It was the middle of spring, finally warm enough for short sleeves, and I couldn’t have been more grateful. The air was just right—not too hot, not too cool, the kind of day that makes you want to linger outside even after the work’s done. Those chilly mornings in my garden had gotten old fast. I’d been craving real warmth, though not necessarily summer. Summer meant graduation, and the thought of Desi leaving still hit me harder than I liked to admit. Spring could take its time, as long as it stayed like this.
The side door creaked opened, and Sophia stepped out with Logan on her hip and the picnic blanket tucked under her arm. She spread it out near the garden, close enough for me to see but far enough so he couldn’t dig in the planters. She set him down, and he immediately started patting the blanket, testing his territory with wide-eyed curiosity. That’s when it hit me: this was his first time outside. The first time he’d felt sunlight and grass. His little world finally stretched beyond the four walls of our home.
“You know,” Sophia said, settling beside him, “this reminds me of when we used to bring Desi out here. Remember how we set up an entire space for her, and she’d just conk out?”
I laughed. “Every time. We bought all that stuff … And that little tent! The dogs used it more than she did.”
Sophia shook her head, smiling. “It was like their clubhouse!”
We shared a laugh. It felt so good.
“Desi never wanted her own space anyway,” she continued. “She just wanted to be wherever we were—like she was afraid we’d have fun without her.”
“She’s still like that.”
Logan crept toward the edge of the blanket, pressing his palms into the grass. I expected him to make a break for it, but he stayed close, glancing up at us every so often like he was part of the conversation.
Sophia smiled at him. “Watching them discover simple things is kinda magical, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. I know exactly what you mean.”
We sat there for a while, not saying much, just taking it in, listening to the distant hum of traffic and birds doing their thing. Now and then a gentle breeze would brush past us, teasing us with its comfort. I hadn’t felt that peaceful in a long time.
Sophia drew her knees up, tracing little circles on the blanket with one finger while Logan plucked blades of grass like he was foraging treasure. Every few seconds, I leaned in to make sure none of it went in his mouth.
“I, umm…” she started, fidgeting with the ends of her blouse. “I was thinking about yesterday.”
For a second, I wondered if she was about to bring up that thing I did to her last night, but no, not with the baby right there. A man could dream, heh.
“I think I’ve been unfair to you.”
“Okay…” I said, cautious but open. After all the hard conversations we’d had lately, I didn’t want to trip into another heavy one.
“I blamed you for a lot,” she went on. “And yesterday, I kind of let you do all the confessing, like you were the only one who had things to fix. I mean, you did,” she added with a small grin, “but I’ve got my own stuff too.”
I stayed quiet, letting her go on.
“You said you can’t read my mind, and I told you that you could ask. That’s true, but I could also be better at saying what I need. You shouldn’t have to pull it out of me all the time.”
She exhaled, and I could tell the words had been sitting on her chest for a while. Things were finally safe and calm enough to let them out. Before I could respond, Logan let out a long, whiny squeal, rubbing his eyes. He was done for the day—at least for the next hour or so.
Sophia laughed, scooping him up. “Okay, okay, sweet pea. Message received.”
Right on cue, my phone buzzed—it was Alessia. Back to real life, I guess.
“Let’s do this more often,” I said, brushing the dirt from my knees.
“Yeah. I enjoyed this. Though next time, he’ll probably be running all over the yard.”
I couldn’t believe both he and Desi would age up around the same time. “We’ll have to build him one of those baby jails.”
She gasped dramatically. “You heard that, sweet pea? He wants to lock you up!”
Her laughter followed her all the way to the door as she carried him inside. I answered Alessia’s call, half listening while letting the breeze wash over me. When I hung up, Kooper was sitting by the door, looking guilty and smelling like hot garbage. I don’t know where he goes to get that smell, but it was getting old fast. After giving him a bath and walking Rosie, I showered. Afterward, I stepped out into the hallway, fresh and clean, to a house wrapped in calm. The silence made me smile because it meant peace, not tension. No more tiptoeing around unspoken things.
But of course, peace never lasted long around here. Not ten minutes later, the front door burst open, and Desiree came flying in like a firework. “Daddy! Mommy! You will NOT believe this!”
Sophia hurried upstairs, still drying her hands. “What happened?”
“The principal called me out of class today,” she said, practically bouncing. “I’m one of the top students in the whole school! She said I can graduate early—like, tomorrow early!”
I blinked. “Wait—tomorrow?”
Desi nodded so fast I thought she’d knock herself over. “She said she’ll mail my diploma. I can start university now or get a career boost!”
Sophia clasped her hands together, eyes sparkling. “Oh my Watcher, Desi, that’s incredible!”
I couldn’t stop grinning. “I’ve been saying how smart you are ever since you were a baby.”
Desi laughed. “Guess they finally figured it out too.”
“Well, ladies,” I said, straightening up, “sounds like we’re celebrating tonight. Get dressed!”
Sophia raised an eyebrow, smiling. “Fancy or nice?”
I swatted at her. “The world couldn’t handle all three of us being fancy.”
We went our separate ways, and the house came alive again with drawers sliding open and slamming shut, shower water running, music pulsing faintly from Desi’s room. The quiet peace we’d earned was gone, but in its place came something better: the hum of normal life. I tried on blazers while the smell of Sophia’s perfume drifted across the room, mixing with the faint scent of her conditioner still clinging to the steam. Through the window, the sun was dipping low, painting the neighborhood in deep orange light. I straightened my collar, watching the light fade over the garden, and smiled to myself. Maybe the worst had finally passed.
