The Dark Side - Danielle Steel Page 0,47
work.
“I think it’s harder with people’s own children. I see it all the time with my patients. Parents who run major corporations can’t decide what time their kids should go to bed, or what they should be eating. Or what school to send them to, and then they argue with each other about it.”
“At least Austin and I agree about what school we want her to go to.” Zoe had just been accepted at an excellent school, three blocks from their home, for September. It was kindergarten through twelfth grade, but had a small preschool where they accepted students who had an interest in staying on from kindergarten through the upper grades. Zoe had mixed feelings about it. Jaime still seemed too young to go to school, and Zoe hated to see her baby days end so soon. Austin felt the same way, but they both had demanding jobs, and she was at home with the nanny without them anyway. Fiona was going to become part-time in the fall, and work for another family as well.
“Get ready to see Jaime with a runny nose for the next two years,” Cathy said, laughing. “They get sick constantly when they start school.”
“Do you think we should wait another year? We don’t have to send her yet. We just thought it would be more interesting for her than going to the playground every day, and playing with Fiona at home. I think the structure will be good for her, and the challenge. She’s so bright.”
“I think school at three is fine. It’s the right age. You don’t want her to be too old or too young when she starts, and she’ll have consistent friends and a social life. And yes, they catch flus and colds, but it’ll strengthen her immune system. I think she’ll love it,” Cathy said easily, and then went on to tell Zoe about her recent breakup from a disappointing boyfriend she had just dated for six months. They had met on a dating site for people in the medical profession. He was a heart surgeon and a narcissist, according to Cathy, and he was dating a slew of women he met online and had lied to her about it. She found out from another doctor friend he was dating too. She was turning forty in a few months, and was startled at how fast time had flown.
“It feels like I was a resident just a few years ago, and now suddenly I’m old.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, you’re not old.” Zoe was about to turn thirty-seven, but it was different being single, when you hadn’t found the right man yet, and still wanted children, although Cathy always said privately to Zoe that she wasn’t sure she did.
“I give at the office. I’m not sure I need children of my own. I’m not even convinced I’d be good at it.”
“How can you say that? You’re great with kids,” Zoe said.
“They’re not mine. It’s easy to be great with other people’s kids. From where I sit, it’s not as easy to be consistent and make the right decisions with your own children. The parents do the hard part, I just take care of their kids’ health. Maybe that’s all I know how to do.” Medicine and her practice were her life. She was still close to her family in Ohio, and had three nieces and two nephews she loved. But she didn’t get home as often as she liked, and had drifted away from her old friends in Columbus. Zoe had become her closest friend in New York.
“Why don’t you figure out about having kids when you meet the right guy?” Zoe said gently, and then they talked about other things. They had a number of interests in common, art, books, movies, fashion. They really enjoyed each other when they had time to get together, which wasn’t often, but they texted and called when they could. And their daily messages to each other were fun and light, often about something silly or humorous they had seen.
* * *
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In addition to its geographic location, the school Austin and Zoe had selected for Jaime turned out to be the perfect one for her, or so it appeared. She loved it right from the first day. She was crazy about her teacher, Mrs. Ellis, and the young teaching assistant they called Mr. Bob. The school had traditional principles and structure, but also incorporated some modern views and new techniques, which satisfied both of