Page 22 of The Beat of her Heart

“But I shouldn’t be acting like some teenager around a colleague I’ve barely spoken to.” Addie ran a hand through her hair.

“That’s the beauty of it all, isn’t it?” her mom asked.

“I just want to work and take care of Sophie, Mom.”

“You’re overthinking this,” her mom said. “Do you want me to come down? I could help out, give you some time to figure things out.”

Addie shook her head quickly. “No. I’ve got this.”

Her mom gave her a long look. “You sure?”

“Yes,” Addie said.

A door creaked open and Sophie walked into the living room. Her hair was damp, tied back into a small ponytail, and she’d changed into a purple shirt with a bunny on the front. She held a stuffed bear in one hand and looked curious.

Addie waved her over. “Come say hi to Grandma.”

Sophie climbed onto the couch and sat close to Addie. “Hi, Grandma!”

“Hello, my sweet girl,” her mom said. Her face lit up and she waved at the screen. “Did you have a good day at school?”

“Yeah!” Sophie said. “We did painting, and I made a picture for Mom.”

Addie nudged her lightly. “You didn’ttell me that.”

“I wanted it to be a surprise,” Sophie said. “But now it’s not.”

Her grandma laughed. “That’s okay. Surprises are overrated.”

Sophie nodded, her focus returning to the screen. “Are you coming to visit us, Grandma?”

Her mom glanced at Addie. “Not yet, but maybe soon.”

Sophie frowned. “Why not now?”

“Because your mom says she’s got everything under control,” her grandma said. “And I trust her.”

Sophie looked unconvinced. “You should come anyway. Then we can bake cookies together.”

Her grandma smiled. “That’s tempting. Maybe closer to Christmas.”

Sophie brightened at that. “Okay!”

“Alright, you,” Addie said. “Go start your homework.”

Sophie slid off the couch reluctantly, dragging her bear. “Okay, Mom.”

When the door to Sophie’s room closed, Addie turned back to the screen. Her mom’s expression had softened.

“She’s doing well,” her mom said.

“She’s great,” Addie said. “Which is why I can’t afford to mess anything up.”

“You won’t,” her mom said. “But don’t let fear stop you from trying.”

Addie sighed. “I know.”

Her mom glanced at her watch. “I need to go. But Addie, take it slow if you need to. Just don’t shut the door before you’ve opened it.”

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