“Emily, honey!” Caroline beamed.

Emily dropped her bag onto the floor and grinned at Lea’s mother.

Caroline opened her arms. “Come here!”

“Hey,” Emily sighed happily. She closed her eyes, welcoming Caroline’s embrace.

“Your daughter has arrived too, you know,” Lea chuckled, shutting the front door behind them.

Caroline laughed and tightened her grip on Emily. “I’ll get to you in a minute.”

“Sorry, stealing your mom again,” Emily mumbled.

“It’s fine. I can wait,” Lea sighed.

Caroline let go of Emily and addressed her daughter with a smile. “Come here, impatient child of mine.”

Emily smiled as Lea hurried into her mother’s arms. She looked around the hallway of the Harvey house, taking in the many pictures on the wall. She never got tired of them.

“How was the drive?” Caroline asked, gesturing for them to follow her into the kitchen.

“It was wonderful,” Lea answered, glancing at Emily.

Emily’s heart fluttered. The conversation on their way over here had indeed been wonderful. She couldn’t wait to share the news with everyone.

“I hope you’re hungry,” Caroline said, gesturing for them to sit at the kitchen table. “Your father made another cheesecake.”

Lea and Emily both chuckled in response.

“Again?” Lea asked, sitting down on one of the old chairs.

Emily took the seat next to her. “What flavor is it this time?”

Caroline opened the large fridge in the corner of the room. “Something with white chocolate, I think.”

“Oh, that sounds so good,” Lea said, leaning back.

“Yeah, I can get used to Gary’s new hobby,” Emily added, patting her stomach.

Caroline closed the fridge with a bump of her hip. She placed a large cheesecake on the counter. “Better let him know once he gets home then,” she said and grabbed a knife from the drawer. “He needs a lot of affirmation,” she winked.

“We will make sure to do that,” Lea replied happily, leaning to the side until her shoulder rested against Emily’s.

“How are things at work?” Caroline asked, cutting into the cake.

Lea glanced up at Emily. Emily made an effort to smile back at her.

“Great for me,” Lea replied. “Our website broke a new visitor record this week.”

“That’s fantastic, honey!” Caroline said, scooping up the second slice of cake. She put it on a plate and added a small fork.

“And I’m still soul searching, I’m afraid,” Emily said quickly because she knew that was what Caroline would ask next.

Lea’s mother picked up both plates and walked over. “That’s okay, right? You can’t find your path overnight.”

Emily pursed her lips. “I know. But it’s been over a year and I just hate this.”

“Hate what?” Caroline asked, handing Emily and Lea large pieces of cheesecake.

Emily thought for a second. “The freelancing helps financially,” she explained slowly, frowning. “But it feels like a defeat.”

Caroline sat down, placing her elbows on the yellow table cloth. “Why?”

Emily took in a slow, deep breath. Lea covered her hand and squeezed encouragingly.

“I guess I feel like I should have figured it out by now,” Emily admitted, her throat tightening. “And I’m doing freelance work I swore I was never going to do again and I’m doing it for companies I don’t believe in.”

Caroline nodded in understanding. “I get it, but you’re still trying to find something you do believe in, right?”

“Yeah,” Emily croaked. “Trying every day.”

“Well, you’re just buying yourself a little more time by freelancing,” Caroline said softly, placing her hand on Emily’s and Lea’s.

She smiled as her eyes darted from Emily to Lea and back. “My sweet girls.”

Emily teared up a little. She clenched her jaw and studied the kitchen wallpaper’s busy print until she had her emotions under control.

When she finally turned her head to face Caroline, Lea’s mother was still watching her.

“I am absolutely certain that things will work out for the best,” Caroline said, straightening her back. “The right opportunity will present itself once you are ready.”

“That’s what I keep telling her,” Lea said, smiling.

Emily huffed a laugh. “It’s not fair to gang up on me.”

The triumphant grins on Caroline’s and Lea’s faces were identical. Emily couldn’t help but smile. She had grown to love these two women, one like a partner and the other like a mother, so very much.

Lea had turned her life upside down the moment they met. Emily usually didn’t believe in fate or any of that serendipity stuff, but the way she and Lea had met? It couldn’t be a coincidence.

Caroline had welcomed her into the family with open arms from the very first time. It had been precisely what Emily had needed after uprooting her whole life without her parents to talk to about it.

“We just both love you,” Caroline said, her eyes twinkling, interrupting Emily’s thoughts.

Lea perked up. “Very true! Mom, we’ve got some exciting news!”

Caroline’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh?”

Emily tilted her head. She and Lea had agreed they would tell Caroline and Gary today, but Lea’s father wasn’t even here yet! She guessed Lea was just too excited to wait. That was fine. Emily was thrilled too.