Page 44 of Balancing Act

They stepped aside to wait for their drinks, and Jamie could feel the familiar pull she always did around Beth—it was so comfortable and easy to slip in to.

“No gym this morning?” Beth asked, her body shifting slightly closer.

“Sarah’s running late. No Lily to work with, no point being at the gym.” Jamie shrugged, watching Beth’s expression shift from curiosity to frustration.

“Of course Sarah is,” Beth muttered under her breath, her hand fidgeting with the zipper of her jacket.

“You okay?” Jamie asked.

“Yeah. It’s... Co-parenting with Sarah can be... uh... complicated.” She sighed. “Sometimes it can feel like it’s her world and we’re all living in it.” The look she gave was restrained, like there was more there she wasn’t saying.

“That sounds frustrating,” Jamie said, her eyes lingering on Beth’s lips as she sipped her coffee. Beth caught Jamie’s gaze, and grinned.

“You need to try this,” Beth said, holding out her cup. Jamie took a sip, the earthy sweetness of turmeric and cinnamon surprising her. “Oh, you’ve got a little—” Beth gestured at her lip, handing Jamie a napkin, a teasing glint in her eyes, and Jamie quickly wiped her mouth, feeling a flicker of embarrassment.

“Messier than I expected,” Jamie said, laughing it off.

“Do you have time to sit?” Beth motioned toward an empty table by the window, biting her lip slightly, her hope evident.

Jamie hesitated, checking her watch. She was cutting it close, but she said, “Yeah, I’ve got some time. Let me text Amanda real quick.”

“Lucky me.”

There was that smile again. That absolutely perfect smile that Jamie had learned was impossible to say no to. For weeks shehad been enjoying finding all the different ways she could make it appear. It had been like a game to her.

Jamie fired off a quick text to Amanda, letting her know she would be another thirty minutes, then settled into the chair across from Beth. The morning light filtered through the windows, casting a soft glow over the small café. Beth leaned back in her chair, entirely at ease, her fingers wrapped around her cup.

Jamie found herself studying Beth. Her relaxed confident demeanor reminding her of that first night they’d met. This Beth differed from the one Jamie had seen around her family, where she often seemed tense and uncertain.

“What’s got you smiling like that?” Beth asked, catching Jamie’s eye.

“You seem like you’re in a good mood today. I like seeing it,” Jamie said, leaning forward, her forearms resting on the table.

Beth shrugged, her confidence unwavering. “Why wouldn’t I be? Good coffee, better company.”

She was so drawn to this version of Beth, the one who seemed effortlessly sure of herself. But what about the other version, the one who pulled back and dimmed her light around Sarah and Lily?

“You’re different when it’s us,” Jamie said cautiously. “I’ve seen you like this before, confident and glowing. But other times... Other times you seem more, I don’t know—not like this version of you.”

Beth’s smile faltered for a split second, her fingers tracing the rim of her cup. “What do you mean?”

Jamie hesitated. “It’s like you’re lighter when we’re alone. But when I saw you with Sarah, like at the game yesterday, you seemed more tense.”

Beth’s eyes dropped to her cup, and she let out a short, bitter laugh. “Tense, huh?”

Jamie leaned in a little. “I’m not trying to put you on the spot, but I do notice it and I guess I’m having a hard time understanding everything.”

Beth’s hand stilled on her cup, eyes fixed firmly on the table. She let out a long, slow breath before looking up. And that’s when Jamie saw it—the frustration, the pain, the sadness.

“It’s complicated,” she admitted, her voice lower than her usual bright and airy tone but still steady. “Sarah and I, it’s—there’s a lot of history there. She’s so sure of everything all the time, and I just...” She paused, shaking her head slightly. “I think I need to tell you about last year.” The blue of her eyes picked up the reflections of light coming through the window, making them sparkle.

“Only if you want to. You don’t owe me anything”

The slightest bit of worry crept into the lines on Beth’s face as she continued, and Jamie couldn’t help but wonder what had happened the year before to make Beth respond like this. “No, it’s fine. We probably should have had this talk a little sooner, given our history.” She gestured between them. “Especially after meeting again at the gym, when we knew you’d be working so closely with my family. No time like the present, right?” Her nervous laugh was hollow. “Please, Jamie, just promise you won’t judge.”

“I’m not a person who is ever in a position to judge. We’ve all done things we’re not proud of, Beth.” Curiosity filled her as she waited in anticipation to hear what had transpired the year before.

The sounds of the café buzzed softly around them, but the noise faded into the background as Beth spoke. Her hands cradled her latte, her eyes distant. Jamie could feel the shift in her demeanor. This was different. Deeper. Heavier.