Page 57 of The Summer We Mended
“Coffee, croissants, and some donuts for the twins, as promised.”
“I don’t remember the donut part,” Anna teased.
“Little bribe for them,” Tom chuckled as he grinned back at her.“I’m caffeinated and sugared up so that I can be the best assistant to the teacher today.”
“I’m not sure that you know what you’ve gotten yourself into,” Lily said over her shoulder as she made her way into the studio.
Anna took a deep breath as her mother unlocked the door and let everyone inside.
“This is a beautiful place,” Tom said as he made a sound like a low whistle.
“My dad helped convert it.A lot of the signage was handcrafted by him.”
“That’s beautiful craftsmanship.I’ve walked by the front of this place before and was mesmerized by the combination of the woodworking skills and the beautiful pottery pieces.They seemed to mesh well together.”
“For sure.”Anna grinned proudly.
“What do we do first, Grandma?”Nora asked excitedly.
Blaze was practically bouncing on his toes as he rubbed his hands together and looked around the place.“I’ll move all the heavy stuff, I’m the strongest after all.”
There was a chorus of giggles at that, but Lily immediately stepped up and started directing everyone where to go and what to do.Between Tom, Lilly, Anna, and the twins, things were moving in the right direction, and they got everything done before the first student arrived.
Anna stood near the door, arms crossed loosely over her chest, watching as her mother moved about with practiced ease, setting up the last of the tools and supplies for the kids’ class.There was something surreal about it.When they first arrived on the Vineyard, Anna wasn’t sure that she’d ever see her mother in the studio again, and yet here they were.
Lily was in her element.She wore a faded linen apron over her jeans and a loose white blouse that caught the sunlight in a way that made her seem almost ethereal.Her laughter was light as she stooped to show Nora how to wedge a lump of clay on the low table.
Anna glanced toward the doorway as the first of the local kids began to trickle in, chattering and wide-eyed.A few parents followed, lingering near the entrance to check in or snap a quick photo.Tom stood beside her, a cup of coffee in hand and a relaxed smile playing on his lips.He looked completely at ease.
“Wow,” he murmured, nodding toward Lily.“Your mom’s kind of amazing at this.”
Anna didn’t respond right away.She watched Lily kneel beside Blaze and gently guide his small hands through the forming of a pinch pot.
“Yeah,” she said eventually, her voice quieter than she intended.“She really is.”
It felt strange to see her like this.Not that Lily hadn’t always had warmth in her, but there was something different now.Something lighter.She glowed in a way Anna hadn’t seen since her father had passed away.
Tom took a sip of coffee and nudged her gently with his elbow.“You okay?”
Anna nodded.“Yeah.Just… adjusting.It’s been a while since I’ve seen her so…”
“Whole,” he offered.
She looked up at him, surprised.“Yeah.That.You seem to get it.”
“I was your mother a few years ago when I lost my wife.It’s a hole you never expect to have to dig yourself out of.”
Anna didn’t reply, but she nodded slowly as she watched her mother interact with the kids.
Tom had rolled up his sleeves, the clay on his hands a telltale sign that he’d already been roped into helping.It had surprised her yesterday when he’d asked to join the class.More surprising still was how seamlessly he’d stepped into their morning today by helping carry tables outside, prepping water buckets, even fielding questions from curious kids about what they’d be doing.His easy nature made it impossible not to like him.
Still, there was something about how quickly he and her mother had clicked that made Anna pause.Not in a suspicious way, exactly, but more like a protective daughter taking stock of a changing dynamic.
“You two get along well,” she said, not unkindly.
Tom chuckled.“She reminds me of my sister.Or how my sister used to be before she got too busy being someone else.Lily’s just… grounded.She listens.She pays attention.That’s rare.We also have some of the same scars when it comes to losing a spouse.”
Anna nodded, her gaze drifting back to her mother again.Lily stood before the group now, hands clasped in front of her as she addressed the small circle of children.
