Page 92 of When We Were Young

“Mom! What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

Just me asking is enough to make the tears break free. She sheds a few of them and furiously swipes at her face.

“Oh gosh. Sorry, baby. I’m fine.”

“Then why are you crying? People who are fine don’t usually cry.”

She fans her face with her hand. “No, really. I’m good. I’m being emotional. I’m... I’m just so pleased to see you making some friends. You look happy.”

I feel my cheeks heat. “I am happy. This move has been good for me. And I’ve had friends before.”

“I know. But you’ve also spent a long time taking care of me in ways you shouldn’t have had to. I’m really sorry I put you in that position.”

I turn my gaze downward. “It’s okay, Mom. You were going through a lot and⁠—”

“You were the child, sweetheart. Yes, I battled some major issues, but it doesn’t make it right. It doesn’t take away that you should never have had to feel like you had to take care of me.”

My mom pulls me into a hug, and we stand there in front of my bakery in Aron Falls, tearful and healing at the same time.

“Mom, can we go across the street and try to fly our kite again?” Simon is in the doorway of the bakery, holding up the kite for me to see.

“Ooh, that sounds fun!” Layla says, apparently having already forgotten about swimming. She’s standing next to him, bouncing on her toes with eagerness.

The thing is, we’ve been working on flying that kite for a week now, and we can’t seem to get it to take off.

I swipe at my tears before Simon can see, and my mom does the same.

“We could try,” I offer.

“Hey. I’m really good with kites, kiddos. I can teach you how to do it,” Ruthie says. There’s a confidence in her voice that makes me believe her. When I meet her eyes, she gives me an understanding smile. “If it’s okay with your moms, we’ll go over now, and they can catch up.”

I mouth thank you before she looks away.

Within a minute or so, she’s crossing the road with them, holding each child by the hand. I say goodbye to my mom and head inside the shop, where Georgie immediately approaches me.

“We’ll top off the lemonades and carry them over. Why don’t you take a few minutes, then meet us?”

I still wasn’t used to having this many people caring about me in my life. People who wanted to stay. I could get used to it.

After I’ve gone upstairs and washed my face, I’m locking up the storefront to meet the rest of the group when my phone alerts me to a text message.

I heard a rumor that the furniture got delivered. Is that true?

Holden.

I take a second.

Yes, it came in late last evening. I have it all set up.

Do you even remember you have a broken wrist?

I know, but I was really excited, and it was already seven-thirty, and I didn’t want to bug you. I didn’t know if maybe you’d be out on a date or something.

I hit send and immediately regret it. Why did I say that about a date?

I watch for a few minutes as the ominous three dots appear and disappear, and ultimately, I have no idea what his reaction is.

In the end, it takes about three minutes for Holden to answer, and by then I’ve arrived across the street to join the others. The kids are chasing Ruthie around as she tries, and fails, to get the kite flying. I laugh, watching Ruthie in her matching summer tracksuit covered in flower sequins, with those two munchkins racing behind her like a tiny, chaotic parade.