Page 139 of Balancing Act

As they drove, the sky was still that deep, early morning blue, and the streets were quiet, aside from the few other people who were up and about at this early hour.

Lily had her feet tucked up on the seat as she scrolled through her phone, but Beth could tell she wasn’t focused. Herknee bounced slightly, a telltale sign that she had something on her mind.

She let her sit with it for a minute before breaking the silence. “You okay over there?”

Lily glanced up as if startled out of her thoughts. “Huh? Oh. Yeah. Actually, I was gonna ask if you and Mom had talked about the social-media stuff.”

“We did.”

Lily sat up straighter, eyes wide. “And?”

Beth paused, drawing it out for a second before glancing at her. “We’re on board.”

“Seriously?” Lily gasped. “Like you’re not just saying that.”

“Seriously. But we have a few ground rules...” Beth didn’t even get to explain them. Lily was already off, excitedly chatting away.

“I havesomany ideas.”

“That’s amazing, love, but your mom and I have some?—”

“I’ve been making a list of the kind of videos I want to do, and I already talked to Dylan about it, and she thinks it’s genius. I want to start with behind-the-scenes training stuff, but also, like, Q and As? Maybe some challenges? And?—”

Lily launched into an entire brainstorm session, her mind already a mile ahead.

Beth listened and watched her out of the corner of her eye, smiling fondly. Lily had this way of seeing the world—full of possibilities and excitement. There was something special about that. Beth would get to the rules and stipulations she and Sarah had worked out later. Now, she’d let Lily enjoy the excitement for the time being.

Beth reached over, ruffling Lily’s hair.

“Hey!” Lily batted her away, but she was grinning.

Beth laughed. “I love how you see the world, you know that?”

Lily tilted her head, considering that for a second before offering a small, genuine smile. “Yeah,” she said simply. “I do.”

As they pulled into the gym parking lot, Beth thought, maybe this wasn’t so bad. Maybe she was figuring it out after all.

Lily opened the passenger door, then paused, glancing back at her. “Thanks for driving me this morning.”

“I’ve always got time for you, Lily.”

“I just wanted to let you know I appreciate it. I probably don’t say that enough,” Lily said, with a sincerity to her words. Then, without thinking too much about it, she leaned over the center console, wrapping her arms around Beth in a quick but tight hug. “Love you, Mama.”

Beth’s breath caught in her chest, but she recovered quickly, hugging her back. “Love you, too, sweetheart.”

Lily started to pull away, but Beth stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm.

“You know...” She hesitated, then smiled softly. “I love hearing you say that.”

Lily blinked, then ducked her head slightly.

Beth looked at Lily, really looked at her before she spoke. “Lily, love, I need you to know how proud I am of you,” she said quietly. All the things she had wanted to tell Lily over the last year that had felt so hard to find the words for suddenly seemed within reach. “So proud of the person you’re becoming. And no matter what happens at trials or what comes next, that will never change. I will always be so incredibly proud of you just for being you.”

Lily’s grin softened into something smaller, more vulnerable. “Thanks, Mama.”

Beth reached up, gently tucking a stray piece of blonde hair behind Lily’s ear. “I’ve worn a lot of titles in my life,” she continued. “Friend, partner, wife, painter. But the best by far—the one I love more than anything—is being your mama.”

Lily’s expression flickered, emotion crossing her face for a moment before she glanced down. Beth swallowed, letting out a measured breath before pressing on.