Knitted Hearts by Amber Kelly
Sonia
Imake my rounds and go through the motions out of sheer will. I hate it. I like being present for the people I give care to. I never want to treat them like they are just another thing I’m checking off my to-do list for the day.
When I make it home, Elle’s car is in front of my door.
I’d get upset, but if the situation were reversed, I’d have chased her down on her job this morning.
I park beside her and roll my window down.
Both she and Bells are in the car.
“Go change out of your scrubs,” Elle orders.
“Why?”
“Because your besties are taking you on an adventure,” she informs me.
I sigh. I know putting up a fight is futile. I get out of the car and walk to my door.
“I’ll be right back,” I call over my shoulder.
“Where are we going?” I ask from the backseat after we dropped George off at the shop with Momma.
These two nutbags practically kidnapped me, and I have no idea what they have up their sleeves.
Neither has mentioned Foster or last night. I know they are just waiting me out to see how long it will take me to open up.
I’m being stubborn and petty by not talking to them.
“We are meeting Sophie, Charlotte, and Dallas at a vineyard, where Sophie and Charlotte are having a photo shoot for a magazine ad,” Bells says.
Sophie and Charlotte used to own a jewelry design company. Charlotte ran the office, and Sophie was the creative mind. They sold a majority stake to a large conglomerate earlier this year, but they are still the face of the brand.
“Wonderful,” I snap. The last thing I want is to be social at the moment.
When we arrive at the vineyard, they already have a table inside, and the staff has set up tasting flights at each seat.
Charlotte waves us over.
“You guys have some catching up to do. We’re already on our third flight,” she says before picking up one of the small tasting glasses from the oak holder and sipping the white wine. “Mmm, I like this one. Which one is it?”
Sophie leans over and points to a selection on her wine tasting sheet.
“That’s a big fat yes!” Charlotte says as she places a check mark beside the name.
I take a seat between Bells and Elle, and the server comes by and hands us each a tasting sheet and explains which flight we are starting with. As she turns to walk away, I reach out and grab her elbow.
“Can I get a glass of your favorite cabernet?” I ask.
“Of course. I’ll be right back with that.”
I turn back to the table, and they are all looking at me.
“What?” I ask and then promptly burst into sobs.
“That didn’t take as long as I’d thought,” Dallas says.
“Do you guys know everything?” I ask as I take the tissue from Bells’s hand.
“Yep. Foster told Myer, Myer told me at lunch, and I called Bells. Now, we’re all drinking overpriced wine on some company that bought their company’s dime,” Dallas says as she tilts her head to Sophie and Charlotte.
“So, you dumped him, huh?” Charlotte asks.
“I know it sounds shallow and a bit selfish, but when I get pregnant and am experiencing all those things for the first time, I want my partner to be experiencing them with me. Hearing the heartbeat for the first time, seeing the ultrasound, holding my hand when I’m in labor,” I tell them.
“It doesn’t sound shallow. I think that’s what every girl hopes for, and in a perfect world, that’s how it would work, but I won’t be the first woman Brandt stands in front of an altar with. I’ll be making those vows for the first time and hopefully the last, but he has made those promises before. Does that mean his love for me is somehow less than? Will it make our wedding less special?” Bells asks, before picking up her glass of wine and pointing it toward me.
“No it does not,” she answers herself.
“Yeah, if we all gave up, if our happiness didn’t come in the ideal box, then I’d never have given Myer a chance. And he might not have been in the room when Beau was born, but that didn’t make the moment we watched Faith come into this world any less magical for either of us, nor does it mean Myer loves Beau any less,” Dallas adds.
“I won’t be the first woman to come to Walker with a positive pregnancy test,” Elle chimes in.
“I’ll never come to Payne with one,” Charlotte utters.
I look around at my friends. All of them are blissfully happy. All of them have overcome their own obstacles to get there.
“See, every story is different. No one’s happily ever after comes wrapped up with a pretty little bow on top. Those stories happen in books and movies. Real life is messy, and it throws you curveball after curveball. But if you find love—real love—you can get through anything together, and the thing that you think is insurmountable might end up being the thing that brings you the most joy,” Bells states.
“Every happily ever after starts messy, but it’s that ever after part that makes it all worth it,” Elle agrees.