Lily’s cheeks turned a bright red. “I think people are giving me a little too much credit. I’m just doing my job. I’m excited that Lauren has decided to visit every other weekend and see how things work. I think it’ll be a good fit.”
“How are Liam and Sara?”
Lily’s smile lit up her entire face at the mention of her children. “They’re good. Busy. How about Zac and Zoe? Is Zac still not visiting?”
Sophia’s stomach twisted as she lowered her glass. “I don’t know, Lil. I think we might’ve traumatized him for life by getting divorced, but I mean, a lot of people get divorced, and their kids don’t run away to another continent.”
Lily placed a hand over Sophia’s and squeezed. “I’m sure he’s not running away from you. Sometimes, when things get to be a little too much, people shut down. Liam didn’t take the news of the divorce well either at first.”
Sophia studied her sister’s face. “Really? He didn’t run away to another continent, did he?”
Lily shook her head. “No, but he did give me a really hard time for a while, especially when Lance tried to turn him against me. Eventually, he started coming around again on his own, and he saw the truth. Zac will do the same; don’t worry.”
Sophia sighed and blew out a breath. “I don’t know. It feels like I’ve already lost him, Lil. And now it feels like I’m going to lose Zoe, too.”
“Because she also wants to do the habitat program?”
Sophia paused and nodded. She took a long sip of her drink, the liquid trickling down her throat before settling in the pit of her stomach. “I don’t want to push her away, but I’m afraid that if she leaves, she won’t want to come back, either.”
Not when she realized how great Africa was.
The last thing Sophia wanted was to be estranged from her children, yet there she was, sitting on her living room couch, drowning her sorrows in wine and chips and powerless to stop it from happening. She tried to imagine a different outcome for herself or a way where she didn’t end up all alone, but she couldn’t.
And she couldn’t help but blame herself for ending up there.
Sophia was, after all, the one who’d insisted on the divorce. If it weren’t for her, the four of them would’ve still been a family, with Darren and her drifting further and further apart but still living under the same roof.
Would it really have made a difference if she’d stayed with her ex?
Would it have kept Zac from fleeing to another part of the world?
“I think you’re being too hard on yourself. Zoe is doing her last semester in college, and she’s trying to figure herself out. She’s going to change her mind a million and one times before she settles on something.”
Sophia sat up straighter and stuffed a handful of chips in her mouth. “You think so?”
“Oh, definitely. Sara was like that.” Lily’s expression turned thoughtful as she sipped her drink. “Actually, so was Liam. The only one who doesn’t change her mind easily is Lauren. Anyway, look, my point is, you’re a good mom who did the best she could.”
Sophia looked down at her drink and frowned. “I don’t know. Maybe I should’ve stayed with Darren.I’mthe one who broke up our family.”
“You didn’t break up the family. You and Darren weren’t happy together. It’s not a crime to want to be happy with your partner, Soph.”
Sophia glanced up at Lily and swallowed. “Really?”
“Absolutely, and you just need to trust that Zoe is going to come back no matter what. Just like Zac will. She needs time and space to figure herself out, and the only thing you can do is give her that.”
Sophia sighed. “I guess you’re right.”
Lily touched her glass to Sophia’s and giggled. “It’s okay. You’re lucky you’ve got a big sister to guide you during all of this.”
Sophia threw her head back and laughed. “I am.”
“Knock, knock.” Her father’s face appeared in the doorway, hands clasped behind his back and an eager expression on his face. “I couldn’t help but hear you ladies through the walls. Sounds like you’re having fun.”
Sophia stood up and swayed a little on her feet. “Yeah, Pop. Come on in.”
Stu straightened his back and shook his head. “Oh, no. I don’t want to intrude. I just wanted to be sure you ladies didn’t need anything.”
“I was just telling Sophia what a great mom she is and how she should trust herself more,” Lily replied with a smile in his direction. “I bet you tell her that all the time, don’t you, Stu?”
