Page 66 of The Summer We Mended
Then he took a few stiff steps forward and gave her a hug.It was short, awkward, and somehow painful to witness, like two people hugging through fog.
“Well,” he said, clearing his throat, “of course.I just… wish you would’ve called.I would’ve made sure I was home.”
June nodded.“Yeah.Sorry.I just kind of… decided.The neighbors have been very kind, though.”
Tom’s eyes flicked toward the porch, to Lily, to Anna and Cody.He gave them a tight smile.
“Thanks for keeping her company,” he said, voice steady.“I’ll get her settled in.”
Lily stood.“It’s no trouble.She’s welcome any time.”
June gave them all a small wave, Max still glued to her side.
Tom hesitated before gesturing for her to follow.“Come on.Let’s get your stuff.”
As they disappeared into the house together, Lily sat back down slowly.
The yard returned to its rhythm, the kids resumed their game, Cody leaned against the porch post, Anna refilled lemonade, but the air felt different.
“I didn’t know he had a daughter,” Anna said again, softly.
Lily watched the door to Tom’s house close behind them.“Neither did I.”
“She’s sweet,” Cody said beside her, not really looking at Lily but watching the kids.
“She is,” Lily replied.“Shy.But kind.”
“He didn’t seem like he was expecting to see her,” he added.“And more like she was hoping he’d let her in.”
Lily didn’t respond.She didn’t know enough to say.All she had was instinct and a mother’s eye, and June had looked like a girl carrying far too much for her small shoulders.
Anna took the pitcher into the house to refill it, and the porch fell into a gentle quiet.Lily stared at the yard, at the grass still dewy in the shadier spots, at Blaze swinging a plastic sword, at Nora in a tutu and galoshes holding Max’s slobbery rope toy, waiting for him to come back outside.
They’d been playing all morning.Laughing, running.And Lily had been out there with them.It surprised her now, to realize how natural it had felt, how little effort it had taken to slide back into the moment.
David would have loved this day.
She blinked quickly, staring up at the sky.It was bright.Not cloudless, but soft and blue with the kind of morning breeze that fluttered through leaves like a whispered conversation.
“You okay, Mom?”Cody asked gently.
She nodded, then looked at him.“Yeah.I think… I’m getting there.”
He didn’t press, just gave her a small, grateful smile.“You’re stronger than you know.”
“I used to feel strong,” she admitted.“Now I just feel like I’m pretending.”
Cody leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.“That’s how it starts.The pretending.And then one day it’s not pretending anymore.”
Lily looked at him.He was still her boy at thirty-seven years old, but the shadows under his eyes said more than his calm tone ever could.He’d been carrying things too.Too much.For too long.
“You’re doing okay, too, you know,” she said quietly.
He huffed a dry laugh.“Am I?”
“You are.”
They sat in silence again until the kids’ laughter drew their attention.Max had somehow returned, nose smeared with dirt, tongue lolling in joy as he ran circles around Blaze.June wasn’t with him; she must’ve stayed inside with Tom, but Max didn’t seem to care who he played with so long as he was included.
