“It usually is,” she said, and I knew she understood me.
“Who knows if I’ll ever figure it out. I’m not sure I want to,” I said. “I know you and Rob like your labels, but I don’t know if one is for me. I just want to be me. And it’s not like I’m looking to date anyway.”
Julia nodded. “Well, you know I’m here if you ever want to talk about any of it.”
“I know,” I said. “Thank you.” I really did love my sister, and it was nice to have her to lean on when I needed to.
“You don’t have to thank me. I’m your big sister. It’s what I’m here for.”
“You’re one of my big sisters,” I said, even though Lydia and I hadn’t ever been that close.
“But I’m the best one,” she said, laughing. “Don’t tell Lydia.”
Chapter Ten
“I said you didn’t have to bring anything,” Natalie said as I approached the group with Julia and Hollis. We’d carpooled to the lighthouse for the picnic. Someone had claimed some spots on the grassy lawn with a patchwork of blankets.
I shifted the box in my arms and hoped I didn’t drop it before I made it to the blanket.
“I made juice,” I said.
“Whoa, let me help you,” she said as I fumbled with the box. Natalie helped me get the box over to where Esme stood next to two coolers.
“We have bonus drinks,” Natalie said, helping me set the box down on the grass.
“I made some pineapple, orange, beet, ginger, and apple juice,” I said.
“Oh, that sounds really good. I can make some great mocktails with that,” Esme said, reaching down and pulling out one of the jars. “Thanks for bringing these.”
“Yeah, of course,” I said as we put the jars in the cooler with plenty of ice.
Julia and Hollis had also brought a few bags of chips as well.
“I just figured we always go to the beach, but this place is pretty too,” Paige said, coming over to say hello.
“It’s really beautiful,” I said. The lighthouse almost didn’t look real. Every angle of it looked like it was ripped from a postcard. Several people were taking selfies and pictures.
“How’s my baby bean?” Paige asked Linley, who was sitting with Gray on a blanket. She had on a huge wide sun hat that made her look like she was on vacation in the Hamptons.
“Pretty much the same. We have an ultrasound soon, so we’ll get some good pictures and share them with everyone.”
Paige squealed. “And you’re still not sharing potential names?”
Linley shook her head and looked at her husband.
“We love you, but no,” he said, laughing.
“Babe, leave them alone,” Esme said, kissing Paige’s cheek and pressing a drink into her hand.
“I will,” Paige said. “I’m just excited.”
“I know,” Linley said. “But we’ve got a long way to go.”
The picnic was fun and loud and kind of chaotic, but I just sort of found a corner of a blanket and stayed there and people kept bringing me drinks and food, so it was pretty ideal.
There were laughs and pictures and I felt like I was part of the group.
I was drinking one of the mocktails that Esme had made with my juice and then I heard a little voice yell “Kenna!”
I turned and saw Preston running across the grass toward me, his mother following at a rushed walk.
“Hi, Preston,” I said as he flung himself at me. “Nattie!” Preston yelled and hugged Natalie, and then Julia, who swept him up in her arms and held him tight.
“I’ve missed you, Mr. P,” Julia said. “Have you been having fun at home with Mama?”
“I missed you,” he said, his little voice sad.
Julia set him down. “Oh, buddy, I missed you too.”
“Hey,” I said to Piper as she approached the group.
“Hi,” she said. “Preston was begging to go out today and we hadn’t been here in a long time.” Was it my imagination, or was she nervous? It was kind of coincidental that she ended up here, when she knew that a bunch of us were going to be here, but maybe she just wanted Preston to see Julia because he missed her. I was definitely reading too much into it.
“Would you like to join us?” I asked, sliding over on my blanket.
“Oh, no, I don’t want to intrude,” she said, waving her hand. Preston was still chattering away to Julia.
“Come on, stay,” Natalie said. “What can I get you to drink?”
Piper looked around at the group, but then she sat down next to me.
“If you’re sure,” she said.
“The more the merrier,” Em said, handing Piper a plate.
Preston ran around and introduced himself to everyone, and I could see that he had charmed literally everyone. He got really excited about Gray, and sat down next to him, looking up at Gray with big eyes.
“Looks like you have a new friend,” Julia said.
Gray pulled something out of his bag and Preston squealed with delight.
“Gray carves these little animals,” I said to Piper, who was watching the interaction, ready to step in if she needed to.
Preston got up and ran over, holding the object out in front of him.
“Look, Mama, it’s a kitty!” Piper took the little thing from Preston and looked it over. I leaned in for a better look and saw it was a little cat, curled up in sleep. So cute.
“It’s lovely, but be careful with it,” Piper said.
“Gray said I could has it,” Preston said.
“Are you sure?” Piper asked.
“I have tons of them,” Gray said, giving Piper a thumbs up. “I carry them around for emergencies.”
“What do you say?” Piper said to Preston.
“Thank you, Gray!” Preston said, flopping down on the blanket to play with his new toy.
“Your friends are very kind,” Piper said, running her fingers through her son’s hair.
“They are,” I said. Paige brought Piper a drink, and I asked her if she was hungry.
“We’ve got tons of food. For you and for him,” Paige said.
“Thanks so much,” Piper said, getting up and going to fill her plate and Preston’s.
He sat on the blanket singing to himself and petting the little carving.
“What are you going to name your new friend?” I asked.
Preston thought about that for a second. “Kitty!”
I tried not to laugh. “That’s a very good name for a cat.”
Piper came back with a plate and held it out to Preston. He grabbed a few things and she set the plate between them so she could eat, and he could graze.
“We should go in the museum after he’s eaten. He’ll love it in there. There’s books to read and lots of things he can touch,” I said.
Piper laughed under her breath. “We’re still working on ‘look with our eyes, don’t touch with our hands’ so we’ll see how that goes.”
Natalie and Em came over and joined us and we all chatted about this and that as we ate and drank and just lazed in the sun.