“Lily is nervous,” I say in a quiet voice, not wanting my daughter to overhear. “Just go slowly.”
“She’s not the only one,” Polly says, looking a bit sick. “I thought I was nervous coming to meet you…but I’m way more anxious this time.”
I give her a wry smile. “If you’re nervous, she’s going to pick up on that, so try to relax.”
I hear Polly following as we go the short distance to the living room. Lily freezes mid-pace as the two of us enter the room, looking up with a deer-in-headlights expression.
“Lily?” I say, stepping aside. “This is your mom.”
“Hi, Lily,” Polly says, and I’m pleased that her smile looks stronger.
For a long moment, the two of them just stare at each other across the room. Lily inherited most of her looks from me; she has my shaggy, black hair, my slightly hooked nose, even my large ears. But her eyes, with their almond shape and long black lashes, belong entirely to her mother. Watching those two pairs of green eyes meet is strange, and makes me feel oddly like an intruder.
Then Lily steps forward hesitantly.
“Hi, Mom,” she says.
Polly’s face crumples for the first time since I saw her earlier in the week. Finally, she looks like the genuine, expressive Polly I once knew, and I watch as she sniffles and approaches Lily, kneeling down so they’re on the same level.
“I’m really happy to meet you, finally,” she says to Lily. “I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to come and see you.”
Lily’s lips purse and then she nods firmly.
“You’re here now,” she declares. “Dad said he’s coming with us. Is that okay?”
She’s testing Polly, I realize incredulously. Polly seems to realize this, too, because she smiles slightly, not at all put out.
“That’s fine,” she says. “Actually, I asked your father if he wanted to come with us.”
Lily’s face lights up. Polly passed the test. I clear my throat and step forward.
“Are we ready to go?” I ask.
“Yes,” Polly says, beaming at me as she stands.
“I’ll get my shoes,” Lily says, racing off.
As soon as she’s gone, I turn to Polly. It finally feels, now that Polly and Lily have met and everything went okay, like this will go well. I’m feeling a little mischievous.
“Careful,” I say casually. “I think Lily is thinking about trying to get us back together.”
I struggle not to laugh. The expression on Polly’s face is priceless.
Maybe this won’t be so bad, after all.
Chapter Fourteen
Georgia
I try to concentrate on the report that I’m writing, which is due tomorrow. I’ve got all my research materials gathered around me as I sit cross-legged on the floor, a cooling cup of coffee beside me and my laptop open in the middle of it all.
But I can’t. All I can think about is Ethan and Lily out with Polly today.
I know that it wasn’t in the plans for Ethan to go with Polly and Lily. So what changed? I’m desperate to ask him, but he’s already said that he doesn’t want me to go with the three of them today. After the argument that almost broke out between Polly and me, I can’t say I blame him, especially since today is supposed to b
e about the meeting between Polly and Lily.
I wonder if Ethan sent Polly a message and demanded to be able to go. But I can’t see Ethan doing that; he’s trying hard to do this for Lily, and, even if he was anxious, he wouldn’t try to change the plan on the day. He’d be more likely to sneak around after the two and secretly watch them.