Deb doesn't expect for them to actually stay in contact. She pictures maybe one or two visits before it becomes too much on the boys or them.
It slowly becomes a routine. Two weekends a month, Deb drives down to Tree Hill. At least one week in the middle, Karen spends her day off to come to Durham. Sometimes she brings Keith with her. As the boys learn to play, they roll balls back and forth, tackle one another and crawl/chase each other around their small apartment. Lucas walks first and by the next visit, Nathan is trying to keep up to his big brother.
Deb and Karen have nothing in common to the passerby. Karen grew up in a blue collar family, hard work is all she's ever known. Deb's parents come from money and she spent her early years in private school. Karen works as a waitress, while Deb is living off the inheritance her grandmother left her. Yet, beneath the surface, they're both single moms. Karen's family couldn't afford to help her with Lucas and she's insisted on doing most of it on her own. Deb's family cut her off as soon as she rejected the idea of giving her baby up for adoption. Karen's friends all went off to college and don't write or visit. Deb's not even sure if she ever had a real friend. The only other people they have are each other and Keith.
One sunny afternoon six months into their new arrangement, the two stand in the only park in Tree Hill. Lucas' birthday was two months ago and Nathan's is just weeks away. Both boys are in the 90th percentile for height and weight. Everyone says they could play basketball one day. They're still not sure if they'll allow it.
Both moms push their babies in the swings in silence for a bit. Lucas keeps reaching for Nathan's hand, just missing it with each push.
"I need to get a job," Deb says.
Karen tilts her head. "I thought you had that money from your grandparents."
"I do, but it's running low and it won't last me forever. Especially with rent in Durham being what it is."
"Have you thought about moving?"
"I can't exactly go home, you know? All I've ever known is the Durham area."
"My neighbor just moved out," Karen says. "And I know for sure there's plenty of places around here hiring."
"Tree Hill?" Deb pauses the swing, which only makes Nathan whine. She sighs and resumes, bringing happiness back to him. "I don't know. I've never done small town."
"It's not that bad. Not like we're a town full of zombies."
Deb partially smiles. "It's just...everyone already talks. If I move in next to you, what are they going to say?"
"You know what I'm sick of?" Deb shakes her head. "Acting like we're the ones who should've ashamed. Sure, maybe we got pregnant at 18, but we certainly didn't do it on our own. We also stepped the hell up for our kids. Where's Dan?"
Deb ducks her head. She tries not to give her ex headspace these days. Some are easier than others. Occasionally, she'll see him in town. He's usually with friends, headed for a bar. Meanwhile she's struggling to carry Nathan and heavy bags of groceries.
"He's the coward that took off on his kids. He should be the one that's ashamed, not us."
"Something tells me Dan doesn't care enough to be ashamed."
"That's not my problem anymore." Karen shrugs. "The way I look at it, people are going to talk whether we like it or not. All we can control is what we do. And I plan on doing the best for my son."
Deb sighs, stroking Nathan's hair when he comes back in from a high push. For the first 5 months of his life, she was completely alone. Now she has friends in Tree Hill. It's great to have the weekends, to have other adults to talk to. Could she really have it all the time?
"I'd have to figure out childcare."
"You'd have to do that in Durham."
"True." She twists the chains of the swing a bit. "You think your landlord would let me take a look at the vacant apartment."
Karen grins, reaching down to pick up Lucas. "It's worth an ask."
