I take a big breath and hope that the connection of us both being female is strong and the connection of us both being mothers is stronger. “Yes. But I’m hoping to wait a few more weeks before I announce. Perhaps closer to the end of January.” January 30 is not arbitrary, it happens to coincide with the six-month mark of my first contracted year as head of school.
“Is there such a thing as maternity leave for a school head? Probably why most schools prefer headmasters. How does one miss months of school?”
I hadn’t thought through how maternity leave would work just yet, it’s a fair question.
“I haven’t worked out the details, but I’m sure when I announce, Winn and I, along with the executive committee, will figure out a plan that serves the school community well in my absence.” My voice is calm and steady. I can tell Courtney is chewing on my answer. She takes in my bump again, which is protruding more than usual after three days of holiday leftovers.
“I’m sorry, Nina, but since you’re brand new at your job, I think important information like this should be shared with Winn and the board immediately. Anything that threatens the long-term health and stability of the school needs to be dealt with as swiftly as possible. I guess one never knows when a surprise is lurking right around the corner.”
On the heels of Winn’s email this is a crushing blow. Leo picks up my hand either to support me or to keep me from throwing a punch. “I think brand new at my job is a bit of an overstatement,” I challenge Courtney. I’m feeling confident in my tenure thus far given Winn’s words of encouragement, but I also have a living reminder in front of me of how pissed I am at him for selling a board seat. “I’d ask that you give me the professional courtesy to tell Winn about my pregnancy on my own timeline. Not yours.” Again, Courtney studies me.
“I’m having lunch with Winn on January 6. I’ll expect that you will have shared with him by then so the two of us can celebrate your exciting news. Sooner rather than later is best for the school,” Courtney concludes, adjusting the overnight bag digging into her shoulder. Has she been speaking to my ex, the two of them laying down ultimatums about my pregnancy reveal? “In the meantime, enjoy your New Year.”
“You too.” I pseudo smile and watch Courtney stride off to baggage claim or to Vail.
“Jeez.” Leo blows out a whoosh of air. “I can’t believe you asked that woman to be on the board.”
EIGHTEEN
We’re delayed for a second time on the tarmac, so I turn my phone back on to text Xandra and find out what she and Graham are up to in Miami. Since we have to stay buckled, I also need to distract myself from having to pee. Oh, and I forgot to text my father the watering schedule for my houseplants, as well as a list of leftovers I have organized by Tupperware color. Fitzroy’s cholesterol is on the low end of highly unhealthy, so I cut up a vat of fresh vegetables for him. We’ll see if the container’s full and rotting when I get home.
It felt weird leaving my dad alone in my house while he’s still visiting, but he assured me he wanted to stay in town for a New Year’s dominoes tournament. I tried to keep my fussing over him to a minimum. Oh yay, there’s already a text back from my girl!
Xandra 10:42 AM
Leo put this note in my suitcase. Tell him thanks for the Starbucks card, that was pretty cool of him.
Embedded in the text is a picture of Leo’s handwriting:
It was nice spending time with you, your mom, and Fitzroy over Christmas, thanks for sharing. Have fun with your dad and Dash in Miami.
I look at Leo and my heart feels full. Or the baby is pushing up into my ribs and I can’t get a full breath. Either way, I feel a pang in my chest. Leo nailed it over our holiday week with Xandra. He listened intently when she spoke and asked her nonjudgy questions （he left those for me）。 He knew the exact amount of time to hang around with us and when to beat it so we could be alone. And the crown jewel to winning over a teen—he bought her things he knew she would like and never get from me. I can’t help but be pleased that in such a short time, Xandra and Leo have begun to develop their own relationship, but the question remains, why did I continue to get the lukewarm shoulder over Christmas from my usually warmhearted daughter?
I show Leo the text. “Well played, Mr. West. Turns out you know how to woo women of all ages,” I say, planting a lingering kiss on Leo’s cheek. He beams with pride and turns his shoulder to me so I can ceremoniously pat his back. “I think you may have misheard a conversation, though. Dash isn’t in Miami.”
“Sure, she is. When Xandra and I were waiting in line for popcorn at the movies and I asked her what she and Graham had planned for Miami, she told me her dad has a ton of work to do so he bought Dash a ticket to come and keep Xandra company.”
Of course, he did. Graham hasn’t taken a vacation from work since our honeymoon. You would think he could pull it off when he has his daughter only a few weeks a year, but yet again he’s proven what’s in his computer is more important than the person who is in front of his face.
“I thought the girls could use the Starbucks card to get breakfast in the morning. I’m sure there’s one near the hotel. You can’t walk two blocks without running into the big green in any city in America. And yes, before you even begin to make a snarky comment, even in Omaha.”
I nod my head in agreement, but I’m only half listening to Leo while I’m texting Graham.
Nina 10:52 AM
If you couldn’t focus on Xandra for the week she could have stayed with her family and friends in Pasadena. Not sure Dash is the best fill-in for a father.
Okay, that last line is a little bit too ex-wife witchy, even for me. I change the whole text to . . .
Not sure Dash is who we want Xandra spending free time with right now.
“Please turn off all electronic devices. We have been cleared for takeoff. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight,” says our flight attendant as he begins his final walk down the aisle to make sure all passengers are in compliance. This is America, though, and half of us are not responding, as if turning off one’s device is an infringement on individual liberties. As a rule-follower, I make a point of holding my phone up high for acknowledgment that I have earned a gold star flying the friendly skies.
Ding.
Damn, gotta take a quick peek.
Graham 10:54 AM
My week, my rules. The girls are doing their own thing. Besides, aren’t you off playing family with your Ken doll? I hear blond is the new Black.
How many times have I told Graham that Leo isn’t blond?!
“I’m going to take you by my high school where I was the varsity quarterback. We went two seasons, no losses, with me throwing the ball.” Leo drops my hand to wind up his old rubber arm in the confines of economy class. “You mind if I have a beer?” Leo asks, picking my hand back up as we reach cruising altitude.
“You drink a beer in front of me, and a football will be the only thing your hand will be cupping.” Leo has proven himself a boob guy, so he knows my threat is valid. I lean over and plant a big kiss on his lips as a consolation prize.
I need to distract myself from the run-in with Courtney, so I decide to fuel Leo’s excitement for heading to his homeland and ask him to repeat, one more time, all the cousins, aunts, and uncles I’ll be meeting. His sister, the lone female in the family of Leo’s generation, is at LEGOLAND with her husband and kid for New Year’s. It blows because I actually met her in late November when she was in LA for work, and our lunch turned out to be an enjoyable three hours of good-natured Leo ribbing. I liked Julia right away, and I could tell she approved of me. If my Omaha debut nose-dived, I had hoped she would be there to vouch for me.