Page 40 of The Summer We Mended
“You mean the kiln?We glued it back on and told everyone it was decorative,” Lily said, chuckling.
The conversation continued, filled with laughter and stories.Anna watched her mother slowly thaw in a way, watched the light and the love slowly come back to her eyes.
She reached out and gently placed a hand over Lily’s.“They’ve missed you.So have I.”
Lily looked down at their hands.Her fingers twitched under Anna’s touch but didn’t pull away.“I was so engulfed in my grief that I didn’t realize how much I missed you or them,” she said honestly.“The two of them, they know how to make anyone smile.”
“They sure do,” Anna grinned back at her.
“I didn’t think I could… I thought if I stepped in there, all I would see was what I lost.But now, now it doesn’t seem as scary because of those two.”
Anna gave her hand a small squeeze.“It’s normal to see what you lost, but even better when you realize what you still have.”
Lily’s eyes glistened, and she quickly blinked them dry.“You always did know how to throw my own words back at me.”
“You taught me well.”
Syrup smearing their cheeks, the twins had moved on to their second helpings, and they began planning their masterpieces.
“I’m going to make a whole zoo,” Blaze declared.“With turtles and whales and maybe a jellyfish.”
“I’m going to make a whole tea set,” Nora said, stacking strawberry slices on top of her pancakes.“With plates and cups and a tiny sugar bowl.”
“Grandma, can we make those today?”Blaze asked again, his voice hopeful.
Lily laughed, and Anna saw the weight on her shoulders shift.
“Let’s start with something simple,” Lily said.“We’ll go take a look at the studio this afternoon.Maybe clean up a bit.See if the kiln still works.”
The twins cheered again, and Anna smiled behind her coffee mug, watching her mother with quiet pride.Grief was a strange, shapeless thing, but sometimes joy was the only thing sharp enough to cut through it.
And today, joy came in the form of two syrup-covered kids and a few lopsided clay animals waiting to be made.
An hour later, they walked to the studio together, Anna carrying a thermos of coffee and Lily holding a folded apron in one hand.The key turned stiffly in the lock, but the moment the door opened, the scent of clay and salt returned like a tide.The kids raced inside.
“This place is so cool, I forgot!”Blaze shouted, twirling around with his arms out.
Lily watched them, her eyes soft.“Your dad loved seeing them in here.”
“He did,” Anna agreed with a smile.
“I forgot how nice it is to hear their laughter and excitement.My favorite part about this studio has always been the kids’ classes.”
“Maybe that’s where we start first,” Anna replied with a roll of her shoulders.“No use in doing this if you’re not loving it.”
“It’s a little overwhelming right now,” Lily answered softly.“I haven’t been open a lot and not really…not really taking care of the space like I should have been.”
Anna reached out and squeezed her mom’s shoulder.“Don’t worry about that.The kids and I will help with all of that, and it’ll be good as new.”
Lily nodded and let out a long sigh.Together, they all got to work clearing the space.Anna swept out the corners while the kids dusted off low shelves.Lily stayed quiet, wiping down her workbench with care.When Anna turned, she saw her mother standing over the wheel, one hand on the pedal, the other resting on the top.
“Want me to help you wedge some clay?”Anna asked.
Lily blinked like she’d been somewhere else.Then she nodded.“Yes.Thank you.”
Anna pulled a canvas bag from under the worktable.The clay was cold and heavy in her hands, grounding.She passed a chunk to her mother and watched as Lily’s hands moved in the familiar rhythm.Knead.Press.Turn.
They didn’t speak for a while.The sounds of the wheel, the scrape of brushes, and the occasional squeal from the twins filled the space.Lily eventually sat at the wheel, shaping a soft, small bowl.
