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Resourceful_Rachel:Big welcome,HelpingHand_W!What you’re doing for your friend is amazing. You’re gonna fit right in here. Excited to get to know you!
It was a nice little ego boost, but it was time to get down to business.
HelpingHand_W:Hey everyone, thanks for the warm welcome! I’m really hoping to understand more about what single parents go through. So here’s a question for you all: What’s the greatest challenge or the thing you find hardest about being a single mom? Looking forward to learning from you all!
SunshineMom82:Oh boy, where do I start?For me, it’s finding time for myself. Between work, kids, and everything else, time is a luxury!
SoloParentSarah:HeyHelpingHand_W! The hardest thing for me is juggling finances. Kids aren’t free, and it can be a real balancing act with just one income.
Mindful_Motherhood:Oh, the constant multitasking! Being both mom and dad, cook, chauffeur, and tutor, all rolled into one. It can be overwhelming, but we manage, right?
Resourceful_Rachel:For me, it’s the lack of support and feeling like you have to do it all alone. It gets lonely sometimes. But hey, that’s what this forum is for! You’re doing a great thing here,HelpingHand_W!
Crafty_Carrie:Totally agree with you,Mindful_Motherhood!The running around never stops. One minute I’m at work, the next minute I’m driving the kids to practice, then cooking dinner. It’s a whirlwind!
Tired tammy:Oh, the running around is absolutely the hardest part! I feel like I'm always in the car, going somewhere or doing something for the kids. It’s like being a taxi service, but without the tips!
SuperSoloSue:Count me in with the running around club! Between school, extracurriculars, and errands, I feel like I'm on a never-ending treadmill. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. Thanks for asking,HelpingHand_W!
Okay, so this was a lot. So much so that I didn’t know where to start. I stared at the screen for a long moment then thought, fuck it, just ask them!
HelpingHand_W:Wow, seems like the running around is a common theme here! I really appreciate all the insights. So now I'm wondering what’s the number one thing a good friend could do to lighten the load? Any advice or ideas would be awesome!
SunshineMom82:Oh boy, where do I start? Honestly, just helping with rides to activities or even doing a grocery run would be a lifesaver sometimes.
SoloParentSarah:Anything to cut down on the driving. Maybe taking the kids to a lesson or a practice once in a while? You have no idea how much that would help!
Mindful_Motherhood:Transportation, definitely! If someone offered to take my kids to their weekend activities, even just occasionally, it would free up so much time. You’re onto something,HelpingHand_W!
Resourceful_Rachel:Totally agree with the others. The driving gets crazy. A hand with picking up groceries, taking the kids to a class, or even carpooling would be a game-changer.
AlwaysOnTheGo_Amy:Sign me up for that help too! The back-and-forth to lessons and activities can really wear you down. If a friend could help with that even once a week, I’d be over the moon.
BusyBee_Beth:100% agree with everyone. It’s the constant running around that wears you out. Having someone to share the load with driving or errands would make such a huge difference!
JugglingJen:Yep, same here. Just having a buddy to split the driving duties for school or activities would make me feel like I won the lottery. A little help goes a long way!
GentleMom:Agree with all the responses here, but just want to add–Anything that helps maintain my routine is just the best. Like, it’s easier now that they’re older, but I still find that unexpected outings, or quick changes of plans can throw out the whole day, or even the entire week!
As I went through the replies, busily making notes, mapping a course of action, I realized how little I had picked up on all of this in the time Esme and the kids had stayed with me. I’d really enjoyed it, almost like I was playing the fun uncle. The pool parties, pizzas, movie nights. Then once they’d moved out, I’d swept in and taken them to New York on a moment’s notice. Everyone had loved it, obviously, but it hadn’t once crossed my mind that I might be interrupting Esme’s routine for them.
I’d been utterly blind to everything Esme had to do to look after those kids. Fuck me, running a billion-dollar corporation seemed easier than all of this. Just the unrelenting nature of it. The monotonous grind. Never having time to yourself.
Then it struck me, and the realization pulled all the air from my lungs and I went completely still. Esme had been doing all of this for so long. All on her own. “God, Esme,” I breathed, struck by the weight of what she’d been carrying since she was just a child. It was staggering to think about how much she’d juggled, yet still been so selfless and loving. The enormity of her strength, resilience, and grace overwhelmed me and I felt a lump in my throat. It made me love her all the more, made me more determined than ever to lighten her load as much as I could.
CHAPTER36
Esme
Isat in my favorite booth at the diner, elbows on the table, chin propped on my hands. Outside, the day was busy, but inside my mind, everything was a whirlwind of Wolfe and his surprising actions lately, and I was desperate to unload it all on Stef.
The feelings I’d been trying to keep at bay were back and bubbling up like a pot of his delicious stew. Was it friendly or something more? The confusion was enough to drive a girl mad.
And yet, here I was, staring out the window, lost in thoughts of him. I grinned like a giddy schoolgirl, imagining him in the kitchen, cooking, wearing an apron—just an apron. Oh, fuck, where had that come from? I shook my head, my cheeks heating. I needed to get a grip on myself.
The tinkling of the entrance bell snapped me back to reality. My eyes lit up when I saw Stef striding in, her blue hair vibrant in the light streaming through the diner windows. I loved how the world seemed to tilt a little more towards crazy when she was around.
“Here’s my little lemon tart!” she exclaimed, sliding into the booth across from me. Her warm brown eyes sparkled with excitement. “You look like you’ve just seen a ghost—or a fantasy. Which is it?”