“Point taken,” Carrie agreed. “Remind me to beat the tar out of Davey next time I play a video game with him just to get even.”
“Hey, it’s not all bad, having us in on your plans, is it?” her mom asked.
“Actually, no. Your enthusiasm has been reassuring, even if I have discovered it’s due to an ulterior motive.” She studied her mother worriedly. “Are you feeling okay? Is the pregnancy going okay so far?”
“I’m a little tired, but the doctor says everything’s right on track. We’ll do an amniocentesis down the road just like we did when Patrick was on the way.”
“We’re not going to take any chances with your mother’s health or the baby’s,” Trace assured her.
“Well, if you need anything, anything at all, I’m just a phone call away,” Carrie told both of them. “I am so happy for you. And Gram’s going to be over the moon.”
Abby smile. “She will be, won’t she? There’s nothing Nell loves more than a new O’Brien to fuss over.”
Thinking of all the babies in the family, Carrie figured her great-grandmother would be in seventh heaven for a long time to come.
For a full week after dinner with her mom and Trace, Carrie tried to absorb their big news, while continuing to babysit Jackson and volunteer at the day-care center. She didn’t hear much from Sam beyond a quick call to let her know that he’d successfully enrolled Bobby in school.
“Now I just have to get him in the door on the first day,” he’d said, sounding unconvinced that he could do it.
“He’s going to be fine,” Carrie had assured him.
“It would help if you’d tell me that in person,” he suggested slyly.
She’d laughed. “Remind me next time we’re at Gram’s.”
“No sooner than that?”
“Sorry. I’m swamped.”
And it was true. As her confidence in her plan had started to grow, impatience had set in. She downloaded forms and studied the requirements for licensing. Then, when she’d been at the center for three weeks, she sat down with Julie.
“How am I doing?” she asked directly.
Julie smiled. “I wondered how long it was going to take before you started getting antsy to get started.”
“To be honest I’ve been hoping for some sign from you that you feel I’m qualified.”
“Qualified? In less than a month?”
“Okay, maybe not qualified, but capable of getting there.”
“Truthfully, I’ve been impressed,” Julie admitted. “So much so, in fact, that I wish I could talk you into staying right here and continuing to work with me.” She studied Carrie, then shook her head. “But you want to open your own place, don’t you?”
Carrie nodded. “I really do. Working with you has just solidified my resolve. This may have started on a whim, but I’m committed to it now, but only if you believe I’m going to be able to do this the way it should be done. And I’m not going to bail on the training I’ve been getting here or on my classes. I will keep coming here at least a couple of days a week until all the pieces of my plan come together. I owe you that and I can use every second of practical experience I can get.”
Julie nodded. “Okay, then, you have my blessing to get started with your own plans.” She gestured toward the tablet Carrie had brought to the meeting. “Get ready to take some notes. We’ll start your crash course right now.”
For the next two hours, she filled Carrie in on everything from the costs of doing business, the licensing process, liability insurance, what to charge and the best quality toys and supplies available and where to get them.
“And that’s just the tip of the iceberg,” Julie concluded. “But it’s enough for today. You get started on all of that and when you’re here next time, we’ll go over some more.”
She smiled at Carrie’s apparently glazed expression. “Don’t worry. It will all fall into place and start to make sense once you start chipping away at that list. And when you find a place you like, invite me down and I’ll walk through it with you and help you figure out what changes will be required to meet code. It’s been years since I’ve been to Chesapeake Shores despite how close by it is. I’ve heard wonderful things about the Inn at Eagle Point. Maybe Lucy and I will spend a mother-daughter weekend there.”
“You’re a godsend,” Carrie said fervently. “And my aunt Jess owns the inn. I’ll talk her into comping your room.”
Julie smiled. “Well, how about that? I won’t say no. As for whatever I’ve done to help you, it’s in my own interests as much as yours. I can’t very well let someone I’ve trained go off and make a mess of things, can I?”