Page 2 of When Love Is Unexpected

"I feel like I led him on," I say. "It was a comfortable relationship. But I don't want comfortable. There wasn't that… that something that my sisters have with their husbands. There's like an unspoken but tangible spark between them. I never had that with Eric."

"What about with Sam?" Mom asks.

I look at her with both surprise and confusion.

"Sam?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. "Sam and I are friends. We'll never be more than friends."

Mom doesn't say anything. Instead, she starts sweeping again.

"Have you heard from him lately?" she asks.

"No," I say. "As a matter of fact, I haven't talked to him in two weeks. I think Dad talks to him more than I do."

Mom shoots me a look and a smile.

"No, I'm not jealous," I say, "But I've literally heard Dad answer the phone and spend an hour talking to Sam. He never hands me the phone, so I can only assume Sam calls to talk to him, not me."

Mom glances up at me, tilts her head slightly, and smiles again.

"Okay, maybe I am a little jealous," I admit.

Mom puts her arm around my waist and leads me inside the house.

***

Our Sunday lunches have turned into Sunday dinners. Tonight, Eric is the only one missing. My sister Katherine is here with her husband, Adam, and their two kids, five-year-old Tori and two-year-old Jon.

Family friends Laura and Charles Clay are here, too. They've been part of the family for as long as I can remember. My sister Loren was engaged to their son, Justin, but he died in a car accident six years ago.

Loren clung to Justin's memory for four years, thinking she could never love again. All that changed when Adam's foster brother, Aaron, and his daughter, Holly, returned to Cold Spring after Aaron's wife died. He and Loren found each other and fell in love. They've been married and have been living in Boston for two years.

"Has anyone talked to Loren today?" asks Mom.

"Yes," says Laura. "I spoke to her this morning. They're all packed and ready to come home. Loren, Holly, and Christina will be here on Wednesday. Aaron, his dad, and the moving truck will arrive on Thursday."

"Oh my gosh!" I exclaim. "Is the nursery ready?"

"Yes," says Katherine. "Mom, Laura, and I put the finishing touches on it last night. The room is pale yellow, the furnishings white, and the accent colors are green and some pretty creams. It's beautiful."

"I can't believe they decided to wait until the baby's born to find out the gender," says Laura. "Keeping the colors neutral was no easy task."

"She's due in five weeks, right?" I ask. "I'm so excited! Katherine, are you and Aaron still the designated birthing coaches?"

"Yes," says Katherine. "Loren was in the room when Tori was born. I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Sorry to change the subject," Adam begins. "But where's Eric? I was supposed to see him here to give him the keys to his new place."

"We broke up today," I say. "So he won't be coming."

"Laila, Eric is a good man," Adam says. "But he's not for you."

"I know," I say. "I should've listened to you years ago when you tried to tell me."

Adam gives me a little wink and a smile in lieu of an "I told you so."

"Once I start my residency in Boston, my schedule will be more hectic than ever. I can't see myself staying in a committed relationship."

When I glance at Dad, I catch him grinning. I try not to read too much into it, but it doesn’t go unnoticed.

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