NORA
“Do you see any of your friends yet?” I asked Charlotte when we reached the edge of the playground at the park on Tuesday morning.
Theo’s house was about four blocks from where Charlotte’s playgroup met, so to pass the time and give her something to do, I’d let her ride her scooter while I walked beside her.
It was an overcast day, the kind of early June morning that should’ve made the walk nice and comfortable.
Which it had been… until we were about halfway there and Charlotte decided she was done.
As in, she parked herself under a tree two blocks from the park, lay flat on her back, and announced that she was too tired to move even an inch further.
Apparently, three-year-olds had far less stamina than I’d assumed.
After a failed attempt to bribe her into walking while I carried the scooter, we eventually landed on a compromise. Charlotte would stand on her scooter and hold on to the handlebars while I bent over, placed my hands over hers, and pushed her the rest of the way.
And while I’d originally thought it was great that Theo had opted for a manual scooter instead of an electric one, since it was safer and a good way for Charlotte to burn off energy, I was definitely sweating by the time we made it to the park.
“That’s Bria and Camilla’s mom!” Charlotte pointed ahead after scanning the play area for a moment.
I followed her finger and saw a group of three women sitting on a blanket in the grass beside the play equipment.
That was when I recognized Lia and Amanda from the night before, sitting next to Cassia—the mom who’d hired me as Belle for the princess party on Saturday.
Which I guess I should’ve expected since Lia’s husband had spent half the party talking with Theo and Cassia’s husband.
“Do you want to walk the rest of the way?” I asked Charlotte, hoping she’d regained some of her energy now that we’d arrived at our destination.
“Yes!” Charlotte nodded and stepped off the scooter.
I unclipped her helmet and slid it over the scooter’s handlebars while Charlotte took off toward the playground.
“Hello,” I said as I approached the blanket with the three women. “I’m guessing you’re the moms in Charlotte’s playgroup?”
“Yes,” Lia said, looking up with an easy smile. “We’re so glad you and Charlotte could join us.” She scooted over and patted the blanket beside her. “Come sit.”
I set Charlotte’s princess scooter with three wheels down near the edge of the blanket, then scanned the playground until I spotted her climbing the stairs to the slide toward one of Lia’s twins and Cassia’s daughter Aspen.
Satisfied she was safe and occupied, I sat down, angling myself so I could still see the playground area while I chatted with the women.
“I see you were adventurous and let Charlotte scooter here,” Amanda said, nodding at the scooter. “How was it?”
“It started out great.” I laughed, leaning back on my hands. “But I definitely overestimated how far a three-year-old could make it.”
“Been there.” Cassia chuckled.
“Same,” Amanda said. “When my son was at that age, I learned that even if he swore he could ride his trike or scooter to the park, I should still bring the stroller as a backup since he usually turned into a zombie by the end.”
“Smart,” I said. “I’ll have to remember that.”
“There’s nothing like an overtired three-year-old to really make you question your life choices,” Lia said, laughing.
“I’m guessing you would know since you have three kids, right? Twin girls and an older boy?” I said, remembering the dark-haired boy who resembled Lia and her husband running around their backyard the night before.
“Hence the reason we drove here today,” she said.
“Am I the only one who walked here?” I asked. I didn’t know where Amanda lived, but having been to both Lia and Cassia’s houses recently, I knew they weren’t too far from the park.
“Yep,” Amanda said. “But that’s just because we had a doctor’s appointment right before this.”
“Okay, so I’m not completely crazy by walking, then?” I asked, feeling like a newbie among these experienced mothers.
“Just a little aspirational,” Lia said, patting my leg. “But we all start somewhere. And you’re just helping Theo out this week, right?”
“This is my second day.”
“Then you’re doing great,” she said.
“Well, that’s reassuring.” I let out a small breath.
Even though I’d done a preschool and childcare rotation for my early childhood development minor, there were apparently some things you just couldn’t understand until you were in it. “I’m mostly just hoping Charlotte doesn’t revolt when it’s time to walk home.”
“Good luck with that,” Cassia said with a laugh.
Amanda leaned closer. “My van has an extra built-in car seat if you want a ride back with us. It’s no trouble.”
“Are you sure?” I asked. “That wouldn’t be a problem?”
“Not at all,” she said, waving it off. “Braden’s in a booster now, so I can just move him to the back.”
“That would be amazing,” I said, relieved.
There was a brief lull as we all glanced back toward the playground, tracking small bodies in motion.
“So,” Cassia said a moment later, “how was the party last night?”
