She doesn’t look at me. She’s probably intimidated by me. She shouldn’t be, although I know some of the other women are. I can’t help that Nathan’s so successful.

The second bell rings, and before I can introduce myself to Mrs. Osborne, she’s politely but firmly calling the class to order. I hate interrupting her, so I hurriedly tell her my name, although it doesn’t seem to spark the recognition I’d hoped. I let her know what I said in my e-mail, that I’d be happy to be head room mother and do whatever I could to make her year the most successful it can be.

Mrs. Osborne thanks me, and I feel reassured. For a moment, I’d almost gotten the impression that I’d annoyed her somehow, but as I leave, I drop the gift I bought her—a Starbucks drink card—on her desk and head out. It’s going to be a good year, I tell myself, far better than last year.

With that thought in mind, I retrieve my phone and dial Nathan’s cell. He answers right away. “Hi, hon,” I say, “girls are settled and I’m just entering the school gym for the Welcome Coffee, and then I’m off to the gym to work out.”

“Girls okay? Teachers seem nice?”

“Everything seems great. I met both teachers. I think it’s going to be a really good year.”

“That’s great. Can’t wait to hear all about it at dinner.”

“All right, sweetheart, have a good day.”

“You too.”

I make a kiss sound into the phone and hang up. I really am very lucky.

The Welcome Coffee is in full swing when I enter the school gym. Laura and Joan, mothers of second-grade daughters, wave as I walk in. I smile back and move through the small throng until I find Patti, who happens to be standing with Kate and Monica.

“That’s a cute shirt, Taylor,” Kate says by way of greeting.

“Thank you,” I answer, leaning forward to give everybody the customary kiss-kiss.

Monica looks me up and down. “Isn’t it the one you got at the Tory Burch trunk show last spring at Nordstrom’s?”

I nod, my hair falling forward to brush my cheek. “I splurged that day, but God, her clothes were gorgeous. I couldn’t help it.”

“Well, you look positively gorgeous in the tunic,” Monica says almost enviously. “You’re so slim, you can wear everything.”

“Look who’s talking,” Patti flashes. “You’re so thin, Monica, you’re about to disappear. If you lost any more weight, you wouldn’t even be here.”

Monica shakes her head even as she tries to hide her pleased smile. Being too skinny is one of the best compliments you can be paid. “Speaking of down-to-earth,” Monica says, changing the subject as she likes to do, “I heard that Martha Stewart is about to become a neighbor. She’s apparently buying a house in Medina.”

“Not just a house,” Patti corrects, “three. They’re going to tear them down and build a big compound, kind of like what Gates did.”

“You can’t build megahouses anymore,” Kate replies firmly. “Medina’s passed a number of ordinances since Gates’s house went up.”

“I think they’re able to get around the building code, as it’s a megaestate, not a megahouse. Martha wanted to leave plenty of open land for her gardens.”

My eyebrows lift.