Part 5 (2/2)
”Yeah, she probably did.”
Emma laughed harder and then sighed. ”I wish she would give herself a break.”
”That's not Addy.”
”I know.”
”What are you going to do?” Tamara asked.
”I'm not sure there is much I can do. It's something she can only learn by letting go. She has to strike out on her own a bit to realize we will be all right no matter what.”
”Tam Tam!” Vicki grabbed onto Tamara's knee and pulled herself up.
”Yeah, Sprout?”
”We gets bishy!”
”You're getting a fish?” Tamara tried to understand.
”Yep!”
”Well, that's an easy pet,” Tamara said as she pulled Vicki into her lap.
”She means the baby,” Emma explained. Tamara was confused. ”Addy wants to get a dog.”
Tamara shook her head. ”Huh? You're having a baby, and you're getting a fish because Addy wants a dog?”
Emma laughed. ”No.”
”Huh?” Tamara repeated.
Vicki bounced on Tamara's lap happily. ”Momma wikes doggies.”
”Help me?” Tamara implored Emma.
”Vicki calls the baby a fishy,” she explained. ”My fault,” she continued. ”And, no we aren't getting any fish in a bowl. I hate it when they become floaters.”
Tamara nodded. ”Being preggers effects your brain.”
”Possibly,” Emma agreed.
”Mommy?” Vicki looked at Emma. Emma smiled. ”Bis.h.i.+es like doggies.”
Emma rolled her eyes. ”I can't imagine who told you that.”
”So? Let me get this all straight,” Tamara said. ”Which is a stretch for me on a good day,” she joked. Emma smiled. ”You and Addison are having another baby, Sprout thinks it's a fish, Addy's freaking out about working without you, and somewhere in this story you are getting a dog?”
”Yes, except for the dog,” Emma replied.
”Maybe you should,” Tamara said.
”Should what?”
”Get a dog.”
”Oh, no, not you too!”
Tamara shrugged. ”Hey, you could make her take it to work with her,” Tamara suggested. ”It is L.A. People take their dogs more places than they do their kids,” she said. Emma's eyes twinkled.
”Mommy, we gets doggie!”
Emma threw her hands over her face. ”Why is no one satisfied with a fis.h.i.+e?”
Tamara looked at Vicki and shrugged again. ”At this rate, your mommies will have to change their last name to Dolittle,” she tickled Vicki. Vicki had no idea what that meant, but she erupted in delighted laughter.
”Funny, Tam,” Emma deadpanned.
”Yeah, I know. I really am. Listen, don't worry so much about Addy.”
Emma sighed. ”I can't help it.”
”Yeah, I know. She'll be okay, though. Sometimes she just needs a little nudge. Maybe I should have Christie take her to dinner or something.”
”Christie?” Emma asked.
”Well, yeah. She'll know how to get Addy squared away. I mean, h.e.l.l... She's marrying me. That should tell you how smart she is.”
”You really are one of a kind,” Emma said.
”True,” Tamara agreed. Emma smiled. ”I love you guys,” Tamara said seriously, surprising Emma with the emotion in her voice. ”Well, I do,” Tamara said.
”We love you too,” Emma replied.
Vicki wiggled, and Tamara took the opportunity to escape the emotional exchange by chasing the toddler. Emma watched Tamara run after Vicki through the yard. Tamara struggled with emotional conversations at times. She used humor as a defense. That was something Emma had learned early on. While Tamara would have loved to hide it, it had always been obvious to Emma what Addy meant to her.
Tamara was not just Addison's best friend; Tamara was family. She'd claimed a special place in Emma's life as well, and Emma loved her more than she thought Tamara understood. In some ways, they had become closer than Tamara and Addison. Addison confided everything in Tamara. Tamara confided everything in Emma. Emma had become a big sister to Tamara. Tamara often didn't stop to realize that she had also become Emma's confidante. Emma was grateful to have Tamara to talk to, but she never expected Tamara to have the answers she was searching for. She trusted Tamara to listen and understand. And, Emma felt secure that there would never be any judgment from her friend. Having Tamara close was a G.o.dsend for Emma. Tamara and her fiancee, Christie had moved back to Los Angeles from Vancouver a few months earlier. Emma was grateful to have them both closer. Emma's family was in Kansas. It was only a flight away, but a flight away sometimes seemed more like another universe. It was comforting to have someone to call last minute for a visit and a conversation. And, Emma was glad that her children would get to spend more time with her best friends. She was sure Addison felt the same way. Tamara was a goofball at times, but Emma was confident she would be a s.h.i.+ning light in Vicki's life, and whoever else came along.
Tamara chased Vicki back toward the patio table. Emma startled when Vicki crashed into her legs.
”You okay?” Tamara asked. ”You look like you disappeared there for a minute.”
”I'm good,” Emma promised. She lifted Vicki into her lap. ”Thinking about my mom, I guess.”
”She must be stoked!”
”She doesn't know yet,” Emma said.
<script>