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about not wanting to raise any more kids, but it wasn’t directed to you, specifically.”
    Jamie shook her head. “No. I’m sure what he said was intended for me. And it was so ridiculous.” She paused to toss chopped onions into a skillet. “But he was very good about remembering little details I told him about the kids the other day.” He’d also let Joseph’s comment slide because the kids were there, she didn’t add. “So I’ll try to keep an open mind about him overall, but I don’t think I’ll ever forget he has this … bigheaded side to him.”
    “Describe the physical reaction you had when you saw him,” Liz ordered. “Did your eyes bug out or something? I mean, you must’ve had a very visible reaction for him to feel he had to warn you.”
    Heat gushed through my veins, making me feel warm and flushed all over, Jamie thought, but instead she said, “You want me to describe what? You’re kidding, right?” She grabbed a green pepper and proceeded to chop it up into pieces. “Although, you are married to my brother so I can see why you need to get your thrills elsewhere.”
    Liz laughed and walked over to Jamie, enveloping her in an unexpected hug. “I’m so glad you’re finally back home, tormenting your brother like you used to, and laughing like you used to.”
    Isabella slipped an arm around Jamie’s waste. “ Sí, mamita . We know how hard the last five years were on you, even if you never want to talk about it.”
    “Why were the last five years hard on you, Mommy? Because of us? We’re five years old … ” a confused Michael asked. Liz, Jamie, and Isabella all turned to look at him, surprised he’d snuck up on them.
    Jamie, who’d been feeling like she was going to tear up, quickly switched gears and gave her son her warmest smile. “Grandma meant the last two years, honey.” She squatted down in front of him.
    “Because of Daddy?” Michael asked.
    “Yes, because of Daddy.” Jamie hugged him to her. “It’s just the last five years were hard on Grandma because she wanted to have us all closer to her, and she missed us so much. She got confused, that’s all.”
    “Because of her age?” Michael asked, giving Jamie, Liz, and Isabella a reason to smile.
    “Because of my age.” Isabella mussed Michael’s hair, shooting Jamie an apologetic look.
    • • •
    Jamie was nervous the morning of the kids’ first day of school, and she didn’t want to add her “physical reactions” and memories of awkward meetings with Nick to the mix. So she subtly sidestepped the line of parents greeting the headmaster and walked on to the kindergarten, where Mrs. Gardner, the school principal, and Miss Dwyer, the teacher, were receiving children.
    She stepped in to see a freshly painted, warm classroom. The walls were a soft yellow, decorated with everything from the alphabet to colors and farm animals. Plenty of natural light shone through. She took a few pictures, but got up to go when she saw other parents were leaving.
    “Mommy, can’t you stay?” Timmy grabbed onto her leg.
    “I really can’t, sweetie, but I know you’re going to have a great time. You’ll learn new things and make friends.”
    “And I’ll take care of you just like Mommy would,” Michael said. “I’ll open your juice box and sharpen your pencils if you need help.”
    “Mommy, don’t leave! ” Timmy began crying.
    Jamie and the teacher’s assistant spent the next ten minutes calming Timmy down. There was another little girl crying, and the harder one cried, the higher the other’s wails would go. For Jamie, it was torture.
    She was finally able to leave the classroom, her heart in a million pieces and her whole body feeling heavier than usual.
    On her way out, Nick was standing in the courtyard, talking to a few parents. When he saw her, he broke away just long enough to tell her, “Hey, it’ll be okay. I promise it gets easier.”
    And he was right. In a few short weeks, the kids were both happy