Chapter Two
Meadow
"Hello?"
I'm cleaning my station when Brooks hollers from the front of the shop. Popping my head out of the door, I see the sweet man walking towards me with a tray of drinks and a bag filled with something that smells delicious.
"Oh, Brooks. This is why you're my favorite human."
"Glad to have that title." He pauses to kiss my cheek before continuing towards the break room. "I figured you'd be in here keeping yourself busy before it's time to go get River, and I wanted to treat my girls. I know you've got a long drive."
I swoon where I'm standing and am glad the doorframe is there to prop me up. Brooks is one of the sweetest, most thoughtful men I've ever met. Not only is he perfect for Wren, but he's constantly going out of his way to show Daphne, River, and me that he cares for us and wants to build our relationships just as much as the one with Wren. It's why I've been on Team Brooks from the get-go .
Following him towards the breakroom, I help him dig out the food then shoot off a text to Daphne, letting her know there's breakfast down here. Grabbing a chair across from Brooks, I snag the drink and box of food with my name on it.
"Thanks so much for bringing breakfast. I forgot to eat this morning. I've got too much anxious energy coursing through me to sit still. I've already cleaned the house and tended to the garden, so I figured I'd head here to clean a bit before going to get River."
"Wren said the only time you were still yesterday was at yoga and while you had a client, so I figured this might be helpful."
"It absolutely is." I take a sip of my drink and hum my approval when the hot apple cider warms my belly. I know it's a little odd to be drinking it in summer, but it's my favorite, and I was so excited when I found out the local coffee shop has it year round.
"What time do you have to head out?" Brooks is digging into an egg scrambling when Daphne and Wren come in through the back door, with sleepy smiles, and join us.
"I need to leave in a few hours. River told me to pick her up at 2pm, but her counselor emailed and said they are doing an award ceremony I should be there for at 11am, followed by lunch, so I'm definitely not going to miss it."
"Oh, our girl won an award?" Wren perks up as she lovingly cups her chai latte.
"That's what I'm assuming. It's not surprising she didn't tell me, though. You know how she feels about being in the spotlight. My poor little introvert. "
"Poor Riv. I feel her pain." Daphne sighs, and I know she does. Her parents—well, more so her mother—have used her as a puppet in her father's senate campaigns for years.
"I'm just curious to see what she won." I take a bite of my veggie omelet and moan as the flavors burst in my mouth. The diner might be small, but they know how to make a mean omelet.
"How's she feeling about high school? Did they figure out her schedule?"
"I think so. They weren't really sure what to do with her, to be honest. Their program is a lot smaller than the one back in the city, but I think they've come up with an option that will work for Riv. I'm more worried about her fitting in than anything. At least at her old school, she had a few friends. Here, she's going in completely blind, into the worst years of kids being assholes to anyone different."
"Aww, it will be okay, Dow. She's got us. I won't let any punk-ass teen push her around." Wren's protective side flares to life, making me smile as I think of her cornering the mean girls and scaring the shit out of them in all of her badass, tattooed glory.
"Easy, little minx. Does River even really need to do high school? Could she homeschool or, hell, test out of it and move straight to college classes?"
"Technically, she could do either of those options, but she needs socialization with kids her age, even if she doesn't love it. Growing up on the commune left me stunted in so many ways. I was completely shell-shocked when I got the art scholarship for college. My only saving grace was having a higher IQ and being able to adapt."
"It's no wonder River is such a brainiac with a mama like you," Wren teases .
"What's your IQ, Meadow?" Brooks looks at me pensively, the professor in him shining through.
I shift uncomfortably in my seat, not sure I want to admit my IQ. I wouldn't have even known if it weren't for my psych professor having us take an IQ test in college as an assignment. It explained why I was able to adapt well to new situations, learn new things quickly, and retain a lot of information, but it’s not something I like to flaunt.
"When I did a test in college for one of my assignments for a class, it was 132."
"Holy shit." Brooks’s eyes go wide as he stares back at me.
"That's really good, right?" Wren's looking back and forth between me and Brooks, trying to figure out what neither of us are saying.
"Yeah, Wren. That's basically one step below from being classified as a genius. It's no wonder River is so brilliant."
"Honestly, I'm not surprised. You're a fucking badass and know so much about everything. You could run an efficient homestead completely off the grid; you basically drew up all the plans for the remodel of this place. You're a fantastic artist and a phenomenal mother."
I blush at Wren's praise. I might be smarter than average, but I'm still just me. I don't want to be treated differently for my big brain and would rather people focus on my big heart, which is how I try to lead my life.
"I get why you would want River to stay in school, even if teenagers are assholes. Is she at least able to take any college courses ahead of schedule?" Brooks steers the conversation away from me, and I couldn't be more grateful.
