“No, of course not.” Sadie exhaled in relief and nodded. “You’re right. And thanks. I really do need a break.”

With a sudden purpose in her step, Renee bustled back to her own quiet cottage where the vacuum cleaner marks still looked pristine three days later and only a single water glass sat in the kitchen sink.

She reached toward the back of the freezer and retrieved the berries. After gathering two bottles of red and white wine, she was struck with a pang as she gave the feeling welling within her chest a name. While Sadie Landry was spiraling in full-on crisis mode, Renee was happy.

It felt good to be needed, she realized, staring at a framed photo of Tansy on the wall.

Her daughter was wearing braided pigtails and a dress that featured a red skirt and blue top with white stars. The sparkler in Tansy’s little hand illuminated her face, and the gap where her front two teeth should have been made Renee’s heart ache for that simpler time. Cranberry Cove’s annual Fourth of July celebration featured a picnic, fireworks show, and an afternoon parade for the smaller children. How many times had she helped Tansy decorate her bike with streamers and pinwheels and cheered as her daughter pedaled down the town’s main drag?

It wasn’t that she took pleasure in Sadie’s ill luck; it was more that it felt so good to be useful again. To be able to feel less alone, even for a few hours.

When she returned to Sadie’s cottage the young mother had turned on the Wild Kratts and was on her knees mopping up the water on the kitchen floor.

“Hey there,” Renee said. “I don’t know what kind of wine you like, so I brought choices. Pick your poison.”

Sadie sat back on her heels and burst into tears.

“Oh crap. What did I say?” Renee dropped to the floor beside her, rubbing her back while making a reassuring crooning sound.

“I…I’m so sorry, you’re going to think I’m a total basket case.” Sadie wiped her nose with the back of her hand. “It’s just that you were right, Renee, with what you said earlier at Dr. Hanlon’s office. I’m… Oh, God, I’m pregnant.”

“It’s okay. Shhhh. It’s okay.” Renee engulfed her in a hug, which only made her cry harder. “So, this was a bit of a surprise?”

“Understatement of the decade.”

“Ah, well. Some of life’s greatest gifts are surprises,” Renee replied awkwardly, stringing together a slew of idioms and hating how much she sounded like a Hallmark card. “But seriously, you’re a wonderful mom, and Lincoln will be thrilled to have a little brother or sister.”

“No need to sugarcoat it. Trust me, I know better than anyone how much I suck at motherhood.”

“Suck?” Renee flinched. How could the world’s most amazing high school babysitter and loveliest home maven think she sucked at motherhood? “How can you say that?”

“Easy. Look at the evidence.” Sadie sniffed, trying to wipe away her tears with the sleeve of her shirt. “I can’t ever get my son anywhere on time, and you saw for yourself that my husband thinks I’m a total flop. I know it sounds stupid, but I thought I’d be a great mom. Like the one in The Parent Trap.”