Page 107 of Two Hit Wonder

"So? You were only twenty when you married Dad."

"That's not the same thing."

"Why not?"

Because I was an idiot, Iona thought but didn't say. Because I was young and scared and pregnant and thought marriage would fix everything, which it very much did not. Because Shepherd was kind and patient and I loved him, just not the way you're supposed to love the person you marry.

"Mo," she started, but Maeve stepped forward.

"I've got this," Maeve said.

Iona stared at her. "You've got this?"

"Trust me."

Mo's eyes darted between them, suspicious. "What are you going to do?"

"Have a conversation." Maeve gestured toward Mo's room. "Come on. You can show me where the charger isn't."

They disappeared down the hall. Iona stood alone among the boxes, heart hammering, trying to figure out if she should follow or wait or possibly have a small breakdown. Mo wanted to get married. Mo, who still couldn't remember to put her dishes in the dishwasher, who thought laundry was something that happened by magic, who had once cried for an hour because a TikTok video made her sad.

The front door opened and one of the removal men poked his head in. "Ready for the next load, love?"

"Yes," Iona said, though she wasn't sure she was ready for anything. "Give me five minutes."

✽✽✽

The new house was supposed to be empty.

Maeve had very specifically confirmed this with the estate agent, who had promised that the keys would be left under a pot by the back door and the house would be clean, aired, and devoid of anyone who might startle Maeve into cardiac arrest.

The estate agent had lied.

"SURPRISE!"

Maeve stood in the doorway of their new home, a box of kitchen supplies in her arms, Iona peering over her shoulder, staring at what appeared to be every single person she had ever met in her life. They were all crammed into the entrance hall, grinning like maniacs, surrounded by balloons and streamers and a banner that said "WELCOME HOME" in letters large enough to be visible from space.

And obviously, Cam was front and center, wearing a silver sequined jacket that would have been excessive at a disco and was frankly alarming at three in the afternoon. She was bouncing on her heels. "Surprise!" she cried again.

Maeve blinked. She was developing a headache.

"Come on, every house deserves a house-warming," Cam said, hands on her hips.

"We don't even have furniture yet," Iona pointed out.

"Best time for a party," Cam said with a grin. "No furniture means more room for dancing. Plus, it doesn’t matter who barfs where, does it?"

"No barfing," Maeve and Iona said immediately.

Maeve looked at Iona. "Sorry," she mouthed.

Iona grinned, shrugged, and said, "She makes a fair point about the furniture, though. We can christen the place without damaging anything important."

Maeve sighed, then relented. "Alright, alright," she said, turning back to the over-full hallway. "Party time it is then."

There was a cheer, then Cam informed everyone that drinks were in the kitchen, and Iona trailed after her, asking if she’d thought to bring snacks too, and then Maeve could see Glinna working her way through the crowd, Neil trailing behind with their youngest, Charity, on his hip. Presumably, the other five children were already dispersing around the house with the efficiency of a well-trained invasion force.

"Maeve!" Charity reached out, making grabby hands. She was almost three now, all wild curls, shining pearl-like teeth, and big eyes. "Up! Up!"