play life [harry styles] book 3

6

Amanda

I was feeling very refreshed the next few days.

It was Friday which meant that I didn't have work today, so Max and I were walking up to Josie's dance studio to pick her up from her rehearsal.

"Mommy, mommy!" Josie yelled, skipping up to me with two other girls behind her. "Can Jennifer and Whitney come over to play?" She questioned, her big green eyes looking back up at me.

"Well, we'd need to ask their moms first, sweetie." I told her before seeing two women around my age that were clearly out of breath run up to us.

"God, why are kids so fucking fast?"  One of them with dark hair exclaimed, trying to catch her breath and Jennifer patted her leg.

"That's five dollars for the swear jar." She whispered.

"Hi, I'm Nadine, Jennifer's step-mom." She greeted, sticking her hand out for me to shake. "And this is Charlie, Whitney's mom."

"Hi, I'm Amanda." I introduced, and gestured to Max who was in my arms. "And this is Max."

"It's so nice to finally meet you, Jennifer and Whitney have been dying to hang out with Josie." Charlie told me and Nadine nodded.

"Well the girls are welcome to come over for a couple hours today-

"Great!" Nadine exclaimed, linking her arm in mine. "I can already tell we're all going to get along."

-

The seven of us arrived back at the house, and immediately the girls ran into the play room off of the kitchen.

"Would you guys like anything to drink?" I questioned as they sat down at the kitchen table.

"Water, please." Charlie spoke up, gazing at the girls and Max through the glass door of the play room.

"So, why do all of the moms at the studio hate you?" She asked nonchalantly, and I nearly choked on my drink.

"What?"

"Nadine, you can't just ask that." Charlie laughed and then turned to me. "You have to explain first. I don't know if you've noticed but all the older moms at the studio don't really like the younger moms."

"We're both 25 by the way," Nadine answered and Charlie sighed heavily from beside her.

"They don't like young moms who don't fit into their beliefs. For instance, they don't like me because my husband is 17 years older than me." Nadine explained, taking a sip of her water.

"And they don't like me because I'm divorced." Charlie said. "And none of them have made a point to include you into their 'clique' so there must be a stupid reason." She spoke, placing her glass on the counter and looking up at me.

Now that I thought about it, the other moms always stared at me whenever I brought Josie in and no one was ever friendly.

"Actually when we first moved to this studio, somehow one of the moms found out that Josie and Max have different dads." I explained to them. "When I was waiting for her one day, one of the moms came up to me and asked if 'my baby daddies got along'"

"Well do they?" Nadine inquired, and I took a deep breath and swallowed, thinking of Jack.

"Um Max's dad passed a couple years ago." I admitted and I watched as both of their faces fell.

"Oh my gosh, we're so sorry." Charlie breathed, placing her hand on mine comfortingly and Nadine nodded in agreement.

"Well, Charlie and I are now your new best friends and we'll ward off the toxic dance moms together, okay?" Nadine grinned, and I couldn't help but smile back.

Suddenly the front door opened, and Harry walked in, briefcase in tow from work. Immediately I could hear Max's little legs running at the sound of the front door opening because he was home.

"Hey little guy!" Harry exclaimed, picking him up and making his way over to where we were sitting. "Hello, my love." He whispered, bending down to kiss me.

"Harry, this is Jennifer and Whitney's moms, Nadine and Charlie." I introduced them and he gave them a wave.

"It's nice to meet you." He smiled and then Max reached up to whisper something in his ear, and he laughed. "Well, if you'll excuse me, Max has requested that I sing the entire soundtrack of Beauty and the Beast to him before his nap, so, it was nice meeting you both." He said again, before taking off with Max up the stairs.

"Um, your husband actually plays with the kids?" Nadine gasped, and put her hand over her chest dramatically, which reminded me of Oliver, so I just knew the two of them would get along.

"My ex-husband pretty much avoided having to interact with Whitney." Charlie piped up before I could answer.

"And Jen's dad buries himself in work. He doesn't really make time for her, or me for that matter," Nadine sighed, sitting back in the chair and looking at us carefully. "Except when we have sex, that's the best." She smirked and we all couldn't help but laugh.

"I think we should make a toast," Charlie grinned, raising her glass of water. "To new friendships."

"To new friendships!"

-

:)