Page 44 of Skipping Stones

“Baby!” said the toddler, seeing Ivy in Derek’s arms. He kissed his little sister, as his nanny taught him to do. He reached out to put his arms around Olivia’s neck, but she pushed him away. Nurses had been in and out of the room all night and she hadn’t slept. Leo and a newborn were just too much for her to cope with.

“Take him home, please,” she asked Zuzanna, and Derek’s heart broke.

Even the new baby seemed too much for her. Ivy and Olivia stayed in the hospital for three nights and Derek split his days between home and the hospital. Olivia didn’t seem to want to hold Ivy at all, choosing to let her husband or the nurse soothe their daughter. She just turned her back and claimed she was too tired. Derek talked to the doctor, who explained it was just a touch of the baby blues and not to worry. She would be tired, after a very difficult pregnancy and with a toddler at home.

Derek accepted this, but once they got home, it didn’t get better. Christmas was coming, but Olivia showed little interest, preferring to read law books than read to her children. Zuzanna was there, after all, to take care of them.

* * *

Linney spent the dull grey workweek days of December getting reacquainted with TCN staff in London and hanging out on weekends with MJ. It took the better part of the month, but she finally decided where she wanted to be posted after several conversations with Mac—always with his office door open, lest anyone think something was happening.

On Christmas Eve, she shook the rain from her umbrella outside MJ’s door and rang the bell. Good smells were wafting from under her door. MJ’s traditional Québécois tourtière was divine, and Linney couldn’t wait to taste it. “Merry Christmas! Joyeux Noël!” she shouted and held up a bowl of trifle she’d made. They’d have a multi-cultural celebration this year, just the two of them.

“So tell me,” MJ asked as they got settled on her couch. “Have you decided yet?”

Linney smiled. “I have. And Mac’s on board.”

“Well, where?” MJ bounced with excitement for her friend.

“Damascus.”

“Syria. Wow.” It was a big bold move for both TCN and Linney. This would be a start-up location at a time when the situation in the area wasn’t stable.

“The bad news, or good news depending on how you look at it, is that I’ll probably be in London for longer than we’d originally thought. It looks like it will take a few extra months to get the paperwork in place to get the new bureau set up there.”

MJ looked delighted. “I don’t mind that at all!

They had a lovely dinner and as she poured cups of tea, MJ announced some news of her own. “They’re going to announce it after the holidays, but I’m going to manage the whole digital team in London.” This was a big promotion, but MJ deserved it.

“That’s amazing—congratulations! Maybe your team will be able to use some of what I send back.”

“I’m counting on it!”

* * *

The Christmas season in Silver Lake was always beautiful with the tree in Centennial Park lit up for the holidays. It was a peaceful time of year when the town could focus on its own. The schools held concerts, the church rehearsed for the Christmas Eve pageant, and Anna’s dance studio held recitals. Emma and Gabby were older now, and at thirteen and twelve, didn’t have the same enormous “Santa high” as Anna called it. Instead, their Christmas mornings were quieter affairs—the real excitement started when friends and extended family stopped by on Boxing Day for apple cider and cookies.

This year, Derek arrived first, with brand new baby Ivy and big brother Leo in tow. “I left Olivia at Mum’s to rest,” he explained. Zuzanna was with her boyfriend for the holidays and with Ivy keeping them both up most of the night, her parents were perpetually exhausted. Emma and Gabby descended upon Ivy and declared her beautiful, but the baby began to cry.

Kirsten stomped the snow off her boots in the entry. “What’s all this noise?” she asked, as Danny took his turn trying to settle Ivy. He was happy to turn the baby over to Kirsten, but she had no better luck. Leo toddled up to her holding a book, and with an apologetic look, she handed Ivy to Anna and took Leo to a quiet corner. She was more than happy to read to Leo and he seemed comfortable sitting in her lap.

Anna seemed to have the magic touch and as she bounced Ivy gently, in the swaying dance most mothers seemed to know how to do intuitively, the baby’s eyes fluttered closed. With relief, Derek ran a hand through his hair and yawned.

“Is it the company?” Danny jested.

Derek shook his head, failing magnificently at stifling another yawn before holding his hands up in defeat, making everyone laugh.

“Is everything alright at home?” Anna asked, still swaying back and forth. She’d never taken to Olivia, but she did know how hard babies were.

“Ivy’s fussy so we’re not sleeping, and Olivia’s just having a bit of trouble adjusting. Two babies close together, and she’s not—” He hesitated, wondering if he should say it. “She’s not the most natural of mothers.”

“Give her some time,” Anna counselled. “The baby blues are a real thing.”

Derek nodded his head. “I’ve talked to her doctor. She had another tough pregnancy, and I think she’s just finding it hard to get her energy back. We’re a lot older than you and Danny were when you had Gabby and Emma.”

“You’re right there. I don’t think I could do it now.” Anna looked lovingly at her husband, and then back at Derek. “At least you have Zuzanna.”

The bells at the door jingled as Anna’s sisters and their families arrived. The teenagers took Leo with them to play in the snow, and Derek kept an eye out for him while everyone cooed over his slumbering daughter. A few neighbours came by and when Leo and the teens came in for hot chocolate, the house was full to bursting. It was a bit much for Leo, who was ready for a nap. When he started rubbing his eyes, Derek decided to cut the visit short. “It’s been so good to see you guys again,” he said as he gave hugs all around. “I’m sorry we can’t stay longer. I’m hoping by summer that things are a little more stable and we can spend some time at the lake as a family.”

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