I was soaring too, maybe higher than Amelia, but even so, I was aware of Natalie and didn’t want her to feel unappreciated, whereas Amelia’s attention was fixed solely on “the new baby.” In other words, it was fixed on me. Her attention was what I’d been pining for, only, I didn’t want it at Natalie’s expense. I found myself covering for Amelia at times, distracting Natalie, changing the subject of conversation, when her mother was being particularly insensitive.

At this point, I found it easier to spend time with Natalie or Amelia, as opposed to both of them, so I was pleased for Amelia to invite me upstairs early, before Natalie arrived home. “How I wish I could pour you a glass of wine right now. After the baby is born, we’ll have cocktails every day.” She held her arms high in the air in a gesture of triumph. I imagined our future with evenings together around the fire and coffee together every morning.

Amelia filled her wineglass and poured me a glass of filtered water.

“Do you mind if I drink in front of you?” she asked solicitously.

“Of course not.” I did mind, actually. I found it challenging to watch Amelia drink. Over the last few months, I’d noticed a significant uptick in her drinking, and it hadn’t leveled off with the news of my pregnancy. But her body wasn’t the sacred vessel. Mine was.

I looked more closely at her amethyst necklace and noticed that the links were soldered together, an indication of twenty-four-karat gold. I breathed in her intense lemon-and-bergamot perfume. It was too much for my heightened sense of smell.

“You know,” Amelia said, “Ian’s like our family.” The subject of Ian had come up a couple of times over the last week, with Amelia using me as a sounding board. She clearly didn’t want him to leave the firm, but supporting Ian’s ambitions was in line with her self-image.

“I suggested he should talk things through with you,” I said, “but he says he can’t … desert you.”

“Desert us?” She laughed weakly and set a plate of green grapes, cheese, and crackers on the kitchen counter.

“You know … starting his own firm.”

Amelia’s eyes widened. I could tell it was an effort for her to maintain an expression of equanimity. “Ohhh.” She took a large sip of wine.

“I told him you’d support him.”

She hesitated for a split second. “Of course, we would.”

“Whether that’s clients, referrals, infrastructure,” I said. “Because I know how much you care for him.”

“Anything … of course.” Amelia smiled with her mouth, but her eyes betrayed something akin to resentment.