Dylan turned to look at her, head tilted. She still doubted her recollection of that night, just a little, but if she was wrong, then so what? They’d laugh at her mistake, move on, and talk about the film.
But right now, she knew this unspoken memory between them was half of her problem these past few days during filming—she couldn’t stop thinking about it, about Ramona. About how, if Ramonadidremember, Dylan had already spent too longnotremembering, and how shitty that must feel. She’d spent half the night after they’d gone bowling awake, replaying that July Fourth over and over, just like she’d done so many times in her past. And she knew she wanted to share that with Ramona. She wanted to share something with another person that had nothing to do with Dylan’s parents or her job or what her connections could do for them.
She just wanted sun and water and the simplicity of a good memory.
“Do you?” Dylan asked. Her chest felt tight.
Ramona opened her mouth. Closed it. She wore a dress today, sort of vintage, sleeveless and yellow with a high collar. The color brought out her freckles, made her hair look darker.
“Ramona?” Dylan said, her hands on her stomach to try to calm her nerves. “Do you—”
“Of course I remember,” Ramona said.
Dylan’s breath left her lungs in one big gust. She bent over, rested her palms on her knees as though she’d just run a marathon. “You do?”
Ramona smiled. “Lolli.”
“Shit,” Dylan said, straightening and sending both hands through her hair. “Thank god.”
Ramona laughed softly, then pressed her palms to her cheeks, which were turning a lovely shade of pink. But then Dylan started laughing too, and soon they were both laughing hard enough to pulltears from the corners of their eyes. Their bodies had moved closer as they’d giggled, and Dylan placed a hand on Ramona’s shoulder for support as Ramona led them over to a low rock with a flat surface. They plopped down next to each other, and Dylan wiped at her eyes with a corner of her apron.
“Oh my god,” she said. “I have no idea why I’m laughing so hard.”
“Me neither,” Ramona said. “In fact, I’m a little offended.”
Dylan eyed her, and they started laughing again. But soon, they settled, both of them taking deep breaths as they looked out at the water. Dylan felt infinitely lighter already, but still, there were things to say.
“I’m sorry,” she said, keeping her gaze on the lake. “That I didn’t realize as soon as I saw you in Clover Moon.”
Ramona’s eyes narrowed a bit, but she just nodded. “I guess I’m just not that mem—”
“Don’t you dare say it.” Dylan turned to face her on the rock.
Ramona huffed a laugh, but this one held no mirth. She looked down at her hands, picking at her dark purple nail polish.
“Ramona, seriously,” Dylan said. “That night…that night saved my life.”
Ramona’s head snapped toward her, eyes locking.
“It did,” Dylan said. “Maybe not physically. But mentally? Emotionally? Yeah. I’m not being dramatic when I say that night was a lifesaver. Just because I’m a dumbass who can’t put a face to my memories sometimes, doesn’t mean you’re forgettable. Not at all.”
Ramona said nothing. Just shook her head and turned back toward the water. But a tiny smile pulled at her mouth.
“It was a good night,” Dylan said. “Wasn’t it?”
Suddenly, she needed reassurance too, needed to hear it meant as much to Ramona as it did to her.
Ramona turned back to look at her, small smile turning bigger, that dimple deepening in her cheek. “It was lifesaving.”
She said it softly, three very simple words, but they felt like a firework in Dylan’s heart. She nodded, then leaned her shoulder against Ramona’s, just a little, and they sat like that for a while, watching the lake lap at the sandy shore, sharing a great memory.
It felt so…pure. That was the only word for it. Just good and simple and real. Like clean water and a cloudless blue sky. Dylan wanted to say more, wanted to ask Ramona more about her life during that time, but she didn’t want to mess this moment up. It felt fragile and perfect all at once.
“Thank you,” Ramona said after a while. “For telling me. I’m sorry I didn’t mention it first. I just…”
“I get it,” Dylan said, waving her hand.
Ramona nodded, then slapped her hands lightly against her legs. “Now. What are we going to do about your Eloise?”
