Things have been quiet lately for me. There have been several days lately where I have found myself looking around for work to be done. All but one of my charges have been so happy lately that they have little need of me—which is a marvelous problem to have, but it can be a problem. Hannah and Jack are beginning to plan their wedding—they’ve settled on a date next year, in the fall. Lily has made them promise that they…
It is strange that Allen, who spends his days talking about money, would have such difficulty with this conversation. He’s put it off for several days now, until I simply had to put my foot down today. But then, it is harder when it is one’s own money, and harder still when hearts are involved. “So is something on your mind?” Megan asked him this evening over dinner. She was smiling, because she knew very well he has been wrestling…
Freya met with Archer this afternoon for coffee, and as soon as she saw him, she knew that something had changed. Maybe it was the way in which he wouldn’t quite hold her eye, or the way he kissed her cheek without the slightest nervousness, but by the time they had settled into their seats across from one another, her doubts were gone. “So,” she said, raising her eyebrows at him. “What’s going on?” His cheeks flushed, and he looked…
Lewis was a bit down today after his shift at the coffeeshop. It worried me a little, but both Brid and I were reasonably confident that this was not the depression returning. He has been doing very well between the antidepressants and the therapy, not to mention the stability of his job and his relationship. Still, I couldn’t quite identify the source of his blues this afternoon. It wasn’t a bad day—he has rather become friends with his coworkers, and…
I wonder if it is true in all cases that when one delays too long in making a choice, that choice soon disappears. It certainly seems to be true in Freya’s case. She has continued to see both of her men, getting to know them both and making no promises to either of them. I think that she has handled the situation as well as she can, with honesty and openness about her feelings. But if she does not make…
When Megan got to Allen’s house this evening, she found him sitting in his “studio”, staring at a blank canvas. “Is something wrong?” she asked, worried about the expression on his face. It was a moment before he looked up, coming out of his reverie. “I have a commission,” he said. Megan dropped her purse. “What? That’s amazing!” She jumped into his lap, kissing his cheek. He laughed a little bit. “Yes, but…” “No, no buts! Amazing is amazing! This…
It was a very important day today. Hannah asked off from work, which was a complicated maneuver—her supervisor has backed off and made the requested changes to Hannah’s schedule, but there is still some lingering resentment for the outside interference from Ramiro. Thankfully, Hannah feels that it is worthwhile—now there is only one evening in the week that she can’t spend with Jack and Lily. And time with them is becoming more and more important to her, especially in light…
Inca came to see me this afternoon. She gave me an update on Gabrielle and Christina—they are beginning to talk about getting married. I was a bit more excited by this news than Inca felt it really warranted—she says there are no plans yet, just an opening of conversation about the idea of marriage. Still, that is an important step in a relationship, and I am happy for them. Oh, and on a related note, I hear optimistic news from…
I’ve been intrigued in the past by the phrase “the final straw”. It comes from a metaphor of an overloaded camel, and the one single straw that makes the load too much is associated with one small thing in one’s life that finally makes it all overwhelming. It’s an interesting image, and it shows that even a small weight can make a crucial change when applied at just the wrong moment. Or, as I saw today, the right one. It…
For the past few days Lily has been quiet with Hannah. Neither she nor Jack had any idea what was in the girl’s head, but on my advice they have not pressed her, waiting until she was ready to speak her mind. I, of course, did have some idea, and I knew that it was something that she had to work through on her own. But even I didn’t quite expect it to all come out at once the way…