Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All rights to the Mother-Daughter Book Club series belong to Heather Vogel Frederick.

Emma

"Happy anniversary honey, it's been an amazing two years," Stewart says and the two of us clink our glasses together.

"You could almost say perfect," I smile at him as I take a small sip of my drink.

"Fabulous," Stewart says. Even after all these years Stewart and I carry on the time honored Hawthorne tradition of playing the synonym game.

The smell of steak drifts over to our table as the waiter walks by carrying a tray full of food, making my stomach grumble. Colonial Inn has the best steaks. Stewart and I were driving around, looking for a place suitable to eat our wedding anniversary dinner in when I suggested that we go to Inn and recreate the prom memories, minus the Sophie disaster of course.

"It's a lovely evening," Stewart comments, looking out of the window next to our table, "You can almost taste the air. It's a perfect June evening. It's nice to be back in Concord finally. California was nice but it has nothing on our hometown"

"The poet in you is coming out Stewart," I tease him, "But yes, I agree with you. There's no place better than Concord."

For a moment neither of us says anything and we listen to the background noises of silverware softly clinking and low voices. A couple sits down at the table next to us but I pay no attention until I hear a familiar voice say, "I'll be right back, I just have to use the restroom," followed by the sound of a chair scraping backwards and receding footsteps.

My head whips to the right and I spy brown curls identical to mine sitting at the table next to ours. Surprise causes my voice to raise an octave, "Darcy?"

The young man looks over, his eyes widening when he sees me, "Emma!"

My smile is so wide it's almost splitting my face, "It's so great to see you," I nod at the empty seat across from him, "Is Jess with you?"

Darcy nods and spying Stewart says, "Hey man, how are you?"

Stewart grins, "Fabulous. We just moved back to Concord today and decided to eat here to celebrate. It's our two year anniversary."

"Congratulations, I always knew you guys would end up together eventually. The two of you are practically the same person!" Darcy tells us.

"I thought so too," I smile at Stewart and reach for his hand across the table.

At that moment, the clicking sound of high heels approaches the table and I glance up to see Jess, looking gorgeous in an elegant dress that reaches just below her knees. Her sparkling blue eyes meet mine, and just like Darcy's they widen. "Emma!" she cries, "I can't believe it's you!"

I leap up from my chair and engulf her in a hug, "Jess! You look amazing!"

More hugging commences with me hugging Darcy, Jess hugging Stewart, and me and Jess hugging again. Finally after we settled back at our tables Jess asks, "Why don't we have a spontaneous double date and catch up?"

I'm tempted to say yes, but remind myself that this is me and Stewart's anniversary and that we should celebrate together. However, as I glance at him I see he's smiling at me and nodding his head. "It'll be nice to talk," he says, "And I know you're dying to anyway."

"Thanks honey," I say and lean over the table to give him a peck on the lips.

"No problem," he smiles at me, and he and Darcy begin shifting tables, ignoring the disapproving looks from the staff.

Soon we are sitting at a joined table, Stewart across from me and Jess next to me. Jess leans toward me, "So tell me all about what's happened to you since we lost touch," she says eagerly.

I clear my throat, "So, we lost touch around the first year of college?" She nods, "Right, well then you know that in my senior year of high school Stewart and I broke up. The distance ended our relationship and then for college I headed to Vassar in upstate New York, I majored in journalism, of course."

Darcy, who is lounging in his chair grins, "Well that was no surprise Em, I think that we knew that back when you were in middle school."

Jess laughs, "It's true, but keep going Emma."

"So my college years weren't exactly filled with drinking and partying but I dated a bit, had a serious boyfriend here or there, but everything ended eventually. I graduated and moved to Philadelphia. I think Darce and I reunited around there, but just briefly. I got a job as a journalist, boring articles and stuff but one day I was sent to a writing convention in downtown Philly. And there I bumped into Stewart and we decided to get a drink together. To relive old memories, purely friendly," I chuckle and reach for Stewart's hand over the table," But needless to say we both realized that we had never gotten over each other."

Stewart pipes up, "It's true. I never had a girlfriend for more than a month. I'd always slip up and call her Em."

Darcy laughs loudly, "Nice going Chadwick. Way to be popular with the girls."

