Page 13 of Balancing Act

“It’s nothing. I had a frustrating training session. That’s all. But I don’t want to talk about it.”

“When you are ready, your mom and I are here if you want to chat.” Beth was fairly confident that if Lily ever did decide she wanted to open up to either of them, it wouldn’t be to her.

“I’m sorry,” Lily said, first to Beth, then Sarah.

“Apology accepted.” Beth searched her daughter’s face for any sign of the deeper thoughts going on in Lily’s mind. Ever since Lily’s injury, Beth had found herself even more worried about her daughter as she chased her Olympic dreams, and the potential pitfalls that could come with it. Lily had been so mucheasier to read when she was younger, but as she’d grown up, it was clear that Lily’s walls had grown with her, and Beth knew she was partially to blame for that.

“I got to say, team,” Sarah said, her face cracked in a grin, “we’re getting pretty good at this family communication stuff.” Beth looked at Lily, who looked at Sarah, before all three of them burst out laughing.

Their collective laughter lifted the energy in the room. Sarah had always known how to do that.

“Eww, Mom, you’re so cringe,” Lily said, as she opened the fridge.

“Lily, please put your headphones in your room and then help us with dinner.” As soon as Lily was down the hall, Beth rounded on Sarah.

“I wish you wouldn’t do that,” Beth snapped, her frustration getting the better of her.

“Do what?” Sarah asked innocently.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about. That thing where, when I ask Lily to do something and she doesn’t do it, you immediately butt in. It makes it seem like I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m her mother, too, and I don’t need you trying to parent her over the top of me.” She could feel her cheeks going warm.

“Woah, hey. I’m sorry.” Sarah raised her hands. “I didn’t mean anything by it, truly. I think we’re all adjusting to the recent changes.” Beth knew logically that Sarah was referencing the change with Lily’s training and living arrangements, but a small part of her couldn’t help but feel like it was somehow a dig at her for being gone for the past year, even though Sarah had been the one to encourage her to go.

She eyed her ex before deciding that she was being touchy with the extra pressure she felt after her tour ended and juggling their new arrangement.

“I’m sorry. I’m just a little frustrated.”

“You want to talk about it?” Sarah’s hazel eyes sparkled as she touched Beth’s arm, gently squeezing it.

She leaned into Sarah’s touch the slightest bit as their eyes lingered on each other. This was exactly why Beth had been avoiding Sarah. She had always been a little powerless when it came to Sarah’s pull.

“I—”

Lily reentered the room, and Sarah dropped her hand from where it still held on to Beth’s forearm.

“You don’t need to be weird about it,” Lily muttered. “I can see you touching and not think you’re getting back together again. We’re waaaay past that.”

Beth’s cheeks continued to burn as she and Sarah exchanged another knowing glance.

“Let’s make dinner,” Sarah said, ignoring Lily. “Sean will be here soon.”

Beth and Lily eyed Sarah suspiciously, but Beth decided to drop it. She couldn’t deal with any more strangeness tonight.

Beth rattled off to Lily the list of ingredients they would need as Sarah opened the bottle of wine. They had set out the last dish when the front door opened and closed again, and voices called their greetings from the hall.

“Hi, hi. Sorry we’re late,” Sean called out. “I had a last-minute addition. Hope that’s okay.”

“Oh my God!” Beth squealed with delight as she wrapped her arms around the lanky teen who had entered with Sean, pulling her goddaughter into a tight hug. “Dylan Cassidy, you need to stop growing right now. You’re taller than I am!”

“Dylan and Nic flew in this morning. Dylan’s going to spend a few days with me while Nic gets her mom settled in.”

“You have to come over tomorrow night when I’m at Mom’s house, and we can have a sleepover. I’ll catch you up oneverything,” Lily added, as the two girls started chatting away rapidly.

They all grabbed their plates and served themselves. Lily and Dylan disappeared to the basement, while Beth, Sarah, and Sean sat around the small table in Beth’s living room.

“So, Sean, how’s the gallery?” Sarah asked, a hint of coolness to her voice.

“Thegalleries,” he corrected, “are great. Thriving after all the press Beth’s show got. You really managed to impress Fiona.”