Page 80 of The Summer We Started Over

“This is Bobby,” Dove said. She grinned. “Like Robert Frost, only younger.”

Eddie dropped to her knees so that she was on eye level with the child. “Hi, Bobby.”

Bobby clung to his mother’s hand. He wore a striped rugby shirt, blue shorts, and sandals. His hair was the color of caramel, and his eyes were pale green, like Stearns’s, like Eddie’s and Barrett’s, like William’s. But the child’s face had his own beauty. She didn’t know if she could ever stop looking at him.

A sob rose in Eddie’s chest. She swallowed it, pretending she was sneezing, and forced the tears back. She faced the child with a smile.

“Bobby, I’m your aunt Eddie. I’m so happy to see you.”

The little boy looked up at his mother. Dove squatted down.

“That’s right, sweetie. I’ve told you about Aunt Eddie, and here she is.”

Dove had told Bobby about Eddie? She’d told him Eddie was his aunt?

Duke woke from his deep sleep on the back porch to lazily saunter down to the driveway to investigate.

Bobby yelled, “Dog!” and ran toward Duke.

Dove cautioned, “Be careful, Bobby. Just hold out your hand.”

“It’s all right,” Eddie assured him. “His name is Duke. He won’t bite. He’s curious. Your mommy’s right. Hold out your hand and let him smell it.”

Bobby screeched to a halt two feet from Duke and held out his hand. Duke came nearer, stretched out his neck, and sniffed. He wagged his tail and did something astonishing. He moved right up to Bobby, sat down next to him, and leaned against him.

“Wow,” Eddie said softly. “Bobby, Duke likes you a lot.”

Eddie took a moment to study Dove. She had always been slender,but now she was almost emaciated. She had dark circles beneath her eyes and no color in her cheeks—she was so pale beneath the strong light of the sun.

Eddie said, “Hey, Bobby, we have a big bunch of children’s books in the barn. You might like to read some of them. They’re free, and there are chairs just your size. Let’s go into the barn and your mommy and I can talk and you can look at the books.”

The little boy looked up at his mother. Dove nodded, and they all went into the barn. Bobby sat at the table. Duke lay at his feet.

Eddie gestured to a chair for Dove to sit in—it was one of the old leather chairs, soft and enveloping. Dove looked like she could use something soft.

“Dove,” Eddie began to speak, but emotion broke through and she knelt before her old friend and hugged her tight. “Dove, I’ve missed you so much.”

Dove hugged Eddie back, hard. “Me, too.”

Eddie released her and went to sit in the other leather chair. “Barrett and Dad have missed you, too. So much has happened. We don’t understand why you left like that, why you didn’t stay with us.”

“I’m sorry.” Dove’s voice quavered. “I’m so sorry. That was such a horrible time.”

“Mommy!” Bobby hurried to his mother with several books in his hands. “Read!”

Dove quickly flicked tears from her cheeks and smiled at her son. “I’m talking to Auntie Eddie right now—”

Eddie watched Dove. Something was wrong. How could she help Dove? Maybe she and Bobby wanted to live with them?

Eddie stood up. “Hey, Bobby. I have some lemonade in the house. And some cookies. I’ll bring some out.”

Bobby nodded his head. “Okay,” he said.

Dove whispered to Bobby, “What did we talk about?”

Bobby nodded quickly. “Yes, pwease.”

“Good. I’ll be right back.” Eddie headed for the house.

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