her home, Melanie plopped down at her kitchen table and took some time for herself.

  By the end of the week, Esther hadn’t managed to find time to talk with Melanie again, not in any way that didn’t involve school or meetings. Alone for the weekend because Anthony was at Skip’s, she stepped out of her house and locked the door, pocketing her keys. She hadn’t been to Melanie’s since Thanksgiving, and it worried her to go there without texting or calling first.

  She really probably should, but she wanted to see Melanie and she was afraid if she tried to get hold of her that Melanie would tell her not to come. It was really a selfish reason, too. She didn’t want to be alone any longer. The majority of the day by herself, cleaning for distraction, was too much.

  Esther had gotten used to seeing Melanie almost every weekend for the last month, and the way Melanie had looked when she’d dropped her off earlier that week didn’t sit right. She wanted to know how everything was going, if Becky had left her cheating husband, if the rest of the family was dealing with it well or poorly.

  Stepping off the first curb, Esther shoved her hands into her pockets and hunched her shoulders against the powerful wind as it blew. It was something she had gotten used to over the years of living in Cheyenne—that and the cottonwood in the summer taking over like a blanket of snow, but the wind she could deal with better.

  As she arrived at Melanie’s door, Esther hesitated. Her car was gone, but there were two others parked along the street. Raising her fist, Esther knocked and then held her breath as she waited for Melanie to answer. Instead, she was greeted with Avery.

  “Mom’s not home,” Avery muttered, eyeing Esther from the doorway as if she was the gatekeeper to the inside.

  “Oh, I guess I can come back later.”

  “Who is it, Ave?”

  “Esther.”

  “Let her in!”

  Avery scoffed and suddenly the door was opened wider, revealing Ella, who looked much better than the last time Esther had seen her. Ella shoved Avery to the side and motioned for Esther to enter. “Come on.”

  She hesitated, not moving. “I don’t want to be a bother.”

  “You’re not.” Ella slid Avery a pointed look. “I promise. Come in. Mom said you liked that tea she brought over, so she got some for here, too.”

  “Oh, thank you.”

  “Or we have coffee.”

  “That’d be better for right now.” Esther smiled slightly as she stepped inside, but as soon as she made eye contact with Avery, her smile faded. Ella led her into the kitchen and made coffee for the both of them.

  They moved to the living room and sat down, Avery sitting curled in the chair with her phone in her hand, texting someone. Esther sipped the steaming coffee and watched both sisters. They looked so different, but she could see the similarities. Ella was tall and lanky, skinny almost, but she had been puking her guts out for weeks if Melanie had been telling the truth. Avery was short, curvy, with lighter caramel hair to Ella’s mousy brown.

  But their eyes were the same. Direct. Knowing. Piercing. Avery’s seemed angry, whereas Ella’s were welcoming. Focusing on the comfortable, Esther turned to Ella. “Your mom said the peppermint was still helping.”

  “Yes!” Ella grinned. “It is, thank you. I don’t know what I would have done without that. Honestly.”

  “I’m glad. It really was my lifesaver with Anthony.”

  “Where is Anthony? You’ve mentioned him, Mom’s mentioned him, but I’ve never met him.”

  “Oh.” Esther’s stomach tightened at the reminder. “He’s with his dad for the weekend. We have fifty-fifty custody.”

  “I’m glad we never had to do that.” Ella shot Avery a sharp look. “Not that we know who our dads are.”

  Esther nodded, another piece added to her puzzle that was these kids. She stayed rigid on the couch, eyeing Avery who seemed so disinterested in the conversation, but Esther suspected that Avery was listening intently to everything she had to say.

  “I always thought I’d be married when I got pregnant, you know,” Ella murmured. “Like Becky.”

  Focused back on Ella, Esther looked her over, the mood shifting.

  “I’m not sure I can provide for a baby on my own.”

  “I wasn’t either,” Esther supplied. “Skip and I weren’t married, and I was still with him when I had Anthony and for about six months after that. I left when school started up again. Being a parent is one of the scariest things I’ve ever done, but it’s also pretty rewarding.”

  “I can’t imagine doing to my baby what Becky is doing to her kids.”

  Esther cocked her head at Ella. “I think Becky is just trying to figure out what’s going on right now. She’s not doing anything to her girls.”

  Avery snorted. Esther narrowed her gaze at her, trying to figure out what her problem was, but she didn’t say anything. Ella sent Avery a sharp look.

  “Mom said the same thing,” Ella chimed in.

  “Mom is just trying to catch her breath,” Avery inserted into the conversation, looking directly at Esther. “She’s got a lot on her plate right now.”

  “She does,” Esther agreed. “And I’m pretty sure she can handle it.”

  “With your help, you mean.”

  Esther slid her gaze from Avery to Ella and then back. Ella was surprised by the outburst, that much was clear. Esther shook her head. “Only if she wants.”

