Page 52 of The Summer We Mended
Later that day, the clatter of pots and the soft hiss of something sizzling on the stove drifted through the open windows of the cottage.The twins were sitting cross-legged, drawing with crayons.Their giggles rang through the house like wind chimes.
In the kitchen, Anna stood barefoot on the cool tiles, a faded apron tied around her waist.The scent of garlic and fresh basil mingled with the sea breeze, and the rhythmic sound of her chopping filled the kitchen.Lily watched her from the doorway, a steaming mug of tea cradled in her hands.
Anna moved with a comforting grace, her hands sure and steady, her brow furrowed in concentration as she stirred a pot on the stove.Watching her felt like watching a memory come to life, one Lily hadn’t even realized she needed until now.She leaned against the doorframe, soaking in the moment.
She could almost hear David’s voice in her head.“She’s a natural,” he would’ve said with a smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners.The thought squeezed her heart, a familiar ache pressing behind her ribs, but it no longer threatened to hollow her out.It was just there, a soft reminder.She exhaled slowly.
The screen door creaked, and Margot appeared on the porch, her long gray braid draped over one shoulder, arms full of a brown paper bag and a basket.The twins immediately jumped up from their chairs.
“Margot!”they shouted in unison, scrambling for the door.
Margot laughed, setting the bag down just in time to catch Nora in a hug.Blaze flung his arms around her waist.
“Easy, easy!You’re going to knock me over!”she teased, then reached into the basket.“I brought you two some goodies from town.Guess what I found at Morning Glory Farm?”
“Cookies?”Nora guessed, eyes wide.
“Better,” Margot said, handing over a small paper box.“Apple cider donuts.Still warm.And—” She reached into the bag and pulled out two little jars.“—local honey.One each.”
The twins squealed, running back to the table with their prizes.Lily smiled, watching them break apart the donuts and shove sticky fingers into the jars.
“You’re a magician,” Lily said, stepping forward to help Margot with the basket.
Margot gave her a knowing look.“Just a woman with good timing.How are you today?You look great.”
Lily shrugged, her gaze following the kids.“Better than I expected, honestly.It helps, having them here.”
“Anna, too,” Margot added gently.
Lily nodded and giggled quietly.“Anna, too.”
They moved into the kitchen, where Anna looked up from the stove and grinned.
“Smells amazing in here,” Margot said, sniffing the air appreciatively.
“Pasta primavera,” Anna said.“With all the veggies from the farmer’s market yesterday.And I’m making garlic bread too.”
“God, David would be drooling,” Margot said without thinking, then immediately looked at Lily, her expression apologetic.
But Lily just smiled, soft and genuine.“He would.He always said Anna made the best garlic bread he’d ever tasted.”
The three women shared a quiet moment.The weight of his absence was felt but not crushing.There was space to breathe and remember.
Later, after lunch was eaten and the dishes were done, the house erupted into a kind of comfortable chaos.Blaze and Nora convinced Lily and Anna to help them build a blanket fort in the living room.Sheets were stretched between chairs and tucked into cushions.Nora crawled inside first, declaring herself Queen of the Fort, while Blaze fashioned a crown out of tinfoil and bestowed it upon her.
Lily laughed more in that hour than she had in weeks.
Margot sat nearby, knitting something in a bright green yarn, occasionally glancing up with a smile as Nora declared the fort a spaceship and began handing out missions.Apparently, Lily was now the ship’s engineer, in charge of ensuring their engine (a colander and two wooden spoons) didn’t overheat.
They played until the sun dipped lower in the sky and the fort began to collapse under the weight of too many blankets.The kids groaned dramatically as Anna declared that they should finish some schoolwork.Blaze and Nora sprawled on the floor cushions, drowsy and full of leftover donut sugar.Lily sat back against the couch, her legs stretched out, feeling a sort of peace that she hadn’t felt in a long time.
Margot patted her shoulder as she passed by with a fresh cup of tea.“You’re getting your color back,” she said quietly.
Lily looked at her, eyes soft.“It’s them.They bring life into this place.”
Margot smiled, packed up her things and headed out, blowing kisses to them before she left.
That evening, Anna and Lily sat outside on the porch, watching the stars begin to blink into the sky.The kids were tucked in, exhausted and dreaming, and the quiet felt earned.
