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Authors: Annalisa Daughety
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let’s go get something to eat. I’m starved.” He put an arm around Summer’s waist and guided her toward the food.
As soon as they were out of earshot, he leaned down to Summer. “Why didn’t you tell me that Jefferson was moving back?” he hissed. “And when did you see him?”
She wrinkled her brow. “I ran into him Thursday.” She sighed. “And I haven’t had many conversations with you since then to tell you.” She reached for a plate. “Besides, it’s not a big deal.”
He sighed. “I don’t like for that guy to feel like he’s got one over on me.”
Summer rolled her eyes. “I know. I almost drowned in all the testosterone over there. Can’t you two play nice?” She scooped some potato salad onto her plate. “That was all a long time ago.”
Luke grumbled. “He’s still a jerk.” Maybe he was overreacting. But seeing Jefferson after all this time brought up all the insecurities he thought he’d put behind him. And who wore seersucker anyway? So pretentious.
The sound of silverware clinking against glass rang through the yard.
“Could I have your attention, please?” Mr. Rutledge called.
Vivian walked over to join her husband. “Thanks for joining us today,” she said. “We’re here to celebrate a special occasion.” She smiled broadly.
Luke glanced at Summer, and she shrugged.
“That’s right,” Thomas said, putting an arm around his wife’s shoulders. “We invited you here to tell you that our daughter Chloe has given us some news we’ve been waiting to hear for a long time.”
Luke caught sight of Chloe and her husband, Preston, standing just beyond Thomas and Vivian. Chloe looked like she was about to burst into song.
“What’d they do?” he whispered to Summer. “Cure cancer?”
She elbowed him. “Shh.”
“We’re pleased to announce that in six months, we’re going to have new titles,” Vivian said dramatically. “Nana and Poppa.” She threw her arms out with excitement.
The crowd burst into applause.
Luke felt Summer stiffen next to him.
She thrust her glass of tea at him, nearly spilling it, and hurried off toward the house.
He froze, unsure of whether he should follow or not.
Gram caught his eye and nodded her head toward the house. She rose and moved as quickly as she could to the french doors.
Luke looked at the abandoned glass of tea in his hand, once again filled with the sense of helplessness that had plagued him for months. Ever since that cold day in early December when he and Summer had learned that she’d suffered a miscarriage.
Even though it had been years since Summer had lived in her parents’ home, her bedroom hadn’t changed much. The ornate white furniture and pale pink bedding had been fit for a princess. Today, though, they were a painful reminder of all she’d lost.
She sank onto the bed and ran her hand over the soft bedspread. The irony of the situation wasn’t lost on her. Her sister, Chloe, had always hated kids. She’d never babysat like Summer had. Never been the one the little kids at church flocked to.
And yet here she was, pregnant.
Not that it should be any surprise. Summer had always heard that when you’re trying unsuccessfully to have a child, everyone you know gets pregnant. And that had certainly rung true for her. She couldn’t count the number of high school and college friends who’d come out of the woodwork over the past months to share their happy news with the world. It was almost to the point that she hated to log on to Facebook, because she knew she’d be faced with a bevy of new profile photos depicting protruding bellies and ultrasounds.
Maybe things would be different if she’d shared her news with everyone. Then they’d be more sensitive to her feelings. But she and Luke had taken so long to get pregnant, she’d wanted to wait until she was past the first trimester. She’d lost the baby right at the end of the three months, so very few people ever even knew of her loss.
“I
As soon as they were out of earshot, he leaned down to Summer. “Why didn’t you tell me that Jefferson was moving back?” he hissed. “And when did you see him?”
She wrinkled her brow. “I ran into him Thursday.” She sighed. “And I haven’t had many conversations with you since then to tell you.” She reached for a plate. “Besides, it’s not a big deal.”
He sighed. “I don’t like for that guy to feel like he’s got one over on me.”
Summer rolled her eyes. “I know. I almost drowned in all the testosterone over there. Can’t you two play nice?” She scooped some potato salad onto her plate. “That was all a long time ago.”
Luke grumbled. “He’s still a jerk.” Maybe he was overreacting. But seeing Jefferson after all this time brought up all the insecurities he thought he’d put behind him. And who wore seersucker anyway? So pretentious.
The sound of silverware clinking against glass rang through the yard.
“Could I have your attention, please?” Mr. Rutledge called.
Vivian walked over to join her husband. “Thanks for joining us today,” she said. “We’re here to celebrate a special occasion.” She smiled broadly.
Luke glanced at Summer, and she shrugged.
“That’s right,” Thomas said, putting an arm around his wife’s shoulders. “We invited you here to tell you that our daughter Chloe has given us some news we’ve been waiting to hear for a long time.”
Luke caught sight of Chloe and her husband, Preston, standing just beyond Thomas and Vivian. Chloe looked like she was about to burst into song.
“What’d they do?” he whispered to Summer. “Cure cancer?”
She elbowed him. “Shh.”
“We’re pleased to announce that in six months, we’re going to have new titles,” Vivian said dramatically. “Nana and Poppa.” She threw her arms out with excitement.
The crowd burst into applause.
Luke felt Summer stiffen next to him.
She thrust her glass of tea at him, nearly spilling it, and hurried off toward the house.
He froze, unsure of whether he should follow or not.
Gram caught his eye and nodded her head toward the house. She rose and moved as quickly as she could to the french doors.
Luke looked at the abandoned glass of tea in his hand, once again filled with the sense of helplessness that had plagued him for months. Ever since that cold day in early December when he and Summer had learned that she’d suffered a miscarriage.
Even though it had been years since Summer had lived in her parents’ home, her bedroom hadn’t changed much. The ornate white furniture and pale pink bedding had been fit for a princess. Today, though, they were a painful reminder of all she’d lost.
She sank onto the bed and ran her hand over the soft bedspread. The irony of the situation wasn’t lost on her. Her sister, Chloe, had always hated kids. She’d never babysat like Summer had. Never been the one the little kids at church flocked to.
And yet here she was, pregnant.
Not that it should be any surprise. Summer had always heard that when you’re trying unsuccessfully to have a child, everyone you know gets pregnant. And that had certainly rung true for her. She couldn’t count the number of high school and college friends who’d come out of the woodwork over the past months to share their happy news with the world. It was almost to the point that she hated to log on to Facebook, because she knew she’d be faced with a bevy of new profile photos depicting protruding bellies and ultrasounds.
Maybe things would be different if she’d shared her news with everyone. Then they’d be more sensitive to her feelings. But she and Luke had taken so long to get pregnant, she’d wanted to wait until she was past the first trimester. She’d lost the baby right at the end of the three months, so very few people ever even knew of her loss.
“I
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