“The others are right behind us,” Abby said. “And you can barely keep Lucy’s feet on the ground.”
“It’s good she’s able to be happy so soon after her loss,” El said. “Even if it is just for one day.”
Reece looked up from the table. “Is she still having bad dreams about bad guys coming to get her?”
Gabe nodded. “But the counselor she’s seeing is helping.”
“The heartbreaking thing for me,” Abby said, “is that she doesn’t ever cry when she’s with me. She just holds on too tight, like if she let go, I might disappear on her.”
“She does that all the time with me, too.” Gabe’s tortured expression spoke to the challenges he was facing. “Her counselor says it’s normal and could last for a while. That’s why she’ll cling to your sleeve or shirt and not want to let go. She needs to be reassured that we’re there for her, and we’re not going anywhere.”
His pain got to be too much for El, and she looked away, catching sight of Nolan and Mina coming toward them. Nolan carried cases of juice boxes, and Mina held packaged snacks.
“Over here.” Reece waved. “Just set them on the table, and I’ll take care of them.”
“I won’t argue with that.” Nolan dumped the big cases of juice boxes on the end of the table.
“You sure you don’t want any help?” Mina asked.
The others laughed.
“The last time I saw Reece ask for help was when she locked the food in the car with the keys,” Nolan said.
Laughter broke out again as Hayden and Cady joined them with a cooler swinging between them, the ice inside swishing.
“I thought you were bringing Lucy and Mrs. Z.,” Abby said.
“We did.” Hayden set the cooler down near the juice boxes. “Mrs. Z. insisted we get the ice here as fast as possible. She needs a wheelchair for this distance, and we couldn’t bring her and the ice in one trip. So, she opted to wait and asked Lucy to stay with her.”
“I think it’s Mrs. Z’s way of spending time alone with Lucy today,” Cady said.
“But it looks like we better get the birthday girl over here before the party starts.” Hayden rested his arm over his fiancée’s shoulders and led them away.
Gabe slipped closer to El. “You look overwhelmed.”
El sighed. “I am, though I hate to admit it. I rarely get flustered, but seeing everyone together and how well they all know each other, I feel like an outsider.”
He put his arm on her shoulder. “Talk to Mina, Burke, or Cady. Or all three of them. They were new to the group at one time, too, but they all seem pretty comfortable now.”
“I’ll do that. Maybe today.” She pointed across the lawn. “Here comes the princess.”
Lucy clung to Mrs. Z.’s hand as Hayden rolled her up the walkway.
Gabe went to greet her, picked her up, and swung her around in his arms. “I hope you like your decorations and your party.”
“Yes!” She wiggled free and twirled in her special party dress, her shiny black shoes tapping on the concrete. “Don’t I look pretty?”
“Beautiful.” When she stopped spinning, Gabe knelt in front of her and kissed her cheek. “You won’t believe who’s coming to join your party. He’s right behind you.”
She spun and shrieked. “Bluey. It’s Bluey. He’s really here!”
She raced ahead, then threw her full body weight against Bluey. Jude stepped back, but then planted his feet while she hugged him.
She looked up at him. “I love you, Bluey. Thank you for coming to my party.”
“Are you kidding?” Jude asked in an imitation of Bluey’s squeaky-high voice. “You’re my very best friend.”
She grabbed his hand and started dragging him toward the pavilion as the first kids arrived behind them. They charged away from their parents, flooding toward Bluey, but Lucy stepped in front of them. “He’s my very best friend, and he came to my party.”
