Page 2 of Bride Games

“Shhh,” Mr. Hansen warned as he helped buckle Lucy into her car seat. “Secret, remember.”

“I ‘member, Mr. Hansen.” Lucy held up her little finger. “We pinky promised.”

“What’s going on with you two?” Emma grinned. She thought it was adorable that her daughter couldn’t break the habit of calling Eli by his surname since she first knew him as her teacher. She glanced from Eli to Lucy. “Anybody want to tell me what’s going on?”

2

While Emma opened her cabinets and fridge looking for something to cook for dinner, Lucy bounded inside. “Mommy, mommy. Donotcome outside!”

“Why?”

“Mr. Hansen and I are decowating.”

“Really? What’s the occasion?”

Eli poked his head inside the back door. “Lucy, you aren’t telling your mom about our secret, are you?”

Lucy clapped her hand over her mouth. “I forgot, Mr. Hansen. Can I pweaze tell Mommy about the fairy lights?”

Eli laughed. “I think you just did. Come back outside, okay? Let’s stick to our plan.”

“O-tay.” Lucy skipped toward him. Eli picked her up by the waist as the screen door slammed behind them.

Emma cracked a window over the sink and shouted, “Hey, anybody want to tell me what’s going on?”

“No,” both Eli and Lucy yelled in unison.

Emma chuckled, wondering what was up with Eli and Lucy as she sorted through a mound of faded, well-used pots and pans stacked atop her favorite big stock pot. She pulled the large pot out and filled it with water to boil for spaghetti. Rummagingthrough a few meager items in the kitchen cabinet, she found one jar of marsala sauce. Before she could check the freezer for garlic bread, Lucy ran into the kitchen.

“Mommy, mommy, come outside now.”

“In a minute, honey. I’m prepping food for dinner.”

“No, we have a surprise.” Lucy tugged on her mom’s hand. “Come on.”

“A surprise?”

“Yes. A weallybigsurprise. Hurry, Mommy.”

“Okay, okay. Hold on a sec.” Emma turned the burner off so the water wouldn’t boil over. Reaching for her daughter’s hand, she said, “I’m ready. Lead the way.”

Lucy beamed at her mom, clearly bursting at the seams. “You’re going to wuv this, Mommy.”

“I’m sure I will if you and Eli planned it.”

3

Wondering what was so mysterious, Emma stepped outside and stood beneath a wooden pergola Eli had built on her back porch. They’d used it all summer when they grilled, had morning coffee, or adult beverages. The cover provided shade from the hot sun and allowed them to sit outside in the rain. Of course, Lucy preferred dancing in the yard but that was a different matter. Since Eli lived in an apartment, he spent a great deal of time at Emma and Lucy’s house. He had even befriended their neighbor, Mrs. Roberts, and often made extra grilled food for her.

Emma loved reliving their happy times. She never tired of her new and improved life and came out of her trance when Lucy said, “Look up, Mommy.”

Staring at the eaves of the pergola, Emma’s breath caught. It was as though hundreds of twinkling lights lit up the dusk sky.

Lucy tugged on Emma’s shirt. “Mommy, do you like our fairy lights?”

“They do look like fairy lights, Luce. I absolutely love them. They’re beautiful.”

“They twinkle. Mr. Hansen said we can leave them up forever if it’s o-tay with you.”

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