Page 18 of A New Year Baby

CHAPTER 11

STELLA

Ithought that the only place I could ever be happy was in the kitchen.

But sitting at the Frost home, in Evie’s ugly green chair, with Luna snuggled up on my lap while we watch cartoons, is my new favorite place to be. Luna loves to be here, surrounded by family. She loves her grandparents and aunts, even though she doesn’t know they are her grandparents and aunts.

It doesn’t really matter. We feel totally welcome and at home here, and even my own mother eventually softens up and begins to visit the Frosts with us. The Frost house is a magical place for a kid, and Luna loves to visit more than anything. It’s all a giant playground to her. Every Sunday, we try to hang out and spend some quality family time together. We also meet up for hockey games, because Mary’s boyfriend has recovered enough from his injury to get back on the ice.

Eve has been traveling a bit, doing fundraisers with her boyfriend Adam, so she’s not always at home. Clara went to Sweden for an operation on her ankle, so it’s mostly just me and Mary, sitting and chatting while Luna plays with her grandparents.

Sometimes we video call Clara. She said the only way for us to find out if Luna could dance, was for her to try dancing. She has tried to give some lessons to Luna over video, but it’s a bit slow going.

“Don’t you think he looks so handsome?” Mary asks, as we watch the hockey game. Luna has fallen asleep in my lap, after a busy day of activities.

The man on the TV is so padded up in his hockey gear that you can barely see any of his features, except the giant number on his back—but I know that Mary is so proud of Sven that he must look like a knight in shining armor to her.

“He’s very skilled,” I tell her. “Very fast.”

“Mmm, and so sexy,” Mary says. “Look at how he keeps track of the puck, without looking down at the ice. It’s like he just feels it. How does he move his stick so fast? I can barely keep track of what he’s doing.”

She’s only partially exaggerating, because the man on the ice is actually really good. Mary’s father frequently enters the room to scream words of encouragement at the television. It’s a pleasure to watch Sven. And when you meet him in person, he is also very kind and sweet.

I’m so happy that Mary has found someone who is a really good match for her. I almost don’t mind being single, because I can live vicariously through watching the joy in her eyes. She deserves happiness. She is such a devoted sister and friend.

I’ve really missed Mary—the oldest of the girls, she was always so maternal and caring of the others. A bit like Jack always was.

“Hey, Stella,” Mary says gently. “How did your boyfriend react when you found out you were pregnant?”

The question catches me off guard. I guess Eve hasn’t told her, after all. “He… I don’t really know,” I say honestly. “I tried to talk to him about it, but… he didn’t seem interested. I guess that’s why he’s not in Luna’s life.”

“I’m sorry,” Mary says. “Well, I just found out today. I wanted to tell Sven so badly, but I knew he had a game—so I thought maybe I’d wait until he finished playing.”

“Oh, Mary,” I say happily. “He’s going to be so thrilled and overjoyed.”

“I hope so,” she says with a small smile. “I’ve never wanted anything more.”

“I guess Luna will have a little friend to play with soon,” I tell her.

“That would be so lovely,” Mary says with a sigh.

Her happiness causes my chest to ache. I wait until the commercial break, then I carefully stand up, lifting Luna off me, and depositing her back in the chair.

Then I tiptoe to the kitchen to grab a glass of water.

“You haven’t heard from him in how long?” Mr. Frost is saying to his wife.

I pause, standing behind the cupboards, not wanting to enter the room and interrupt the conversation.

“It’s been over five months since I received that text message,” Mrs. Frost is saying. “Since way before Christmas. He said he wouldn’t be able to make it home for the holidays, but it’s not like him to completely disappear like this.”

“I don’t know what gets into that boy’s head sometimes, and why he does the crazy things he does,” Mr. Frost says with annoyance.

“Is it possible that he found out about Luna?” Mrs. Frost asks.

“What about Luna?” Mr. Frost responds.

“You know, honey. That she’s his daughter…”

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