Preston got tired of sitting and started running around, and Julia started chasing him around.
Jax came over and introduced herself again, and started talking with Piper about school, since Preston would be ready for kindergarten in a few years.
“He can be a handful,” Piper said as Preston screamed and ran past the blanket, Julia following him.
“Every child can, in their own way,” Jax said. “As long as he’s not a biter, I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
“Nope, not a biter,” Piper said with a laugh.
“That’s a relief,” Jax said with a laugh.
“Hey, Preston, do you want to go see inside the museum?” Julia asked. She’d actually worked there in the summers years ago. I’d forgotten.
“Yes,” Preston said, looking at his mom.
“I’m happy to take him,” Julia said, taking Preston’s hand.
Piper looked torn for a moment, but this was Julia, who took care of Preston every day.
“Sure, go have fun, baby. And listen to what Miss Julia tells you, okay?”
“Yes, Mama,” Preston said, running over to give her a hug before going with Julia and Hollis toward the building.
Piper closed her eyes and lay back on the blanket.
“Being responsible for another human is exhausting,” she said, her eyes still closed.
“Don’t say that too loud, Linley is pregnant with her first,” I said, laying down on my side on the blanket. There was plenty of space between us, but the position of our bodies still felt intimate.
“Well, she has a husband who seems like he’s going to be a wonderful father,” Piper said. “I didn’t have that.”
This was one of the first times I’d ever heard her talk about her ex-husband.
“What was he like?” I asked, and she opened her eyes to look at me.
“Absent,” she said. “Uninvolved. He wanted the idea of a child, but the reality of one was too much for him. He wanted to be the kind of father you had to make appointments to see once a week, and that had his son call him ‘sir.’ I hoped he would change when Preston was born, but it got even worse. He’d go off on more and more business trips and be gone longer and longer, and it’s like he just erased himself from our lives.”
How horrible. I couldn’t imagine what that was like for Piper.
“At least Preston doesn’t have firm memories of his father, so it’s not like he knows what he’s missing, but still. When he gets older, he’s going to wonder where the hell his father is. I’m not looking forward to that conversation.”
She sighed and sat up, reaching for the plate of food. She picked at it, not really eating.
Several of the other picnic-goers had wandered off to walk along the rocks, go in the museum, or take pictures in front of the lighthouse. It was just me and Piper on the blankets right now.
“That’s a lot of worry for one person to manage,” I said.
Piper gave me a tight smile. “What are you worried about? I feel like I monopolize every conversation we have. What about you, McKenna?”
I didn’t want to talk about me. It was much easier for me to empathize and keep myself to myself.
“I don’t know,” I said, shrugging. “I worry about the normal things, I guess.”
“You must have some problems. Don’t let me be the complete mess,” she said with a laugh. I smiled at her.
“You’re not a mess,” I said. I’d never met anyone who was less of a mess. Even in the wind, her hair was perfect, and there wasn’t a single speck on her blue shirt or white pants. Who could wear white pants and get away with it?
“I guess I worry about leaving my family again. They love having me here, and I love being here, but it’s not permanent.”
“Why not?” She bit down on a strawberry and I was distracted for a moment staring at her lips.
“That’s just not my lifestyle. I move around. I go where the wind takes me,” I said.
“Is there a reason for that?” she asked.
“I mean, not really. I just like going new places. Seeing new people.” I’d answered this question so many times before.
“So you’re not running from something?” she asked in a soft voice. She cringed immediately. “Sorry, that was too personal a question to ask.”
“No, I mean, people ask me that all the time. There’s not some big trauma in my past, if that’s what you’re asking. I didn’t flee home. I just decided I wanted to go somewhere else, and it became a lifestyle and I’m used to it. That’s the biggest answer. It’s what I’m used to, and we always choose the familiar over the unknown, don’t we? Humans like their comfort zones.”
“Mmm, that is the truth.”
I finished my drink and watched as Piper looked out at the ocean.
“Eventually I’ll stop somewhere. Don’t know where, don’t know when. I’m more concerned with right now,” I said, shrugging.
Piper looked at me for a long time. So long that I could feel myself blushing.
“I like that,” she finally said. “I’m always too focused on the past or the future. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to do yoga. To help me learn how to be in the moment.”
I was about to say something else, but Preston had returned with Julia.
“Mama, I went potty!”
Piper laughed. “Well, that’s great. Give me a hug.” She hugged him and Julia gave the rundown of the bathroom adventure.
“Potty training has been a little bit of a challenge,” she whispered to me.
“Believe me, I know. My mom has to clean her bathroom at least once every Sunday dinner because at least one kid has had an accident. She still keeps a whole closet full of diapers and extra clothes for anyone who might need them.”
“She’s smart,” Piper said. “I feel like I could learn so much from her.”
There was no chance that my mom was ever going to meet Piper. Why would they? Mom lived in Arrowbridge and didn’t get over to Castleton much. And it would be ludicrous to invite Piper to family dinner. The rule was that it was Williams family only, plus only serious significant others. No friends, no casual flings. It made sense, because if every one of us brought one or two friends, the house would collapse, and Mom would have a breakdown trying to feed that many. As it was, she could barely handle what we had now.
“Okay, it’s naptime for Linley,” Linley said through a yawn.
“Come on, Mrs. Sweet-Baldwin. Let’s get you home.” Gray pulled his wife upright and cradled her in his arms. Her eyes closed as he held her.
More people started filtering out, taking leftovers and drinks with them.
Preston had mellowed and was currently laying in his mother’s lap, his thumb in his mouth.
“I should get him home. It’s naptime,” Piper said.
“No nap,” Preston said in a sleepy voice.
“We’ll see about that,” Piper said.
“I’ll see you on Monday, okay, little buddy?” Julia said. Preston waved tiredly from the blanket.
“Do you need any help?” I asked Piper as she picked Preston up.
“No, I’ve got it,” she said. “Thanks so much for letting me stay.” She directed this toward the group.