Free Learning to Love Again by Kelli Heneghan, Nathan Squiers Page A

sounds of the swing blending with the other night sounds.
    “Mom might be able to answer some of those questions for you, you know.  She’s made comments over the years about how much your mom changed, but whenever she realized I was around, she’d stop talking.  But I think if you were the one to ask the questions, she’d talk to you.”
    “I have asked a few questions.  Maybe it’s time I asked a few more pointed ones,” Nicole agreed, thinking about her parents.
    “So, what are you going to do about Jason?” Mitch asked after a few more seconds of silence had passed.
    She stopped the swing and stood up.  “I’m going to take it one day at a time and see where life leads me.  I can’t change what I did before but I hope I’ve learned a few things since then, about life and myself,” she leaned over and kissed her cousin’s cheek.  “I know you care, and I appreciate it.  And thanks for listening.”
    “Anytime, kiddo.”  Mitch smiled up at her.  “Hey, Carly asked me to tell you to stop in the den on your way inside.  I think she wants to ‘chat’ with you about our friend Jason.”  He gave the air quotes with a slight smirk.  She laughed at him and headed inside to find her friend.
    Carly was still in the den, but she had drifted off to sleep with her book on her lap, a finger tucked inside marking her page.  Nicole reached down and eased the book out of her friend’s grasp.  Carly woke up as she was tucking an afghan around her.
    “Oh, I didn’t mean to fall asleep.  Not having caffeine in the evenings is working,” Carly mumbled around a yawn.  “How was your walk with Jason?”
    “Fine.”  Nicole sat down beside her friend, handing the book back to her, and gave her a knowing smile.  “I’ll spill if you spill.”  She offered.
    “You’ve already figured out my secret, haven’t you?  I saw the look you gave me when I turned down that coffee.”  Carly pushed her hair back out of her eyes.  “I’m thirteen weeks pregnant and everything is going well,” Carly admitted.  “Now, about you and Jason…” she prompted.
    “We took a walk, and had a nice little talk…”
    “You were hot and heavy back in college and now you’re picking up the pieces,” Carly supplied for her.
    She stared at her friend in stunned silence for a minute and then started laughing.  “I guess that’s one way to summarize it.
    Carly stretched her arms up above her head.  “So, give me the details!”
    “There aren’t any details yet.  We’re going to try and take it slow.  I need to figure out what I want to do,” she told her.
    “Try saying that without a blush and swollen lips,” Carly teased, and Nicole blushed even more as she raised a hand to her mouth to touch her lips, much to Carly’s amusement.  “So?
    “So, we went for a walk and he kissed me.  And we’re going to continue talking and see where we go from here.”  She closed her eyes.  “And it scares me to death!”
    “Not surprising since you had such a lousy example of love growing up.”  Carly reached over for her glass of water on the end table.
    Nicole nodded.  “I know.  Mitch just gave me pretty much the same speech outside.”
    “Smart man, that husband of mine.”  Carly grinned over at Nicole.  “Look, Nicole, neither of us wants to butt in where we are not wanted…” she paused as if collecting her thoughts. “We just want you to be happy, hon.  Whether you stay here or move somewhere else and continue your career, Mitch and I will always be there for you,” Carly stood up and folded the afghan and placed it over the back of the couch.  “I would love to sit up with you and list all of the pros and cons of both options, but being pregnant just sucks every last ounce of energy out of me.  I am going to bed.  But come tomorrow I am all ears!” Carly gave her shoulder a pat as she passed by, leaving Nicole alone with her thoughts.
    Nicole sat in the living room, the only