"Darcy," I chide him, but I can't help myself from smiling slightly, "Anyway, we got pretty serious. At our six month anniversary he proposed to me because he had gotten a job offer in San Francisco and wanted me to come with him."

"How did he propose?" Jess asks, "Was it romantic?"

I'm about to answer when our waitress comes and over to take our orders. After she leaves I continue with my story. "It was spring. We were taking a walk in a park; all the plants were in blossom. We're standing in a gazebo overlooking a pond when all of a sudden he gets down on one knee. He takes a little box out of his pocket and says, 'Ever since we first met at newspaper club at Walden Middle School, I've liked you. And as we got older it developed into love that has continued to grow with every day that we're together. So Emma Hawthorne, will you marry me?"

Jess sighs, her eyes dreamy, "Oh my gosh, that is so romantic."

Stewart says cockily, "It was pretty romantic if I might say so myself."

Darcy rolls his eyes and taps Jess's arm, "What? Does it outshine my proposal?"

I gape at her, "You guys are married?"

"Yeah," Jess says nonchalantly. She holds her left hand towards me and on her ring finger sparkles a silver wedding ring with small diamonds embedded in it. "We were saving money, so we decided to forgo the classic engagement ring." Turning to Darcy she adds, "Stewart's definitely outshines your proposal in terms of how romantic it was." She glances at me, "He proposed to me right after he won his college football game in front of all the fans. He didn't even have a ring."

Stewart roars with laughter, "Classy move. So how long have you two been married?"

Darcy smiles, "Two and a half years. We had a long engagement."

I hug Jess, "Well congratulations, anyway."

She returns the hug but pulls away after a second, "I want to hear the rest of your story."

I nod at Stewart, "Honey, how about you take it from here?"

Stewart smiles at me, "Of course Emma said yes to my beautifully planned proposal and within a month we were packed and ready to move to San Francisco. We found a studio apartment and got settled in. Soon enough I began my job and Emma received a job offer as an editor. As happy as we were, Emma and I both realized we wanted to be officially married so we began to plan it. Even though we sent a lot of invitations, it ended up being a very small wedding; we knew most people wouldn't be able to fly out on such short notice."

"We got the invitation, which was beautiful by the way, but decided we couldn't swing it on our budget," Jess says.

"Thanks Jess. I picked them out myself," I reply.

"Anyway, it was really beautiful. A perfect June evening on a small beach at low tide, friends and family around us. The two of us kept working and getting used to married life until last month, when we decided to move back to Concord." Stewart continues.

"Hold up," Darcy says, "Why did you move across the country so quickly? I would have just stayed in Cali."

I smile at Stewart, a tad nervously but filled with a giddy feeling. Should I tell them? I silently ask. He shrugs as if to say it's your choice. "Well, we haven't told anyone but I suppose you are the best people. I'm pregnant."

Darcy stares open mouthed at me. Jess looks shocked but quickly recovers. "Oh my gosh. You guys! Congratulations!" she squeals.

Stewart grins, his whole face alight, "Yeah, we're so happy. We wanted to be able to settle in before the baby comes and have our parents nearby."

"I'm going to be an uncle?" stutters Darcy.

"Yeah Darce. Get ready for baby craziness!" I joke.

"Wait, how far along are you Emma?" Jess asks.

"Umm… well, about four months. I'm just starting to show," I reply.

The rest of the meal flies by with Jess and I talking about nurseries and maternity clothes while Darcy and Stewart discuss hockey and how Concord's changed. I find out that Jess and Darcy have been together ever since high school and that they are living in a small house in Concord although they might soon move into Half Moon Farm, depending on how good Mr. Delaney feels. I ask her about the rest of the old book club, Megan, Cassidy, Becca, and even people like Sophie, Zach, and Ethan and Third. Amazingly enough they are still in and around Concord and we agree we should host a get together. After the meal we are all standing around outside the Inn, saying goodbye and making promises to see each other as soon as possible.

Stewart and I hop into our Subaru and drive slowly home, reminiscing about our teen years and enjoying the warm breezes that blow in through our open windows. As we pull up in the driveway of our new house I see that we've accidentally left a light on, and it shines into the night like a beacon. And as I smell the freshly mown grass, I realize that Stewart and I are truly where we belong, in Concord with all our friends and family.