Page 13 of Summer With You

“The food, Ace,” I reminded him to which he walked over to the stove and turned it lower before turning back to Summer.

“You will apologize to him, and you will not have dessert tonight, and you will be doing all the dishes tonight by yourself for this cruel behavior. Do you hear me?” Summer’s big blue eyes teared up as she nodded at her father.

“I’m sorry, Dad. It was just a joke to get him to stop asking, and I’m just sorry!” she cried out, running into his chest, his arms instantly wrapping around her shaking shoulders.

“I’m waiting,” he gently reminded her, turning her around to face Charlie and me.

Summer took a few small steps closer to us, her blonde hair falling out of the perfect ponytail she always strived for as she knelt down and patted Charlie’s back.

“I’m so sorry. Mommy isn’t going to die. I just made it up.” Charlie looked at his sister, silent tears still trailing down his cheeks as he nodded at her. He turned back to me and buried his face back in my neck.

“Don’t leave me, Mommy, please. I love you so much,” he whimpered.

“I’m not going anywhere, my boy. I love you more,” I soothed, brushing my hand over his dark hair.

Ace started to dish up the pasta, handing the plates to Summer to put on the table. She kept her gaze downcast, unable to look at any of us. I wanted to console her, but what she had done was incredibly wrong, and she needed to know that she couldn’t do something like that ever again.

I settled Charlie down and put him in a seat next to me as I sat down, my stomach growling at the big plate of pasta in front of me.

We all ate in silence, the kids yawning between mouthfuls, eyes still glassy from crying beforehand.

“Should we go on a ride in the boat tomorrow?” I asked, finishing my last bite. Both kids nodded in excitement. Ace shot me a worried look. I placed my hand over his, giving it a light squeeze. “Alright, clean up the dishes and get into bed so we can wake up early and go for a ride.”

They leaped up from the table, putting the dishes into the dishwasher with guidance from Ace and me as we sat at the table, monitoring them.

“Are you sure you’re up for a boat ride, Princess?” Ace asked me, worry for my health in his tone.

I looked over at him. “I’ll be fine,” I assured him. “All I have to do is sit back and relax,” I reminded him. I leaned over and pressed a kiss to his lips. He quickly laced his hand in my hair, angling my head to deepen the kiss.

Just as the kids were heading up the stairs to their bedrooms, the doorbell rang. I jumped away from Ace, startled from the loud intrusive sound, but Ace seemed to be expecting it as he went to open the door.

“Surprise!” Amber squealed, standing at the door, the porch light illuminating her tired face along with her three kids and her husband, my brother, Ryan.

“What are you doing here?” I asked as I got up and hugged her when she stepped inside.

“You didn’t think I was going to let you have all the fun by yourself, did you?” she teased, but I saw the worry etched into her green eyes as they looked me over. She hugged me again, tighter this time.

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