Page 111 of The Summer Swap

“Yes.”

“Someone has bought her painting.” Her mother pressed her hand to her mouth. “A stranger. A stranger paid money.”

Lily understood how alien it must be for them, because that wasn’t the world she’d been raised in. It wasn’t the world her parents knew. But it seemed that the extra endorsement from someone who didn’t know her made all the difference.

“Big money,” her father said. “I’m thinking those paintings of hers that we have around the house are going to be worth something.”

“Stan!” Her mother turned to him, horrified. “I hope you’re not suggesting we sell them?”

“Sell them? We’re going to keep them. Probably a better investment than a savings account.” Her father reached out and patted Lily awkwardly on the shoulder. “Good work, honey. I might not understand how your brain works, but I admire it.”

She felt as if she’d won the lottery.

Still, she was keen to reassure them.

“I don’t know if I’m going to make a success of this,” she said, “but I do know I’m happy. And it’s my responsibility to make it work in one way or another whether that’s painting walls or painting canvases. You don’t need to worry about me.”

“We’re not worried,” her mother said. “Not anymore. We can see how happy you are. And Kristen showed us a photograph of the bedroom you decorated. Those seashells! Wherever did you get that idea?”

They looked at her as if they were seeing her for the first time.

“Let me show you round the rest of the exhibition,” Lily said.

They walked with her, pausing in front of different paintings, her mother effusive and her father a little bemused by it all. They greeted Hannah warmly, and Lily introduced them properly to Todd, who charmed them so completely that Lily fell in love with him all over again.

“You seem so comfortable here, Lily,” her mother said. “As if this is your world.”

“It is my world. I fit here.”

Her mother nodded. “We’re proud of you, honey.”

“Of my paintings?”

“Yes, we’re proud of that. But mostly we’re proud of you for standing up for what you wanted, and what you knew was right. When you called that night—” her mother swallowed “—well, I’m just sorry we didn’t make that easier for you. We didn’t understand. This wasn’t a world we could picture. But now we can.”

Lily thought about what she’d learned from Cecilia, about moving forward. “Thank you for coming tonight. It means everything to me.” She gave her mother a quick hug and then stepped back as Kristen approached.

“Moira! There’s someone you must meet—” She bustled Lily’s mother away and Lily watched as her mother smiled, chatted and tentatively sipped at the glass of champagne she’d been handed.

“Hi there, girl in the red jumpsuit,” Todd’s voice came from behind her. “Are you the hot young artist everyone is talking about?”

She turned. “I think you must have the wrong person.”

“I don’t think so.” He curled his fingers around her hand. “Let’s get out of here. I need some air. I can only stand a crowd of this size for so long. Frankly I can’t wait to get back to our cottage on the dunes.”

Our cottage.

She checked on her mother and saw her laughing with Kristen. “I should check on my dad.”

“He’s with my dad. They’re talking about boats.”

“He doesn’t know anything about boats.”

“Neither does my dad. It almost makes the conversation worth listening to, but I want five minutes alone with you.”

They left the crowds behind them, crossed the road and strolled to the waterfront.

“I can’t believe your grandmother is letting us live in the cottage.”

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