Page 67 of The Summer We Mended
Anna came back with the pitcher, setting it down in the center of the table.
“I told you this wouldn’t last,” she said, gesturing to the lemonade.“They’re going to drain me dry.”
“They’re kids,” Cody said.“They run on sugar and chaos.”
Lily smiled faintly as she poured herself another glass.The porch buzzed with quiet conversation again, like a scene from an old memory she hadn’t quite allowed herself to revisit.
A breeze picked up, carrying the faint scent of honeysuckle from the trellis near the corner of the yard.It reminded Lily of summers long ago, sitting in this very spot with David, planning weekend beach trips, watching their children turn cartwheels across the lawn.
She closed her eyes.Her chest ached.But she stayed seated.She didn’t get up and hide.She didn’t retreat to the quiet sanctuary of the studio.She stayed with her family.
Because today, it didn’t feel impossible.
Across the yard, Blaze shouted, “We need a queen for the pirate kingdom!”
Nora pointed dramatically at Lily.“Grandma Lily!”
Lily blinked, startled.“Oh, no!I’m not—”
“You have to!”Nora insisted, running to grab her hand.“You’re the queen!We need a queen!”
Lily glanced at Anna, who was grinning behind her lemonade glass.
Cody shrugged.“Rules are rules, Mom.Pirate law.”
“Oh, lord help me,” Lily muttered, rising from her chair as Nora dragged her toward the yard.
It was absurd, her barefoot in the grass, pretending to rule over a mismatched crew of children.But something in her heart shifted as she stepped off the porch.She remembered David’s voice saying things like, “Come on, Lil.Just five minutes.Be ridiculous with me.”
He would’ve jumped in already, crown made of weeds, ruling with exaggerated flair.
So she let herself do it.She let herself laugh, let herself stumble into their pirate ship, and declare Blaze a first mate and Max a royal guard.She let Nora twirl her, let the wind tug at her hair.And when Anna called out that the “queen’s lemonade was getting warm,” she threw her head back and laughed for real.
And even though it hurt, even though her heart twisted with every memory it stirred, Lily stayed in the sunshine.She chose not to disappear.
ChapterTwenty-Five
Anna
Lily had volunteered to sit with the kids for a while on the following Monday so that Anna could go into town to get some things.
“You need some time to yourself,” Lily had told her.“I’ll be okay with the twins for a bit.”
Anna was hesitant, of course, but her mom was right.She did need a little time to herself today.Anna strolled through the heart of town.he early afternoon sun was warm, causing shadows across the sidewalk as she passed the bakery and the bookstore.Main Street buzzed with a comfortable energy: familiar faces, weekend chatter, and the hum of spring brought people back into the open.She hadn’t come downtown for anything in particular, mostly to stretch her legs and clear her thoughts, but it didn’t take long for the universe to hand her a nudge.
“Anna?Anna, is that you?”
She turned toward the voice, recognizing the woman approaching her with a bright smile and a pair of oversized sunglasses perched atop her head.Dressed in flowing linen and carrying a large woven bag filled with brochures, the woman had Vineyard’s art scene written all over her.
“Hi, Mrs.Carter,” Anna said, offering a warm smile in return.“It’s good to see you.”
“You, too, dear!I was just dropping off some fliers for the Vineyard’s art fair coming up next month.Is your mom submitting anything this year?Or you, even?I know talent runs in the family.”
Anna laughed softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.“Oh, no promises.I’ve been more focused on helping out around home.But I’m glad to hear the fair is still going strong.”
Mrs.Carter beamed, handing Anna one of the colorful fliers.It advertised the annual Vineyard Art & Soul Fair in bold, swirling fonts with watercolor backgrounds and children’s handprints dotting the corners.
“Of course it’s going strong!We’ve had an overwhelming response this year, and we’re hoping to raise even more for the children’s art programs.You know how much we rely on those donations.Your mother’s work used to bring in quite a bit for the cause.”
