Emma

One gentle nudge could snowball into changes they never saw coming.

It's been a year since the surgery that saved Vanessa's life. Emma, grateful the bitter battle is over, intends to savor the sweetness of every moment with the love of her life. Every touch, every simple walk, every night under the stars is a celebration that Vanessa is here. Whole. And all Emma's.

That doesn't mean it's all smooth sailing. Though they both adore Vanessa's precious granddaughter Daisy, Vanessa's daughter Lauren aims barbs at Emma every chance she gets. And her demands that Vanessa drop everything at a moment's notice to babysit is grating more and more on Emma's last nerve.

At her school, at least, Emma feels she's making forward progress with her students, from the ones with the bad attitudes to the shy ones. Like Freya, the new girl who struggles to fit in. Freya has a spark; Emma can see it. But little does she know it's the quiet ones that tend to make the biggest impact…