At the other end of the table, Lucy—James and Shelly’s fiercely independent three-year-old — climbs onto Crystal’s lap.
“I want hot dog, Chrissy,” she demands, reaching for the platter in the center of the table.
Crystal patiently helps her put mustard and ketchup on the bun, which will make for a messy cleanup later.
Shelly strokes her hand over Lucy’s curly hair while rubbing her other hand over her prominent pregnant belly.
“Sweetie, why don’t you take your plate to Daddy so he can help you eat?” she suggests.
Crystal shakes her head. “It’s fine if she stays with me. I don’t mind.”
At thirteen, she’s mature beyond her years, often babysitting her cousin and other neighborhood kids, while staying close to home and reading everything she can get her hands on. We were worried about raising a girl, but she makes it easy for us.
Chase, on the other hand, has a chip on his shoulder a mile wide. He’s small for his age and hit puberty later than most, so he’s faced a lot of teasing at school. To make matters worse, he has a sharp mind and a habit of correcting everyone, which often comes across as condescending, even to his teachers. We’ve been called to the principal’s office more than once.
“So, what are everyone’s plans for the summer?” Susan asks as she passes the bowl of potato salad around the table.
Aiden grins. “After endless family debate, we’ve finally decided on a road trip in July,” he replies. “We’re renting an RV and driving along the Oregon and California coasts. We’ll stop for a few days at Redwood National Park, then spend a week at Yosemite. It ticks off a few items on our bucket list, and it helps Crystal with her goal to visit every national park.”
Traveling and exploring are our favorite family pastimes. Combining our bucket lists with the kids’ has made it a bit overwhelming. The first thing we checked off our list after getting marriedwas our honeymoon, when Aiden surprised me with the Alaskan cruise I’d always wanted to take. It’s one of my all-time favorite trips.
“What about the trip for your anniversary?” my mom asks. “I thought you were going to New York to visit Luke?”
“We are,” I reply, “but we’re waiting on him to confirm the dates.”
The conversation continues as the rest of the family shares their summer plans, while plenty of food is consumed.
We’re expecting some friends, but they texted that they’re running late, so I wrap up a few hamburgers and hot dogs so they’ll have warm food when they arrive.
Just as we start to clean up, Ryan and Justin appear at the back door, Ryan carrying a large platter of watermelon.
“Hey, sorry we’re so late,” Ryan says as he opens the screen door for his husband, Justin. “There was a bad accident on the Youngs Bay Bridge. Traffic was backed up for miles.”
Lauren brings up the rear with a plate of cookies, and the kids quickly swarm her to pilfer their dessert.
“Sweetheart, I’ll take that so you can get some food. I’m sure you’re starving,” Ryan says, taking the plate from her, freeing her from the stampede of kids.
It’s bittersweet every time I see them. Just before we got married, Matt and Lauren moved just across the river on the Washington side. I bonded with Matt, and he became like a father to me.
Sadly, he was killed in a car accident less than a year later. His death devastated all of us, but Lauren most of all. They had been married for almost 25 years, and her grief led her to make some reckless decisions. Aiden struggled to see his friend suffer so much.
We met Ryan and Justin at a charity event not long after we got engaged. They also worked in real estate in Seattle but wanted to leave the city and buy more property along the Oregon coast. They’ve partnered with Aiden on a few ventures, and we quickly became friends.
We’d wrongfully assumed they were gay. We later found out they’re both bisexual and had been in a throuple with their first wife, who’s the mother of their three kids. She died several years ago of cancer.
Their relationship with Lauren unfolded unexpectedly after they met at a party we hosted a couple of years after Matt died. They live together in Cannon Beach.
After hours of backyard games and lively conversation, the day winds down, and our guests head home.
Alex left to go to a party with some friends, while Crystal and Chase retreated to their rooms for the night. I’m sure Crystal has her nose in a book with Maisy and Daisy curled around her, and Chase is playing some online strategy game with kids from Japan or something.
I load the last plate in the dishwasher when Aiden slips behind me, wrapping his strong arms around my waist. He kisses the back of my neck, hitting my favorite spot that always makes me shiver.
“It was a fun day,” he murmurs in my ear, holding me close.
“It was a really fun day,” I reply, turning into his arms to kiss him. “But I’ll admit, I’m liking the quiet.”
He nods and smiles. “I got a text from Luke earlier. He said the dates we wanted in November work with their schedule. Shelly said it’s perfect timing for them to take the kids. The baby will be a few months old by then, and they can help her with Lucy.”
