Jake met my eyes from across the lawn. He didn’t say a word, but his look spoke volumes: I know, Mom. I’m sorry.
Lisa, Karen’s cousin, appeared beside me with a plate of cobbler. “That,” she whispered, “was the best part of the day. You okay?”
I managed a small smile. “Thanks to Emma.”
“I think she inherited your backbone,” Lisa grinned.
From there, something unexpected happened. People started coming over — not with pity, but with solidarity. Someone teased, “Guess the best thing here wasn’t on the food table.”
The kids loved the microphones. One announced an “exclusive weather forecast,” another gave a “breaking news” report: Grandma brought the best toys!
