Page 80 of Future Like This

“Rude,” Joel says.

Rae runs a hand over her stomach. “Don’t worry. You can be this one’s favorite uncle.”

“Hey, what about me?” I say in mock offense as Amelia and Sarah laugh.

Rae shrugs. “You can be Brooke’s favorite.”

“If they ever let us see her again,” I say. Trevor and Chelsea welcomed baby Brooke at the beginning of this month. They also got married at some point, but since Trevor knows we had an inconsequential bet about whether Brooke or marriage would come first, he refuses to tell us when they got married. Classic Trevor.

We haven’t seen them much since we visited the hospital after Brooke was born because they’ve been hiding out ever since. Probably in a love bubble like Amelia and I were, only theirs is smaller since they’re only letting their immediate family visit. At least they—and Hyla—send pictures in the group text. I get it though. It’s a special time, and it’s good they set their own boundaries.

“Hey,” Mackie calls, walking in the front door with Cocoa.

“Hey, Macks,” I call, turning to face her.

“How was loving on the pups?” Sarah asks. She then dons a baby-talk voice and leans forward to greet Cocoa. Sky comes over too, and rubs noses with Cocoa. Though Sky is more energetic, he seems to sense that Cocoa needs lower energy and takes her lead.

Mackie slips her shoes off, then joins Sarah and Joel on the couch, tucking her feet up underneath her.

“It’s literally the best way to spend a day. Plus, Lana and I lined up another possible grant and donor today. I’m loving this. It’s just enough business to keep my brain fired up, but it’s paired with the relaxation of snuggling with the furry babies. Plus, there’s nothing like a job I can take Cocoa to. Everyone loves her at the bakery, too.”

“How could they not? She’s so sweet,” Sarah coos.

“She is. It’s not exactly a high paying job at this point, but I’d rather live in a tiny apartment and be happy. I’ll get my cute little dream house one day.”

“I’m happy for you. You deserve this,” I say, sitting down next to her.

“Thanks.”

“Seriously,” Rae says with a smile, carefully sitting down on the coffee table. “You have the same energy I did when I found out about Promise. Oh my gosh.” She looks tentatively at Mackie. “Okay if I steal the conversation for a minute?”

Mackie laughs. “Go for it. We always circle back.”

“We do,” Rae laughs, then shakes her head. “Speaking of Promise, apparently the lack of resources around here got my old boss Kristen thinking, and she talked with the board of directors for Promise, and they’re working on creating a small expansion with Binghamton University. It’s in the early stages, but it’ll give Chels and me an umbrella to work from and once they find a couple of LCSWs to work it, Chelsea and I will be able to do some of our clinical hours through there too. It won’t meet every need, but it’s a start and something I can expand on.” She lets out a long breath. “Anyway. Back to Mackie.”

We all laugh. “How about we talk more over dinner? I’m starving,” Mackenzie says.

We’re all sitting around Rae and Aaron’s dining room table, laughing and talking. Dinner has been over for a while, but there’s something about sitting around the table and being together that pulls us all in. Same way we used to sit around Joel’s parents’ basement drinking soda and talking, but now we’re adults. Or something like that. It’s weird how I still feel sixteen sometimes, while others I’m acutely aware of how much of an adult I am. Especially when I hold my daughter. Which I’m currently not, because Sarah stole her as soon as Amelia finished feeding her.

We’ve been talking about everything from work to baseball to babies, and as Mackie predicted, circling back to her new job. I love seeing her so damn happy and finding her place. She deserves that, and I hope that as other pieces of her life fall into place, she’ll have a better idea of what she wants personally—and romantically.

“Hey, have you guys found a nanny yet?” Rae asks. She has her chair turned sideways and her feet propped up on Aaron’s lap as he massages them and her calves. I’d make a joke about being whipped, but it’s not whipped, it’s deep respect and love for his wife. The same way I feel about Amelia.

Who is currently sighing and rolling her eyes. “No. We’ve interviewed a few and they’ve all been—”

“Awful?” I supply.

“Yeah. That. And the only daycare I like around here is Little Feet, but it’s got a waiting list so long that I don’t think Marion herself could help us get in.”

Marion of Marion’s Café is a close family friend of Kaila Anderson, who runs Little Feet. It’s highly sought after for both daycare and preschool.

“JWAC is looking to do in-house daycare,” I say. “But they haven’t found someone to run it yet.”

“They should talk to Kaila,” Sarah says. “She runs a tight ship and could hire reliable people to do it.”

“But in the meantime, you don’t need to worry,” Rae says.

“What? Why? Do you know someone?” Amelia asks, a little rabid. But admittedly, we only have three more weeks until she goes back to work.

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