"Yes, she's going to take all of the standard pre-requisite classes this year, along with taking senior-level AP classes. I'm still not sure it's going to be stimulating enough for her, but we'll find something else for her to do in the meantime if it isn't. Maybe get her into some chess competitions or something."
"That would be really cool. Alright, I need to head over and open the bookstore. Have you ladies thought about book club any more?" Brook stands to throw out his garbage as we all start talking at once.
The room fills with our laughter as Brooks raises his hands to quiet us. "Forget I asked. Just let me know what one you decide to go with and how many copies I need to order." Brooks hugs Daphne and me before kissing the life out of Wren, then heads over to the bookstore.
"I need to head home and get my car so I can go get our girl. Thanks for covering for me today."
"Of course. Be safe. Text us when you get there." Daphne hugs me.
"I will." I release her and move to Wren.
"Tell her how fucking proud of her we are."
"You've got it." I gather my garbage to throw it out.
"Oh, it’s Sunday. What if we do dinner at The Tavern to celebrate whatever big award River has won?" Wren looks excited, but I need to rein her in a bit.
"Will it be just us? I don't want her to be overwhelmed."
"Yep. Well, and maybe Brooks and Lark. He said he might swing by today. Would that be okay?"
"Yeah, I think she'd be okay with the guys tagging along as well."
"Great. We'll see you there, then."
"Sounds good. Love you, wenches." I blow them a kiss over my shoulder and head out the back door.
I pull up to the tech camp two hours from Sparrow Falls and instantly feel out of place. My bright-colored floral skirt, a cropped-top tank without a bra, wild curly hair, and bangle bracelets covering my arms make me stand out like a sore thumb in this place. Not that the other parents look like tech people, but they definitely don't look like hippies like me.
Squaring my shoulders, I remind myself that being different is a good thing, and just because I might not look the part, it doesn’t mean I'm not the best mom I can be for River. I'm dying to see my girl and can't wait to give her a big hug.
I follow the throng of parents through the community college to the auditorium, where the award ceremony is being held. Slipping through the doors, I find a seat relatively close to the front.
River is sitting a few rows in front of me, off to the side, talking quietly to a boy who looks a few years older than her. Scanning the rest of the kids, I'm not surprised to see my girl is the youngest here. We've gotten used to that fact where Riv is concerned.
Pulling out my phone, I send her a quick text, letting her know I'm here and where I'm sitting. My mama heart melts when I see her bright smile when she reads my message, and her head whips around to find me in the crowd. Her wave is subdued, but that's just my girl's nature. My returning wave is as loud as can be and accompanied by an overdramatic kiss. She giggles as she rolls her eyes.
I notice the boy beside her looking at her curiously. When his eyes find mine and bug out of his head, I smile and send him a wave. That's a reaction we get quite a bit, especially since River and I look so different and I'm so young.
I got pregnant with River when I was a freshman in college. I might be smarter than most people around me, but my parents were extremely lax when it came to sex ed. They were very open about sex being very natural and nothing to be ashamed of, but they did not educate me about the consequences of having unprotected sex.
I was completely na?ve when I started college and had no idea I should be using contraception or condoms. Come to find out, I was somewhat of a miracle baby for my parents. My mother has bad PCOS, which is why she only ever had me. They never used contraception or condoms, but due to her diagnosis, it was much harder for her to conceive. They didn't realize it was something they needed to educate me about until it was too late.
My college roommate was the one who thought I was pregnant. We went to the clinic together, and there I learned exactly how bad I’d messed up. Although, I’ve never viewed River as a mistake. How could a sweet baby ever be a mistake? Sure, my life was a lot more difficult raising a baby on my own, but I wouldn't trade a second to be where we're at right now.
I will say that River is well aware of how a baby is made and how to protect herself from an unplanned pregnancy. By being so smart, she's been exposed to people older than her for most of her life. Not only that, but my girl is fucking cute. She's hitting puberty and starting to transform from an adorable girl to a beautiful woman.
I want her to be well educated, and able to make safe decisions for herself and her future. Some people probably wouldn't agree with how open I am with her about sex or other topics, but it works for us .
"Thank you for joining us for the closing ceremony. We had a great time this year and have achieved some amazing things." The director continues to go on about the campers, and the experiments and projects they've completed over the summer camp. Several kids have earned awards, but River hasn't been called yet.
"Every summer, one student earns the coveted full-ride scholarship to MIT. It's very competitive and a huge leg up for any one of our campers." The director pauses her speech as my eyes search out River's.
Her head is down, and she's biting her lip. The boy beside her leans in and whispers something in her ear, making her blush. It's all the confirmation I need to know that my girl has outdone herself again by winning this amazing award.
