Cool Mom

69: Tess Arrives

"How was your flight?" I ask Tess as we get into the car at the airport.

"Long." She informs me, making me smile.

"We have to get Hazel from school. Do you mind?" I ask her.

"Not at all. Actually, I was going to ask you if we could do that one day. I want to see her in uniform!" She exclaims.

"Are you okay?" I laugh.

"I love Hazel too god damn much." She sighs.

I scoff at this. "Okay one, we all do and two, censored language in front of Hazel. PLEASE!"

"You're such a party pooper." She pouts, making me giggle.

"How was Phil?" I ask her.

"Great." And I can tell from the joy in her tone that she's speaking the truth.

"I'm happy for you." I say out loud.

"Alright! Enough about me! Hazel's birthday party!" Tess claps her hands.

"You seem as excited as Hazel about this and need I remind you're twenty four and she's four." I smile at the road ahead.

"No one's ever too old to enjoy a birthday party!" Tess declares. "Has she given out the invitations?"

"Posted them yesterday." I tell her.

"How many friends is she having over?"

"About twenty." I reply, sheepishly, I was amazed too at how many friends Hazel had made just at the age of four.

"Twenty?!" She turns in her seat to look at me.

"Mhmm." I nod, looking at the road ahead.

"What about a theme?" She asks.

"TESS! Let me breathe!" I give her a disapproving look.

"That look isn't going to work on me, anymore." She smirks at me.

"I hate you." I groan.

"I know you love me, I know you care." She sings lyrics from Justin Bieber's Baby just like we used to when we were kids when one of us told the other that she hated her.

We laugh together at all the memories that are attached to one song lyric. But slowly my mind wanders to other thoughts. Will Hazel ever have a sibling to share such memories with? Will this pregnancy even end in a successful birth?

"Earth to Emma!" Tess calls me back to reality.

I sigh and flip my hair over a shoulder, "Sorry. Zoned out."

I'm saved from explaining myself as we've reached the gates of Rushmore Academy.

"Do you want me to join the pickup lane or park the car?" I ask Tess.

"I can go get her." She offers.

"Okay." I drop her off as close to the gates as possible and then take the car to the parking and find a spot to wait for them.

I think about the thoughts I had earlier and have to shake my head to stop torturing myself. As a distraction I decide to text Daniel to let him know that I've picked up Tess from the airport and that we'll meet him at the restaurant we decided for lunch in half an hour.

He texts back saying that he's in a meeting right now but he'll be slightly late. I let him know that we'll wait for him just as Hazel and Tess walk into my line of sight.

The way Hazel's holding Tess's hand and the animated conversation that they're having makes me smile. Tess was always one for having lavish parties where I was the one who preferred quite. I can already see the birthday party being a smashing success.

"Hey Bunny! How was your day?" I ask as she clambers into her car seat and Hazel gets into the passenger seat.

"Fun. All my friends got their invitations." She tells me and I tell her that the mothers from her play date and swim class also got back to me this morning.

"Are you excited for Saturday?" Tess asks her niece as I pull out of the school parking and head for the restaurant.

"Yes!" She smiles at her aunt.

"I was actually going to take Hazel shopping for a dress." I tell Tess. "Do you want to tag along?"

"Tag along? I'm offended." Tess says making Hazel laugh, "I shall be your personal shopper."

I roll my eyes at this and tune out of the chatter that the two keep up till we reach our destination. When we walk in, I see that Daniel's already seated at a table near the glass window. I reach him first and kiss his cheek before letting him meet Tess.

When the food arrives we dig in and the two continue their chatter about the party so Daniel takes the opportunity to talk to me.

"I have a favor to ask." He looks at me sheepishly.

"What?" I raise an eyebrow.

"I have to go back to the office." He says and when I start to protest he puts a hand on mine, "Only two hours. I'll be home by five. You have my word."

I think it over for a second before nodding, "Fine."

He kisses me just as there's a break in Tess and Hazel's conversation.

One says, "aww" and the other, "get a room."

I flick a French fry off my plate at Tess who neatly dodges it and it lands on Hazel's plate, who gobbles it up.

I'm posting the next chapter too! So, keep scrolling to read Hazel's birthday chapter! :)

-T