  “Why are you here? I mean, you spent Thanksgiving with us, but that’s normal. We tend to bring in the strays on the holidays.”

  Esther’s heart clenched sharply. “I’m here because I wanted to speak to Melanie.”

  “What about?”

  “None of your business, frankly.” Esther clenched her jaw, pulling in the threads of the walls that she had worked hard to keep down when talking to Ella. Avery was a different beast today compared to the last time the two of them had talked, and in fact, compared to anything Melanie had shared about her. Cocking her head slightly, Esther narrowed her gaze and attempted to work out why there was such a shift. Then it hit her. She was jealous. Avery was the youngest and she was jealous of the time Melanie was spending with her.

  She’d only anticipated that with Anthony, not with Melanie’s children, but this was a family she was walking into, whether they were friends or more, and Esther had to tread carefully around that. Finally understanding, Esther leaned back into the couch and gave Avery a hard stare.

  She’d dealt with students who were tough like this before, and while the situation was slightly different, Esther would use largely the same tactics. She stared Avery down over the rim of her mug, holding her gaze until Avery broke it. Esther considered that a small win for the morning.

  “How is everything going with your pregnancy?” Esther asked Ella but didn’t look at her.

  “It’s going good, I think. It’s hard when appointments are so far between.”

  “It is.” Esther still watched Avery as she moved back to playing on her phone. “How’s your mom handling it?”

  “What do you mean?” Ella sounded curious.

  At the mention of Melanie, Avery looked up. Esther knew she was working in the right direction. Avery’s concern was Melanie. This was protection based. Turning to Ella now that she had Avery’s full attention, Esther smiled. “I know she was surprised when you told her. It’s a lot for her to handle, Avery said so, and I agree. From your pregnancy to Becky’s marital problems, I’m sure she feels like her family is crumbling. Don’t you think?”

  Her last question she aimed at Avery, who gave an almost imperceptible nod. Good, she was winning this one.

  “I guess. I hadn’t really thought of it before.”

  “It’s a good thing your mom has friends who care about her then.” Esther made eye contact with Avery again, who at least had the audacity to blush with embarrassment. “I know Chris has been talking to her a lot these past few weeks, trying to give advice and just be there. I’m only trying to do the same.”

  “You want more from her,” Avery murmured.

  Esther held in her smile, glad she had finally broken that barrier. Avery was easier than some kids she had known. Esther leaned forward, placing her elbows on her knees as she leaned in to make sure Avery heard what she was about to say. “What I want from your mom is only what she can give me when she wants to give it. Nothing more. She’s my friend and my coworker, and I care about her.”

  “You care about what she can give you.”

  “No,” Esther corrected. “I don’t, and I’m pretty sure if you ask her, she’ll tell you the same. I care about her.”

  Avery seemed to contemplate that for a while before nodding her agreement. “Fair.”

  “So where is she?”

  “She’s at the grocery store. We were unexpected guests this morning,” Ella provided.

  “Why are you here? Any special reason?” Esther leaned into the couch, relaxed now that she’d seemed to get over the hurdle with Avery.

  “Becky,” Ella muttered. “We don’t know what to do about her.”

  “Support her, I’d imagine,” Esther replied. She may have only been a few years older than Ella, but it was clear she had a lot more maturity, likely both a product of their upbringings. Esther had been thrust into the world while Ella had been given the grace to grow into it slowly, although she was about to be thrown into it in the coming year.

  “Well, yes, but how?”

  Esther thinned her lips as she thought. “Whatever she needs. You need to be kind about Preston even if you don’t want to be, and that’s not necessarily for Becky’s sake but for her kids’ sake. They need to see a united front from you since they are going through chaos at home. You can be that strength, so do that.”

  Avery frowned. “I want to take him out back and give him a piece of my mind.”

  Esther’s lips curled upward. “I understand the sentiment.”

  She’d like to do the same with Skip, only that would result in far more problems than it would solve. No matter what, Skip would have control over her since they had a child together. Maybe that was something the two of them needed to hear, especially Ella. “They have kids together. Even if they get divorced, Becky is going to be dealing with Preston for the rest of her life.”

  “Not if he’s dead.”

  “Even then,” Esther answered, looking right at Ella. “There’s no way to avoid the other party to a baby.”

  Ella’s eyes widened, but Esther was pretty sure she understood what she wasn’t saying directly. Finishing her coffee, Esther stood up to put her cup in the sink after rinsing it. When she got back to the living room, both girls looked at her curiously.

  “Let your mom know I was here if you want to, all right? But I’m going to head home and get some work done for next week.”

  Neither said much, but Ella did hop up to walk Esther to the door. Esther stepped out onto the sidewalk and toward her house, unsure if the kiss she and Melanie had shared was for the best. It had been nice, it had been welcome, but it wasn’t just Anthony they were going to have to contend with in the end.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  They had only three more days of school until it was finally time to break for the holidays. Esther had burned both ends of the candle sufficiently, and the break could not come fast enough. Melanie may not have been her mentor any longer, but except for the fact that Melanie had told her as much, Esther wouldn’t have known the difference. She still checked in regularly at school, still made sure Esther had what she needed and kept time open to talk.