"This year, our scholarship goes to our youngest yet one of the brightest campers who has ever joined our ranks. River Sterling, it is my honor to award you a full scholarship to MIT upon your high school graduation." The director beams at my daughter as she slowly stands and makes her way to the stage.
My mama heart couldn't be prouder, but I feel for my sweet little introvert, who must be about ready to die with a literal spotlight on her. Thankfully, the camp director hands her the award and lets her immediately return to her seat.
The rest of the ceremony wraps up quickly, and I couldn't be more grateful. Weaving through the crowd, I make my way to River and wrap her in a big hug. She's taller than me now, taking after her father in that regard, but not yet unwilling to hug me back.
"I am so unbelievably proud of you, River Fawn. Your brilliance never ceases to amaze me. How do you feel about it? "
"I'm still processing, to be honest. There are a lot of really smart kids here." She shrugs, always downplaying herself.
If there's one thing I'm grateful for in moving to Sparrow Falls, it's having Daphne and Wren to help bolster River's confidence. It's one thing if I tell her how awesome she is, but it hits completely different coming from them. Wren's “in your face, take no bullshit” is something River could really benefit from. Daphne's ability to roll with the punches while staying true to herself is something I greatly admire and know could be extremely helpful to River as she continues to navigate a world that is meant for someone much older than her.
"I think that's fair. Do you want to head over to the luncheon? I'd love to see the campus a little and hear more about your time here. Maybe meet some of your friends?"
"Yeah, we can do that. Although, I don't really have many people to introduce you to. You know how awkward I am, Mom."
"Oh, Fawn. You're not awkward at all. You just take a minute to warm up, is all. Come on, lead the way and tell me about the boy you were sitting with. He was cute."
"Mom, please don't…" River whines, which pulls a smile to my face. Good to know that even though she's a genius, she's still a surly teen underneath all of those smarts.
"I'm just saying. He was cute, and he seemed friendly."
"Ugh, fine. I'm only telling you this because I know you won't let it go. He is cute, and he's one of my only friends here, but I think he thinks of me as a little sister. In fact, he has a younger sister my age and said I remind him of her a lot. So, quit with the heart eyes, would ya?"
"Hmm, how old is he? And what's his name?"
"Mother." River gives me a side-eye glare that I choose to ignore .
"Well?"
"His name is Brantley, and he's seventeen. He's going to be a senior this year. He lives about a half an hour from Sparrow Falls."
"Oh, how exciting. So, he's not that much older than you. Your birthday is in two months, and you're more mature than me."
"Yes, that's definitely true," River deadpans, so I pinch her side to get her back. "Ouch!"
"Serves you right. Maybe he does like you but feels conflicted because you are the same age as his sister. But it's exciting that he's only a half an hour away. You know I'd be more than willing to drive you to meet him if you wanted to hang out.
River wraps her arm around my shoulder and squeezes me.
"Thanks, Mom. Even if you like to tease, you're the best."
"Damn straight! And don't you forget it!"
We both laugh as we make our way into the banquet hall.
To River's mortification, and my delight, Brantley waves us over to sit with him and his family. River is her normal shy, reserved self, but I'm impressed with how at ease Brantley makes my daughter. Before lunch is over, he's able to get her to join in on the conversation, and his parents and I have made tentative plans to get together before the school year starts.
It's always a bit nerve-racking when I meet new people, out of fear I'm going to be judged for being a young mother, but Brantley's parents are pleasant and excited about us living in Sparrow Falls. They are familiar with some of the hiking trails, and were thrilled when I invited them to join us for a hike and dinner.
"Alright, kid. Let's go get your stuff and head home. We should have enough time for you to decompress for a bit before heading to The Tavern for dinner. I hope you don't mind, but your aunties have missed you like crazy and wanted to celebrate you coming home."
"You guys are so dramatic. I wasn't gone that long."
"It might not have felt that way to you, but you're a vital part of our girl gang, and we miss you when you're not around. Besides, they're dying to know about your award. Are you going to keep them waiting?"
River smiles sweetly, knowing there's no way she could hold Wren off. Besides, she might be an introvert, but she really does love Daphne and Wren, and I know she missed them as much as they missed her. She texted them almost every day while she was gone, just like she did me.
"Fine. But please promise me it will just be dinner. No banners or cakes, or anything crazy."
"I promise. But there will be some excited cheering when they hear the good news. You know Wren." I widen my eyes, making us both giggle before falling silent as we drive back to Sparrow Falls.
As the silence fills the car, my mind races at the possibilities that lie ahead for my sweet girl and how the hell I can make them possible. She deserves the chance to attend MIT and do wonderful things with that big brain of hers, but the idea of her leaving me when she's still so young terrifies me. For the first time in a long time, we're in a place that finally feels like home. I'd hate to give it up, but for River, I just might have to.