“Mom, you remember Mrs. Rose from next door, right?” Lucas asks as we sit on the comfy outdoor sofa. Roman kneels on the decking and drives the fire truck Helen gave him up and down.
“Of course. Such a lovely old lady. What’s made you ask about her? It’s been a while since she died.”
“Melody’s her great-niece. She used to visit her in the summer with her parents.”
Her eyebrows rise in surprise. “Really? What a small world.” She pauses and looks between the two of us before laughing. “Oh… do neither of you remember?”
Lucas looks at me and shrugs. “Remember what, Mom?”
“Melody, your aunt had a fall one of the times you came to visit her and had to be taken to the hospital.”
“Yeah, I kind of remember that. She broke her wrist, I think. Mom and Dad went to the hospital with her, and I…” I trail off. It can’t be.
“You what?” Lucas asks, looking from his mom to me.
“I spent the day with the family next door,” I tell him. “I spent the day with you.”
“What?” he asks, his voice laced with confusion. “I don’t remember that.”
The memory of that day comes crashing back. I’d been about twelve and I’d begged my parents to let me go with them to the hospital, but they’d said no, knowing I’d be bored waiting around. I’d occasionally seen the boy and girl who lived next door, but never to speak to. I was painfully shy back then and I remember that there had only been the boy at home when my parents had taken me around.
“Wait,” Lucas says, pulling me from my thoughts. “I remember you making me take someone out on Suzie’s bike once. Suzie was out with her friend and I wanted to watch TV. That wasn’t you, though. Her name was Melly or something like that.”
“Everyone called me Melly when I was a kid. It was me, Lucas.”
He shakes his head. “No, this girl was awkward and clumsy and barely spoke to me the whole day. That can’t have been you.”
I laugh. “I can assure you it was me. Iwasawkward and clumsy, and so shy. You were older and cute. I was terrified I was going to say something stupid and you’d think I was an idiot.”
His eyes hold mine. “I can’t believe that was you. I can’t believe we met when we were kids. You never came back after that summer, did you?”
“No. My aunt died just before Christmas that year. My parents came to clear her house, but I never came back again. Not until last week anyway.”
“I’m glad you came back,” he says, reaching for my hand.
“I’m glad too.”
* * *
After saying hello to Lucas’s dad, his parents go inside to get ready for their lunch date. When it’s just the three of us, Roman’s shyness disappears and he’s soon desperate to get in the pool. I quickly change him into his swim shorts, lather him in sunscreen, and pull on his floaties.
“Just wait a few minutes for the sunscreen to soak in, okay?” I tell him, wiping my hands on his Lightning McQueen towel.
“Nooooo, Mommy. I don’t want to wait. I want to go in the poolnow,” he shouts, stamping his little foot on the ground.
“Roman James Gray. You will do as you’re told or we’ll go home right now. Do you understand?” He stares at me, his face like thunder. For as laid back as he is, he can be just as stubborn. Unluckily for him, I can be stubborn too. “Roman,” I say, my voice low.
He blows out a breath. “Okay. I’ll wait.”
“What do you say?”
He looks at me sheepishly before bursting into tears. “Sorry, Mommy,” he manages to get out through broken sobs.
My heart squeezes in my chest when I see him crying. He doesn’t usually cry on the rare occasion I tell him off, but I’m guessing he’s embarrassed to be told off in front of Lucas. I steal a glance at Lucas, who’s watching Roman intently. He looks like he wants to scoop him up and hold him to stop the tears. I know the feeling, but as hard as it is, I know I was right to pull him up on his behavior.
“Let’s have a cuddle and then we can forget about it, okay?” I kneel on the floor and open my arms. Roman comes barreling toward me and throws himself into my lap, his legs wrapping around my waist. I hold him close and press a kiss on his silky hair. My eyes meet Lucas’s over his head and he smiles at me. “Okay. You can go in the water now.”
He scrambles off my lap and rushes past Lucas to the pool. Without a second of hesitation, he jumps in, splashing water everywhere. I laugh as I watch him. Lucas takes a step toward me and holds out his hand. I slip my hand into his, and he pulls me up and tugs me gently against him.