Page 77 of The Calendar of New Beginnings
“One time I broke one of her champagne glasses in two,” Jill said, shifting a little more on the bench than Lucy would have liked. “I’d taken it out of her china cabinet to use for my tea party. I wanted to have champagne and not tea because I saw the adults drink it after Grandpa won another Pulitzer. It looked more fun.”
The story was as magical as her expression, and Lucy sank to her knees to capture her face. Jill’s eyes widened at her unexpected closeness.
“So you broke the glass,” Lucy said, looking back and forth between her subject and the view finder.
“Right,” Jill said, falling back into the memory. “Grandma caught me trying to bury it in her backyard. I knew someone would find it if I put it in the trash. All she did was take her gardening trowel from my hands and wink at me, saying she’d never liked those champagne glasses much anyway. She picked up the pieces and led me inside. After throwing them in the garbage, she washed my hands and poured orange juice for us in two champagne glasses. We drank them at my small table with my dolls.”
“Oh, that’s so freaking sweet,” Natalie cooed. “No wonder you like mimosas.”
“I hadn’t really put that together,” Jill said, tears filling her eyes.
Lucy captured the shock on the woman’s face, thinking yet again about the power of the subconscious mind. Andy would love this story when she saw him later.
“It seems fitting that you drank one before taking these photos to honor Aunt Harriet,” Moira said, still a little too close for Lucy’s peace of mind.
“I miss her sometimes,” Jill said, her tears falling now. “She never got to see Violet or Mia.”
Lucy continued to take the photos, each image telling the story of the woman’s love for a grandmother now gone.
“She would have loved them,” Natalie said, and she sounded closer, making Lucy wonder if she was standing next to her sister now.
“Yeah, she would have,” Jill said, brushing awaythe tears on her face. “I’m so sorry, Lucy. I’m a mess. Please don’t take my picture like this.”
She lowered her camera and smiled at Jill. “You’ve never been more beautiful or real, and there’s nothing wrong with showing it.”
Jill gave her a watery smile, and Lucy resumed. After taking what seemed like a hundred shots, she finally called it.
“I think we have a winner somewhere in here,” she said, setting the Leica on a table. “You can sit up now, Jill, but please, for the love of Pete, keep the hat where it is.”
That made everyone laugh, diffusing the lingering emotion in the room.
Jill set her hat aside, more somber now, and slipped on her underwear and her shirt. Crossing to Lucy, she pulled her into a hug.
“Whoa,” Lucy said, returning the embrace.
“Thanks, Lucy. I didn’t expect it, but I felt Grandma here.”
Goosebumps broke out all over Lucy’s body. “When Violet and Mia start having tea parties, you’ll have to dig out those champagne glasses one day and fill them with orange juice.”
“Aunt Harriet would love that,” Natalie said. Jill released Lucy and bounded over to hug her cousins.
“Once I check out the photos,” Lucy said, “I’ll send you the one I think is the best.”
Right now, there was a peace inside her fostered by the certainty that among the trove of photos she’d taken, there would be a photograph worthy of her pride. Besides, she could run it by Andy. He didn’t have a professional’s eye, but he would tell her what he saw.
“I can’t wait to see what you choose,” Jill said, her face glowing.
“Me too,” Moira said enthusiastically. “There were a few moments there where I knew you had the perfect shot. You know, the kind you feel in your gut.”
Yeah, Lucy knew that feeling. She thrived on it. “Thank you for saying that.” And she meant it.
“It was great to see you in action,” Moira said, “although this is probably pretty tame compared to what you’re used to.”
“It’s fine,” she said, not feeling as sad as she might have before. Taking photos again—even like the ones today—had restored a part of her soul to her.
“This really is the best idea ever,” Jill said, prancing about, swinging her pants in the air. “And now it’s official. I’m a calendar girl. Oh, Brian is going to be a happy man tonight.”
Natalie laughed, and Moira slapped her hands over her ears, singing, “La-la-la-la,” like that would stop Jill.
