Zoey couldn’t help laughing. “That’s what I told you about you being more into glitter and glam than me.” She took a deep breath, reminding herself that she was the Mom. “I’m glad Genna likes the things you like. I’m glad you like her. I won’t lie—it’s going to take me some time to get used to her being in the family. But that’s my issue, not yours. It’s totally normal after—” having your life upended “—getting a divorce.”

“What...being weird?” Hazel’s smile was mischievous. Her playful little girl was back.

“Oh, ha ha. And...yes. Weird probably is normal for me. Does that work for you?”

Hazel nodded, her eyes twinkling with humor. “I’m used to it.”

“Good. Because I’m too old to change. Why don’t you go unpack and I’ll find something for dinner.”

“Um...” Hazel blushed. “There isn’t anything to unpack. I left most of what I took at Dad’s place. Like you suggested.”

Divorce had been the only option when she’d discovered Chris was cheating. So she didn’t regret the divorce, despite the pain of a failed marriage. But this journey through the months after the divorce was harder than she’d ever anticipated. Like...advising Hazel to make herself more at home at Chris’s place, then feeling a stab of pain when Hazel actually did it.

“That’s terrific, honey!” She took a breath and lowered her voice to a more normal level. “Good for you. But I still need to figure out what we’ll have for dinner. Gimme half an hour.”

She left Hazel to inspect the living room more closely, then went right through the kitchen and out to the back porch. Dinner was lasagna from the freezer. All she had to do was warm it up. Zoey didn’t mind cooking, but sometimes she was just too tired. Or, like tonight, too annoyed. She dialed her ex-husband’s number. Chris sounded surprised when he answered, but she talked right over his question if Hazel was okay.

“She’s fine. And so very full of surprising news.” She leaned against the wall of the house, trying to avoid the chilly breeze that was shaking the new leaves on the lilac trees.

“Are you upset about the wedding or the baby?”

“I’m upset that I learned about both of those things from our daughter. Our thirteen-year-old daughter. You could have given me a heads-up, Chris. Pick up the phone. Text me, for Christ’s sake. This is not the coparenting we agreed to. No blindsides, remember? Parent as a team?” She tapped her toe angrily. “Ring any bells?”

There was a moment of silence on the line. She was expecting a long string of angry, defensive arguments to deflect the blame, but he surprised her.

“You’re right. Sorry.”

“Uh...what?”