For a brief moment, Lily said nothing, then she was on her feet. She let out a sound that was almost laughter, almost disbelief, and then she moved forward without hesitation, throwing her arms around Eleanor first, then turning immediately to Julian.
“A baby,” she said again, as though the word itself was not enough to contain what she felt. “That means… that means I will not be alone anymore. That means there will always be someone here.”
Julian placed a hand gently on her shoulder.
“You have never been alone.”
“I know,” Lily said quickly. “But this is different. I will be the oldest at last! Will I be allowed to help? Will I be able to hold the baby? Will they stay here always? Will they–”
“We will answer your questions one at a time,” Julian said, though he was laughing as he did so.
“But there are so many,” Lily insisted.
“There will be time for all of them,” Eleanor said gently. “Although some may have to wait, as our guests will be arriving imminently.”
Lily looked at her again, more carefully this time, as though something else had just occurred to her.
“Are you afraid?” she asked.
The question was direct, unfiltered in the way only a child could manage. Eleanor did not dismiss it. She considered it honestly before answering.
“A little,” she said. “Because it is something new, and of course we want to do it well.”
“You will,” she said. “You already do everything well.”
Eleanor felt the simplicity of that settle into her. Lily looked between them again, her excitement returning almost immediately.
“This is the best thing that has ever happened,” she declared.
Eleanor laughed softly, the sound lighter than it had been at any point before.
“I am glad you think so. Now, shall we go and greet our guests? Just make sure that you do not tell anyone our news yet. We are going to do so ourselves when the time is right.”
Lily nodded enthusiastically before taking their hands and skipping off with them.
Eleanor moved through the household with ease. There was no hesitation in her movements, no uncertainty in the way she arranged things, as though she had long since claimed her place there without needing to announce it. She moved beside Julian, and together they made their way toward the entrance in order to greet their guests. The door opened, and Eleanor’s brother was the first to step inside.
“It is so good to see you, Henry,” she grinned.
“Likewise.”
Their relationship had improved in the three months since everything had happened. He had apologized for not defendingher when it mattered, and had been truly trying to be better. Eleanor understood that he had only ever been acting in her best interests, even if he was misguided. That made it easier to forgive him.
Anne arrived next, her presence as composed as ever, though her attention moved quickly between Eleanor and Julian, noting what had changed without needing it explained.
“I see matters have improved,” she said.
“They have.”
“I did not doubt it. I knew that the two of you would find a way.”
Others joined them soon after, Eleanor’s friends filling the space and chatting among themselves about the latest things that had happened to them. Eleanor observed it all at first, taking in the moment. She did not cling to her husband, nor did she distance herself. She existed within the space fully, engaging completely in it all. There was a lightness to her that had not been there before, something that came from having moved beyond everything that she had endured.
At some point, she returned to Julian’s side.
“You are watching again,” she said.
“I am listening.”