Hurry up, hurry up and wait

 Gage and Nora finally had their baby girl. Oh, there had been plenty of time for baby showers and cookouts. Nora felt Zoey practically lived there these days.

"Oh, I just want to help," she kept smiling, but Nora was certain Zoey was only pretending. Still, it was nice to have the help with baby Ava, or just to have someone to talk to.

Gage had off two weeks and went back to the post office. He was supposed to have three but he was on a guilt trip since many had vacation plans and still there weren't enough subs. Sometimes, she really hated that he was a postman. It was excruciating figuring out the process for the man to even get sick leave. But Nora always made sure he got it even if she had to be on the phone about it. 

Naturally, she gave Zoey an earful about it and Zoey just kept smiling as she tended to Baby Ava.

"So do you still babysit the neighbor's baby?" Nora hoped Zoey wasn't overdoing it with getting Alfie ready for Daddy Duty. She told her they should be out at the lake with her in-laws. Didn't June bring these weekend getaways?

"It's just not the same," Zoey sighed. "Boone won't go. Lily's in Chicago and he has a new roommate since Dory moved out."

Nora nodded. Honestly, she wasn't up to a trip to the lake, either. It was a busy summer with her step-son Alec and sports. Of course, Alfie and Zoey helped out with that too. 

Zoey then mentioned Angel (the neighbor's toddler) who she rarely saw anymore. "Dan and Ivy are planning a destination wedding, so they've been letting Angel stay with his grandparents. You know, kind of a couple of trial runs before the big day."

"Where are they going?" Nora asked.

"Wherever they can get a good flight, I guess," Zoey shrugged. "Really, I thought it would be all so important to Dan." She winced then. "I dunno if he's changed since the Pandemic or it's because of Ivy."

"Ivy?" She hadn't heard her name in a while, but she knew of her. 

"I try my best to like her. To understand her, but I know it's her who's made him so depressed." Zoey pressed her lips tight.

"He's still depressed?" Nora didn't like the sound of that.

"It's funny, you think you've known someone all this time, just to find out you didn't know him at all," Zoey sighed.

"But I think you know Alfie best," Nora chuckled.

"Yeah," Zoey smiled back.

It was good to have couple-friends like Zoey and Alfie. Nora hoped she and Gage could be there for them when they started a family.