Page 131 of One Touch
As I pulled up outside Bluehaven Elementary, I spotted Ava immediately. She was waiting by the curb, her short black hair ruffled by the sea breeze.
My heart did a little flip at the sight of her.
“Hey, bookworm!” I called as she climbed into the car. “So? How’d it go?”
“At the start, I was so nervous,” she said, turning to me with wide eyes. “But it was actually kinda fun! I had to repeat words back but different?”
“Different?”
“Like I had to say ‘cupcake’ but without the ‘cup’ part.”
“Ooh, “cake.” That sounds good. Elara would be a fan.”
Ava laughed. “Then I had to repeat nonsense words, which was so funny. I kept laughing but they didn’t mind.”
Ava strapped herself in, and I started the car. As we drove, Ava launched into more detailed descriptions of the test. Hermemory was incredible. Kids were always so present, really taking in everything that was going on. It all made my chest tighten with an unexpected surge of affection.
Suddenly, the reality of potentially leaving for New York hit me like a ton of bricks. How could I possibly leave this little girl behind? The thought of not being there for her daily triumphs and struggles made my stomach churn.
“Lily?” Ava’s voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. “Are you okay? You look weird.”
I forced a smile, hoping it didn’t look as shaky as it felt. “I’m fine, sweetie. Just thinking.”
“Grown-up stuff?” she asked, her tone skeptical.
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. How could I explain to this eight-year-old that I was terrified of how much I cared about her? That the thought of leaving her behind for a fancy job in New York made me feel like my heart was being ripped in two?
As we pulled up to Ethan’s house, I took a deep breath. “Hey, Ava? You know I care about you a lot, right?”
She rolled her eyes, but I could see the smile tugging at her lips. “Duh, Lily. It’s super obvious. You’re, like, always making googly eyes at me.”
I laughed, the knot in my chest loosening just a bit. “Sorry for the googly eyes.”
“I like them.” Ava grinned mischievously. She pulled her eyes wide open with her fingers. Then, with a giggle, she crossed her eyes, her tongue poking out for good measure.
“Well, I just wanted to make sure you knew.”
“You know what?” she said, her voice suddenly small. “You remind me of Miss Honey. The teacher inMatilda.”
My heart swelled. “I do?”
“She’s so kind. She believes in Matilda. And she’s pretty.”
“That’s very sweet,” I managed, just about holding it together.
We went into the house, where we were greeted by an excited Ethan. He asked tons of questions about Ava’s test. Although Ethan was always happy to see Ava, he seemed particularly pleased tonight. He laughed at the made-up words she told him and let her know how proud of her he was for taking the test.
He asked about my interview, too. He’d even prepared a special horror-themed dinner to commemorate the event. As we sat down at the table, I couldn’t help but smile at his efforts.
Ethan had whipped up a “Mummy Dogs” platter: hot dogs wrapped in strips of croissant dough to look like bandages, with little dabs of ketchup for eyes. Alongside, he’d arranged a bowl of “Witches’ Fingers”—celery sticks filled with cream cheese and topped with an almond “nail.” For dessert, he proudly presented “Dirt Cups”—chocolate pudding topped with crushed Oreos and gummy worms.
“And to wash it all down,” he said with a grin, “I’ve got some ‘Blood Punch.’ It’s just fruit punch, but it’s the thought that counts, right?”
I told Ethan and Ava that the interview had gone well, but that I had a lot to think about. I didn’t mention that I’d actually been offered the position, or that Coco had promised me a higher salary and a ton of perks if I moved to New York.
After dinner, we put Ava to bed, then Ethan led me to the living room. “Want something to drink? Beer, wine?”
“No thanks,” I said. “Been laying off it since the double whammy of the bachelorette party and wedding.”
