Page 83 of Nothing But It All
“Well, I have no idea. Let’s go inside and see.”
We move up the steps and into the cabin. A note sits on the table.
“Looks like Michael headed to the Cupboard to pick up lunch,” I say. “Did you look for him there?”
“No. I came here first.”
“Do you want a glass of tea?” I ask, taking the jug out of the fridge.
“No, thank you, ma’am.”
Such a sweet girl.“How are your parents? I need to go say hello to them, especially since my son is over there twenty-four hours a day.”
Her smile could light up a room. “They just said the same thing about you. Well, not exactly. They just said last night that they needed to come by and see you and Mr. Reed.”
“We will definitely have to meet up.”
“Mike showed me your social accounts. You’re really funny, Mrs. Reed.”
“Ha.” I pour myself a glass of tea. “That’s all Maddie. She makes me look a lot more interesting than I really am.”
“I’d love to see your craft room sometime.”
“Aww.” I smile at her. “We’d love to have you over for dinner once the summer ends and we all go home.”
A flash of sadness streaks through her baby blues.
I take a seat at the table and invite her to sit with me. She goes to a chair across from a dirty plate that someone didn’t put in the sink this morning.
“What do you have planned for the rest of the summer?” I ask.
“We’ll be here until the end of July. Or, I will, anyway. I think my parents are heading back in the next couple of weeks, but I’m staying with Grandma. It’s a lot for her to close up the cabins for the fall, since we won’t be back up here until almost Christmastime. Besides, I like hanging out with her. She’s fun.”
I smile.
“But I’ll miss Mike when you guys leave,” she says.
I take in the vulnerability in her eyes, the genuine emotion in her voice. I remember that feeling.
“There’s little doubt Michael will come to see you,” I say. “He thinks you’re pretty special.”
“Really? I mean, I think he is too. He’s really smart and funny. And, you know, cute.”
I laugh. “He is pretty cute.”
“I worry about what will happen when we leave,” she says, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I hope he doesn’t forget me. I’m sure he has a lot of girls trying to get his attention.”
It’s hard to know what to say to that. After all, I don’t want to get involved or speak for my son. But I do know one thing I can say that’s safe.
“Michael is a lot like his father,” I say. “You can’t take him anywhere without him catching the eye of bystanders.”
She smiles nervously.
“But, like his father, Michael is very loyal. I have no qualms with saying that, if he tells you not to worry about things, you shouldn’t.”
Ava sighs in relief. “Thank you for saying that.”
We jump at the sound of the door opening and turn to see Michael walking in. He looks surprised to see us too.
