Carrie discovered that having each new person she told question her decision was annoying. “Of course I have,” she said impatiently. “Since everybody in the family has been regarding me like a slacker for months now, I thought this would come as good news. Carrie’s finally figured out what to do with her life. Yippee!”
Susie’s smile was only halfhearted. “Nobody thinks you’re a slacker.”
“Seriously? I get a lecture from Grandpa Mick on an almost-daily basis. I could see the worry every time Mom looked at me, at least until I filled her in about this. I’m pretty sure Gram has been lighting extra candles at church.”
Susie finally chuckled. “Being an O’Brien does come with a fair share of pressure,” she conceded. “But day care? I thought you were destined to return to Paris or Milan. Why settle for Chesapeake Shores, when you’ve led such a glamorous life? We all envied you getting to work in such amazing locations.”
Carrie shrugged. “I’m hardly settling. The reality is, I’m an O’Brien and this is home. Despite all the worried looks I’ve endured since coming back, I know this is where I belong. Opening a day care just seems like a natural. I’ve done my homework on the number of children with working parents and the options available. The only facility open right now is at the church and it’s filled to capacity. The town needs a day-care center.”
“So it’s not enough for you that most of the kids in our family are already in and out of your house on a daily basis?”
Carrie thought she heard a surprisingly bitter note in Susie’s voice. She also thought she understood it. Thanks to that adoption falling through at the last minute, Susie was bound to be touchy about anything having to do with kids these days.
Regarding her cousin with sympathy, she said, “I’m sorry the adoption didn’t work out this time, Susie, but there will be other chances. You and Mack will have children.”
“I’m done,” Susie said flatly. “And I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Is Mack ready to give up?”
Susie just stared at her, her expression completely shut down. Carrie got the message and dropped the subject.
“I’m sorry if I upset you,” Carrie apologized.
Susie sighed. “And I’m sorry for taking my lousy mood out on you.”
“Please. I’m family, and I know how badly you want children. I do, too, but I know it’s not the same.”
“Right. You could get pregnant anytime. I can’t.” Susie winced at her tone. “Sorry. Again. It’s ironic how all of the O’Briens seem to procreate at the drop of the hat, and then there’s me. Look at your sister. Caitlyn didn’t want to get married or have a baby, but here she is with a great husband and a darling little boy, and I’m not sure she appreciates either one.”
“Of course she does,” Carrie said, immediately jumping to the defense of her twin. “It was just a big adjustment. She had her whole life mapped out.”
“I guess what they say about best-laid plans is true,” Susie said. “They do tend to go awry. I thought if I could eventually convince Mack to look at me twice, we’d live happily ever after.”
“You and Mack are solid,” Carrie reminded her.
Susie’s eyes turned misty. “I know, and I thank God for that every single day. Mack stood by me—he even married me not knowing how long I might live. Most men would have bailed.”
“And you’ll get that baby, just maybe not on the timetable you’d hoped for,” Carrie said confidently.
Susie managed a faint smile. “From your lips to God’s ear,” she whispered.
Carrie squeezed her hand. “It’ll happen. O’Briens always make things happen.”
Susie drew in a deep breath, then squared her shoulders and faced the computer. “Let’s see about finding a spot for that day care. Who knows? Maybe I’ll come and work for you and get my fix of babies that way.”
“Suze,” Carrie said quietly, then waited for her cousin to face her. “There will always be a spot for you, even if you just want to spend your lunch hour hanging out, okay?”
“Thanks.”
But they both knew that caring for other people’s children, no matter how rewarding, would never quite fill the empty place in either of their hearts.
A few days later Carrie had just pulled a hot cookie sheet from the oven when her grandfather barged into her kitchen without bothering to knock.
“What’s this I hear about you opening a day-care center?” Mick asked, his voice booming through the small space.