Page 101 of The Summer We Mended
Anna stared at it for a beat, then smiled.
“I still can’t believe you asked Jess for help,” she said softly, placing the phone face down beside her plate.
Cody looked up.“Mom did?”
Anna nodded.“For the pottery studio’s social media.Said she’s giving her a ‘chance to prove herself’ or something like that.I think it’s more than that, though.”
“Sometimes all we need is someone to give us a hand up,” Lily said with a smile.“That’s all Jess needs.She’s so talented, and soon the entire island will be begging her to help them.”
“You’re right, she definitely needs that,” Anna said.
“I didn’t think you knew what social media was,” Cody said teasingly.
Lily swatted playfully at him.
After dinner, Lily gave Anna a pointed look when she began collecting plates.
“I’ll handle baths and bedtime,” Lily said, brushing a hand down Anna’s arm.“You and Cody need to talk.Go sit outside.Get some brother-sister bonding in.”
“You sure?”
Lily arched a brow.“When am I not?”
Anna laughed and let herself be guided toward the porch with two glasses of iced tea in hand.Cody followed her out, grabbing a hoodie from the coatrack on the way.The sky was the color of dusty lavender, stars blinking faintly into existence.A breeze rolled in from the harbor, lifting strands of Anna’s hair and ruffling the hem of her shirt.
They sat side by side on the swing, the porch creaking softly beneath them.For a while, neither of them said anything.The sounds of the twins splashing and shrieking in the tub filtered through the window, comforting in their predictability.
Cody stretched his legs out and sighed.“This place still feels like home.”
Anna nodded.“It is home.”
He glanced at her.“You okay?”
“No,” she said.“Not really.”
He didn’t respond, just waited.
“I keep thinking… what if something already happened to Luke?”she whispered.“What if we’re just sitting here, eating dinner, trying to move forward, and he’s…” She stopped herself, swallowing hard.“But then… I feel like I’d know.I justknowhe’s still alive.It’s like something in me is tethered to him.”
Cody was quiet for a long beat, then reached out and squeezed her hand.
“I believe you,” he said.“You’ve always had that kind of connection with people.It’s kind of your thing.”
Anna blinked, surprised by the tears welling in her eyes.“Everyone else is starting to treat it like it’s over.Like we just… wait now.Or we move on.”
“But not you.”
“I can’t,” she said.“And I don’t want to.Luke deserves more than that.”
“He does,” Cody agreed.
She leaned into him slightly, letting her head rest on his shoulder.“Do you miss Dad?”she asked suddenly.
He was still for a moment.“Every day.”
“I hate that he’s not here for this.For any of it.”
“I know.”