“It was good, but we definitely missed having you,” Lia said.
“I was so bummed we couldn’t make it,” Cassia said. “I thought about coming even though Drake had to work late, but Aspen was just not in a place to socialize.”
“We’ll definitely have to do it again,” Lia said.
“Maybe with fewer bugs next time, okay?” Amanda said with a smirk.
“Bugs?” Cassia blinked. “Were the mosquitoes really bad or something?”
“No worse than usual.” Lia laughed. “But I might’ve made everyone do a competition that involved eating salted crickets.”
Cassia gasped. “Why would you do that?”
“For fun,” Lia said with a shrug.
“You have a strange definition of fun.” I shook my head. “My mouth is still recovering from that ghost pepper.”
“I do feel a little bad about making Theo eat the crickets and you eating the pepper,” Lia said. “But it was a night you’ll never forget, right?” She smiled. “Plus, you get a date with a sexy football player, and Amanda gets a night out with a sexy single dad. So it wasn’t all bad, right?”
“A double date,” Amanda corrected. “But yeah, it should be fun. Theo seems sweet.”
“He is,” Lia said, nodding. “And I’m pretty sure I saw him checking you out while you were building that tower.”
“He kind of had to.” Amanda rolled her eyes, brushing the idea off. “Since he was literally telling me where to stack the blocks.”
“Whatever.” Lia grinned. “He was smitten. I could tell.”
A twinge of jealousy shot through my chest. Which was ridiculous, since I myself was paired with Miles, who was extremely attractive and confident in his own right.
If not quite as gentlemanly as Theo.
But chivalry could be learned, right?
Not that we were going on a real date. More like a VIP group hangout.
“I guess I’ll have to see for myself,” Amanda said.
Then she turned to me. “Speaking of our night out, I still need to text the group, but I called all the places this morning. The massages and dinner are booked for Sunday. The hot-air balloon company was already full, though, so we’ll have to save that for another time. ”
“Will there be time between the massage and dinner?” I asked, already thinking about hair and makeup. Massages had a way of undoing both.
“Yes,” Amanda said. “Massages are from three to four-thirty, and dinner is at six-thirty, so we’ll have time to get ready for our hot double date.”
“Perfect.”
I was filling out a few more job applications during Charlotte’s quiet time on Wednesday afternoon when my phone buzzed beside me on the couch.
Theo: Hey. How are things going today? Is Charlotte being good for you?
I glanced over at Charlotte, who was reclined against the armrest with her fuzzy pink blanket tucked under her chin and her stuffed raccoon propped neatly beside her. Her eyes were locked on the TV, where a group of He-Man Women-Haters were up to no good.
I picked up my phone and typed back.
Me: She’s doing great. We did some arts and crafts this morning, and now we’re watching The Little Rascals.
For the third time this week.
Theo: Nice. She was telling me about that movie yesterday. It’s supposedly the Best. Movie. Ever.
I smiled, my head hearing those last words in his dry, even tone.
Me: It would seem so. I hope you’re not too mad at me for introducing her to this latest obsession.
Though really, if Charlotte had to get latched onto a movie, at least it was one I actually liked.
Not that I’d really managed to sit and watch it from start to finish yet.
I’d been using the downtime to submit applications for anything that felt even remotely adjacent to my degree.
Exercise science assistant roles. Physical trainer at a gym.
Recreation center jobs. And even an activities coordinator at a retirement home.
Theo: No worries. Though I think I might have to ask Jessie to buy more pickles if this keeps up. We were almost out when I went to grab one last night.
I bit my lip to keep from laughing.
Because, yep, Charlotte’s sudden interest in pickles was absolutely the movie’s fault.
Every time the two younger characters launched into their ridiculous little pickle song, Charlotte would gasp loudly, whip her head toward me, and announce that she needed a pickle. Pronto! It was imperative that she eat hers at the exact same time as the characters on screen.
It had become a whole thing.
And when I’d been on the phone with my mom last night, giving her an update on my life, babysitting Charlotte and her sudden Little Rascals pickle obsession, she’d laughed and said that I’d totally done the same thing at her age. Pickle demands and all.
Which made me love our afternoon ritual even more now.
Me: Sorry about creating a pickle monster.
Theo: Don’t be. I’m just glad she’s having fun. And trying new foods.
That made my chest warm.
Me: Maybe we should start watching Popeye the Sailor next. It supposedly inspires people to try spinach, according to my mom.
Theo: Do it! That girl could definitely use more veggies in her life.