  Only now it wasn’t like pulling teeth. Esther had to smile at that thought as she moved her papers around during her prep period. Melanie hadn’t so much as blinked at the difference of roles, although she could not stop thinking about the one night of a few quick kisses they had shared.

  They hadn’t talked in detail about what it all meant, but Esther was comfortable with that. She didn’t feel an urgency to define what they were doing. All she knew was that she had enjoyed the time they had spent together and looked forward to when they might be able to do it again.

  She assumed Avery and Ella hadn’t told Melanie she’d visited because Melanie hadn’t mentioned it. She had specifically left that decision up to them so it wouldn’t feel like she was pushing beyond what they were comfortable with.

  When her cellphone rang, she almost didn’t answer. The happy mood she’d been in vanished in an instant. She had five minutes before her students were due back in her classroom, and Skip’s phone calls always left her pissed off or upset, sometimes both. She debated whether or not to let it slide into voicemail.

  Except she knew what would happen, exactly the same as last time. In an instant, she was distracted when Melanie knocked on her door and had a brilliant smile gracing her lips.

  “Hey,” Melanie said, sliding in and shutting the door behind her.

  Esther was glad she had figured out that she preferred it that way. “Hey, back. I’m just finishing up prep time.”

  “I know.” Melanie leaned on the edge of the desk. “Do you have time to swing by tonight? I think I’m going to need it.”

  “You’re going to need it?” Esther raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

  “Long story. I’ll explain when you come by. Avery is cooking dinner, so that means it’ll be pizza or Chinese she’s ordering. I’m betting on the pizza, though.”

  “I have Anthony…” Esther trailed off, glancing at her phone again to see the call had ended. Sure enough, as if on cue, her classroom phone rang loudly.

  “Bring him, too.” Melanie nodded toward it. “I’ll let you get that.”

  “It’s…” Esther stopped. How did she say it wasn’t important without giving away that she knew who was calling. She stared at the phone before glancing up at Melanie. “What can we bring tonight?”

  “Yourselves will be enough. I promise. Avery is in charge tonight. Mostly. I’m there to supervise.”

  Esther furrowed her brow, slightly confused. She was just about to grab the receiver on the phone when it stopped ringing sharply. She frowned at it.

  “Guess you missed whoever it was.”

  “I’m sure he’ll call back,” she muttered.

  “He?”

  “Skip,” Esther responded, still not looking at Melanie.

  “He calls you like this at work?”

  Sliding her gaze to Melanie, Esther shrugged as the phone started ringing again. “I should get it.”

  “Probably.” Melanie cocked her head, a curious glance in her eyes. “But you don’t have to answer him if you don’t want to. It’s not exactly convenient for you.”

  “He likes to try and call me when I’m busy at work, when the kids are in the room.”

  “Why’s that?”

  Esther’s heart raced as the phone echoed again, telling her to pick it up. She reached for it and curled her fingers around the receiver.

  “So I don’t fight as much. Do you mind?” Esther nodded toward the door.

  Melanie bowed her head and left the room. She wasn’t quick enough though, and he had to call a third time before she was able to finally pick up. Her voice was weak and passive, which she hated, but she couldn’t control it. “Hello?”

  “Finally!” Skip sounded exasperated. “What if this had been a real emergency? Huh? What if Anthony was hurt?”

  Esther bit back the response because if Anthony was hurt, at school, during school hours, she would likely know well before Skip did. Same with the daycare for that matter. They had tried to call him several times when he was late to pick Anthony up and instead she’d ended up going to get him—and paying the late fees on top of it because somehow it was her fault.

  “Anthony is fine,” Esther answered. “What did you need?”

  Skip scoffed. “Do you have any respect for co-parenting? I thought you did. You need to make sure you answer my calls at all times.”

  Esther found herself nodding before she could stop the reaction. She hated that she still did that. Four years separated and she still felt as though she had to do everything the man said. “I will try to do better next time.”

  “Next time? If you keep this up there won’t be a next time, Esther. If you can’t be responsible, then I’m going to make sure you don’t have to take any risks with our son.”

  “Skip, what did you need?” She tried to redirect him. At least when they were on the phone he wouldn’t be able to get in her face and yell.

  “Did you find daycare for Anthony next week? I won’t be able to watch him.”

  She cursed under her breath. She had completely forgotten he’d asked her to do that in the chaos of the argument with Mrs. Delanport and then with Becky and Melanie.

  How she was going to get out of this one without getting yelled at, she wasn’t sure. The odds weren’t in her favor for it. “I’m so sorry, Skip. I haven’t—”